Panda Express

I eat at this location at least 3 times per week. They are, by far, the best Panda restaurant I've been to. Mario and Odalys are the best!

Dustin is the man…made me love this panda location again after years of being shorted on portions by the women managers over the years that kept us from coming back, but glad we gave it a shot again.

Stopped after Costco run, they were busy but my wait wasn't too bad. They had one person at the register and one person serving the food. The person serving the food rocked! Odalys (name tag read) was attending all customers coming in and online orders. Kept orders organized. I saw another customer compliment her as well. Hope management is treating her right, definitely a great asset to the company.

Ordered online and received a text message a few minutes later saying my order was ready for pickup. When I walked in the door it was not ready, but the person behind the counter explained they had decided to make a fresh batch and would I mind waiting for the fresh batch. I said yes, so they offered me a free appetizer / Eggroll while I waited

Kevin B

A five star experience for what it is. Food tasted freshly prepared, and to-go set up is well executed. You need to order online at the moment, so keep that in mind. You can set a pickup time that works, or request "ASAP". For around $8, I think it's a good value (rice/noodles plus 2 items). And it's much easier that it once was to actually eat healthy here - if you can resist the orange chicken!

Brandon Cohrs

Did a catering from here for lunch. Set it up days ahead and it was in time and tasted great. Service was on par and it felt like a standard Panda Express. Disappointed that they didn’t have any hot mustard, but everything else was in place and I will use them for catering again.

Mark Hoekendorf

Excellent customer service. Excellent food!

Douglas S

Dustin is the man…made me love this panda location again after years of being shorted on portions by the women managers over the years that kept us from coming back, but glad we gave it a shot again.

Finlay Nathan

Very fresh food and fast service. Appreciate the kind service, they corrected a mistake in my order and gave extra for no charge. And they have sweetfire (which isn’t available in socal!) Will def return :)

Larry James

Ordered online and received a text message a few minutes later saying my order was ready for pickup. When I walked in the door it was not ready, but the person behind the counter explained they had decided to make a fresh batch and would I mind waiting for the fresh batch. I said yes, so they offered me a free appetizer / Eggroll while I waited

Ana Reyes

Stopped after Costco run, they were busy but my wait wasn't too bad. They had one person at the register and one person serving the food. The person serving the food rocked! Odalys (name tag read) was attending all customers coming in and online orders. Kept orders organized. I saw another customer compliment her as well. Hope management is treating her right, definitely a great asset to the company.

Heather

Almost didn’t come here due to reviews, but glad I did! Had Firecracker Shrimp & Beef Broccoli with sides of brown rice & sautéed veggies. Every bite is yummy!! Beef & shrimp super tender. Reasonable prices. Spotlessly clean. I was greeted enthusiastically & authentically - so rare nowadays!! The staff is a obviously well trained in customer service. I’d totally come back here!!

Love that Panda! Plenty of sauces! Fresh! Small batches! Steamed/ fried with drama right before you eyes!😻. A generous plate for two meals! Thank you Panda!😍

A busy Panda Express place. Food is Up to its standards. I love the Teriyaki chicken and black Angus beef. The fried rice is a bit too dry. Inside l it is a bit chaotic due to many visitors and insufficient staff. Like water on floor could not get cleaned soon enough. Utensils not filled in time. We ran out of the holding tray even. I am also surprised that during my visit no option for spoon, only forks.

+6

Although Panda Express is a fast food restaurant, it is still very competitive compared with many authentic Chinese restaurants. It is very tasty with affordable prices. Also, the menu has many various options available. I like the bigger plate the best. I usually get three entrees with fried noodles. We are always pleased with the generous portion for us to share. In Japan, the food portions are smaller compared to American stores. My favorite dishes are the beef items. My husband loves the signature orange chicken and anything spicy with meat. This location is very convenient as it is near Costco, Home Depot, Whole Foods, and some other shops. So it is always busy, especially during mealtimes. Moreover, it has an outdoor patio in the back entrance.

+6

Good fresh food the wait was a little long but I went during dinner so that's to be expected. The staff was friendly and the restaurant was kept clean. The food was good nothing spectacular but it was your normal Americanized Chinese food.

Good little spot. Easy to find. Good parking area. Food was fresh and service was good. We were welcomed in and service was prompt even with a line. Area was clean inside.

