Classic Thai cooking with draft beers & soju cocktails, plus happy-hour deals & lunch specials.
If you’re vegan ask for the vegan menu! Even though I ordered tofu spring rolls from the vegan menu one of the sauces contained fish. Fortunately the server mentioned this when they brought the food out, but that is still unusual.
The yellow curry was so good!
The employees were very attentive to us during our meal.
The waiter was so patient with my questions and he gave great recommendations. It’s a very cozy, authentic restaurant. The food is so tasty. I recommend the experience. They also have happy hour. Having a cocktail is a great way to end the day. Please like and follow me for more reviews.
Would NOT recommend, would not come back.
Food was barely acceptable here. Black pepper with chili tofu was very fishy. They said they could take away the chili sauce? Curry was watery with almost no chicken and the chicken was dry and chewy.
Very disappointed!
Service was friendly and the decor was chic.
Ordered the mild red curry two days in a row. Delectable is the only word. Other things I tried over the last 2 days include crispy spring rolls, pork bun dim sum, and sweet Mango sticky rice. I ordered it to go both times but pick up went smoothly, and the food was all FANTASTIC when I got back to my hotel. I only have 1 more night in San Diego, guess where I'm eating tonight?
Great Food and Service, there is a separate Vegan menu option which worked great for us!
If you’re vegan ask for the vegan menu! Even though I ordered tofu spring rolls from the vegan menu one of the sauces contained fish. Fortunately the server mentioned this when they brought the food out, but that is still unusual.
The yellow curry was so good!
The employees were very attentive to us during our meal.
Would NOT recommend, would not come back.
Food was barely acceptable here. Black pepper with chili tofu was very fishy. They said they could take away the chili sauce? Curry was watery with almost no chicken and the chicken was dry and chewy.
Very disappointed!
Service was friendly and the decor was chic.
Have enjoyed this restaurant regularly, since they first opened. It is a charming atmosphere, with delectable cuisine.
Really nice, good food, staff was super friendly
The server was super accommodating and friendly! The food was tasty and fairly priced. I love this place. I will come back.
ich finde es eine frechheit das die tips automatisch dazu gerechnet wurden! alles war top aber das ist eine unverschämtheit!
Loved everything about Lotus Thai. Classic Thai menu options made hot and delicious. Loved the drunken noodles with a side salad and egg roll.
I was so looking forward to a delicious Thai meal! … this wasn’t it. It was fine. Close to our hotel, food was “fine”, staff was so so nice but sparse and neglectful. It was a Saturday evening and we were 1 of 4 tables. Waitress was so very nice but never checked on us and took SOOOO long to come with the bill. My food was cold and brought out way before my sons. I got garlic pepper tofu and it was brought out on a huge bed of lettuce with a few pieces of tofu (no one likes warm limp lettuce) and honestly I left a little hungry. My son said he liked his food but it was so so. Maybe we didn’t order the right dishes but I still expect hot food. I hate to leave disappointed reviews but I would love to see some improvement here and trying to help fellow travelers
So yummy! Added some spice and it was awesome! Servers were so friendly and chatty and I always had water. The happy hour appetizers were a great choice! Will definitely come back.
Transplanted to the West Coast. Needed a new Thai spot. FOUND IT! OMG, completely authentic and amazing. Such flavor!!!! Great wait staff and lovely, visually intriguing decor! The stir fry and the soup! I'm going right now 😂
Ordered the mild red curry two days in a row. Delectable is the only word. Other things I tried over the last 2 days include crispy spring rolls, pork bun dim sum, and sweet Mango sticky rice. I ordered it to go both times but pick up went smoothly, and the food was all FANTASTIC when I got back to my hotel. I only have 1 more night in San Diego, guess where I'm eating tonight?
Try the dessert.... sticky rice banana. REALLY nice!
Ngon đúng khẩu vị người Việt ko có ớt ngâm tươi.
Food was great and plentiful. The staff were friendly and helpful.
I ordered drunken noodles
Didn't like it at all..they have a different take with sweet sauce. I told the manager. He was so understanding. Offered to prepare with a different sauce. I ultimately changed my order to shrimp fried rice and it had great flavor. So this 5 stars is not just for the food but the great customer service. Also to note I always go to the bathroom before I commit to eating at a restaurant. The bathroom was clean with notes stressing the importance to wash your hands. Overall great experience. I love restaurants who give good customer service. I'll definitely come back for my next business trip to San Diego
It was my first time going there for dinner and even though the dumplings were good i was disappointed. The service needs work and when I got ice cream for dessert it tasted old.At one point it hurt my stomach.Let’s just say I will never be going back.
Nice tofu fried rice, great customer service.
