I went with a reservation of 17 people. They were very accommodating, seeing how they are always booked to capacity. The food was great. The only issue we had with this place is that we didn't get our fish dishes. We ended up canceling it because it took too long, everything else had came out and we were already full. According to the waitstaff it was ok to cancel because they didn't start cooking it yet. What's up with that? Yes, I don't except everything to be perfect when you have a party of 17 but at least the fish should have started to be prepped or something. All and all good experience, food was great, service was great, will be back when in town.
(4)
Pat R.
This is the best Thai food I've ever had! It was a little difficult finding the place, but I'm so glad I had the patience to look for it and eventually dine there. My college town had about 5-6 Thai restaurant, which I have dined at so I know good Thai food when I taste it. This is a definite winner. I order the pad thai noodles, rice, and red curry...really delicious. I've been here only once and will go again and if this place is consistent, then I will definitely upgrade my rating to 5 stars.
(4)
Rafe P.
It's very good Thai cuisine. Why 3 stars? Maybe I fell a bit let down after all the build up and rave reviews every where. It is a bit on the pricy side, but that's really not an issue. The menu is extensive. The dishes are very good and well executed. The ambience is a bit on the down side. The strip mall is a bit off putting, but not really an issue. Service is fair. Bootom line is that it's very good, but not that much better than a lot of Thai restaurants I've been to. With all the great chefs and restaurants in Las Vegas, I doubt I'll "use" one of my meals here when visiting. But if I lived in Las Vegas, I would probably be a regular.,
(3)
Richard K.
My brother's Thai friends recommended that I try Lotus of Siam because they said it was one of the best outside of their motherland. And you know what? It's not just them that recommend this place because famous chefs such as Jonathan Gold and Susan Feniger rave about this place as well. It's no wonder that they have been nominated for the James Beard award again and again. Just remember though that because this place is so good, you may want to call ahead and make a reservation unless you want to wait 45 minutes to an hour. Despite the swanky acclaim, let me warn you that the restaurant is way off the Strip and from the outside it looks like a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. In fact, Lotus of Siam is in the original Asian enclave of Las Vegas off of East Sahara Avenue near downtown so don't expect it to be glittery nice like the new Chinatown along Spring Mountain Road. Regardless, I like being in this rundown part of town because it reminds me of the old Las Vegas before all the dazzling excess when the best hotel in town was the Dunes. Lotus of Siam is a Thai restaurant, but its real specialty is Isan-style food. Isan is a region of Thailand that is located in the northeast portion of the country and is bordered by Cambodia and Laos. If only I had known when I was in Thailand because Isan-style cuisine is fucking delicious! Unlike traditional Thai food that people are probably accustomed to which is more sour and sweet, Isan-style cooking is more garlicky and spicy. The only way to describe the uniqueness of Isan-style Thai food is to compare it to the Peranakan "nyonya" cuisine of Malaysia/Singapore due to its blending of traditional Thai flavors with Cambodian and Laotian influences and to the Korean food from Cholla Province, due to its spicier and more pungent flavors. So on Christmas Eve, our party of four ordered five dishes because the portions are a bit smaller than your normal Thai restaurant. We ended up ordering the standard noodle dishes of chicken pad thai and beef pad see ew as well as a really tangy papaya salad. I literally wanted to drink the papaya salad marinade because it was so fucking good. For the proteins we ordered moo yang (marinated charbroiled pork) and nua yum katiem (charbroiled beef marinated with garlic and hot sauce that is served on top of Thai cole claw). All the dishes were tasty, but my favorite was the Isan-style nua yum katiem. The beef had just the right amount of spicy flavors and mixed with the cole slaw, the combination was so good that I ended up drowning my rice in the sauce. At the end of the day, Lotus of Siam shines because it offers Isan-style Thai food. If you come here ordering just the normal Thai dishes, you may not enjoy this place for what it truly is. I will definitely will be returning. Sâep lai lai!
(5)
sam i.
I had a very hard time every day in Las Vegas trying to decide whether to eat at Lotus or Komal. Life is just brutal sometimes. I could MOVE to vegas just to be near them.
(5)
Carl C.
Crispy Duck is really good! The service was fast. The place outside looks like an abandoned place but really cool inside with a big open wine cellar! Must try!
(5)
Chuck N.
One of the best Thai restaurants in the USA and I've been to Thailand for 3 weeks and to some of the top Thai populated places in America (NYC, SF, LA, etc). Lotus of Siam's flavors and prices are just greatness. Don't get the usual boring pad thai and chicken satays, go for the unique dishes like spicy red duck curry, coconut shrimp specialties, and any of the house specials. Everything is great. It's only a few min, very short cab ride from the city, you could technically even walk there if you're near Spring Mountain. Yum!
(5)
Allison S.
I was so excited to finally go to the famous Lotus of Siam..... I had looked at the yelp reviews and planned my dinner ahead.... First was the Dassai sake! The big bottle of course! The food: Garlic Prawns...... The star of the show! This one is definitely all it is cracked up to be! If you go to Lotus of Siam, you MUST get the Garlic Prawns! I will come back for the prawns alone! Crispy Duck with Basil....... Delicious! Really good quality duck cooked perfectly, with a wonderful basil sauce that accented the dish without overwhelming the flavor of the duck!!! Crying Tiger.... I do have to say that though the flavors were good, the steak was over cooked! It was medium well almost well done.... we didn't finish the steak or take it home..... this one was disappointing! Drunken Noodles with chicken.... good... not great... flavors were good, but I ordered spicy 5 thinking this is my first time here and 5 would be spicy but safe.... no... not spicy at all... and for me, I need some spice with my thai noodles! All around though, it was very good! Service is great! I will def be back!
(4)
J P.
Unbelievably tasty Thai food. Enormous menu which makes choosing just a few dishes extremely difficult. Lots of seating, always busy, food absolutely flies out of the kitchen in no time. Service was very friendly and professional. I go to Vegas a lot and will reserve for dinner every time I'm in town going forward. It lives up to the hype.
(5)
Sarah R.
Everything we had here was perfect. We had the crispy spicy chicken wings, the best Tom Kha soup I have ever had, drunken noodles that were perfect and the best pad Thai.
(5)
Dennis N.
Vegas has been 2 for 2 for me as far as venturing away from Buffets! Lotus of Siam did not disappoint, the service was great and attentive. We got our food FAST!! Seriously, probably within 10 minutes of ordering. Our list of plates included : prawns, duck w/ panang sauce, sausage, chicken wings and drunken noodles... everything was so amazing! The prawn was so finger licking good that I can probably just eat the shells all day long! The sausage was flavorful and the wings were crisp!!! What stood out the most however, was the duck with panang sauce, that was perfection a definitely must try!!! TENDER, FLAVORFUL and full of character I will definitely be back next time I'm here in Vegas!! :D
(5)
Matt D.
Wow, was Lotus of Siam excellent! Wonderful service, the most extensive list of German wines I've seen outside of Germany (and what could go better with Thai food than German wine?) and outstanding food, the best Thai I've ever had. The northern Thai sausage was my favorite item, followed closely by the eggplant and mushroom appetizer. Lots of complex flavors expertly developed. My thanks to Anthony Bourdain for the recommendation.
(5)
Albert J.
Talk about a "don't judge a book by its cover" restaurant. Had a party of 12 and lucky to have the reservation. This Thai food is even better than some of the Thai I have had in Southeast Asia. Must have!!! Try a little of everything!
(4)
Kuen L.
This is such a phenomenal place! My cousin brought me and my boyfriend here when we were visiting Vegas from the east coast. It's located in a quiet shopping center, I couldn't believe how busy the restaurant was until I stepped inside. So we got their famous garlic prawns - definitely remarkable, so flavorful and perfectly cooked, you can't get this anywhere else! The crispy duck with penang curry was so good - the duck meat was tender with crispy skin in the flavorful penang sauce. Pad thai was the best pad thai I've ever had. This place gets really busy even on week nights, make sure to call for reservation. I wish I could have stayed in Vegas for longer and come back a few more times to try other dishes on their menu. I'll definitely return when I come to Vegas next time!
(5)
Derek S.