It's a standard panda express so I don't have a whole lot to say here. Employees are respectful, the establishment is always clean. It's open until 10pm which is convenient for late diners. It does have a nice out door patio, which I use frequently considering the SLO weather is always nice enough. It doesn't have much of a nice view, but it has a nice fountain to look at and kids can throw pennies in. Also, I do think the food here is just a little spicier than the other panda expresses I've been to. Not by much, but it's noticeable.

When I got there it was beginning of dinner hour and there was barely any selection. I walked out but a manager got me to come back. Apparently they were still cooking for the empty slots. Had green bean chicken and beans were tough and undercooked. Food was fine but I think they were a bit short on amount of food compared to other visits. Also their teriyaki comes in a packet instead of the cup they used to give. I didn't like it as much. I may skip the teriyaki chicken from now on and get only 2 entrees

Great customer service and the quality of the food is also great!

Smaller portions than I usually get at the Santa Maria location. No one was before us to pay but somehow the person behind us paid before us. Our plate was left out for a bit

Ann C

Although Panda Express is a fast food restaurant, it is still very competitive compared with many authentic Chinese restaurants. It is very tasty with affordable prices. Also, the menu has many various options available. I like the bigger plate the best. I usually get three entrees with fried noodles. We are always pleased with the generous portion for us to share. In Japan, the food portions are smaller compared to American stores. My favorite dishes are the beef items. My husband loves the signature orange chicken and anything spicy with meat. This location is very convenient as it is near Costco, Home Depot, Whole Foods, and some other shops. So it is always busy, especially during mealtimes. Moreover, it has an outdoor patio in the back entrance.

J.

A busy Panda Express place. Food is Up to its standards. I love the Teriyaki chicken and black Angus beef. The fried rice is a bit too dry. Inside l it is a bit chaotic due to many visitors and insufficient staff. Like water on floor could not get cleaned soon enough. Utensils not filled in time. We ran out of the holding tray even. I am also surprised that during my visit no option for spoon, only forks.

Fortune Tellier

Love that Panda! Plenty of sauces! Fresh! Small batches! Steamed/ fried with drama right before you eyes!😻. A generous plate for two meals! Thank you Panda!😍

Jeremiah Bennett

Great customer service and the quality of the food is also great!

Jose Lopez

Smaller portions than I usually get at the Santa Maria location. No one was before us to pay but somehow the person behind us paid before us. Our plate was left out for a bit

Wow, most blend (and overpriced) food ever. Now I know, remember, why I never eat here or any fast food places. Disappointing.

Saw the manager here being extremely rude to one of his employees... I felt bad for the poor gal. I understand people make mistakes, but publicly humiliating your employees in that manner is the opposite of professional. As others have said, the portions are often small compared to other panda expresses, and the proportions in the chow mein are off usually. Leaving three stars because most of the cashiers are friendly and seem happy to help

Always out of veggies, plates got smaller, mustard discontinued, no plastic knives and teriyaki chicken needs to be cut. Employee are nice and hard working but the boys in the suits are making me unhappy with the place.

The food was ok. Counter service was barely adequate. What really grossed me out was I noticed they supplement their staff by making Doordashers with filthy hands prepare drinks for to-go orders, which is not only disgusting but probably also a health code violation and might even be a violation of labor laws.

I came at lunch time, so they were busy, but the dining area was filthy. The tables all needed to be wiped down and the trash taken out, as both were overflowing. The dining area is VERY small, and many of us had no where to sit.

Went in on a Tuesday evening around 630. There was 7 people working and only 2 customers ahead of me but it still took about 15 minutes to check out. The person working the register was loading plates into the bags upside down for some reason. When I got home my bag had no utensils, no receipt, no fortune cookie, and none of the sauces I requested. The main holdup was the person working the register as thats where everyone's items were building up.

My sister and I just got food here like 15 mins ago and it was not good. The food was thrown into the boxes and leaked everywhere in the bag they gave us. I got we both got kung pow and it was not spicy at all, it didn’t taste like the normal Kung POW, and the veggies were not cooked all the way. Maybe it was just the people working or what but the lady who served us was extremely rude. Hope they do better.

