We love the food here! The service is great they are on top of your refills and checking that everything is good. We always get an order of the Kung Pao Shrimp and Panda Beef and extra hot sauce on the side! We have never been disappointed here! Its a great place for going in big groups and sharing. The Cherry on top here are the fortune cookies!!! That are dipped in white chocolate 🤤🤤🤤
Elegant atmosphere. Lots of room for groups. The Singapore noodles were amazing, it has just a hint of curry flavor to it. Our party really enjoyed the walnut shrimp, too. Highly recommend those! Drinks (alcohol) were a bit expensive here but i guess thats typical these days. Corkage is $20. Service was very good, server was polite and friendly.All in all, a little overpriced for what you get, but still a pleasant and worthwhile experience.
It’s the original Panda Express. Great place to bring out of town guests. The restaurant has a different menu than Panda Express but the food is excellent. I haven’t had a bad meal here. The service is friendly and quick, the food is fresh and full of flavor.
This location is one of my familys go to spots for celebrating. They have plenty of seating and parking. The staff is always friendly and attentive. The food is fantastic! I highly recommend the Panda Beef. Walk ins are accepted but I would advise on calling ahead if you have a large party. The take out option is also great as the servings never disappoint.
The server had no personality. Was too fast with waiting on us, never offered appetizer or dessert. Food ok, not as wonderful as the reviews. Fried rice awful. However the Phoenix chicken great. Too many scallions in the magnolia beef. No one smiles here, sort of sad. Made us feel like they wanted to go home and didnt enjoy working there. Bummer as I needed a nice night out.
The food was great. Frankly for what it cost I expected more traditional Chinese restaurants always offer tea. Our server was efficient but not very talkative it was my first time here and he didnt ask if I had questions or make any type of small talk despite there being only once other person in the restaurant
Great place for a large party. The food was plentiful and with the lazy susan in the center of the table it make sharing easy. The service was fast and the staff was eager to help. The mixed drinks were very good the the special fortune cookies ant the end was a great finish to a wonderful family dinner.
The flavors are good, but the food needs to be served much hotter!
Seriously Panda 🐼 Inn never disappoints! Thank you for my yummy Mai Thai 🥃 totally hit the spot. They got you cover with some patio heater. The service is beyond fantastic!
Delicious vegetarian options with the eggplant tofu stir fry. The fortune cookies at the end were surprisingly great too, best I’ve ever had.
Food was great, service was way too slow for a work lunch. Had to wait 30 min to be seated (after being told Id have a table in 10) and took another 15 min for waiter to take order. Had to order to go once I was seated so I could get back to the office - management was apologetic for delay and compd an entree which I appreciated. Mandatory valet during the lunch hour was a waste of time.
The food here is always very delicious. The prices have gone up but you cant judge by that when the food is great. I believe I got someone who was new working there and she was marvelous... very polite, very helpful. She wore a mask so I couldnt tell if she was smiling but by the way she treated me I think she was smiling.
Very lovely restaurant with good service and great food. It is a throw back to the way restaurants used to be with original wood decor and authentic statues and ambiance. Seating is very comfortable and most importantly the food is very good. Went for lunch and everything was delicious. Nice menu options with choices to please all tastes with fair prices. Free parking for your convenience. Good place to have a great lunch or dinner. Highly recommend .
Great service, clean attractive atmosphere. Ordered a variety of dishes. All were, as always, exceptional except the orange chicken. Usually the best around town. Tonight it was orange batter. Seriously thought they forgot the chicken. Not hot, mushy and minimal chicken if any. Not good
Chinese dishes are well cooked.Good place for family dinners.Customer service is great.
Our go to Chinese food restaurant. Its been tradition to get food to go from here every year for Christmas. My fave is the Cashew Chicken and crab wontons.A bit disappointed this year, they were out of quite a few items.
Server spoke 2 fast, didnt tell us the tea the person requested wasnt available. Mixed up an orderCame back 2 the table bcuz he received a 10% tip instead of 15% WHY? He almost didnt receive one. Service was so-so..
The waiters here are very disrespectful. Not helpful at all. Weve come here a few times but this will probably be are last. We asked to move to a bigger table to accommodate the food we were ordering and did they not let us. The waiter also made a face when my child screamed like he was annoyed by it didnt even hide it. Tbh this place use to be good not anymore by the time we got our food it wasnt very hot and it wasnt because the restaurant was full either smfh.
This is the original Panda Inn Restaruant that was a precursor to the Panda Express chain. This is a sit down dining experience with freshly prepared Chinese food. Try the Three Ingredient Taste which is shrimp, chicken, beef and veggies in a yummy sauce. If you like it spicy, try the Spicy Trio which is basically the same with a few differentveggies. Their Ginger Fish is also delicious. The service is fast and excellent.
Great food… POOR service. Waiter never checked in on us and never refilled our glasses. He only waited and checked in on his “preferred” tables. My husband and I both stared him down for our check. He avoided us ever chance. The manager had to tell another waiter to check on us; however we were ready for togo boxes and our check. Food was and is always good. We we still left a tip but we’re very disappointed in the service.
Over priced, if you ask me, $80.00 including tip 3 plates shared by 2 ppl, 1 ice tea, 1 can coke ..Plus No refills ..For Chinese food?!i saw a couple jus walk out when they saw menu prices,an I dont like when Im rushed to order,waiter seemed like he had no patience.. And No, it wasnt busy,I knew what I wanted, he jus was rushing me. If Im gona pay that much, at least make my dinning experience comfortable.Then he forgot an item I ordered but thats ok, after I saw my bill. No fountain drinks, Only can drinks . Which means no refills 😒 Beef broccoli meat was tender👍
This is classic Chinese Food like you use to get when you were a kid in the 80s! None of this California Fusion BS thats been taking over all of LA. Panda rice, Kung Pow shrimp, hot and sour soup and Ginger fish are among my favorites. A coke out of a can taste so good with classic Chinese food!!! 😋
Food was good. The service was good. I really like the panda beef. I did not like the scallops but others at the table did. The white rice we ordered separately was good. The rest was about what you would expect. The restaurant is nice and roomy inside but still rather plain looking probably mostly because of Covid restrictions.