Came by for dinner the other day. Upon arrival, we were informed that the wait would be 20 minutes. After 5 minutes, we were informed via text that our table was "ready" ...I was flabbergasted to see 20+ empty tables inside the restaurant?!? Chicken Dumplings - Fresh and nicely prepared Satay Chicken - Decent using White Meat Chicken Seafood Soup - Soup was okay - Quality of seafood was excellent - huge scallops, decent sized shrimps! Crispy Duck Drunken Noodle - Crispy Duck was flavorful and fresh - Drunken Noodles were strong in flavoring...perhaps too much garlic?!? Garlic Prawns - A must try and definitely the highlight of the meal Banana Roll w/ Coconut Ice Cream - Banana was wrapped in wonton wrappers - Coconut Ice Cream tasted more like gelato...not much ice cream flavoring... Prices have gone up drastically during the last 18 months... Waiter informed us towards the end of our meal that others are "waiting" for our table and we had to leave sooner rather than later?!? ~$60/person after tax and tip for dinner.
(4)
Lee T.
We got the jackfruit curry and the catfish curry. The jackfruit didn't have any flavor, but that may be due to the fruit being cooked with the curry too long. Br catfish curry was cooked well. We also got wontons and dumplings. Those were excellent.
(4)
Nick G.
Our recent lunch trip to Lotus was fine, not great, not bad, but fine. Both ordered off of the menu, shipped the buffet. The catfish soup had a nice flavor. The pork larb salad was nothing to write home about. This was the first Asian restaurant I've been to where you get charged for a refill of hot tea. Oh well. The wine selection looked extensive and the restaurant was bustling.
(3)
Elizabeth R.
We went back to Lotus of Siam for the 2nd time. This place is in a crappy strip mall in the middle of an industrial waste land off of East Sahara Blvd. TOTALLY WORTH IT. This time, there were only two of us and the problem with that is that we can only order so much. Better to go with a lot of people and get to taste lots of different things. (4 stars and 476 reviews!) In the past, we've ordered a whole sea bass, mee krob, larb, green curry, glass noodle salad -- everything was GREAT. Not like your local "pretty good" Thai establishment, this place serves authentic Thai food. Not made for gringos. It's HOT. So order beer.
(5)
David W.
I took a group of 12 friends there based on the recommendation of a friend.... It was some of the blandest Thai food I have ever had. The Panag Nua was tough and lacking in flavor. It was a true Panag curry but it just seemed watered down. The meat had been just sliced and tossed in. Normally good Thai places have nice chunks of beef that they let stew in it all day so the sauce permeates it and the meat just falls apart. The Yum Yai salad had almost no sauce and what litte sauce it did have lacked in any flavor. The Tom Ka Guy soup was watery and heavily lacking in taste. The chicken in it was dry and huge chunks that were just not right for a soup. It also lacked a decent amount of mushrooms. The Kow Pat Moo was totally flavorless for a Thai fried rice. It was more like over priced panda express Chinese fast food rice. This is a huge failure. I mean how hard is it to toss nam plaud and sugar into some rice? The Phad Thai was soggy and had more the consistency of spagetti with marinara then a thai fried noodle dish. The saving grace was the moo sautee. It was nice and small like you would get on the streets of bangkok. It did taste good but then again that's the staple of Thai places and you would have to go out of your way to screw this one up. All this being said my friends liked it BUT none of them have ever tried Thai food before much less GOOD Thai food. I think this must be the case for a lot of the positive reviews here. An other negative reviewer pointed out that there simply no Thai people in there this does tend to be a good indicator as to if a Thai place is good.
(2)
ME M.
This is good Thai food, but a little overpriced if you ask me. I asked one of my Thai friends who's also a chef on the strip what he thought of Lotus of Siam, he said, "Well... I'd eat it." he went on to say Archi's is much more authentic, well priced, and better overall. I think I'll try Archi's next time I'm hungry for Thai food.
(3)
Coonie T.
Best Thai food I have ever had. Be sure to make reservations other wise you will be waiting for hours. Can't go wrong with any dish, the popular choice is garlic prawns.
(5)
Julian T.
In my opinion one of the best Thai food restaurants in vegas. You can see that by how busy they are no matter what day or time you go in. The wait is usually not too bad as they get food out fast. The crispy duck is simply delicious. Most of the other dishes I have had here before were very good too. Prices are very good too unless you are getting seasonal fish. Overall highly recommended.
(5)
Ross D.
fab as advertised
(5)
Sally C.
Please don't forget to make a reservation. We didn't and decided to get our food to-go for 30 minutes instead of the 1.5 hrs wait for a table.. Don't worry, in case you forget, there's a bar in the back complete with lime drink (get this!), Thai tea and coffee, and a very very extensive list of wines! Impressive. Brought our food back to the hotel, and it was still good as ever. - Pad thai noodles were al dente. Thank god. I've had some pretty good pad thais in my life so this one didn't stand out too much, but it was really good. - Fried prawns - yes! I loved that I was able to devour the whole thing - skin and all. It was a little too hard/crunchy though and felt like there was too much breading on the prawns. - Penang curry was just the right consistency. Not as memorable though, but it was delicious. - Crispy rice - omg!!!! If nothing seemed memorable from above, it's because THIS is the thing to get. We got 2 portions of this and I'm SO glad we did! The flavors were out of this world - the lemongrass really shone through. Good on top of the raw cabbage. Would go back, but maybe I would prefer to dine-in instead. But still good!
(4)
T W.
Lotus of Siam is great. I read lots of good reviews before coming here, and my friend said his parents know the owner. So when I arrived, I asked to talk to the owner, to do some name dropping, and hoping for a discount. The owner had a blank face when I mentioned the names. Too bad, no discount for me. Wife and I ordered from the menu while the kid had the buffet. I took a bite or two from his plate, and I gotta say, the buffet isn't as good. So when you go there, make sure you order off the menu! we had the pineapple fried rice and the tom yum soup. both taste authentic and yummy. their thai ice tea was good too! Would definitely come back!
(4)
Kurt S.
Went there for the first time, tonight, with a friend. In a word, awesome! Had the number 55, which was beef and I think Cilantro and some other stuff I can't remember, but it was amazing. Had the yellow curry with chicken as well, both dishes done to a number 2 out of 10 heat level. I'd been told they really crank up the heat and so we went for a low number. Turns out I could have gone up several notches with that, but even at level 2 there was definitely some spice and flavor. Anyway, great food, friendly and prompt service, and I will absolutely be going there again.
(5)
Owen C.
This place is an upscale, clean, and well managed place tucked away in the commercial center. It's definitely worth checking out. They pack the tables in and the decor looks like a classic chinese restaurant with big rooms full of tables with multi-purpose room lighting, but still a great spot to go, especially if you're just visiting or want to sample a very popular spot.
(4)
Elizabeth Z.
Does Lotus of Siam need another five star review? Probably not. It speaks volumes that tourists seek out this restaurant located in a seedy, hole-in-the-wall commercial district in droves. It's that good.
(5)
Jennie C.
Came here after a horrendously long ride to Vegas because we were starving. Very nice dining area, nice servers, but it's not the best Thai food I've had. We ordered the beef jerky and pepper chicken wings as appetizers; the jerky was a bit tough and our server suggested we needed to eat it with our hands because the knife wasn't cutting it. Literally. So we did -- the chicken wings weren't amazing but they were tasty. I had the phad thai and it was A-OK, as the stars have indicated. However, I wouldn't mind giving this place another visit.
(3)
Lianne R.
Weekday lunch time: the restaurant's outside appearance looked empty as we pulled into the parking lot, but it was a different atmosphere when you step foot inside. It was more lively, nice, and spacious, and we were greeted by friendly staff. There was no wait. Our overall experience was just average/good. We ordered the typical Thai dishes at medium spicy level: Pad Thai with beef, Green Curry with chicken, and Papaya salad. It was good, but nothing seemed to "wow" us. As more people showed up for the lunch hour, the place became more crowded. Sometimes, it was hard to grab the waiters' attention during our meal. Maybe we'll try other specialty dishes next time.
(3)
Sean W.
The best Korean food I have ever had. Go for the house specialties. Softshell crab was fantastic. Make your reservation well in advance. This is the best restaurant in Las Vegas in my opinion. Next time I am in Vegas I may go here twice.
(5)
Rick W.
Great, great and more great. Started with green papaya salad. I asked for medium heat and it was plenty spicy. Tom yum shrimp soup was the best. Then I had pad Thai. Again ask for little spicy. It was perfect. I will go back every time I'm in Vegas.
(5)
Leslie L.