Overall, it was a nice place. I would not recommend the fried rice with chicken
Takeout order was quick & delicious! Loved the Green Curry & Crispy Tofu. Portions are HUGE. Wish I had taken a picture but we ate it too quick. Will definitely order again!
The best Tom Kha soup & Drunken Noodle! Service & cocktails were also fantastic!
The worst !!! Oily , tasteless , rude , unhappy wait staff. This place is always empty,. 2 decades but hardly any customers. Money laundering business.
Good food, good service and great atmosphere
The waiter was so patient with my questions and he gave great recommendations. It’s a very cozy, authentic restaurant. The food is so tasty. I recommend the experience. They also have happy hour. Having a cocktail is a great way to end the day. Please like and follow me for more reviews.
We had 2 of the chef specials, the chicken dumplings and krathong thong, Tom kha soup, and Thai iced tea. All of it was great, at a reasonable price. The staff were extremely attentive and kind and the space itself is well decorated without feeling manicured. If I lived nearby, would definitely come here frequently!
Sorry - no photos as we were hungry and started eating too quickly.
Lotus Thai in San Diego exceeded our expectations with its delicious offerings and exceptional service. The red curry was perfectly spiced and bursting with rich flavors, while the LARB provided a refreshing and zesty contrast. Both dishes were reasonably priced and arrived promptly, making for a delightful dining experience. The Thai iced tea was also great, adding a sweet and refreshing touch to the meal. Highly recommended for anyone craving authentic Thai cuisine!
Nice food and good service staff is very helpful .thank you so much.
Incredible food! I had an amazing time!
We took a chance and dined here one weekend night. It was a mediocre experience with taste of the food and overall service. After finishing soup and appetizers, we kept waiting for the main course which never came. Upon inquiring, the server told us that he forgot to put in the order and now the time is over to put any orders as chefs had left the kitchen. We left the place without finishing our meal and wanting for more food as well as better service.
The restaurant did not even offer to waive the bill or give any kind of discount. They just processed our payment and said good night. Perhaps the management could have done better !
The soup and appetizers we ate were average at best and did not wow us in any way.
I would recommend to find other options for good Thai food in the area if you can.
i loved the tom yum soup!! amazing customer service, the employees were so nice :))
Moved from Los Angeles after 12 years, and back to San Diego in 1992, where I had enjoyed the best lemon grass soup entrees! I had not found that taste again!
My East Village neighbor, Laura Holland, took me to the Lotus Thai, just 3 short blocks away!
And JACKPOT, after 32 years of remembering the good lemon grass soup in L.A., the Lotus Thai's Tom Yum Lemongrass Soup has made me one happy and satisfied neighbor/customer!
Lunch is good value. Green curry bit spicy even as mild. Cashew chicken OK
Best spicy fried rice! actually has spice and a good kick.
Drunken noodles was great. Excellent service.
If you have never been here, believe me my brother's and sisters, you are missing out. incredible food and atmosphere and employees, I'd go here everyday if I had the time, simply amazing!
Great food, clean bathroom.
I’ve
If you Love hot Thai you would love it. Sea bass was good veges cold service very good. It made me never want to go to Thailand. I told my boyfriend to go by himself.
Hands down, the worst Thai I've ever had. Tried this place multiple times and every time, it tastes like I scraped it off the bottom of a dumpster that's been baking in the sun.
Food is not great in taste. Would not recommend.
Ate here two nights in a row while in San Diego. Food was excellent and servuce matches. I ordered medium spicy. The spice level was just right. I ordered the mango martini. It was unlike any I have ever had - mu h better and more refined.
You should call the patron when order is made for delivery and I would stop using Uber eats since between the app and whatever order system you used left off one item as I result I paid 15:00 dollars for four egg rolls so I’m not coming back in there nor using Uber eats again. After I tipped the driver my order went to 23:00 dollars for 4 spring rolls!
Very kind waitress offered water and seats even when placing takeout order. Food came out quick, steak was delicious
Don’t sleep on this great thai place. Delicious food, wonderful service, fun atmosphere. And crazy affordable
They added tofu to my chicken pad Thai which I AM ALLERGIC TO. Couldn’t eat anything obviously but got it via Uber so now I guess I order a different dinner
Fantastic food The service was great. And it's in walking distance of the gaslamp district. Try to go on a weekday when it's less busy.
Excellent plats, prix corrects, service sympa et rapide.
Je recommande avec grand plaisir 😀👍😀
Love everything about this place. Great Thai food, wonderful curries, awesome people and nice atmosphere.