The workers serving food don't have any costumer service experience. I walked in and there was one person infront of me waiting to order. None of the two gentleman even gave me eye contact to let me know they would be right with me. Waiting 8 minutes before they could attend the person that was infront of me. After they were done with him waited another 4 minutes until they took my order. I noticed that they were short staff because a lot of the food wasn't out. When I looked around noticed one of the females sitying down chitchatting with what it assumed to ber her friend or boyfriend. Then the gentleman that was assisting with taking the orders goes and sits down with a couple. Knowing that there is a line and the young kid working taking orders was on his own. Overall really bad experience, I feel that they should have better costumer service and if they want to sit down and chat dont so it infront of the people ordering. Or during a busy time of the night.

It was just the yung girl giving small portions i love the other works that give big portions when we can make more for people

David Scott

The food was ok. Counter service was barely adequate. What really grossed me out was I noticed they supplement their staff by making Doordashers with filthy hands prepare drinks for to-go orders, which is not only disgusting but probably also a health code violation and might even be a violation of labor laws.

Jesse Perez

It was just the yung girl giving small portions i love the other works that give big portions when we can make more for people

Walked in and they have no food available. Chow mein was empty. The orange chicken was empty. They said it would take 10 minutes for orange chicken. It took longer and most of the bowls were empty in the water dispenser is a joke did not work, and they were not out of napkins and forks even worse, there’s a customer in her house really kind of medium size dog barked at another service dog, and his dog has been whiny ever since sniffing other people

Believe it or not, my first time going to a Panda Express and not to be repeated. Wanted to try the Sichuan Hot Chicken. What a joke (and a rip-off). Three small chicken strips for $4.20 plus tax. Very lame.

Took about 20 minutes to get food. Ordered at the door and had to walk around to pickup. Most other places are open for limited dine-in, but Panda didn't get the memo. Portions look alot smaller than normal. My kungpao chicken had only 2 pieces of meat. Come on Panda! Usually you don't disappoint, but this time you failed horribly.

Ordered orange chicken and asked for sides of teriyaki sauce. Was directed to go around back of bldg to pick up (due to covid). Waited 15 mins for food. They set it on table called my name and closed door so I could not check order and communicate. There was no teriyaki sauce. I had to go back to front of store, wait in line again (1 person in store at a time). When I got in, told them there was no sauce I asked for, they said they dont have any made and it would take 10 minutes. I didnt have time to wait since Im on a 30 min lunch brk. Left without it and was late having to wait in libe twice to ask for it again just to be told they dont have any. Really frustrating.

Don’t go here! I love Panda, but I tried this location 3 times, and all were horrible! It’s 100 percent about the service or lack thereof. From getting the order wrong to straight up ignoring after I’d been waiting over 25 minutes for my mobile order. To trying to give me some old food that had been sitting on the counter for at least 20 minutes. Panda should close this franchise down.

Very nasty food. The 4 dishes I ordered all tasted the same. Noodles were so dry and one of my side orders i could not tell what it was. The beef meat sure did NOT look nor taste like beef. I chucked 95% of the meal. Ewww! Food boxes were all greasy on the outside. Truly ... there are better restaurants out there to get really good food. PASS this one up!

Emelyn which I believe is one of the supervisors was kind of rude, wasn’t very friendly to where we felt uncomfortable. As if us being customers was annoying. Food was okish.

We didnt like the food at all, its not fresh, all dried and bland flavor

Awful experience. So surprising since all other Panda Expresses offer consistent, quality results. This Panda in SLO was understaffed, the worker helping us was new and confused, there was no sweet & sour sauce available for the spring rolls, the soda machine blasted carbonated water. When we asked for a refund on the drink, the new worker didn't know how to process the refund on the register and had to summon the manager to help. The manager was in the back, came out to do the refund, then went right back to the back of the store. Why wasn't the manager on the front lines helping customers when the restaurant is understaffed? This experience was a complete mismatch with other Panda Expresses we have visited.

I swear there’s always an issue when coming to this location. If you are in a rush and are limited on time I strongly suggest you drive to Foothill Panda Express. I have been going to panda for years and almost never have anything bad to say about the service and quality of food, unless I choose the one on LOVR. If you experience a issue forget trying to reach them by phone they never answer or it goes straight to voicemail. Don’t bother driving in to have your order corrected they will make you feel like your at fault. This will definitely be my last time going to this location, I’d rather pay Double Price for real Chinese food from Mandarin Gourmet. You have been warned.