This was my first time eating here. The environment was quiet and cozy. Seating was kept at a distance. The food was delicious with normal or family portions. The variety was great. Think of fast food items in a larger variety but made in a culinary way.
I absolutely love Panda Inn. Everyone in this community are so lucky to have such a wonderful restaurant in their midst. All the staff are so polite and respectful and the service is great. I love all the staff. The manager, Susan, runs a tight ship and all her staff love her as do all her customers, including me. The food is delicious and it is such an enjoyable time whether eating and drinking at the bar alone or dining with your entire family in one of the comfortable booths or large tables. They also have some private rooms for special occasions or business meetings/meals. You absolutely must try their Sunday brunch. It is endless food and drink for only approximately $30.00! Fantastic! They also have a fabulous Happy Hour with reduced prices on drinks and small plates. They pour a mean drink too! Just try it, youll be pleased you did. I might even see you there! :-)
Great food. But due to the service restaurant was OK. Server was not friendly and indifferent towards us. When I asked about a particular kind if same available, his response was I think so not Ill check but I think so??? Never came back to the table to ask if everything was OK or did we need anything.
15yrs and more years, I have patronize (in door dining) the original Panda Inn Restaurant in Pasadena and the food was always delicious. eEqually the food that I ordered on 11/10/21 ( regular for 2 /3 persons)for take out (first time ) was also delicious,,,the portions were abundant,,the only suggestion to increase the amt of cashews in the Almond Chicken and Walnuts in the Walnut Shrimp foods., I Continue to wish Panda Inn Successful Business for Pasadena and other Residents in the surrounding Areas,
If you are looking for elegant dining, delicious food, and kind people; look no further! Their white chocolate dipped fortune cookies are SO TASTY!!! I could eat a dozen of them.
I remember coming here in the early 80s and the food being very good. This is the older brother to the Express chain. Food is much better, and the service was great. Came with the whole family which happens very rarely. Honey walnut shrimp is always good. Calamari was a fresh and unique take.
Inflated prices, deflated quality of food and service. Panda Inn is not what it used to be: Kung Pao Chicken was disappointing - more like chicken thighs (if even that) than chicken breasts. I also remember servers offering tea after dinner, which doesnt seem to be anymore. Two stars for the shrimp and fried rice.
Always a pleasure to dine here. We have been coming here for 30 years.The food is consistently delicious and the service is always top notch.If you are a brunch fan, stop by there on a Sunday morning!
My family loves coming here for special occasions. Great food at family sized portions. One of Our favorites is the Panda Beef. The staff is friendly and attentive to our requests. They can accommodate large parties in separate rooms as long as you call ahead. I look forward for my next visit.
I really wanted to love this place as I had not been to a Panda Inn in years. Unfortunately my to go order of the orange chicken lunch special was only ok. The chicken did not taste freshly made and the taste was not great. On the positive side my egg drop soup which had corn in it was excellent. So was the fortune cookie I ate in the end. Service was very good and it is a nice looking restaurant with a great logo. Maybe try something else next time?
Their food is always absolutely amazing. I prefer them over cheesecake factory because they consistently continue to amaze me
Excellent Food!!! And Exceptional service!!! We, party of 10 attended Panda Inn today for a birthday lunch. Elaine our waiter, exceeded our expectations as she provided the best customer service experience. She was the best, so attentive, so pleasant, and so accommodating. This restaurant is amazing and this is primarily due to the service provided by Elaine. Special thank you to Elaine, for making our birthday lunch very nice.
I ordered Singapore noodles, my absolute favorite dish. It was awful. It had no tang to it. It did not have any curry in it. The Panda Inn has fallen PM culinary hard times. The Hot and Dour soup was nearly blind. And the pot stickers were below average. It will take some serious change for me to return there.
My family and I love this restaurant . We went today and Raymond, our waiter was amazing. The food here is a little more expensive but worth it especially for special occasions.
Overpriced during the weekend, however food is excellent. Drinks are either iced tea or canned soda.
Called order in as we were coming back from San Diego. was told it would be ready in 20 minutes. we arrived 40 min later & was told our order was not ready to give them 10 more minutes. So we went to Ralphs in hastings ranch & killed 20 minutes. Went back to get order & told order still not ready! we were tired from our trip & wanted to get home. Was told to wait another 10 minutes! we did & order still not ready!! I asked for our monies back, we were done! The young girl all of a sudden said oh youe order ready! Really!!! Come on!! until Panda improves in servicing their take out service, I am out!!
Panda Inn serves wonderful gourmet Chinese food. The portions are very plentiful. The food is authentic, fresh, and flavorful. The staff is very professional and courteous. The whole restaurant is very efficiently run. The decor is modern with comfortable, even romantic, ambiance. The prices are on the high end, but the portion sizes account for it. It is perfect for a date night as well as a family outing. I definitely recommend it.
We didnt mind waiting for our table, but our waiter seemed to have forgotten to bring our food when ready. People seated long after us and with at least 8 people were eating long before us. We basically had to remind him to bring our food.
Really nice restaurant with comfortable indoor seating. They are struggling a little with having enough servers to handle the surge of new diners now that they have indoor and outdoor dining. Food quality here rivals any Asian restaurant in San Gabriel valley.
The food and service were good!
Consistent preparation of menu items, both main dishes and side dishes. Take out is quick service with appropriate packaging and thorough checking of orders at counter before paying. Adequate free parking in own lot or limited on street parking. Separate waiting area with seats in lobby for dining room and one for carry out. Delivery offered too. Expensive for what you get but predictable high quality makes it worth it for special events. Foil-wrapped fortune cookies are a special treat.