I have eaten at many Thai restaurants across the US, and this is by far the best! The most interesting fact about Lotus of Siam, is the unassuming appearance of the restaurant from the outside. Located in a strip mall in a not-so-safe part of Vegas, the uninformed foodie could simply pass on the opportunity to indulge in the dining experience. The Nam-Prik-Ong (Red Chili Dip) with vegetables and sticky rice is a great starter to any meal, and is the recommended dish by the great Ming Tsai. Weekday lunch offers a great buffet at a reasonable price, and the wine list is top notch. Take a walk on the wild side of Vegas, and head over to Lotus of Siam ASAP!!
(5)
Ray Y.
Food and service was just outstanding. Thank you fellow yelpers for recommending this place. The Garlic Prawns and Crispy duck was amazing. I found the food and service to be well worth the price. I also found it kind of strange that such a high end restaurant would be located in such a seedy place. I saw broken glass in the parking lot and a sign on the restaurant door warning patrons about break ins. I found myself trying to hurry up to get out before it got dark. I really hope the owners consider relocating to a new location or hire someone for $10 an hour to look out for the safety of their patrons.
(4)
Jon Q.
Hypebeast. L.O.S. was ok, but its not head and shoulders above other Thai I've had. We had the pad thai, stuffed chicken wings, drunken noodles, and garlic prawns. The garlic prawns were good and perfectly cooked, but the flavor was a bit lacking, I thought. The stuffed chicken wings were good, and the drunken noodles were actually amazing. Everything else was not really note worthy. Not worth the hype.
(3)
Gwen N.
The place is clean, organized, with friendly attentive staff. The food is not bad, but really just average. I had hoped for a burst of fresh spices in the dishes, like ginger and mint, garlic, lemongrass, etc... but the flavor was just so-so and more oily than the other Thai places.
(3)
rosalinda f.
Everything was delicious. Loved it and will surely be back. We got there when they opened and the place filled up fast. We had: Nam kao tod, the crispy rice appetizer was a wonderful mix of flavors. I would have ordered a 2nd one, but was soon full. Tom yum soup with prawns. Good heat. Sea bass with Panang curry sauce. A foil package of flavor. Crispy duck with drunken noodles Sticky rice for 4 A side of peanut sauce. Very curry in flavor. A side of basil sauce (same as on the noodles) 4 thai teas, 1 thai coffee and 1 soda with unlimited refills for $111 No room for dessert :0( The portions were on the smaller side, but we left full and happy. So -1 star for that and the location. Extensive wine list.
(4)
Love S.
Thank you Leo C. for a fabulous restaurant recommendation. When entering, awards from Gourmet magazine, best of las vegas, cabbies choice, newspaper articles align the walls. My expectations were raised a bit higher. Wow, did this place deliver. The menu is in a form of a book and it takes about 20 mins. to read through and make very important dining decisions. I would highly suggest dining with a large party so you're able try all of the restaurant specialties and the Chef's choice's. It was just the two of us and we must of looked famished because we ordered half the menu. It was my last dinner in sin city and I wanted to win the gold medal of gluttonous overkill. We ordered the crispy duck panang. Holy shit this is fcking awesome. The salt and pepper prawns with drunken noodles. Huge mutherfcking prawns, delicious. Spicy thai beef jerky, they need to bag this and sell it to cowboys. YUM. Fried chicken wings sauteed in garlic. Yes Yes Yes. A cold beef salad with lime, very refreshing. Crab fried rice and softshell crab curry. Why don't all thai places serve food like this? Chicken pad thai, this dish I didn't care for, I've had better. The quality of the food is by far better than any other thai place I've been to. The menu is very diverse, I would recommend it to anyone wanting to get away from the same standard fare that the casino's have to offer. 5 amazing stars.
(5)
Mandy G.
We came here a couple of times. Our first meal was beyond amazing. It was so good we went back the next day for lunch. We obviously wanted to try something different and it was a complete miss. The noodles were cold and stuck together. I eat Thai food all the time and those noodles were probably the worst of had compared to over 20 restaurant s that I've tried. It's definitely worth a trip but just only order what the waiter recommends.
(3)
S C.
One of the best Thai spots. The crunchy rice is amazing. They have a surprisingly large wine list and the variety is impressive! It's no wonder this spot is one of the top restaurants in America. Each time I've been here the service is on point and so is the food! It's in a sketchy part of town and the strip mall it's in is hysterically ghetto. I think one of the shops is a Vietnamese wig store. And I think just a little bit over is a transsexual bar. Go for the sights and be happy you did because the food is oh my god good!
4.5 stars This is the best Thai food I've had in Las Vegas and some of the best I've had anywhere. I've been here many times for lunch, and I try to get there before 11:45am because often a line starts forming at noon. I had the buffet once, and it was so-so All the other times were ordered from the menu. My fav is the panang curry - they do a great job with it. Sweet, spicy, a lot of depth and subtle flavors. The one thing that's inconsistent there is the spice level. I've ordered a 9 and it wasn't so spicy while other times Ive ordered a 7 and it was spicy as a regular 9.
(4)
Maria W.
I had the lunch buffet and my husband ordered off the menu today. The buffet was just ok...2 soups (the beef noodle was tasty), egg rolls, chicken curry, pad thai, white & fried rice, salad, fruit, and a few more items. My husband had a delicious soup (don't remember the name), a shrimp appetizer wrapped in bacon and wanton that was good, and for entree - drunken noodles with sea bass. I would suggest ordering off the menu as the buffet was definately not representative of the excellence of the food. I must say though, Amarind's in Chicago is even more delicious...at a similar price point.
(3)
Patrick M.
Lotus of Siam is really good Thai food. It is clearly not in the world's best location, but you are going to Lotus for the food, not the massage parlor next door. The menu is quite elaborate, and there are some unique items. I typically ask the waiter for his recommendations and go with them. The recommendations were all good, but I think that they recommend the same stuff to everyone. I told him that we were adventurous, but he basically recommended the same stuff. Jumbo Prawns (so-so), Crispy Duck (good sauce), some coconut milk dish with noodles (bland), Drunken Noodles with Sea Bass (great noodles), and pork satay (yum). The main thing that I would have changed with my order was to make things more spicy. I'm a big spicy guy, but this was pretty mellow. I am confused why he did not ask us the level of spiciness that we wanted. Overall, this is probably one of the better Thai restaurants in Vegas (and most likely Nevada). If you are in town, its worth the journey to the north side of the strip to check it out.
(4)
Tori R.
Softest pad see ew noodles I've ever had. That's weird but if you have theirs you'll understand... You spend about $3 more on your fav Thai dishes but it really is all so delicious!
(4)
Brian K.
