Red Lotus Restaurant

12/22/08

My favoite by sue k. at InsiderPages

Contributor at Insider Pages

I love this place.. I love that it still is original.. OLD.. I love this place make me feel like when I was young and would go out with my parents.. I do not want them to ever remodel.. the food is the best in Auburn.. and the service is top notch!

01/04/09

WORST RESTAURANT IN WASHINGTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Prabhjeet at Citysearch

THIS PLACE IS HORRIBLE!!!!! DO NOT GO HERE BECAUSE IF YOU DO YOU WILL LEAVE WITH A BAD MOOD, LESS GAS, AND A HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!!! This is FAST FOOD chinese, i would not even call it chinese food, more like frozen food that someone heated up and tried to pass off as a chinese meal. The waitresses had attitudes the whole time my friends and I were there. When we asked for a substituition or for the food to be extra spicy they looked at us like we were asking them to jump up and down while rubbing their stomachs. This is the worst experience I have ever had while eating out. I have been to Chinese restaurants before and the food was nothing like I nastiness I experienced today. They shoved the checks and dinners in front of our faces, stormed away, and huffed and puffed all through the night. I don't know who hired these freaks but they are not fit to be waitresses. At the end of the meal I told the rude waitress that she shouldn't be one, and she had the nerve to tell me I shouldn't be a customer. Of course WE DID NOT pay for this meal. I regret even wasting my time setting foot inside that poor excuse for a chinese restaurant. DO NOT GO HERE!!!!!!!

• Pros: nothing!!!!
• Cons: horrible food and even worse customer service.

11/12/08

I love Red Lotus

by christi1977 at Citysearch

My family and I have been going to the restaurant for years! I have just now begun to explore even more items on the huge menu. Out of all the people I have introduced the Red Lotus to, just one guy didn't like it and he was a total yuppee from Kirkland who was a dork anyways. This is a great restaurant for anyone who likes a good experience, isn't on a diet, and isn't stuck up! Hehe

The Red Lotus ROCKS! And by the way, the Chicken Chow Mein that the guy said doesn't have a noodle in it, is my favorite!

• Pros: Great combos yummy food
• Cons: I can't stick to my diet too well when I go there! hehe

05/27/08

Americanized Chinese at its best.

by muskrat at Citysearch

Duh this is Americanized Chinese---it opened up in Auburn for Pete's sake over 40 years ago!! But if you want to time warp back to the 70s, this is totally the place to go. The food is a guilty pleasure, lots of fried things. But seriously the wonton soup, fried rice, and bbq pork are the best around and the chow yuk is anything but yuk. So to all the reviewers who are whining about the food being americanized and the lack of asian people---read city search's fourth rule: "Compare apples to apples: Burger joints shouldn't be held to the same standards as four-star restaurants" If you compare this place to other chinese/american restaurants, this place rocks. If you want 'authentic chinese' then go to Shi'an in Lake City (which by the way is amazing). And the interior is amazing---and really really big, with many secret rooms.

• Pros: Much parking, the lady behind the front desk has been there FOREVER
• Cons: it is in Auburn

11/27/07

The new comfort food

by onmytoes21 at Citysearch

First of all, this restaurant is a city jewel and family tradition for hundreds of people within the south end which is more of an accomplishment than any self righteous wanna be food critic thriving on letting out self disappointment through obviously ignorant reviews. My Family has been going to the Red Lotus for maybe 20 years now many of their menu items have become classics that are unique to the restaurant. I recommend the almond chicken dish as well as the "B Dinner" which has a little of everything including some of the traditional favorites, most recently the owner and chefs have put together specials which have been mixes of new flavors and ingredients as well as fresh ideas. I would recommend that you give it a try. There is a reason it has been open for so long and still continues to go strong, the only downfall are the clientele that come in and try to degrade the establishment and i will bet money that the family who insulted the chef, ate all of their food before complaining.

• Pros: Warm and friendly service

04/07/07

RED LOTUS DEFINITELY DELIVERS!

by sugar57 at Citysearch

Once upon a time, 23 years ago, we entered the town of Auburn. We had never been here before and we were looking for just a place to eat.

We saw The Red Lotus, and so we decided to try it.

Here we are 23 years later and The Red Lotus is still one of our favorite restaurants!

In terms of various dishes, I would highly recommend their Won Ton soup. It is laden with won tons, barbecued pork, vegetables, and LOTS of flavor!

Their fried rice is incredble, and once you try their sweet and sour pork, you will be hooked forever!

Also try the friend chicken wings, drummetts. Perfectly seasoned and most satisfying!

Their chow mein is also incredible, and their almond chicken is a sure delight!

I know you will be well pleased by anything you choose from their menu.

The owner is chinese, and he is the second generation to operate the business. His name is Alan and he is a very nice manager/owner.

The staff does not have to be chinese to be good--as stated by a previous review.

But the dishes (due to the fact that the owners are chinese) are authentic and fantastic!

Make sure yto make reservations, because from Friday to Sunday, they are really busy.

Try the Red Lotus--I am sure you will keep it as one of your favorite restaurants.

I will throw in another chinese restaurant as well--Grand Peking in Federal Way. Their food tastes different from Red Lotus, so we go there for a change of pace. There are also chinese people there and the ambiance is authentic chinese.

They each hold their own. Kind of like your going to two different pizza companies because you like something from one, and another thing from the other pizza place.

You just cannot go wrong with these chinese restaurants!

• Pros: The place has incredible dishes!
• Cons: The parking is not as good as other places. Sometimes you have to park in the back and go in through the back, past the bathrooms. It's a little spooky back there at night.

09/21/06

Avoid Seven Days of the Week!

by jknoten at Citysearch

OMG, this is the worst so called Chinese Restaurant we have ever dined at. There wasn't a noodle in the so called Chow Mein and the Kung Pao Chicken had no Kung or Pao! They used on thai peppers or other oriental spices. The food was completely lacking in taste and was so bland we didn't even finish. We saw no orientals except one who came out to adjust the thermostat. My mother being chinese (my grandpa was from Canton, China and opened one of the first Chinese restaurants in Austin, TX) asked him if he was the chef and he replied he was. She told him she wished she had extra time to come show him how to cook real Chinese Cuisine. We were shocked at how candid she was but she actually took the words right out of my mouth. I would not recommend letting your dog eat here!

09/07/06

Find real Chinese food elsewhere

by javatango at Citysearch

Sure this restaurant won awards... in the 1970s. In fact the newspaper clippings on are still on wall. The original owner has since sold the restaurant and while it might have been good in it's heyday, the food is downright awful now. The menu consists of extremely Americanized Chinese dishes. I have to agree with the other reviewer-the food is greasy and tasteless. They used top ramen in the chow mein! Not one asian person in the entire restaurant. Go where the local asian population dines for good eats. Avoid this restaurant! I gave a single star because the waitress was nice and the decorative booths had touches of chinese architecture.

• Pros: Interesting interior decor
• Cons: The food is downright awful

Editorial Review

by Contributor at Citysearch

Families at this longstanding lounge share heaping helpings of Chinese favorites in addition to a small selection of Western entrees.

06/30/06

Not worth the money!

by dineoutmaster at Citysearch

This use to be a great place to eat. It's really gone down hill over the years. Most the dishes are over battered and greasy, too salty or have no flavor. The only thing I enjoyed or ate was the BBQ pork.

08/09/05

Are you kidding?

by seapilot at Citysearch

This is not Chinese food. This is an American food restaurant trying to do Chinese food. Denny's does a better job. If you're looking for cheap food go here. For Chinese food, look elsewhere.