We took our friends (visiting from the east coast) to Lotus Thai for dinner. Overall we were very pleased with the food and service. We will go there again. We asked for outdoor seating, so cannot comment on the 'Atmosphere' inside the restaurant.
A good good man owns this restaurant. I was homeless and very pregnant, too far from the soup kitchen to get dinner, and I came in asking for any leftovers they were going to throw in the garbage. Not only was I given a full and fresh meal, the man prayed over me and my child, and God granted his prayer in fullness. I wish I could come back but I live far away now, so please, on my behalf, give this restaurant your business and a good rating. Thank you sir, I'll never ever forget the kindness you showed us, may God bless you abundantly forever.
One of my families favorites. So delicious and customer service is beyond fantastic. Their food is spectacular.
Had a good experience here for dinner. The waiter was very nice and professional. We were seated promptly and our food came out fast. The Thai Tea was the best thing in my opinion. We ordered the dim sum chicken dumplings, Holy Basil, and the chef special lemon grass chicken.
Had the lunch specials with soup and salad included. The Pad Thai and Drunken noodles were really good.
Lovely. Friendly. Very fast service. As far as their food, it's top notch. I eat there frequently.
Pad Thai was good, thank you!
Vegetable dumplings were good. Drunken noodles were delicious 😋
It's always an amazing place to visit. Food and staff are awesome
Best Thai I've ever had!
Yuck!
Food was Great ..
Service & Food was 💯
Meh
Fresh shrimp rolls are adequate but neither the sauce they come with nor the peanut sauce (which tastes like it has coconut milk in it and you pay extra for) is any good.
Mini buns are not fluffy steamed buns, more like soup dumplings. They’re ok, but again the sauce is off. Maybe I was brought the wrong thing….
Pad thai was unremarkable. Asked for medium spice level and got nothing so “spice” is clearly just controlled with chili and nothing that adds flavor.
Food is edible, but I wouldn’t come back.
Very mediocre food. I had the lunch special which is a great deal, 1 spring roll, small cup of soup (rotates daily, mine was Tom Kha) and salad + whatever you order for the main dish. I had drunken noodles with chicken. The Total for everything was $14. The overall taste was okay but not what I would expect from drunken noodles and overall I was a bit disappointed in the dish but once again a decent value for everything.
Food was so good!
First time eating at this place. Not impressed. I won't return.
Some of the most disgusting thai food I have ever eaten. I paid extra for scallops, which were rubbery and inedible. The quality is extremely low for the price. Don't waste your money here.
I am soooo picky about Thai, having visited there for two longish stays. This Thai is 5 stars. Trust me.
Rating should be 3.5 stars as this is standard fare Thai food.
Super rude staff it's like they enjoy being rude and somehow are able to delete low reviews. I cant find my first review.. never coming back super unprofessional definitely no holiday spirits .
If thers 0 for service I would put . Horrible horrible horrible service . Super rude employees it's almost like they enjoy being rude .. specially the guy with the long gray hair and tatto on his hand . Disgusting
This is our go to Thai restaurant. So many yummy items but LOVE the spicy noodle, pad Thai, basil chicken/mock duck, and all their curry's are yum. Service always good too!
Very tasty food! Accommodates all taste buds and most diets- I can't do spicy and my meal was perfect, and then my boyfriend was able to get his meal "Thai spicy" (like another level up from regular spicy) and he loved his meal. Vegetarian and friendly. The drinks were tasty! And the service was great.
We had a great meal. The power went out in the area for a few minutes and the wait staff was very attentive to ensure our comfort during the outage. Our entrees were delicious despite the challenge.
food is good but service not so much. I think they just need to hire more people because the staff seem to be overwhelmed
Very nice for vegetarian. Supe friendly staff
Good food. Excellent service..!
Stopped by for dinner today after seeing the 'Lotus Thai' sign from the corner. A friend and I were trying to escape the baseball madness after a visit to the library. The menu, to my relief, was very affordable considering the area. The waiter was exceptionally polite, they gave us an option to choose the level of spice for our meals, which I thought was great. They even gave us a gluten-free menu by request. The other staff were also attentive and very nice. The food was very good. They also have Boochcraft on draft (that's hard kombucha on draft, for the search engine haha) and free soda refills. And for whoever cares, it was not over-crowded during the baseball game or whatever. Every place we tried to go to nearby was just over-flowing with people and blaring TVs. This place was quiet and comfortable. I definitely recommend this place if you like Thai / Asian food.
Amazing food and atmosphere! Best prices around really for a dinner meal.
Went back the next day for lunch!
Best red shrimp Curry of my life
Love this Thai Place. The food is great and when it comes to the spice they do it right. If your in the downtown area and looking for a solid Thai spot this will not be a bad choice. Hope you enjoy!