BUZZ - Garlic Prawns (4/10) - Drunken Noodles I ALSO TRIED - Tom Kha Kai w Chicken (5/10) - Penang Curry w Beef (4/10) First off, I haven't written a review in a really long time! I love the fact that I travel a decent amount for work, so I get to try a lot of new places and write reviews. Ironically, it's because of that travel that I haven't been able to write any reviews lately. I've had so many jam-packed 1-day travels that, I might check in to a hotel on Yelp, but I'll knock out about 20 seconds after, then wake up, shower, and leave - all while still kinda sleeping. Even meals have been rushed. The business dinners might be in nice restaurants, but we're having such fierce conversations about work, that the food might as well have just teleported into our stomachs without ever being tasted. OK, now that that's out of the way, a little history. Pad Thai used to be what I thought Thai food was. Yes, I know that it IS Thai food, but I mean I thought that was all Thai food was! In 2007, I had Lotus of Siam and we ordered all sort of things and it was amazing. Since then, I discovered more facets of Thai food, namely Tom Kha and Penang Curry. Ever since I tried those, I've been dying to try them at Lotus, because this is touted by some as the best Thai restaurant on the planet! TOM KHA KAI Server asked how spicy I wanted it, and then said "on a scale of 1-10." I was taken aback, because that's a really wide range! Even though I normally order "Extra Spicy" at other Thai places, the numbers intimidated me a bit, so I just said 8. It tasted fine, but it didn't have anything in there that would make it taste great. No landmines, so that's good. The chicken was seasoned enough, but dry. The Tom Kha (and maybe this is just the style) was missing the tiny bit of sweetness that I've come to like and expect. As for spice, the first spoonful, I thought I got duped, but then after about 3 more spoons, the heat started to rise! Not enough for me to grab water, but enough where taking bites of the hot garlic prawns were painful on the tongue. It really seemed like that if you just had the soup, the 8 would actually be like a 6, but I think the higher the number, the more pepper bits are in the soup, so you just have a higher chance of picking one up, and those peppers themselves pack a punch! PENANG CURRY Sigh. It's missing that almost nutty flavor that I've come to like, and it was a little too ginger-y/lemongrassy than I like. Consistency was about as much as condensed milk, and a spice level of 8, tasted more like a 4. The beef didn't really lend any helpful flavors, but hey, at least it was protein! Not the worst I've ever had, but I'm just really disappointed, considering how many people have this as their favorite Thai restaurant. Then again, it could just be different styles, which I admittedly don't know much about. GARLIC PRAWNS I remember when I was little, a friend of mine used to eat the shrimp tail. I was mesmerized! I had never even tried it before. So, I fearlessly started trying to eat the tail, and I was almost to the point of gagging. Fast forward 25 years and here I am at Lotus of Siam. The shrimp comes out looking like the letter w. The left "u" is the shrimp, the right "u" is the shell of the shrimp, both still connected at the tail. The whole thing has been seasoned and deep fried. Now, I've had Japanese sweet shrimp before, where they fry the heads, and it was better than eating that shrimp tail many years ago, but I couldn't eat more than 1. These were definitely better, but it took a lot of mental psyching and determination to eat several. The shrimp is good. The shell is actually pretty tasty. Out of all the fried shrimp shell I've had, this was the best. It was more crunchy/crispy than any other one I've had by far. And it had a buttery flavor to it that helped take my mind off of the shell. For me, if I took a bite of shrimp and a bite of shell, that was a tumultuous bite, and I had to fight the urge to spit it out. The trick was to eat the shell by itself, like it was one big shrimp chip. The other thing was to keep my mouth dry. Once I took the bite, I had to keep saliva away (sorry to get so technical here) and definitely resist the urge to "wash it down." When the shell was dry and crispy, it shattered easier, which meant that it ground down finely so it was easy to swallow...like a chip. As soon as moisture was introduced, the shell no longer wanted to shatter, instead it would just flex, which meant that when you swallowed, it was that rough shell-like texture that made me want to gag. So all in all, happy I tried it, but perfectly fine with never trying it again. LOTUS OF DISAPPOINTMENT I can't tell you how disappointed I was with the curry and soup. I've been waiting at least 4 years to have an opportunity to come to Vegas to try these dishes, and it didn't deliver. It's not to say this place isn't good. I have had great meals here, but they're not good at my fav.dishs
(2)
Mandi L.
My visit to Lotus of Siam last night was great, so I'm upping my stars to 4. Other than the hefty price tag for tiny portions, this place ROCKS. Last night we went with a group of 8 and the service was just as great as my first visit. My boyfriend and I shared the crispy duck with drunken noodles and also the beef larb. Both dishes were just amazing and cooked to perfection. However, last time I ordered spiciness with a 3 and it was a tad bit too spicy, so this time I ordered with a 2 and there was no spice at all, lol. I think it's just a Thai thing and it depends on who's cooking that day. Either way, the food was excellent!
(4)
Harshitha K.
Great Thai in the desert
(5)
Tina C.
Went back a second time the night before Thanksgiving. Continues to provide a wonderful experience for your taste buds. Order the northern cuisine people! Every trip to Vegas will include a trip to LoS for us.
(5)
Pack M.
So, after seeing so many reviews/articles saying this was the best Thai restaurant in the U.S. I think it's hard to live up to the designation, because I really didn't think the place was anything special. The customer service was awful and the food was pretty bland, given that, I think 2 stars is pretty generous.
(2)
TT T.
Unless you go to Thailand, you will not get better Thai food than this. Their duck curry is ridiculously amazing. There is no restaurant in the western or eastern hemisphere that serves a curry that is so delicious with such a crispy duck with fantastic flavor. Other amazing items include the prawns (with the shell), the raw shrimp, pad thai, beef jerky appetizer thing, their banana ice cream dessert thing, and pretty much any other dish the servers recommend. I have been here a total of 3 times and make it a point to eat here each and every time I am in Vegas. This last time we had a party of 6, with alcohol, ate till we were stuffed, for $256 before tip. Completely reasonable. This place is casual, family friendly, bright, clean, has great service (considering it's an Asian restaurant), and I strongly suggest making a reservation. Can't go wrong.
You know there has to be something special about this place if people like Mario Batali and Tyler Florence eat here. We started off with the chicken wings. I can bathe in that sauce. The roasted duck curry was really good. It's one of those really good hole-in-the-wall places that totally exceeds expectations. I definitely plan on coming back here to try other dishes.
(4)
Alexandra C.
One of our top reasons to visit Vegas again. We were so let down by other restaurants in Vegas that we ended up back here twice! The BEST Tom Yum soup ever. Good veggie soup as well. Ginger chicken. The pork larb- I thought sounded terrible but bf ordered it anyway. It was the most surprisingly delicious dish. The blending of different flavors was amazing. Simply the best! 5 star friendliest service too from our waiter who deserved the extra big Christmas tip! Still beats any of the top Thai places I've tried in NYC.
(5)
Scott P.
Yum, yum, yum Worth the trip off the strip. Very crowded, but worth the wait.
(5)
Peter L.
The real reason I go to Las Vegas! Pay attention to the Northern Thai dishes - here is where they really excel. Oh, and make a reservation :-)
(5)
Keith T.
Doesn't look like much from the outside, especially at night time. Yelp avg is four stars so Kuong thought it'd be a nice try. Yelp didn't let us down:) We were there for dinner, service wasn't bad. Food tasted great. Panang Chicken, Tom Yum Kai, Beef Larb, and Issan style beef jerk were great. Can't wait to try out other items the next time I'm in Vegas...
(4)
Rich S.
Over Rated & Over Priced!!! Being Thai and having ate at numerous Thai Restaurants, the food quality was poor 2/10. The service was good though 8/10. Hope this review will save you time & money!
(1)
Marie W.
Best Thai food in Las Vegas Hands down. May be a wait but there is a reason why and its worth it everytime.
(5)
Theo B.
I was really excited to finally have tried this place out in Vegas. I've read so many great reviews about this place that I felt that I was ready to experience this myself. Okay, so you read the reviews about its location and how its in a strip mall and blah blah blah. For reals? Sometimes the best places to get authentic food is hole in the wall joints like this. Love it or hate it that's the truth. Went with a lot of recommendations on here and ordered from the Northern menu and was not disappointed at all. Definitely grubbin for the three of us. I guess it's hit or miss with reservations because our party of three lucked out and were seated immediately without reservations but 10 minutes later the wait was out the door. Prolly not the best idea to test your luck. Call and make a reservation.
(4)
Theresa C.
Taxis frequently drop off tourists at this ghetto location....but there's definitely a reason for it! Located in a sketchy strip mall is one of the best Thai restaurants in Las Vegas. Even when I am at other Thai establishments...I daydream about the food here. One stand out dish is the fried garlic prawns with shells (FYI shells can be eaten in this case..). The sea bass options on the menu are all solid as well. If you order the typical noodle/rice/curry dishes that are available at other Thai restaurants, you will not be impressed and you will feel you have over paid. The Northern Thai menu is also delicious and adds a little variety compared to other Thai restaurants in the area....while the menu states the dishes are more mild...they still left my mouth on fire. Lotus also has a buffet lunch option.. especially if you are on a time crunch. Very basic dishes like pad thai, pad see ew, vegetable curry, and assortment of fried foods (tempura, chicken wings, egg rolls) are set out in the middle of the restaurant and constantly filled. The stand out items in the buffet lunch are the fried chicken wings and the coconut/banana egg roll. For the price you pay...definitely worth a try!
(4)
Beryl C.
I have to say, the green curry was a big hit with me. The menu is extensive and I love that the meat options include duck. I really enjoyed the roast duck with the drunken noodles. The meal would have been perfect if I didn't start off with their Tom Yum Koong soup. It was waaay too spicy! Don't get me wrong, I like my dishes spicy but their soups just went overboard. If you love spicy food, I would suggest getting the entrees really spicy and opting for milder with the soup and salad. It will make for a more pleasurable dining experience.
(4)
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Address :953 E Sahara Ave,Ste A5
Las Vegas, NV, 89104
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Debbie K.
I went with a reservation of 17 people. They were very accommodating, seeing how they are always booked to capacity. The food was great. The only issue we had with this place is that we didn't get our fish dishes. We ended up canceling it because it took too long, everything else had came out and we were already full. According to the waitstaff it was ok to cancel because they didn't start cooking it yet. What's up with that? Yes, I don't except everything to be perfect when you have a party of 17 but at least the fish should have started to be prepped or something. All and all good experience, food was great, service was great, will be back when in town.