Been going here since the 1980s! Excellent food, but older male waiter not friendly at all! Same guy last two visits! Great Mai Tais, but $13 really! On the pricey side! Ill drink water next time! Today 04/12/2022 had a different waiter who was very pleasant! Wish they would bring back Sweet and sour pork on the lunch menu! Same but no after dinner mints! Still no sweethsour Park on the lunch menu! The Pasadena Panda Inn is closing on January 15th for approximately 1 year to completely rebuild the restaurant! If they can afford to do this one of the reasons is from their $13 Mai ties! The family is extremely rich and owns all the Panda expresses but they dont give you a break on the drinks like Mai Tai Tuesday or something such like islands does! I love the food but I dont like the prices! January 11th 2023 8 here today for lunch It was delicious as usual It should be noted that Saturday the 14th of January is the last day of business they are closing to remodel rebuild the restaurant which could be anywhere from 3 months to a year youll have to go to Ontario or Glendale!
Service is great, and the food is delicious. Way better than Panda Express, even though this is the same company that owns/manages it. Definitely the flagship. They have two sizes of entrees, one that is an individual serving, while the other is larger and definitely for sharing. The individual portion is more than enough for one, and you wont go hungry, especially if you add rice to the meal. They have brown rice available, as well as white rice. The phoenix chicken is my favorite dish, as its not heavy, but immensely flavorful.
Amazing Chinese food. The portions are very big and taste excellent. We had the Mongolian been, tea smoked duck, lemon chicken and egg drop soup. Great please to order take out from. Dining in is nice too.
Wow--an excellent dining experience all around. We got reservations same day for our party of six and got to our table promptly. The service was friendly and efficient, attentive throughout the night, but never interrupting. The food... amazing. The crispy garlic chicken and the fried rice really stood out to me. Everything was good. Must try the home of Panda Express!
Good tasting food, the server was awesome, the Mai Tai cocktail was excellent, and my most favorite part is the fortune cookies dipped in white chocolate!
My family ordered way too much, 14 entrees 😊. Everything was great. Just be careful ordering family size. Garlic noodles werent as flavorful. Everything else was great. Service was a little slow but not bad. We will be back.
My family have been here before and never had any issues. Usually everything comes out perfect hot and all pretty much at once. Yesterday we had to wait about an hour but then finally got to sit and it was definitely different with covid restrictions and all. Unfortunately food came out finally and was super warm but last dish took a while and thay one was nice and hot but a lil too crispy, seemed like it was refried to make hot since it took so long to get to our table...
This restaurant has wonderful homemade pasta. I usually dont care about pasta but this was unbelievable. Everything was fresh and tasted perfectly right. The sauces were fabulous. It is a small restaurant with a great waitstaff.We loved the spaghetti and the risotto. It has an energetic atmosphere. The great reviews are well deserved. I would visit again.
Regularly screws up my order. I specifically say no red peppers then instead of omitting the whole red peppers they grind them up and mix it in, which is vastly worse. This has happened several times.
High end Chinese restaurant owned by the same owner that runs Panda Express. This is their first restaurant. If you ever want to have good Chinese food, go there. When they bring the check, they give you a chocolate dipped fortune cookie which is really yummy. Good service! Clean bathroom!
The noodles werent tasty and was overpriced, the rice was soggy, and the food just wasnt like- good. The fortune cookies are the only thing that was good. Maybe wanna eat somewhere else than here.
Authentic Chinese food. A bit pricey but large portion and good food. Service is fine, it can get busy at night.
Best spring roll. Best soups. Great meals. And incredible fortune cookies. We will be back tomorrow
This place is the best. Amazing food, impeccable service, awesome ambiance, and the best staff. Seriously its more than worth the price, trust me!! Cant reccomend this place enough, any out of town visitors we have we take them here and they always swoon over it too.
The OG Panda. The place was packed, so thats cool they still got it. We enjoyed the won ton soup, which is STILL delish, lemon chicken and garlic green beans. The best Asian American food!
Great lunch value...couldnt finish meal because it came with soup(excellent egg drop soup), salad (so-so but thats because I prefer my greens cold, crisp), egg roll (average), rice & the entree. We shared the lunch specials : Mongolian beef (so tender & flavorful), honey walnut shrimp (divine), & fish fillet with green beans(very good). I miss the old days when hot tea was complimentary. Of course their white chocolate dipped fortune cookie is always the perfect ending. Our server was wonderful & she packed up our leftovers in the cutest to-go containers.
Ive been eating here for years and this is the worst experience Ive ever had. The only highlight was getting a table right away. Food took over 40 minutes to arrive while the table next to us got theirs in 20 since I saw them order too. My fork had dried food stuck to it when I took it out of the napkin. The server has no gloves and I saw him wipe his nose with his hand in the bar area.
Great for family gathering or a friday night casual date. Food is great tasting. Very clean and friendly staff. If you like cheesecake try the cheesecake desert. Make reservations. Sunday brunch is buffet style and definitely make reservations.
My first time here. Food was great and so was the service. Check it out when youre in the mood for Chinese food. Youre going to love it!
The service was pretty bad this time. The good was great though. It took our waiter about 25 min after we were seated to come and ask if we needed drinks. Then it took him another 15 min after the drinks were brought to us to ask if we were ready to order. Our food took about 45 min to be brought out to us. It wasnt busy, it was 11:15 when we got there. Once our food was brought out to us, he never once came to see if we needed anything, if we were ok, nothing! I had to ask 3 different people for water refills. When we were done with our food, we had some leftovers, we sat there talking for about 30 min. Not one waiter or bus boy came to clean up our plates or ask if we needed boxes. I finally got someones attention and asked for boxes, but I had to ask an additional 3 more people for boxes before someone finally came and packed it for us. This is the longest Ive ever taken at Panda Inn. Usually Im in and out of there within an hour, but today it was a little over 2 hours that it took me to get in and out. Mind you, we only ordered 4 of the small dishes. Ive been going to this place since I was younger and its sad to see the horrible customer service that theyre giving now. Its not the first time this bad service has been given. Its almost as if they forget they have people sitting at the tables.
