The weekday lunch features a steam table. Has an all-day special plate in addition to a large menu of dishes with a variety of faux meats in rice and noodle, claypots, main entrees, and more. Operated by disciples of supreme master ChingHai. Short walk from 12th St BART station. Apr 2013 reported to be all vegan. Open Tue-Sun 11:00am-8:00pm.
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1301 Franklin St (at 13th, downtown), Oakland, California, USA, 94612
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Last update on 19 Jan 2024 by geometric-noise
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86 Reviews
First Review by tartarugafechada
HailCarbs666
Points +326
So good!!! - Edit
Ended up here by chance because another vegan spot nearby was closed and I’m so glad! We got the orange chicken and Mongolian beef, both so insanely good. The flavors brought me back to my hometown in NYC, tasted so authentic. Drooling just thinking about it. Portions were decent, great service, clean place. I cannot wait to go back!
Read morePros: Great flavor, All vegan, Friendly service
Cons: Entrees don’t come with rice, Street parking, No allergy labels (GF, SF, etc.)
Guest
cyanic_eevee
Points +527
Authentic & delicious vegan Thai food - Edit
Ordered the clay pot and chicken drumsticks. Loved the flavor of the sauce, the Thai iced tea was amazing as well.
Read moreGuest
Badinia
Points +67
Amazing as ever - Edit
It’s one of the rare pleasures when a restaurant you go to rarely is just as good as you remember it. It’s a great Thai-inspired menu with some Vietnamese Pho and salads. I had the jalapeño tofu and the papaya salad. The salad was full of chopped veggies and peanuts and the great sweet sauce, the tofu was laid on a bed of veggies and was topped with spicy chili and jalapeños. I love it!
Read morePros: A thought out, detailed menu , Delicious food, An assortment of fresh desserts
Guest
gabs1205
Points +210
One of my favorite restaurants in Oakland - Edit
Everything was super good here. Brought a non vegan friend and she enjoyed everything. Highly recommend the vegan shaking beef
Read moreGuest
EthanSharp
Points +52
A must visit :) - Edit
This place has so many options! The portions are good for the price, and the food is delicious.
Read morePros: Many choices, Reasonably priced, Quick service
Guest
TanyaL
Points +112
Best vegan cuisine - Edit
Very good food. The service was great. I only wish they cloer to my home. They were bagging 100 meals for the unhoused while we ate. The love for humanity ❤️
Read morePros: Service, Quality, Price
Guest
Chrissyanne
Points +897
Perfect Downtown Oakland Eatery - Edit
I had a delicious meal like Golden lotus, a dependable vegan restaurant in downtown Oakland. I went here for an early dinner after a matinee theater performance.
Read moreService is attentive in this family run establishment. I'm happy to support their endeavors with my patronage.
Pros: Friendly service, Nice selection of dishes and beverages
Guest
participlecartography
Points +55
Golden Lotus - Edit
my favorite is the mushu mushu wrap with avocado. my whole family loves this place and any time we're in Oakland we make sure to eat here. the smoothies are delish too
Read moreGuest
hydomel
Points +376
Absolutely delicious Asian vegan - Edit
The curry laksa was finger lickin good - I asked for some extra chillies and I was in a sweaty stupor of heat and pure happiness! It was a quiet afternoon today and I had plenty of time to savour the meal and enjoy a book over lunch.
Read moreGuest
WarEagle561
Points +60
Wow - Edit
This place is AMAZING. Everything we ate was so delish!
Read moreGuest
vir2l
Points +200
Tasty Curry - Edit
I really enjoyed my stay at the Golden Lotus. I hat the vegetable curry which was really tasty.
Read moreGuest
MatthewGoderre
Points +210
Great Vegan Chinese Food - Edit
I had several dishes from here and every one was a banger. I highly recommend the vegetable curry and the spring rolls!
Read morePros: Delicious and fresh food, Large delivery radius
Cons: Noodles were a little bland
Guest
Gopala108
Points +3073
Vietnamase and Thai Vegan Cuisine in Oakland - Edit
Golden Lotus is easily one of my favorite places to get a meal in Oakland or the East Bay for that matter. I have been here numerous times already trying a lot of different items from the large & eclectic menu.
Read moreI love that everything here is vegan as Golden Lotus specializes in Vietnamese & Thai cuisine. It might be best to come here with a friend or beloved to split some items. Recently a friend & I went here sharing a few dishes along with having some to take home as traveling with tupperware here is wise.
We started with half dozen Spring Rolls non-fried for $5.95 that were flavorful & came with tasty peanut sauce. Next we split a Thai Hot & Sour Soup for $7.50 for the bowl. It was authentic & spicy. Request no chilis if you want less heat yet enjoyed it as it came. The next dish we split was the lotus salad for $6.95 that was made with lotus roots & shredded cabbage in a vinaigrette sauce. The last dish we split was Pan Fried Vegetable Chow Fun. It came with heaps of vegetables in a flavorful sauce along with wide rice noodles. Each item we ordered came in a good sized portion. We enjoyed trying the Pan Fried Vegetable Chow Fun yet using our tupperware took most of it home for another meal or two the following day. We saved room for desert so enjoyed a Vegan Carmel Flan for $2.50 that was tasty & a great way to finish the meal. We had 5 courses in total that made for an enjoyable meal & was surprisingly affordable for what we got.
I enjoy eating here during the week where Golden Lotus offers an affordable combination plate for 3 items for $7.75. The lunch special is offered around lunch time M-F. I recently enjoyed:
a noodle dish
a sweet curried vegetable dish with coconut milk including eggplant, tofu, & potatoes
a less saucy curry dish with a bit of heat from chilis with green beans, carrots, & tofu
The 3 item combination plate allows you to pick 3 items from a selection of at least half dozen items & is one of the best deals in town! Golden Lotus is one of my favorite places to get a vegan meal in Oakland & will be back soon for certain!