I ordered drunken noodles and papaya salad. The taste was very bad. The Worst Thai restaurant I have been in my life. There are so many great thai restaurants in town. This one s not it. The food made me feel sick. It s not not authentic, it s very Americanized and tasteless!
Alex is da man!! Best energy!
Great place to eat. I don't remember exactly what dish a got (was a little tipsy) but I do remember it being full of flavor. The service was a 8.
There are many Thai restaurants in the San Diego area. The very best that I have been to is Thai Lotus. I go there often. Sometimes I have to drive around a bit to find a place to park, but it's worth the walk if you have to walk far. There are so many delicious dishes on their extensive menu, including vegetarian selections. I have my favorites that I always get; if you try them, you will agree. I always start with the steamed dumplings. You get 5 in an order with dipping sauce. It is the very best ever. The best soup is tom kha. It comes with your choice including vegetables, chicken, or shrimp. You can get a cup or a large hot pot with a little flame. If you get a dish with shrimp, the shrimp are very fresh and large, not the little bitty ones out of a box. Pad see you is one of my other favorites. You can ask for the degree of spiciness that you want. The spring rolls are also made there fresh; they are delicious and come with a dipping sauce. Also massaman curry is another favorite. All of these dishes can be made vegetarian. There's a large choice of drinks also; one of my favorites is Thai iced tea. Another great thing is the waitresses and waiters. They know the menu, the ingredients, anything you want to know about an item, they are well informed. If you are fortunate enough to pick the right day and time, you might get to meet the friendly owner, Tom. Their prices are very good too. You can also get your order for takeout. Since everything is made on the premises, give them enough time to have your order prepared. I have gone there many many times and will continue to go there. Enjoy your meal; I'm sure you will!
My favorite takeout Thai spot in downtown San Diego. The green curry is the best I’ve had.
Really not sure what went wrong here. I ordered drunken noodles for takeout and it was really bad. The noodles were stuck together and they were extremely gummy. The sauce was unpleasantly sweet and syrupy and not at all what I was expecting from drunken noodles. I hardly ate any of it. I ordered spring rolls as well and they were fine, but nothing special.
First time here. The food was fabulous. Chicken soup is a must have. The chicken fried rice was delicious. They gave you plenty to eat. I would recommend this place Enjoy!
Great Thai appetizers
Very best food
Just okay, not great. Pretty standard Americanized Thai. Spice level was low. Spring rolls were good and fresh, other dishes were standard.
Was welcomed, had great ambiance so the experience got off to a great start. Lunch menu was full of Thai favorites on special, waitress was friendly. Ordered 4 specials, two medium spicy curries one mild dish, one super spicy dish. Food came and portion size was a little small, but, came with soup and egg roll (won't be ordering lunch special again, too small for me). The two curries, both being medium should have been similar, but one scorched the palette leading me to belive they mixed up the order. The super spicy dish had a mild to medium kick, making me think they definitely mixed it up. All in all it was pretty darn good though. I will be returning.
Food was good. Price was little bit higher than other Thai restaurants nearby. As always with business in a major downtown city, parking was a bit of a hassle.
Primera vez que vamos pero nos lo recomendaron unos amigos.
Teníamos ganas de probar “Thai”.
Todo muy rico, los arroces y la tempura fantásticos. El arroz Islander sobre todo.
Buen servicio y precio razonable.
I've been a resident in San Diego for over 2 decades, Lotus Thai is definitely one of the best Thai food restaurants in the city!
I ordered two dishes.
Drunken noodles is too mushy and green curry chicken tastes just okay.
Very friendly, convenient and welcoming place to eat thai food. The dishes are always so well presented when dining in and if you need some take out they will also serve you pretty quick.
The lady fingers were delicious. Papaya salad was bland. Mango martini way too sweet
Best Thai around the area.
A friend took me for New Years eve. I had the Yellow curry which was delicious with roast duck. My friend had Massaman and we did spring rolls with coconut ice cream for dessert. Excellent service . I can't wait to go back to try the special roast duck in red curry. I think Carlos was our server.... he made our evening special and the owner also checked up on us. Great food and beautiful clean interior.
The tom kha had the perfect blend of lemongrass, coconut and galangal: heavenly! We also had prit king, larb with tufu, and pad Thai. Fabulous. The food was not spicey, but if you like hot, just ask for the chilis. They have a lovely set of four that we were very happy with. The wait staff was super friendly and helpful. Can't wait to go back and try more dishes. Highly recommended!
Good food but everything was cold. They forgot one of our items, very loud atmosphere, phone rings nonstop. Better management is needed. And more vegetarian options!