I went to dinner with my mother who has a walker and a little difficult to move. The staff found us a table and a spot to hide her walker. The food is consistent and delicious. The pace of the food delivered was great and there was no hurry to clear the table.
Food was phenomenal! Spice was on point. Found out that this location is the restaurant version of panda express. Same owners. Will definitely be back.
The decor and food was very nice. The restaurant was not crowded at all but the service was still very slow. It took a while just to have a waiter take our order. Perhaps they were under staffed. We still had a nice experience but hope they can coordinate servers better.
This is my favorite restaurant...no joke. Has been since I was young. Imagine everything you can get at Panda Express but AT LEAST twice as good. I recommend: orange chicken, honey walnut shrimp, and Moo shu pork.
My brother and I went to Panda Inn during our stay in the LA area. The parking area was clean and well lit. The dinning room was comfortable and the waitstaff was very responsive. We ordered the calamari for an appetizer which was far to salty. The entrées were very good. We had white chocolate dipped fortune cookies after our meal, they were very original. I would recommend Panda Inn to a friend!
The food is really good, but their prices have gone up tremendously. I cant justify to myself eating here again 3 people $150 3 dishes without tip.
I cant get enough of this wonderful place. First time on mothers day so impressed we my family and I have been back several times and going again this weekend to celebrate my birthday. The Sunday brunch is great something for all tastes soups, rice, noodles, veggies various types of meats, sushi, fruits and OH THE SEA FOOD. Sunday brunch all you can eat with all the champagne you can drink. Excellent service with lots of smiles.
Food was very average. Chinese chicken salad had good roasted chicken, but mostly iceberg lettuce. Nice interior with a few side rooms for larger gatherings. Chocolate covered fortune cookies after the meal was the best part food-wise.
This place has ruined me for any other Chinese food place. I will only eat Chinese food from here from now on. Their food is so fresh and flavorful that you find yourself craving it. The service is great and the people are so friendly. Very clean and attractive decor. The booths are too small for plus size people though, so choose a table. 😆
I don’t recommend going with a big group around 8pm. The waiter started off great when he took our drinks and then came back to take our food order. But then we never saw him again until we got the check. While I was dusting at the table, I had to call the restaurant and ask for assistance a couple times, because all the staff ignored us. When we got the bill it was wrong because I never got served my soup, they didn’t remove the drink that tasted horrible. I know it’s CA law that large groups have tip already included, but I wish I could reduce the amount cause the waiter didn’t deserve the amount cause he never helped up. Sadly this was my first time here, an I was extremely excited to finally be going, but I think it might have been my last!
Placed a large catering order a few days ago online and pre-paid. When I called today to confirm, they did not have the order. When we arrived to pick it up, it was not ready. it was finally ready 30 minutes after the scheduled time, despite my call to confirm. The food is good, but they are not reliable for large catering orders. This is our 3rd bad experience with them and we wont be ordering again.
We enjoyed Panda Inn way more than PF Changs. The dishes are a bit on the pricey side, but totally worth it. The portions are totally shareable and the decor/ambiance is very nice. Try the string beans if you love garlic :D!
Two of their hostess need to improve their customer service skills. The two fools just stood there talking to each other about personal matters while we stood in front of them. Fortunately, a waitress walked over to us and sat us down. Otherwise, service and food was great.
A must try is the Honey Walnut Shrimp (ask for the shrimp extra crispy). The appetizers are delicious and you cant go wrong with anything. For the adults I recommend the Mai Tai (but at times they are horribly stingy with the rum). The crispy fish with string beans is another dish to try. Try ordering the smaller plates as to be able to order more items. Service at times is bad due to the crowds but they try
I have been coming to the panda inn for years during my infrequent visits to Pasadena. I went two nights ago and had one of my favorites: shrimp and walnuts in an Asian sauce. They totally lacked the crispy goodness and flavor of the past. Hmmmm maybe an off night. So I came back last night for another try: lemon scallops. They were ok but the veggies were a hot mess. So I asked my server if there had been a change in ownership or chef. The reply was. Yes about a year ago.Haven’t read other reviews yet but am betting the Panda is living on the rep of the old days and lose some of those great reviews of the past
I have been eating here since 1986 and have never been disappointed. Had sweet and sour pork, Kung Pao seafood, chow fun, orange chicken, fried rice with chicken, beef and shrimp, beef with noodles. All was amazing, waitress was awesome. Old school style American/ Chinese food done right.
I couldve worked here longer but the manager and chef was a pain in the butt to work out a schedule, they hesitated made me work as a full time instead of part time. Im a full time student. The chef doesnt even speak English, just because Im Asian doesnt mean I can speak and reply back in the same language. I regret choosing to work here, I couldve worked somewhere better that would treat and value me as their employee and not some regular worker. Making me work til 12 am even I have class at 7 am which is overkill and it takes a toll on my life. 3pm to 12am - 5/week 45hrs which is basically full time. I wanted around 20 hours or so, so I can do other things but no I have stick to their schedule. If I cant fill those hours you can find another person to do those work for the rest of the night. This place just gives me a bad memory when I always drive by. Hope this place gets a new manager or chef because currently they both suck. Other employees treated me well while I was there, I was the youngest there.
Decent food, I saw reviews that said this was one of the best Chinese food restaurants around in Pasadena. Went with my family. Too pricey, and food was not as great as I expected it to be. Service was good and attentive servers. Personally not a fan, but restaurant is nice and clean.