Horrible, its was a Friday night, understaffed, long line, all their food wasn't ready, incredibly hard understanding a word the girls were saying, then when my order was started had wait for noodles to done, and after the noodles 5 other people behind me received their food with noodles before I received mine! By the time I drove home all of the sides of my three orders we're ice cold! And this isn't the first time this has happened at the store. I sure hope someone from the store response to this review because I'm extremely upset.

I don't review many places ever but my experience here needs to be shared. I placed my order on line and was notified that it would be 15 minutes. I waited 20 minutes before going into the store only to be told they were working on my order now. I was then asked to wait outside in 51 degrees, I know my bad I forgot to put in a sweater but I thought I was going to be done relatively quickly. At 15 minutes if waiting I went back into the restaurant only to be informed that they were waiting for the teriyaki chicken.....this was all I ordered. So now I go back out and wait another 8 minutes for my food that was supposed to be done over 30 mins ago. Total time waiting In the cold 25 mins total time for a 15 minute order 45 minutes. If I could give negative stars I would. All it would have taken was some communication that they had to start a new batch of the ONLY thing I ordered so I could wait in my vehicle instead of waiting outside In the cold for almost double the time I was notified that my order should have taken. I personally will never go back to this place EVER!!!!!!

It was an emergency stop for me. Food is okay, deals are good. Staff members are awesome. Very helpful and always welcoming.

1 Star, because other locations just can’t do it right, … but at least this location can have a customer go down the line and ask them what they want … but this location uses the smaller container, so you get less food EDIT: never mind, good thing I had already gave them 1 star, because I guess they changed their ways also, because now they ask us customers what all we want all at once, so I guess there will be plenty of mistakes here, also

Ordered grub hub. My bejing beef only had 6 small pieces. And my orange chicken was barely better. Did me dirty. Wont be goin back. Did me dirty

Run from this location! For the second time at this panda they asked me to wait on an entree (totally fine) then I watched them serve the entire next batch to the customers in line who ordered when it came out while the rest of my family’s food sat waiting. This location always prioritizes online orders over in person orders and has not created a system for organizing and prioritizing in person orders. Terrible customer service. Go to the foothill location.

The food was horrible. The chow mein noodles were like cardboard. The com pow chicken entree had 6 large Tabasco peppers in this side was impossible to eat. The pick up to go box was smashed the broccoli was brown dried up horrible

Pretty soon you will order a meal and they'll put one piece of orange chicken and 1 noodles and 1 grain of rice. It is ridiculous how small the portions have got. Don't ask the girl to put a little more noodles, that proved to be a big mistake. I will not be back unless this changes.

bryan draper

Walked in and they have no food available. Chow mein was empty. The orange chicken was empty. They said it would take 10 minutes for orange chicken. It took longer and most of the bowls were empty in the water dispenser is a joke did not work, and they were not out of napkins and forks even worse, there’s a customer in her house really kind of medium size dog barked at another service dog, and his dog has been whiny ever since sniffing other people

Daci Beto

Believe it or not, my first time going to a Panda Express and not to be repeated. Wanted to try the Sichuan Hot Chicken. What a joke (and a rip-off). Three small chicken strips for $4.20 plus tax. Very lame.

_McFluffinstuff _

Run from this location! For the second time at this panda they asked me to wait on an entree (totally fine) then I watched them serve the entire next batch to the customers in line who ordered when it came out while the rest of my family’s food sat waiting. This location always prioritizes online orders over in person orders and has not created a system for organizing and prioritizing in person orders. Terrible customer service. Go to the foothill location.

Terrie Thayer

The food was horrible. The chow mein noodles were like cardboard. The com pow chicken entree had 6 large Tabasco peppers in this side was impossible to eat. The pick up to go box was smashed the broccoli was brown dried up horrible

M T

Pretty soon you will order a meal and they'll put one piece of orange chicken and 1 noodles and 1 grain of rice. It is ridiculous how small the portions have got. Don't ask the girl to put a little more noodles, that proved to be a big mistake. I will not be back unless this changes.