Lotus is definitely an Indian restaurant to visit....they always provide exceptional service and the butter chicken is to die for....I would always go to Lotus for lunch and dinner whenever I get the chance.

Lotus Cuisine is one of my favorite restaurants. The authentic decor, relaxing ambiance and excellent service transport the diner to another time and place from the hustle and bustle of the modern Western world.

I have never had better Indian food anywhere on the East or West Coast. The tandoori chicken, the chicken tikka masala, the saag paneer, the nan, the vegetable pakoras are divine. The rasmalai (saffron and cardomom and milk syrup-soaked baked cheese patties) are my favorite dessert.

The all-you-can-eat lunch buffet from Monday through Saturday is plentiful and well worth the $8.45. And the wait staff refill your water glass the moment it is halfway empty, so the thirst generated by the sometimes spicier food is always able to be quenched when needed.

The night before Thanksgiving last week, the restaurant opened its doors to the public for a free buffet dinner. Not even tips were accepted by the staff for their own personal use (they were being donated en masse to charity according to the owner). It was a wonderful experience from a culinary perspective, and while it is almost certainly good business to offer freebies to the public from time to time, it felt like quite a spiritual experience, to see such generosity and appreciation be visited upon the guests, and to know that even the tips were being given to those less fortunate.

I couldn't recommend a restaurant more highly than I do Lotus Cuisine of India.

I ate here for lunch today with a business associate. We were seated immediately, the service was superb and the food was spectacular. We had the buffet and I went back three times to make sure I got to taste everything. The first time around I just couldn’t get everything on my plate but I did forget to try the fresh green salad. Next time I will leave enough room for it … NOT! However, I did make sure that I didn’t miss the sweetest dessert I have every tasted.

There seemed to be thousands of waiters around to take care of all our needs but no one came to the table every two minutes to interrupt our conversation to ask if everything was great or if we wanted anything else. The water glass was always full and when we wanted coffee, someone was there to take our order. It was almost as if they could read our minds.

Even the customers were great; all were courteous, always with smiles on their faces and very friendly. There were young romantic couples, 30 and 40 something business types and old timers like us. I felt like taking names so we could arrange for a reunion sometime.

It was so quiet that we stayed after eating, cleared the table and conducted our business over coffee.

I will be returning again, and again, and again…..

This is one of my favorite restaurants in the North Bay Area. Always friendly, they serve some of the most authentic and delicious indian food this side of the Ganges River. The variety is incredible, if you want to sample them check out their awesome lunch buffet. On movie nights we just order online, and take-out is a snap.

Great Indian food and wonderful ambiance. They even have a skylight which they open up on warm days. Superb service, excellent dishes, amazing buffet, nice staff. Best place in San Rafael for vegetarians!

They also let you order your take out meals online.