Absolutely love this place! The flavors of the foos here are out of this world. Great place to bring big groups of friends or family or a mixture of both. Highly recommend the Panda Beef, Tofu & Spicey Eggplant, Orange Chicken, Mixed Fried Rice and the Steamed Chilean Sea Bass. 😋
Ive been coming here for 14 years. Its always delicious... I love the Lo Mein, egg drop soup, and walnut shrimp.
Panda Inn is a fancier version of Panda Express. With a darker red and black tones for decor, it actually brings a great sense of elegance.I didnt know how big the restaurant was until we walked deeper inside, and noticed that we were able to have a reception-like area for my mans nephews baptism.Tea was overflowing and so were the 10 course meals that comes with reception dining. I had my own separate vegetarian dishes and even though it was glistening with oil it was pretty good, just not good for my health!At the end of it all we were given white chocolate covered fortune cookies!
I like their spicy soup which is served before the food and the orange chicken is so delicious, i wish to have 2 stomachs while eating 🥰🥰🥰
Great quality Chinese food. And every Sunday they have a buffet that has everything you could want including sushi, a soup station and a huge desert set up with white chocolate covered strawberries! Drinks are included, and yes alcohol is included also. And coffee! The fortune cookiesare also covered in white chocolate. So delicious!! The beef short ribs, orange chicken, chicken lettuce wraps, and chow mein were my favorites. The soup station also was very tasty. Loved my soup.Will continue to recommend to everyone
Delivery was more than 1 hour past the time they quoted me. I was forced to feed my mom something else so she could take her medication. Food was soggy and barely warm.Very disappointed especially for the high price paid.17.00 per meal. Outrageous!
Really great experience here. The food was delicious, the waiters/waitresses did a fantastic job. The money we spent here was well worth it. All the staff was busy and seemed to enjoy doing their job, which I love to see!
Incredible brunch. Sunday 11-3. Sashimi. Jumbo shrimp. Pork. Boneless ribs. Delectable chicken and veggies. Pasta. Deserts. And all the champagne you can drink. Outstanding service!
The person who takes the order for take out was, very rude, unprofessional. I don’t know how Panda inn management can let this person work here with that attitude. By the way her name isStephanie W.
Always great,been going here since 1978, updated just tore down the old building for a new one coming soon.
The predecessor to Panda Express. Dont expect the food to be exactly like Panda Express, they are both good in their own ways. This is a traditional sit-down dinner with an expansive menu. The egg-drop soup, lettuce wraps, and orange chicken are must trys. Great dipped fortune cookies at the end of the meal. It can be crowded and loud on the weekends so expect a wait.
We were told they were busy at the get go so we knew it would be a bit of a wait. They were also short staffed at the moment. Food was fantastic & so was the service even with the bit of wait. Well worth the wait. 👍🏻
Delicious food, generous portions, nice ambiance and private rooms available.
We had the Chow Fun and the garlic noodles. Both were OK, but not great. The chicken pieces were very small and dry and the vegetables were not so flavourful.
I like Sunday brunch at Panda Inn. I can go here every Sunday if not for the food coma I have afterwards. Service is usually good, but, occasionally, they have trouble with service for big parties. Waiters will do what you ask when you call them, but I wish they came around more often to ensure drinks are refilled and empty plates are removed.
Jade Anniversary dinner at Panda Inn. Excellent meal. Individually wrapped fortune cookies with positive messages...nice way to celebrate. (Lots of good leftovers for tomorrow!)
This place simply has the best Chinese food I have ever eaten. Great service and atmosphere tops off a wonderful dining experience. A must try!! 5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ive been going to this location for years, and for the most part their service has been good. That is until now. I called to place a pick up order and Lauren put me on hold for a few min and then someone hung up on me. I called back and Lauren hung up on me within seconds of answering the phone. I called back and the phone was unhooked and then hung up again. This happened 4 times....Im never going back, needless to say.
Didnt get the fried rice I ordered and couldnt ask for it cause I didnt see my Waiter till I finished with my other food. The orange chicken and honey shrimp was very good the three ingredients taste was not so good, mushy veggies
Great Lunch Special. Most dishes around $10 which include a soup, salad and eggroll with your meal. Staff is very friendly and attentive. Plenty of seating inside, there is also a bar area. Everytime Ive been the place looks very clean.
Water was amazing, came with Ice and straw, best part was the cost.... there was none. The food did have a price attached to it but this included the cooking of it and they also put it on a plate and delivered it to our table by a Waiter/ Waitress (this is someone that brings the food & drinks to you... must be a Asian Tradition? Never heard of it). We paid about $40 for everything (including the free water value & free delivery of food to the table).We requested they make the FRIED RICE, SWEET SOUR CHICKEN & A BOWL OF WAN TAN SOUP. the Waiter delivered in a timely manner & we were treated to these amazing & unique fortune cookies dipped partially in white chocholate. We have now been to this location over 1 times now (we have been 2 times actually) and plan on returning again. we like the water, food and service.
Very good and tasty mandarin cuisine. With very friendly staff and after the figure cookie that is topped with chocolate is great.
A Pasadena institution. Great food, fast and courteous service. A prices are mid range so, if you add cocktails to yiur order it can run up fast. This place is always busy, reservations, especially for large parties, are highly recommended.
Great food.Communication with management is limited because of the language barrier. English is not their dominant language. We had a reservation and seating problems for a 20 people birthday party all because they could not communicate the fact that they could not accommodate the number of people. Seating arrangements for a birthday party was disastrous which could have been prevented with proper communication.
Best Chinese food in Pasadena! Great for dine-in or take out. We love the Phoenix chicken.
Omg if your ever in Pasadena check this original panda inn on foothill Blvd..we drive here every month from South orange county yes for authentic food...plus the parents love it here ..they have been coming here for yrs
Great Chinese restaurant with good food and great for large parties. Good, friendly service and parking in the back. My favorite is the honey Walnut prawns and mongolian beef and their special fortune cookies. Easily accessible by public transportation or 210 freeway.