(4)Pat R.
This is the best Thai food I've ever had! It was a little difficult finding the place, but I'm so glad I had the patience to look for it and eventually dine there. My college town had about 5-6 Thai restaurant, which I have dined at so I know good Thai food when I taste it. This is a definite winner. I order the pad thai noodles, rice, and red curry...really delicious. I've been here only once and will go again and if this place is consistent, then I will definitely upgrade my rating to 5 stars.
(4)Rafe P.
It's very good Thai cuisine. Why 3 stars? Maybe I fell a bit let down after all the build up and rave reviews every where. It is a bit on the pricy side, but that's really not an issue. The menu is extensive. The dishes are very good and well executed. The ambience is a bit on the down side. The strip mall is a bit off putting, but not really an issue. Service is fair. Bootom line is that it's very good, but not that much better than a lot of Thai restaurants I've been to. With all the great chefs and restaurants in Las Vegas, I doubt I'll "use" one of my meals here when visiting. But if I lived in Las Vegas, I would probably be a regular.,
(3)Richard K.
My brother's Thai friends recommended that I try Lotus of Siam because they said it was one of the best outside of their motherland. And you know what? It's not just them that recommend this place because famous chefs such as Jonathan Gold and Susan Feniger rave about this place as well. It's no wonder that they have been nominated for the James Beard award again and again. Just remember though that because this place is so good, you may want to call ahead and make a reservation unless you want to wait 45 minutes to an hour. Despite the swanky acclaim, let me warn you that the restaurant is way off the Strip and from the outside it looks like a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. In fact, Lotus of Siam is in the original Asian enclave of Las Vegas off of East Sahara Avenue near downtown so don't expect it to be glittery nice like the new Chinatown along Spring Mountain Road. Regardless, I like being in this rundown part of town because it reminds me of the old Las Vegas before all the dazzling excess when the best hotel in town was the Dunes. Lotus of Siam is a Thai restaurant, but its real specialty is Isan-style food. Isan is a region of Thailand that is located in the northeast portion of the country and is bordered by Cambodia and Laos. If only I had known when I was in Thailand because Isan-style cuisine is fucking delicious! Unlike traditional Thai food that people are probably accustomed to which is more sour and sweet, Isan-style cooking is more garlicky and spicy. The only way to describe the uniqueness of Isan-style Thai food is to compare it to the Peranakan "nyonya" cuisine of Malaysia/Singapore due to its blending of traditional Thai flavors with Cambodian and Laotian influences and to the Korean food from Cholla Province, due to its spicier and more pungent flavors. So on Christmas Eve, our party of four ordered five dishes because the portions are a bit smaller than your normal Thai restaurant. We ended up ordering the standard noodle dishes of chicken pad thai and beef pad see ew as well as a really tangy papaya salad. I literally wanted to drink the papaya salad marinade because it was so fucking good. For the proteins we ordered moo yang (marinated charbroiled pork) and nua yum katiem (charbroiled beef marinated with garlic and hot sauce that is served on top of Thai cole claw). All the dishes were tasty, but my favorite was the Isan-style nua yum katiem. The beef had just the right amount of spicy flavors and mixed with the cole slaw, the combination was so good that I ended up drowning my rice in the sauce. At the end of the day, Lotus of Siam shines because it offers Isan-style Thai food. If you come here ordering just the normal Thai dishes, you may not enjoy this place for what it truly is. I will definitely will be returning. Sâep lai lai!
(5)sam i.
I had a very hard time every day in Las Vegas trying to decide whether to eat at Lotus or Komal. Life is just brutal sometimes. I could MOVE to vegas just to be near them.
(5)Carl C.
Crispy Duck is really good! The service was fast. The place outside looks like an abandoned place but really cool inside with a big open wine cellar! Must try!
(5)Chuck N.
One of the best Thai restaurants in the USA and I've been to Thailand for 3 weeks and to some of the top Thai populated places in America (NYC, SF, LA, etc). Lotus of Siam's flavors and prices are just greatness. Don't get the usual boring pad thai and chicken satays, go for the unique dishes like spicy red duck curry, coconut shrimp specialties, and any of the house specials. Everything is great. It's only a few min, very short cab ride from the city, you could technically even walk there if you're near Spring Mountain. Yum!
(5)Allison S.
I was so excited to finally go to the famous Lotus of Siam..... I had looked at the yelp reviews and planned my dinner ahead.... First was the Dassai sake! The big bottle of course! The food: Garlic Prawns...... The star of the show! This one is definitely all it is cracked up to be! If you go to Lotus of Siam, you MUST get the Garlic Prawns! I will come back for the prawns alone! Crispy Duck with Basil....... Delicious! Really good quality duck cooked perfectly, with a wonderful basil sauce that accented the dish without overwhelming the flavor of the duck!!! Crying Tiger.... I do have to say that though the flavors were good, the steak was over cooked! It was medium well almost well done.... we didn't finish the steak or take it home..... this one was disappointing! Drunken Noodles with chicken.... good... not great... flavors were good, but I ordered spicy 5 thinking this is my first time here and 5 would be spicy but safe.... no... not spicy at all... and for me, I need some spice with my thai noodles! All around though, it was very good! Service is great! I will def be back!
(4)J P.
Unbelievably tasty Thai food. Enormous menu which makes choosing just a few dishes extremely difficult. Lots of seating, always busy, food absolutely flies out of the kitchen in no time. Service was very friendly and professional. I go to Vegas a lot and will reserve for dinner every time I'm in town going forward. It lives up to the hype.
(5)Sarah R.
Everything we had here was perfect. We had the crispy spicy chicken wings, the best Tom Kha soup I have ever had, drunken noodles that were perfect and the best pad Thai.
(5)Dennis N.
Vegas has been 2 for 2 for me as far as venturing away from Buffets! Lotus of Siam did not disappoint, the service was great and attentive. We got our food FAST!! Seriously, probably within 10 minutes of ordering. Our list of plates included : prawns, duck w/ panang sauce, sausage, chicken wings and drunken noodles... everything was so amazing! The prawn was so finger licking good that I can probably just eat the shells all day long! The sausage was flavorful and the wings were crisp!!! What stood out the most however, was the duck with panang sauce, that was perfection a definitely must try!!! TENDER, FLAVORFUL and full of character I will definitely be back next time I'm here in Vegas!! :D
(5)Matt D.
Wow, was Lotus of Siam excellent! Wonderful service, the most extensive list of German wines I've seen outside of Germany (and what could go better with Thai food than German wine?) and outstanding food, the best Thai I've ever had. The northern Thai sausage was my favorite item, followed closely by the eggplant and mushroom appetizer. Lots of complex flavors expertly developed. My thanks to Anthony Bourdain for the recommendation.
(5)Albert J.
Talk about a "don't judge a book by its cover" restaurant. Had a party of 12 and lucky to have the reservation. This Thai food is even better than some of the Thai I have had in Southeast Asia. Must have!!! Try a little of everything!
(4)Kuen L.
This is such a phenomenal place! My cousin brought me and my boyfriend here when we were visiting Vegas from the east coast. It's located in a quiet shopping center, I couldn't believe how busy the restaurant was until I stepped inside. So we got their famous garlic prawns - definitely remarkable, so flavorful and perfectly cooked, you can't get this anywhere else! The crispy duck with penang curry was so good - the duck meat was tender with crispy skin in the flavorful penang sauce. Pad thai was the best pad thai I've ever had. This place gets really busy even on week nights, make sure to call for reservation. I wish I could have stayed in Vegas for longer and come back a few more times to try other dishes on their menu. I'll definitely return when I come to Vegas next time!
(5)Derek S.
Came by for dinner the other day. Upon arrival, we were informed that the wait would be 20 minutes. After 5 minutes, we were informed via text that our table was "ready" ...I was flabbergasted to see 20+ empty tables inside the restaurant?!? Chicken Dumplings - Fresh and nicely prepared Satay Chicken - Decent using White Meat Chicken Seafood Soup - Soup was okay - Quality of seafood was excellent - huge scallops, decent sized shrimps! Crispy Duck Drunken Noodle - Crispy Duck was flavorful and fresh - Drunken Noodles were strong in flavoring...perhaps too much garlic?!? Garlic Prawns - A must try and definitely the highlight of the meal Banana Roll w/ Coconut Ice Cream - Banana was wrapped in wonton wrappers - Coconut Ice Cream tasted more like gelato...not much ice cream flavoring... Prices have gone up drastically during the last 18 months... Waiter informed us towards the end of our meal that others are "waiting" for our table and we had to leave sooner rather than later?!? ~$60/person after tax and tip for dinner.