Pros: Vietnamase and Thai Vegan Cuisine in Oakland
Guest
SarahS88
Points +2158
One of our fav vegan spots - Edit
We come here or order from here frequently. It is one of the best vegan restaurants around. Favorite dishes are the spring rolls, Pan Fried Vegetable Chow Fun, sweet & sour soy chicken, and sautéed broccoli soy beef. Everyone loves this place!
Read moreUpdate: came for dinner on a Friday night, such a peaceful, quiet place with lots of families and calming music. Food was wonderful as usual!
Updated from previous review on 2022-06-17
Guest
alamedageo
Points +34
Not like it used to be - Edit
years ago I used to be a regular at this place. Times have changed and now in the rare times I come back here I just can’t seem to find a truly satisfying dish. #29 Arrived with no sauce for a bowl that consisted of mung bean sprouts wheat noodles mushrooms and steamed broccoli and carrots. I relented and asked for soy sauce to get a bit of moisture. Very little spice. A bland dish for $16.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-05-07
Cons: some dishes disappoint
Guest
SoyCoffeeFTW
Points +645
Delicious, simple food - Edit
I ordered the pan-fried chow fun and thai iced tea to go. The chow fun was good but very simple and not too flavourful. However, the thai iced tea was amazing and definitely a must!
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2023-02-13
Pros: All vegan, Affordable
Guest
CharityKahn
Points +79
Delicious and so many options! - Edit
We've tried many things on the menu and all have been stellar or at least great. Some favorites: Spicy Cha Cha, Yum Yum Vermicelli, House Rice Claypot. One of those restaurants where you need to keep coming back so you can eventually try everything on the menu. Lots of spacious seating, friendly wait-staff, parking. tasty and nutritious 100% vegan!
Read morePros: Delicious, Extensive menu, Clean and inviting
Guest
Celanasoul
Points +48
Go Lo is our Go-To - Edit
i’ve been coming here for over 20 years now and it’s still a top go-to spot for our family. Every dish have great flavor and consistently satisfying.
Read moreGuest
EmmaCohen
Points +677
BIG portions - Edit
Great all vegan Asian fusion restaurant in downtown Oakland. Menu was very large and had a ton of variety. We got the “beef” and broccoli and the sweet potato, tofu and “chicken” curry. Both were delicious and the potions were really big so we had enough for a second meal! Great flavors and super satisfying.
Read morePros: Thai tea way too sweet
Cons: A little pricey
Guest
Zombiecynthia
Points +5388
Asian-Fusion Vegan Eats in the Heart of Oakland - Edit
Just as tasty as I remembered! Ordered the Golden Rolls, Pan Fried Chow Fun, and Sweet & Sour [Faux] Chicken via a third party app for home delivery. Streamline ordering and the food arrived before the ETA, yay!
Read moreI appreciate the minimal plastic packaging and the food was warm. I devoured the golden rolls and half the pan fried- the noodles are super good! I’ll save the Sweet & Sour treat for tomorrows lunch.
PS, Rating WAY overdue - this has been a local vegan favorite spot for years, back when there weren’t as many fully vegan places. It’s also convenient to the downtown Oakland area (haven’t been in-person in awhile) hope to do so soon!
Pros: OG ALL VEGAN Spot in Downtown Oakland, Tasty Eats (I Forgot They Have Sweets Too!), Home Cooking Vibes
Cons: Spendy (via Delivery)
colbyjam
The best! Be sure to try the Mushu-Mushu wrap.
Read moreZombiecynthia
Just saw it on their menu- it reads delicious- with cilantro and avocado? I dig it already! Thanks for the recommendation! 🤗
Read moreGuest
snatchbeast
Points +367
Amazing food! - Edit
It was so hard to decide on what to get, our two meals were excellent
Read moreGuest
BrettChadwick
Points +18
Great place - Edit
Good selection, good food and friendly service. Obviously great vegan selection.
Read moreGuest
ricobabyface
Points +372
in love - Edit
love the quality and taste of the food. 💫
Read moreGuest
foreveryoung
Points +30
Food for everyone - Edit
This is my number one option when I visit Oakland. There are several choices to choose from and it’s in an excellent, vibrant area.
Read moreUpdated from previous review on 2022-05-08
Pros: Several vegan options , By lake Merritt , In downtown Oakland
Guest
Rascalsmom17
Points +69
Delicious food and excellent location - Edit
I opted for the crispy chow mein but would order this with soft noodles in the future. I was told the food would be ready in 20 minutes but when I arrived 10 minutes later it ready. I would revisit this place again in the future and I’m excited to try their other items on the menu.
Read morePros: Only vegan options , Excellent staff , Clean restaurant
Guest
akeliah
Points +52
More delicious every time - Edit
Get the House Rice Claypot!!! It was divine.
Read morePros: Staff is quite knowledgeable about the menu, Can accommodate food allergies
Guest
floreciendo
Points +17
fake meat bonanza - Edit
This is a beloved go-to for my kid & I!
Read moreBig menu, lots of options.
My teen tends to go for the pho, which is rich with textures and flavor.
We both love the caramelized chicken (have been eating it for over a decade) and the mushu wrap.
The royal fried rice is excellent if you want something healthier (brown rice, tofu).
But you seriously can't go wrong with anything from their menu. It's delicious.
Pros: tons of options, everything is good, many different kinds of fake meat
Cons: it can get pricey, few dishes without soy
Guest
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