Good food. Drinks are even better. Bartenders know how to make them.
Always excellent food, taste, flavor, somewhat pricey but good sized portions for lunch specials
Food is delicious if you go before 3PM you pay lunch prices half of dinner prices
Amazing food! Every dish had its own distinct flavor and each dish was prepared so well. I have not enjoyed such good Chinese food in a long long time. Highly recommended.
Where great Chinese food thrives and fortune do come true....well sometimes. Private rooms for parties...
The food service was slow for 5 dishes...walnut honey shrimp/ was dry hardly had any honey and wasnt crispy, orange chicken/ overlooked was hard, Mongolian beef/ was blah/ vegtable stir fry was ok not great, and the 20 vegetable fried rice was pasty. The regular size portions are on the small size and average $14 per dish...They brought out the main dishes and 20 minutes later the rice dish...really how can one enjoy Chinese food without the rice on hand from the beginning...the only good thing about this restaurant is that it is pretty inside and they give you fortune cookies dipped in white chocolate...so if you want to pay twice as much for sit down service, dry over cooked mediocre food, and yummy fortune cookies this is the place to go.The Panda Express down the street on the corner of foothill and Michilinda is much better...they sell high volume...so the food is fresher, less greasy, tastier and they have bigger portions for half the price...the Panda Express on foothill/Michilinda beats this Panda restaurant hands down...
Worst Service Ever!!! We waited 45 minutes for our meal to be served...just four dishes, pan fried noodles, Sauteed mixed vegetables, Mongolian Beef and Kung Pao Chicken. Nothing different, nothing fancy. When our food was served we complained about the wait and was told they were busy Really?? 4:30 on a Sunday and they cannot complete an order in a timely manner? We never were approached after we ordered, never apologized for the wait, never asked during our meal if all was well. Water was served once and we never saw a waiter again. Never will go back again! There are plenty of other Chinese restaurants to go to in Pasadena/Arcadia area. STAY AWAY!!!!
Everytime I come here. I leave satisfied. The food is exquisite. No complaints. And it has a full bar, for this that drink, the huge televisions for the watching of the sports. Great atmosphere. Top notch.
Disclaimer: I was born in Pasadena and lived there for 25 years. I moved to Singapore in 1984, married into Traditional Chinese family in 1988 and eventually took up citizenship. I mention this to make the point that our country is celebrated for its cuisine. The varieties of Top Tier Chinese restaurants out here is staggering— Traditional Mandarin, Cantonese, Hainanese, Teochew, Hunan, Szechuan, Peranakan, Dim Sum, Zi Char, Nonya, Hawker, steamboat and I am missing a few.When we visit the US and eat Chinese fare, we have to tolerate some odd conventions. In my 34 years in Asia, I have never encountered a fortune cookie with a message. No chop suey or chow mein out here. It’s an American phenomenon.My only criticism (and it’s so petty it should be excused) is that Panda Inn concedes to some of these American conventions. They also debone their chicken to appeal to the American palate. If you eat Ji Fan in Asia (chicken rice), the bones are left in. They add flavour albeit with some inconvenience. I remember reading an article about the Panda Inn which quoted its owner, a Mr. Andrew, who admitted that the deboning was done based on research into what their customers wanted.All this aside, I can attest that Panda Inn serves up outstanding fare. The service is impeccable. My 3-4 visits on overseas trips were happy, fulfilling and memorable. The prices are very fair. I don’t need a tuxedo clad waiter serving geometrically precise portions on plates from an ancient dynasty at a trendy Westside eatery. Panda consistently exceeds my expectations and meets my Budget. They serve Tsingtao beer. The rice is fresh and not chewy. The dishes I tasted all passed the Singapore taste test. The fortune cookies are a novelty for us,but what the hell, we’re Back in the USA.
We celebrated my daughters high school graduation here. The staff was courteous. We had 33 guests in their banquet room everyone loved it.Thanks to all whom made it possible.
Nothing beats when you time your order just right and get your plate filled with hot-off-the-wok food at Panda Express. Going to the Panda Inn is just like that only you get that super-tasty experience every time you order. Love that Panda Beef!
Some of the best Chinese food Ive ever had. Its not inexpensive but worth it. Great atmosphere. Top notch staff. The best bartenders making the best Mai Tais in L.A.!
Ate with friends for a birthday. Service was great, the staff were friendly and acommodating. Food was good and we were all satisfied.
Always amazing Chinese food. Been going here for over 25 years. Never disappointed with the food. Service can be hit or miss depending on the evening and crowd. But always worth it.
The service from the reception to the waiters is confusing. The witers are in a hurry and they do not suggest at all, they just want you to order fast for a long wait delivery of the food to the tanle. We went at 2:30 pm and we were eating at 3:30 pm. Very bad service.
Very nice atmosphere, fast excellent service, and very nice staff. Ive tried numerous items on their menu and all are excellent. The rib-eye is my choice for dinner.There is also a full bar.
Excellent food 🥘 Real mandarin . Fun for large groups. Super clean and friendly 😃👍nice tables with white tablecloths. Big space, not tight .
In recent years, Panda Inn has been doing a much better job making sure that cashews arent accidentally dropped in dishes that arent supposed to have them. Important for allergies.
Great atmosphere. Lovely cuisine. Great portions for a good price. Still took home a dog bag. Sundays brunch reservation all you can eat buffet. Worth the drive. Finding parking was a breeze.
We love the Panda inn. Great place to eat and they have very good service there. We always have enough food for two meals and lunch the next day. If you find this review helpful please like the review.
Great service, food was excellent, we our orders without certain food items and the food came fast.Delicious, hot and tasty
Love the food here but way too expensive for the quantity purchased. Take home prices are even more expensive. Too bad though; I used to come here more often.