(4)Lee T.
We got the jackfruit curry and the catfish curry. The jackfruit didn't have any flavor, but that may be due to the fruit being cooked with the curry too long. Br catfish curry was cooked well. We also got wontons and dumplings. Those were excellent.
(4)Nick G.
Our recent lunch trip to Lotus was fine, not great, not bad, but fine. Both ordered off of the menu, shipped the buffet. The catfish soup had a nice flavor. The pork larb salad was nothing to write home about. This was the first Asian restaurant I've been to where you get charged for a refill of hot tea. Oh well. The wine selection looked extensive and the restaurant was bustling.
(3)Elizabeth R.
We went back to Lotus of Siam for the 2nd time. This place is in a crappy strip mall in the middle of an industrial waste land off of East Sahara Blvd. TOTALLY WORTH IT. This time, there were only two of us and the problem with that is that we can only order so much. Better to go with a lot of people and get to taste lots of different things. (4 stars and 476 reviews!) In the past, we've ordered a whole sea bass, mee krob, larb, green curry, glass noodle salad -- everything was GREAT. Not like your local "pretty good" Thai establishment, this place serves authentic Thai food. Not made for gringos. It's HOT. So order beer.
(5)David W.
I took a group of 12 friends there based on the recommendation of a friend.... It was some of the blandest Thai food I have ever had. The Panag Nua was tough and lacking in flavor. It was a true Panag curry but it just seemed watered down. The meat had been just sliced and tossed in. Normally good Thai places have nice chunks of beef that they let stew in it all day so the sauce permeates it and the meat just falls apart. The Yum Yai salad had almost no sauce and what litte sauce it did have lacked in any flavor. The Tom Ka Guy soup was watery and heavily lacking in taste. The chicken in it was dry and huge chunks that were just not right for a soup. It also lacked a decent amount of mushrooms. The Kow Pat Moo was totally flavorless for a Thai fried rice. It was more like over priced panda express Chinese fast food rice. This is a huge failure. I mean how hard is it to toss nam plaud and sugar into some rice? The Phad Thai was soggy and had more the consistency of spagetti with marinara then a thai fried noodle dish. The saving grace was the moo sautee. It was nice and small like you would get on the streets of bangkok. It did taste good but then again that's the staple of Thai places and you would have to go out of your way to screw this one up. All this being said my friends liked it BUT none of them have ever tried Thai food before much less GOOD Thai food. I think this must be the case for a lot of the positive reviews here. An other negative reviewer pointed out that there simply no Thai people in there this does tend to be a good indicator as to if a Thai place is good.
(2)ME M.
This is good Thai food, but a little overpriced if you ask me. I asked one of my Thai friends who's also a chef on the strip what he thought of Lotus of Siam, he said, "Well... I'd eat it." he went on to say Archi's is much more authentic, well priced, and better overall. I think I'll try Archi's next time I'm hungry for Thai food.
(3)Coonie T.
Best Thai food I have ever had. Be sure to make reservations other wise you will be waiting for hours. Can't go wrong with any dish, the popular choice is garlic prawns.
(5)Julian T.
In my opinion one of the best Thai food restaurants in vegas. You can see that by how busy they are no matter what day or time you go in. The wait is usually not too bad as they get food out fast. The crispy duck is simply delicious. Most of the other dishes I have had here before were very good too. Prices are very good too unless you are getting seasonal fish. Overall highly recommended.
(5)Ross D.
fab as advertised
(5)Sally C.
Please don't forget to make a reservation. We didn't and decided to get our food to-go for 30 minutes instead of the 1.5 hrs wait for a table.. Don't worry, in case you forget, there's a bar in the back complete with lime drink (get this!), Thai tea and coffee, and a very very extensive list of wines! Impressive. Brought our food back to the hotel, and it was still good as ever. - Pad thai noodles were al dente. Thank god. I've had some pretty good pad thais in my life so this one didn't stand out too much, but it was really good. - Fried prawns - yes! I loved that I was able to devour the whole thing - skin and all. It was a little too hard/crunchy though and felt like there was too much breading on the prawns. - Penang curry was just the right consistency. Not as memorable though, but it was delicious. - Crispy rice - omg!!!! If nothing seemed memorable from above, it's because THIS is the thing to get. We got 2 portions of this and I'm SO glad we did! The flavors were out of this world - the lemongrass really shone through. Good on top of the raw cabbage. Would go back, but maybe I would prefer to dine-in instead. But still good!
(4)T W.
Lotus of Siam is great. I read lots of good reviews before coming here, and my friend said his parents know the owner. So when I arrived, I asked to talk to the owner, to do some name dropping, and hoping for a discount. The owner had a blank face when I mentioned the names. Too bad, no discount for me. Wife and I ordered from the menu while the kid had the buffet. I took a bite or two from his plate, and I gotta say, the buffet isn't as good. So when you go there, make sure you order off the menu! we had the pineapple fried rice and the tom yum soup. both taste authentic and yummy. their thai ice tea was good too! Would definitely come back!
(4)Kurt S.
Went there for the first time, tonight, with a friend. In a word, awesome! Had the number 55, which was beef and I think Cilantro and some other stuff I can't remember, but it was amazing. Had the yellow curry with chicken as well, both dishes done to a number 2 out of 10 heat level. I'd been told they really crank up the heat and so we went for a low number. Turns out I could have gone up several notches with that, but even at level 2 there was definitely some spice and flavor. Anyway, great food, friendly and prompt service, and I will absolutely be going there again.
(5)Owen C.
This place is an upscale, clean, and well managed place tucked away in the commercial center. It's definitely worth checking out. They pack the tables in and the decor looks like a classic chinese restaurant with big rooms full of tables with multi-purpose room lighting, but still a great spot to go, especially if you're just visiting or want to sample a very popular spot.
(4)Elizabeth Z.
Does Lotus of Siam need another five star review? Probably not. It speaks volumes that tourists seek out this restaurant located in a seedy, hole-in-the-wall commercial district in droves. It's that good.
(5)Jennie C.
Came here after a horrendously long ride to Vegas because we were starving. Very nice dining area, nice servers, but it's not the best Thai food I've had. We ordered the beef jerky and pepper chicken wings as appetizers; the jerky was a bit tough and our server suggested we needed to eat it with our hands because the knife wasn't cutting it. Literally. So we did -- the chicken wings weren't amazing but they were tasty. I had the phad thai and it was A-OK, as the stars have indicated. However, I wouldn't mind giving this place another visit.
(3)Lianne R.
Weekday lunch time: the restaurant's outside appearance looked empty as we pulled into the parking lot, but it was a different atmosphere when you step foot inside. It was more lively, nice, and spacious, and we were greeted by friendly staff. There was no wait. Our overall experience was just average/good. We ordered the typical Thai dishes at medium spicy level: Pad Thai with beef, Green Curry with chicken, and Papaya salad. It was good, but nothing seemed to "wow" us. As more people showed up for the lunch hour, the place became more crowded. Sometimes, it was hard to grab the waiters' attention during our meal. Maybe we'll try other specialty dishes next time.
(3)Sean W.
The best Korean food I have ever had. Go for the house specialties. Softshell crab was fantastic. Make your reservation well in advance. This is the best restaurant in Las Vegas in my opinion. Next time I am in Vegas I may go here twice.
(5)Rick W.
Great, great and more great. Started with green papaya salad. I asked for medium heat and it was plenty spicy. Tom yum shrimp soup was the best. Then I had pad Thai. Again ask for little spicy. It was perfect. I will go back every time I'm in Vegas.
(5)Leslie L.
I have eaten at many Thai restaurants across the US, and this is by far the best! The most interesting fact about Lotus of Siam, is the unassuming appearance of the restaurant from the outside. Located in a strip mall in a not-so-safe part of Vegas, the uninformed foodie could simply pass on the opportunity to indulge in the dining experience. The Nam-Prik-Ong (Red Chili Dip) with vegetables and sticky rice is a great starter to any meal, and is the recommended dish by the great Ming Tsai. Weekday lunch offers a great buffet at a reasonable price, and the wine list is top notch. Take a walk on the wild side of Vegas, and head over to Lotus of Siam ASAP!!
(5)Ray Y.
