Lotus house

I've ordered black bean fish and salt roasted chicken. Former had slightly undercooked veggies; latter was a bit underseasoned. Maybe this place has a standout dish i haven't stumbled on, but there are better chinese places nearby.

Lamb stew noodle soup! Jasmine milk tea! Salvation on a cold and rainy February day...

Not fancy, but menu has lots of tasty options. Ordering is relatively quick, prices reasonable. Good take-out option.

Lotus House might be the restaurant that I frequented most often during my time at Berkeley... but let me explain! Lotus House was, and remains to this day one of my favorite joints because it doesn't pretend to be more than what it is, and what it is is a great value Chinese Restaurant. It's not overhyped like some of the other options in Berkeley, so generally it's not too packed. Also, there's plenty of options here for everyone, both Vegetarian and Non-Vegetarian. My go-to dish is Chicken Fried Rice, with a few scoops of the Chili flakes in oil that are available in the restaurant.

There's a good amount of seating in the restaurant, and it generally doesn't take long for you to get your food, just at the right balance between too fast to be legit and so slow that it reminds you of your hunger.

The staff is very friendly, and the main cashier is a really nice dude. Over my tenure of going here, he definitely got to know my face and what I'd order, to the point where once I'd walk into the restaurant, he'd say "The usual?" (This is one of my proudest accomplishments, real talk). Lotus house also offers takeout that you can order by phone, which became a regular feature for my weekly routine (when I'd stop by he'd know that I was the one who called to order, don't worry).

I stopped by the restaurant again after a few years and the main cashier still remembers me! It meant a crazy amount to me and Lotus House will always hold a dear place in my heart

Overall, I'll just say don't sleep on Lotus House, it's a hidden gem in Berkeley that I make sure to visit whenever I'm back (or do sleep on it if you want, I like the fact that it's never too packed!).