Amazing Restaurant. Get reservations on Weekend dinner times. Their honey walnut shrimp is amazing. Dont pass it up. But it doesnt save well, so dont leave any for left overs. You will be sorely disappointed when yiubgonto eat them. The panda beef is another must order. Sliced very thin, super crispy and jist the perfect amount of sweet and spicy. When we go just the 2 of us, we order 2 regular entrees and a veggie and have some of the panda beef left over to take home. I recommend the green beans and the asparagus.One of our family favorite restaurants. Out the door usually costs between 20 and 30 an adult. And you get to enjoy a white chocolate dipped fortune cookie. Wonderful way to end an amazing meal.
The Panda inn is pricey, but has very tasty food. The dishes vary from traditional Szechuan/Mandarin to more advant garde takes on dishes. Ive been going to the Pasadena restaurant for forty years, and I honestly prefer the 70s menu to todays. Eg. I now go twice a year compared to a couple of times a month in the past.
Panda Inn used to be one of my favorite places to eat Chinese food. I am not sure what happened, but the food suddenly took a turn. It became too sweet. Perhaps a change in chefs? I would be willing to go back if I had a groupon or a living social coupon.
I love this place. My favorite dish is the sweet-and-sour pork and the cute little white chocolate covered fortune cookies, yum.
Good sized portions. Very tasty. Loved the orange chicken and also the string beans... Mmm
How can you people ok with this place, bad service and bad food, they serve other people order to our table two times in one night, food was cold and t main dish was served after all of us finished the dinner, 9 people in the party. Never I would go there
Wow. Stayed at HIE while helping my daughter move from the East coast. Because Pasadena had not banned outsoor dining yet took a shot at Panda Inn. Fantastic! Crispy soup was great, my Wonton soup was loaded with shrimp, dumplings roast pork mushrooms and othee veggies. Me beef with broccoli was very tender and the broccoli was very crisp and a very flavorful sauce. But for me the clear winner was the panda rice with shrimp scallops and onions with egg in a delicious oyster sauce .They were very aware and followed good covied protocols took our telephone numbers and names down for contact tracing purposes as well propane heaters outside but not absolutely necessary. Had a wonderful time add panda inn, would go once a week if I was still in California.
Great service,the food was nicely prepared tasted awesome I had walnut shrimp and my son had roasted duck. The prices I thought was a little high until the food was served ample portions and great tasting.
I would not recommend anyone who is not going to invite some important people to dinner to have food there. The food is way not worth the price. I’ve tried a lot of Chinese restaurant, and I have to say that the food is just so so. The service is good though, so two stars for the service.
So good. I love going here with family and sharing all of the delicious entrees. My favorite is the crispy eggplant, but the walnut shrimp, mongolian beef, cashew chicken, and kung pao are big family faves, as well. Highly recommended.
One of the best restaurants in Pasadena in my opinion. We had a variety of dishes and they were delicious.
Nothing exciting with respect to cuisine, noodles are mushy and theres not a lot of flavor but our server was smart and friendly (Adam).Fortune cookies were tasty.
We had a great time. Our waitress was soooo wonderful. I believe her name was Elien she was very personal and friendly. We love panda inn.Matt OShea
All you can eat is ok, maybe do it once in your life or if youre really hungry and really like their food. Otherwise just order regularly, although be prepared for slower service and food. Id in general just recommend some places in Chinatown for better food quality. Or just go to Panda express
The food and service at this location are always great. The Kung Pao Chicken/Shrimp, Mongolian Beef, and the Crispy Garlic Chicken are favorites.
This place is great for a nice evening dinner the food is very good. We visit this establishment every 2 months
Great food. Good staff. They have private rooms for small groups.
Always great food! Today we had a terrific waitress...she an awesome latin young lady. Job well done!
Rarely had to wait to be seated. You can call for a table beforehand. Food is tasty. Wanton soup, crispy calamari, and Singapore noodles are fantastic!
Love the food here. Brunch Sundays are the best they have a variety of different foods to choose from and food is super fresh. Lunch specials are great here too.
Went for their Sunday brunch, had a birthday party there. A huge variety of food, very good. Would go again....
If you love Chinese food then this is the place for you. The food is excellent and the service is spectacular. The staff remembers you if you been there a few times.
We love the food and service. It is nice environment, not formal but not casual. My husband has visited this Restaurant for more that 30 years. And we are young. Ok!
Excellent service with Super Friendly staff!They are very accommodating to refilling water/ iced and hot tea pitchers!
Id give it a 4.5 if I could. Delicious food. Spicy shrimp was great, and the minced chicken lettuce wrap appetizer.. Wasa little noisy....
Good Food! Love their 3 flavors Sizzling rice soup!
Whilst during their busy hours it can be quite hectic, they still manage to maintain good service and the food is never late. The food tastes amazing and never fails to satisfy our craving for Chinese food.
Such a great place to eat but really busy. Waited for a straw and hot sauce after we were done eating.
Quick to attend. Very nicer decor.
Delicious food! Great atmosphere! Food was a little expensive, but totally worth it, everything was made fresh and was absolutely yummy!!
Sunday morning brunch is the best! 11-3 all you can eat. For the price of two plates, you can eat a taste of everything!
The ambience is good. It is a neat and clean place, employees were polite and helpful. However the food was either too salty or two sweet! And it is pricey!
Iced tea was not fresh and food was so-so. Service was fine. We had a private room for large group. Family style dining was good.
Panda Inn its always a great place to have dinner the atmosphere is good the food is great depends on what you order go with a group of people its a lot more fun the price is not bad I will return and invite others to go the staff is good well I should say they have great staff
The original! The panda beef is amazing. Havent had anything that didnt exceed expectations. Have well priced dishes to serve family style
Delicious per usual. This is some of the best Chinese food around. Great quality and portions well worth the price.