Food and service was just outstanding. Thank you fellow yelpers for recommending this place. The Garlic Prawns and Crispy duck was amazing. I found the food and service to be well worth the price. I also found it kind of strange that such a high end restaurant would be located in such a seedy place. I saw broken glass in the parking lot and a sign on the restaurant door warning patrons about break ins. I found myself trying to hurry up to get out before it got dark. I really hope the owners consider relocating to a new location or hire someone for $10 an hour to look out for the safety of their patrons.
(4)Jon Q.
Hypebeast. L.O.S. was ok, but its not head and shoulders above other Thai I've had. We had the pad thai, stuffed chicken wings, drunken noodles, and garlic prawns. The garlic prawns were good and perfectly cooked, but the flavor was a bit lacking, I thought. The stuffed chicken wings were good, and the drunken noodles were actually amazing. Everything else was not really note worthy. Not worth the hype.
(3)Gwen N.
The place is clean, organized, with friendly attentive staff. The food is not bad, but really just average. I had hoped for a burst of fresh spices in the dishes, like ginger and mint, garlic, lemongrass, etc... but the flavor was just so-so and more oily than the other Thai places.
(3)rosalinda f.
Everything was delicious. Loved it and will surely be back. We got there when they opened and the place filled up fast. We had: Nam kao tod, the crispy rice appetizer was a wonderful mix of flavors. I would have ordered a 2nd one, but was soon full. Tom yum soup with prawns. Good heat. Sea bass with Panang curry sauce. A foil package of flavor. Crispy duck with drunken noodles Sticky rice for 4 A side of peanut sauce. Very curry in flavor. A side of basil sauce (same as on the noodles) 4 thai teas, 1 thai coffee and 1 soda with unlimited refills for $111 No room for dessert :0( The portions were on the smaller side, but we left full and happy. So -1 star for that and the location. Extensive wine list.
(4)Love S.
Thank you Leo C. for a fabulous restaurant recommendation. When entering, awards from Gourmet magazine, best of las vegas, cabbies choice, newspaper articles align the walls. My expectations were raised a bit higher. Wow, did this place deliver. The menu is in a form of a book and it takes about 20 mins. to read through and make very important dining decisions. I would highly suggest dining with a large party so you're able try all of the restaurant specialties and the Chef's choice's. It was just the two of us and we must of looked famished because we ordered half the menu. It was my last dinner in sin city and I wanted to win the gold medal of gluttonous overkill. We ordered the crispy duck panang. Holy shit this is fcking awesome. The salt and pepper prawns with drunken noodles. Huge mutherfcking prawns, delicious. Spicy thai beef jerky, they need to bag this and sell it to cowboys. YUM. Fried chicken wings sauteed in garlic. Yes Yes Yes. A cold beef salad with lime, very refreshing. Crab fried rice and softshell crab curry. Why don't all thai places serve food like this? Chicken pad thai, this dish I didn't care for, I've had better. The quality of the food is by far better than any other thai place I've been to. The menu is very diverse, I would recommend it to anyone wanting to get away from the same standard fare that the casino's have to offer. 5 amazing stars.
(5)Mandy G.
We came here a couple of times. Our first meal was beyond amazing. It was so good we went back the next day for lunch. We obviously wanted to try something different and it was a complete miss. The noodles were cold and stuck together. I eat Thai food all the time and those noodles were probably the worst of had compared to over 20 restaurant s that I've tried. It's definitely worth a trip but just only order what the waiter recommends.
(3)S C.
One of the best Thai spots. The crunchy rice is amazing. They have a surprisingly large wine list and the variety is impressive! It's no wonder this spot is one of the top restaurants in America. Each time I've been here the service is on point and so is the food! It's in a sketchy part of town and the strip mall it's in is hysterically ghetto. I think one of the shops is a Vietnamese wig store. And I think just a little bit over is a transsexual bar. Go for the sights and be happy you did because the food is oh my god good!
(5)Greygoose S.
Hard to catch a cab ride back but soooooooo worth it! Crispy Duke Panang a must and the Garlic Shrimp is crispy and sautéed perfectly with Thai chillies and minced garlic. Safe to say the best Thai food I've ever had. Sorry Mom!
(5)Richie H.
4.5 stars This is the best Thai food I've had in Las Vegas and some of the best I've had anywhere. I've been here many times for lunch, and I try to get there before 11:45am because often a line starts forming at noon. I had the buffet once, and it was so-so All the other times were ordered from the menu. My fav is the panang curry - they do a great job with it. Sweet, spicy, a lot of depth and subtle flavors. The one thing that's inconsistent there is the spice level. I've ordered a 9 and it wasn't so spicy while other times Ive ordered a 7 and it was spicy as a regular 9.
(4)Maria W.
I had the lunch buffet and my husband ordered off the menu today. The buffet was just ok...2 soups (the beef noodle was tasty), egg rolls, chicken curry, pad thai, white & fried rice, salad, fruit, and a few more items. My husband had a delicious soup (don't remember the name), a shrimp appetizer wrapped in bacon and wanton that was good, and for entree - drunken noodles with sea bass. I would suggest ordering off the menu as the buffet was definately not representative of the excellence of the food. I must say though, Amarind's in Chicago is even more delicious...at a similar price point.
(3)Patrick M.
Lotus of Siam is really good Thai food. It is clearly not in the world's best location, but you are going to Lotus for the food, not the massage parlor next door. The menu is quite elaborate, and there are some unique items. I typically ask the waiter for his recommendations and go with them. The recommendations were all good, but I think that they recommend the same stuff to everyone. I told him that we were adventurous, but he basically recommended the same stuff. Jumbo Prawns (so-so), Crispy Duck (good sauce), some coconut milk dish with noodles (bland), Drunken Noodles with Sea Bass (great noodles), and pork satay (yum). The main thing that I would have changed with my order was to make things more spicy. I'm a big spicy guy, but this was pretty mellow. I am confused why he did not ask us the level of spiciness that we wanted. Overall, this is probably one of the better Thai restaurants in Vegas (and most likely Nevada). If you are in town, its worth the journey to the north side of the strip to check it out.
(4)Tori R.
Softest pad see ew noodles I've ever had. That's weird but if you have theirs you'll understand... You spend about $3 more on your fav Thai dishes but it really is all so delicious!
(4)Brian K.
BUZZ - Garlic Prawns (4/10) - Drunken Noodles I ALSO TRIED - Tom Kha Kai w Chicken (5/10) - Penang Curry w Beef (4/10) First off, I haven't written a review in a really long time! I love the fact that I travel a decent amount for work, so I get to try a lot of new places and write reviews. Ironically, it's because of that travel that I haven't been able to write any reviews lately. I've had so many jam-packed 1-day travels that, I might check in to a hotel on Yelp, but I'll knock out about 20 seconds after, then wake up, shower, and leave - all while still kinda sleeping. Even meals have been rushed. The business dinners might be in nice restaurants, but we're having such fierce conversations about work, that the food might as well have just teleported into our stomachs without ever being tasted. OK, now that that's out of the way, a little history. Pad Thai used to be what I thought Thai food was. Yes, I know that it IS Thai food, but I mean I thought that was all Thai food was! In 2007, I had Lotus of Siam and we ordered all sort of things and it was amazing. Since then, I discovered more facets of Thai food, namely Tom Kha and Penang Curry. Ever since I tried those, I've been dying to try them at Lotus, because this is touted by some as the best Thai restaurant on the planet! TOM KHA KAI Server asked how spicy I wanted it, and then said "on a scale of 1-10." I was taken aback, because that's a really wide range! Even though I normally order "Extra Spicy" at other Thai places, the numbers intimidated me a bit, so I just said 8. It tasted fine, but it didn't have anything in there that would make it taste great. No landmines, so that's good. The chicken was seasoned enough, but dry. The Tom Kha (and maybe this is just the style) was missing the tiny bit of sweetness that I've come to like and expect. As for spice, the first spoonful, I thought I got duped, but then after about 3 more spoons, the heat started to rise! Not enough for me to grab water, but enough where taking bites of the hot garlic prawns were painful on the tongue. It really seemed like that if you just had the soup, the 8 would actually be like a 6, but I think the higher the number, the more pepper bits are in the soup, so you just have a higher chance of picking one up, and those peppers themselves pack a punch! PENANG CURRY Sigh. It's missing that almost nutty flavor that I've come to like, and it was a little too ginger-y/lemongrassy than I like. Consistency was about as much as condensed milk, and a spice level of 8, tasted more like a 4. The beef didn't really lend any helpful flavors, but hey, at least it was protein! Not the worst I've ever had, but I'm just really disappointed, considering how many people have this as their favorite Thai restaurant. Then again, it could just be different styles, which I admittedly don't know much about. GARLIC PRAWNS I remember when I was little, a friend of mine used to eat the shrimp tail. I was mesmerized! I had never even tried it before. So, I fearlessly started trying to eat the tail, and I was almost to the point of gagging. Fast forward 25 years and here I am at Lotus of Siam. The shrimp comes out looking like the letter w. The left "u" is the shrimp, the right "u" is the shell of the shrimp, both still connected at the tail. The whole thing has been seasoned and deep fried. Now, I've had Japanese sweet shrimp before, where they fry the heads, and it was better than eating that shrimp tail many years ago, but I couldn't eat more than 1. These were definitely better, but it took a lot of mental psyching and determination to eat several. The shrimp is good. The shell is actually pretty tasty. Out of all the fried shrimp shell I've had, this was the best. It was more crunchy/crispy than any other one I've had by far. And it had a buttery flavor to it that helped take my mind off of the shell. For me, if I took a bite of shrimp and a bite of shell, that was a tumultuous bite, and I had to fight the urge to spit it out. The trick was to eat the shell by itself, like it was one big shrimp chip. The other thing was to keep my mouth dry. Once I took the bite, I had to keep saliva away (sorry to get so technical here) and definitely resist the urge to "wash it down." When the shell was dry and crispy, it shattered easier, which meant that it ground down finely so it was easy to swallow...like a chip. As soon as moisture was introduced, the shell no longer wanted to shatter, instead it would just flex, which meant that when you swallowed, it was that rough shell-like texture that made me want to gag. So all in all, happy I tried it, but perfectly fine with never trying it again. LOTUS OF DISAPPOINTMENT I can't tell you how disappointed I was with the curry and soup. I've been waiting at least 4 years to have an opportunity to come to Vegas to try these dishes, and it didn't deliver. It's not to say this place isn't good. I have had great meals here, but they're not good at my fav.dishs
(2)Mandi L.