I literally was seated at 5:18 pm and got someone to help me at 5:36. There were only a total of 7 patrons including me at three tables. I was not brought water or offered anything to drink during my wait before having a server see me. The food was good but a big part of dining in a restaurant for me is the service and attentiveness to the patrons/customers.
Service was slow but the food was good.
Very very good green curry, good service, and really interesting interior space. The Edamame was delicious, but I found the Drunken noodle to be just ok.
We love Thai food and wish we'd found this earlier during our vacation! We would have eaten here every night and tried a bunch of new dishes!
The Duck used for the buns were very dry, the sauce made a positive difference. Pad Thai had perfect amount of spiciness and flavor, only complaint is I wish all the noodles weren't all stuck together at the bottom
I ordered delivery today, it was delicious. But why didn't Tom Kha soup have mushrooms, tomatoes, etc.?
Excellent food! A little overwhelmed with clear staffing challenges, but great service if you’re patient. Amazing menu!
Yummy. Have ordered here many times I have not found anything we don’t like. ;-)
WOW
Good food
Great staff. Fast service. Good food.
Excellent lunch spot for some classic Thai food!
Their tofu pad see ew is 🔥🔥🔥
This is a great place to eat authentic Thai food in downtown San Diego. It is a nice walk from hotels if you’re staying in the area for a convention or vacation.
They offer a vegan menu with various delicious options prepared fresh. I enjoyed having the potstickers as an appetizer. For the entree, we enjoyed the drunken noodle dish along with a vegetable fried rice dish served with brown rice.
The waiter was very attentive and checked on us to ensure everything was to our taste. I will go there again, when visiting San Diego.
Amazing Thai food and I make sure to visit each time I visit San Diego. The spring rolls are a great appetizer and all the dishes are great.
Great food, good overall experience, nice happy hour specials. Would come here again...
Great food, excellent service, good prices, very nice atmosphere.
Ordered some takeout after dine-in plans elsewhere fell through and it may have worked out for the best. The Chicken Pad Thai was great, even though their “medium” spice level was definitely on the spicier side and was more like a dish that warranted a level 4+ rating than the middle ground of 3. Even with that, the flavors throughout more than outweighed the strong need for water. The Red and Yellow Curries were also very tasty, but could’ve had a thicker consistency. Both were a little too watery and thin, but not enough to ruin the rest of the dish. I’d definitely recommend ordering from them, but would do so with the disclaimer about the spice levels!
Delicious food and amazing service!
- 20 photos
- 200 reviews
- 4.3 Health Rating
- Contact: +1 619-595-0115
- Website: http://lotusthaisd.com/
- Location: 906 Market St, San Diego, CA 92101, United States
- Map: 32.7116611, -117.1563003
- Thai restaurant
- Asian restaurant
- Restaurant
- Southeast Asian restaurant
- Monday: 11 AM–3 PM–4–9 PM
- Tuesday: 11 AM–3 PM–4–9 PM
- Wednesday: 11 AM–3 PM–4–9 PM
- Thursday: 11 AM–3 PM–4–9 PM
- Friday: 11 AM–3 PM–4–10 PM
- Saturday: 2–10 PM
- Sunday: 2–9 PM
- Identifies as Asian-owned: Available
- Outdoor seating: Available
- No-contact delivery: Available
- Delivery: Available
- Takeaway: Available
- Dine-in: Available
- Fast service: Available
- Great cocktails: Available
- Great tea selection: Available
- Lunch: Available
- Dinner: Available
- Solo dining: Available
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance: Available
- Wheelchair-accessible seating: Available
- Wheelchair-accessible toilet: Available
- Alcohol: Available
- Beer: Available
- Cocktails: Available
- Coffee: Available
- Comfort food: Available
- Happy-hour drinks: Available
- Happy-hour food: Available
- Healthy options: Available
- Quick bite: Available
- Small plates: Available
- Spirits: Available
- Vegan options: Available
- Vegetarian options: Available
- Wine: Available
- Lunch: Available
- Dinner: Available
- Catering: Available
- Dessert: Available
- Seating: Available
- Bar on site: Available
- Toilet: Available
- Casual: Available
- Cosy: Available
- Romantic: Available
- Trendy: Available
- Family friendly: Available
- Groups: Available
- LGBTQ+ friendly: Available
- Tourists: Available
- Accepts reservations: Available
- Credit cards: Available
- Debit cards: Available
- NFC mobile payments: Available
- Credit cards: Available
- Good for kids: Available
- High chairs: Available
- Free parking lot: Available
- Paid parking lot: Available
- Paid street parking: Available
- Parking: Available
- Dogs allowed outside: Available