Came here for Sunday brunch on mothers day. Decent variety of food options, and the bottomless mimosas and mai tais are a great touch. :)
Clean,good food, easy parking, good pricing, pleasant atmosphere, drinks terrible. I bragged about their margaritas & they even said they were known for best around...but this day!! Yuck!
Family reunion- 10 people: table ready on time, service excellent and engaging, food very good. Tables too close, crazy noisy.
Amazing food and service, Caton is a wonderful server! Spicy garlic trio, hot and sour soup, spicy Thai salad w/ calamari....just a few of my favorite things!
I was pleasantly surprised by my visit to Panda Inn. I didnt expect it to be such an upscale restaurant. I was probably biased by the ubiquitous Panda Express. The food and atmosphere was great.
My first time and the food is delicious. Took mom out to lunch here and was quite impressed. Good Chinese food is hard to find and I found it here!
The Sunday buffet was awesome! Great quality food although not enough dessert but with all the great food you wont need desserts..highly recommended...
Food and service were wonderful. If you are looking for a private room, double check which one. The sliding doors dont cut noise well.
Pleasant late lunch. The wonton soup was delicious, and their speciality sweet & aromatic shrimp was tasty and crunchy, with just the right amount of saucing.
Very nice place for dinner by yourself or a group. Staff was very accommodating and fast. Food was DELICIOUS. Cannot wait to go back.
The original upscale version of the famous Panda franchise. Its a bit overpriced, but the food is quite tasty. Its always crowded, but the tables by the bar are full-service from the bar staff.
The front door was broken we entered from a side door. The private room was good. The service was excellent. The food was very good. The restaurant was packed.
Everything was so tasty! It is pricey but worth every penny. Cant wait until I can go back again!
Delicious food. Very friendly and accommodating staff. Would love to try some new dishes.
Weve been going to Panda Inn for years now. Their food is very delicious and economical. Great service. Food always taste great.
We had the lunch special and then an extra portion of their fabulous Honey Walnut Shrimp. Great service and delicious foods, what more could ask...
Excellent customer service and tasty food
Great service and great food. Wonderful Sunday brunch. Many options. I still prefer pf changs but the rest of the family loves panda inn.
The service was really good when they saw your drink was almost empty they got u a new one. Great food and yeah
Wow !! the Food was incredibly tasteful, even though we had a big party and had to wait an extra 15 minutes, The delicious food made up for it..Yummy!!
Our family has been going to this restaurant since it originated. Great then still great now.... and they do a pretty good Mai Tai too...
Totally enjoyablé service and surroundings. The food is too wonderful to miss, tasty,
Total reviews rating 4.5
199 Reviews for Panda Inn 2024:
Review №1
2022-07-23 07:26:00I wanted to try Panda Inn because I figured its the original Panda that started all the Panda Express. I did like the food and everything, but it just feels a little pricey than some other Chinese restaurant in SGV. The food is decently good. We ordered honey walnut shrimp, hot and sour soup, and of course orange chicken. I prefer the honey walnut shrimp over the orange chicken, I think it was a little too salty for me, but the honey walnut shrimp was pretty standard and flavorful. The hot and sour soup is pretty mild for me. Another highlight for me is their fortune cookies. Theyre so cute 😍
Review №2
2022-11-14 14:00:36The service was exceptionally friendly and attentive. The food came out quick and super delicious. The drinks were made perfectly. Beautiful atmosphere.
Review №3
2022-04-11 20:36:01My favorite Chinese restaurant in Pasadena. It’s more of a formal sit down style restaurant with excellent decor and white cloth tables.I love their calamari and it was the best but they stopped serving it. Hoping they bring it back, but I highly recommend the phoenix chicken, chicken corn soup & the fish with black bean sauce.It’s Chinese food done at a high level and customer service has always been on point. I highly recommend this spot.
Review №4
2020-01-18 12:46:16Their sunday brunch is among very best in LA. $35 comes with cocktail or mimosa plus a lot different variety of food and all the major Panda Inn (Panda Express) dish for the price is a very good value.Service were very good and is something many Chinese restaurants in the area still lack and need to learn. This restaurant does well about every area just lack dome authentic Chinese dish in the brunch but overall is a solid 5 stars.
Review №5
2021-10-01 03:32:51Panda Inn (not express) has always been one of best places to eat. Orange Flavored Chicken, Honey walnut shrimp, and Kung Pao chicken are good entrees
Review №6
2017-04-21 23:54:22Great Food & ExperienceWe finally made it to the original Panda Inn. The decor inside it very nice with Chinese artifacts on display. The tables were clean. You could say this is Americanized Mandarin and Sichuan cuisine at its best. The food was very tasty. What is neat about this place is that they have three different sizes of a dish: small, regular and family. We tried the vegetable fried rice, sweet and sour pork, kon pao chicken and string beans. In order to try several dishes and not end up with too much food to take home, we went with the small sized dishes. The vegetable fried rice was clean, non-greasy and lots of veggies. The kon pao chicken was also great. The service was good, not great. The staff was friendly and courteous. No chop sticks given unless you ask for them which we found to be odd in a Chinese restaurant. Plenty of parking in the private lot. No wait on a Sunday evening. We will definitely go back to try other dishes.
Review №7
2019-07-28 03:12:37Great place for a family meal or a couple. Big portions so expect to take food home. Great service and make sure to save room for the white chocolate fortune cookies.
Review №8
2022-05-09 13:03:45Its Panda Expresss full power. How could it not be good? The value for the food is INSANELY high, and the food is really good.
Review №9
2021-12-12 01:46:38Authentic Chinese taste. Not like Panda express.Has its own unique taste. The honey walnut shrimp 🦐is the main attraction. 🥢
Review №10
2019-06-04 00:42:49Absolutely delicious food! The service was hands down the kindest most helpful people! The ambiance was beautiful and welcoming, it was a great place to celebrate with the family or go out for a quiet date. We will certainly return soon!