My visit to Lotus of Siam last night was great, so I'm upping my stars to 4. Other than the hefty price tag for tiny portions, this place ROCKS. Last night we went with a group of 8 and the service was just as great as my first visit. My boyfriend and I shared the crispy duck with drunken noodles and also the beef larb. Both dishes were just amazing and cooked to perfection. However, last time I ordered spiciness with a 3 and it was a tad bit too spicy, so this time I ordered with a 2 and there was no spice at all, lol. I think it's just a Thai thing and it depends on who's cooking that day. Either way, the food was excellent!
(4)Harshitha K.
Great Thai in the desert
(5)Tina C.
Went back a second time the night before Thanksgiving. Continues to provide a wonderful experience for your taste buds. Order the northern cuisine people! Every trip to Vegas will include a trip to LoS for us.
(5)Pack M.
So, after seeing so many reviews/articles saying this was the best Thai restaurant in the U.S. I think it's hard to live up to the designation, because I really didn't think the place was anything special. The customer service was awful and the food was pretty bland, given that, I think 2 stars is pretty generous.
(2)TT T.
Unless you go to Thailand, you will not get better Thai food than this. Their duck curry is ridiculously amazing. There is no restaurant in the western or eastern hemisphere that serves a curry that is so delicious with such a crispy duck with fantastic flavor. Other amazing items include the prawns (with the shell), the raw shrimp, pad thai, beef jerky appetizer thing, their banana ice cream dessert thing, and pretty much any other dish the servers recommend. I have been here a total of 3 times and make it a point to eat here each and every time I am in Vegas. This last time we had a party of 6, with alcohol, ate till we were stuffed, for $256 before tip. Completely reasonable. This place is casual, family friendly, bright, clean, has great service (considering it's an Asian restaurant), and I strongly suggest making a reservation. Can't go wrong.
(5)Tom D.
3.5 stars Many a person recommended this place, including the staff at é. The wine list is impressive and the food was good to very good. Yum Woon Sen: Such a great dish -- my favorite is still Thai Square in DC -- Siam's really didn't do much for me. Nam Prik Ong: a chili dip with ground pork, tomato and dried spice -- it was not the best thing I ever ate, but it was quite good. Drunken noodles with Sea Bass: the best dish we had, the fish was cooked perfectly and the noodles were delicious -- my only complaint was the portion size, especially given the price. Beef jerky Issan style: great flavor, just a little dry and difficult to eat (granted, that could be why they call it jerky!) Sticky rice with fried banana: delicious! I was really looking forward to this meal, and it was good -- but a little less than memorable.
(3)Linda Y.
You know there has to be something special about this place if people like Mario Batali and Tyler Florence eat here. We started off with the chicken wings. I can bathe in that sauce. The roasted duck curry was really good. It's one of those really good hole-in-the-wall places that totally exceeds expectations. I definitely plan on coming back here to try other dishes.
(4)Alexandra C.
One of our top reasons to visit Vegas again. We were so let down by other restaurants in Vegas that we ended up back here twice! The BEST Tom Yum soup ever. Good veggie soup as well. Ginger chicken. The pork larb- I thought sounded terrible but bf ordered it anyway. It was the most surprisingly delicious dish. The blending of different flavors was amazing. Simply the best! 5 star friendliest service too from our waiter who deserved the extra big Christmas tip! Still beats any of the top Thai places I've tried in NYC.
(5)Scott P.
Yum, yum, yum Worth the trip off the strip. Very crowded, but worth the wait.
(5)Peter L.
The real reason I go to Las Vegas! Pay attention to the Northern Thai dishes - here is where they really excel. Oh, and make a reservation :-)
(5)Keith T.
Doesn't look like much from the outside, especially at night time. Yelp avg is four stars so Kuong thought it'd be a nice try. Yelp didn't let us down:) We were there for dinner, service wasn't bad. Food tasted great. Panang Chicken, Tom Yum Kai, Beef Larb, and Issan style beef jerk were great. Can't wait to try out other items the next time I'm in Vegas...
(4)Rich S.
Over Rated & Over Priced!!! Being Thai and having ate at numerous Thai Restaurants, the food quality was poor 2/10. The service was good though 8/10. Hope this review will save you time & money!
(1)Marie W.
Best Thai food in Las Vegas Hands down. May be a wait but there is a reason why and its worth it everytime.
(5)Theo B.
I was really excited to finally have tried this place out in Vegas. I've read so many great reviews about this place that I felt that I was ready to experience this myself. Okay, so you read the reviews about its location and how its in a strip mall and blah blah blah. For reals? Sometimes the best places to get authentic food is hole in the wall joints like this. Love it or hate it that's the truth. Went with a lot of recommendations on here and ordered from the Northern menu and was not disappointed at all. Definitely grubbin for the three of us. I guess it's hit or miss with reservations because our party of three lucked out and were seated immediately without reservations but 10 minutes later the wait was out the door. Prolly not the best idea to test your luck. Call and make a reservation.
(4)Theresa C.
Taxis frequently drop off tourists at this ghetto location....but there's definitely a reason for it! Located in a sketchy strip mall is one of the best Thai restaurants in Las Vegas. Even when I am at other Thai establishments...I daydream about the food here. One stand out dish is the fried garlic prawns with shells (FYI shells can be eaten in this case..). The sea bass options on the menu are all solid as well. If you order the typical noodle/rice/curry dishes that are available at other Thai restaurants, you will not be impressed and you will feel you have over paid. The Northern Thai menu is also delicious and adds a little variety compared to other Thai restaurants in the area....while the menu states the dishes are more mild...they still left my mouth on fire. Lotus also has a buffet lunch option.. especially if you are on a time crunch. Very basic dishes like pad thai, pad see ew, vegetable curry, and assortment of fried foods (tempura, chicken wings, egg rolls) are set out in the middle of the restaurant and constantly filled. The stand out items in the buffet lunch are the fried chicken wings and the coconut/banana egg roll. For the price you pay...definitely worth a try!
(4)Beryl C.
I have to say, the green curry was a big hit with me. The menu is extensive and I love that the meat options include duck. I really enjoyed the roast duck with the drunken noodles. The meal would have been perfect if I didn't start off with their Tom Yum Koong soup. It was waaay too spicy! Don't get me wrong, I like my dishes spicy but their soups just went overboard. If you love spicy food, I would suggest getting the entrees really spicy and opting for milder with the soup and salad. It will make for a more pleasurable dining experience.
(4)