Lotus Garden - San Bernardino

I have been a patron of this restaurant for the past 25 years, and while the establishment may be showing its age and the dining experience may not be as fancy as it once was, the food remains consistently delicious. In my view, this is still the top spot for Chinese cuisine in the area. I recommend giving them a try.

The food at Lotus Garden was not bad at all. I appreciate restaurants that offer a full vegetarian option so that most people can enjoy the cuisine. Lotus Garden is a family-style restaurant, meaning that dishes are meant to be shared. It's recommended to order 2-3 dishes if sharing with friends. One dish is filling for someone who is hungry, but it might be a bit of a stretch. Although the food was good, the service was lacking. We waited for 10-15 minutes before getting any water, and it took a while for the manager to take our order. The food also took a bit long to arrive. After we finished eating, it took almost 20 minutes for the manager to bring our check. There was also some unprofessional behavior from the servers, with one constantly yelling at another. The decor has a classic Chinese 90's look that could use a refresh, but it still has a nostalgic charm. Overall, Lotus Garden is decent, but not my first choice. Maybe takeout would be a better option.

From the distinct upturned roof, to the exterior waterlily framed art, to the red lanterns that adorn the restaurant both indoors and outdoors, and the Chinese guardian lions that welcome you at its signature red double-doors, the decor alone will transport you out of the IE and into Asia in a matter of seconds! Lotus Garden Restaurant in San Bernardino has all the aesthetics to hold a beautiful party on Lunar New Year, except... (queue record scratching) I needed to coordinate a post-funeral luncheon the same day. I conveniently booked a catering consultation meeting online and met with Jose the same afternoon. He began with a tour of the restaurant, which is quite big! They even have a full bar that sits between the two main rooms. The layout of this restaurant is quite nice. The foyer is decorated with a wooden panel with beautiful detailing under a high vaulted ceiling. As an Event Planner, it has all the appeals I look for! After a tour, we discussed everything from the number of expected guests, menu, preferred room, etc. Because I didn't have a solid guest count, I told Jose I would need to meet with him again. Second meeting, I got to meet with the owner and we narrowed down our menu selections and gave our minimum headcount. There is a 50% deposit minimum to book so I paid out an even grand, just over our guest count. The day of the funeral, everything was laid out beautifully for the guests. Everyone sat comfortably and enjoyed their meals. Thank you, Lotus Garden, for helping make the decision-making so seamless.

I'm sad to report that this former bastion of Cantonese food in the Inland Empire, now under new management, has almost totally lost its luster. No list of reservations was available to check names at the hostess stand, though my booth-seating reservation was honored. What used to be about an 8-page menu has now been reduced to 2 pages. And a $1.00 charge is assessed for Steamed Rice--if you can get it--that used to be provided gratis with entree orders. Then, after a 15-minute delay before we were even approached by a server, there was another big delay on receiving requested water, followed by hot tea. Nothing was on the table except a tablecloth and two table settings. Soy sauce, sugar, and Sweet Low had to be requested, and arrived after i had already finished half of an order of Chicken Shrimp Sizzling Rice Soup. At least the soup was very good, with tasty broth. As was Shrimp Fried Rice with egg and medium-sized shrimps.. But the carrots in off-menu Beef with Snow Peas Mushrooms were hard, and the beef chewier than before. And poor Diane had to send her Honey Walnut Shrimp entree back for rewarming after it arrived without Steamed Rice and became cold while we waited for this basic Chinese food staple. Our server told us that rice was being steamed, then returned to notify us that this would take 15 more minutes, which it did. But just one minute after being initially told that the restaurant was currently out of Steamed Rice, I saw another waitress carry a large bowl of Steamed Rice to a nearby party that came in and ordered over 10 minutes after we did. Say what? And, a Chinese restaurant not making enough Steamed Rice to satisfy demand? What an elementary error! Pan-fried Potstickers were two-fifths smaller than before. I had to ask twice for Hot Chili Oil; Hoisin Sauce is no longer available; and after three ignored requests for ginger to go with the Potsticker Sauce provided, finally gave up, and made do without it. Shrimps in the order of Honey Walnut Shrimp were smaller than previously served; fewer were supplied; and the chef was stingy in the application of Mayonnaise Dressing. Water refills had to be requested, and I only received one. Once the Steamed Rice arrived for two entrees, our server never checked on us once between then and 10 minutes after we had completed eating. An elegant setting only goes so far. When craving a fine Cantonese dining experience while in the Inland Empire, it looks like we will now have to trek farther out to either China Gate in Upland or Dragon House in Moreno Valley. A pity that the dowager has now fallen far from grace! XX-1/2 stars overall!

This place has been around for a while! It's the perfect place for lunch or dinner with family since it is always so quiet and never ever crowded inside. The menu has many many options and if you are vegetarian this is the perfect Chinese restaurant for you! I ordered the vegetable lettuce wraps and they were delicious! The sauce it came with was perfect on top. I also had the veggie spring rolls which were nice and crispy and tasty. My grandmother ordered the vegetable fried rice and it was good! The server Amy was very helpful during our time there. They serve crispy noodles and sweet and sour sauce before hand. The hot green tea was authentic and herbal which I loved.