Panda Cafe is a familiar American-style Chinese takeout. One of my dinner guests helped herself to multiple portions of the Singapore Noodles. All the dishes were fine except the General Tso's Chicken. The sauce solidified into a jellied mass with the breaded chicken. I will definitely order again, but it would be nice if they offered an option of reduced plastic, e.g. compostable containers and no sauce packets, even if they have to charge extra for this.
Philippa Main - Realtor & Mortgage Loan Officer
I'm writing this review to debunk any misconceptions about the (currently) below 4-star rating. It turns out, this place is a hidden gem for those seeking affordable and quick Chinese takeout – a fact that might be lost on some who have different expectations. This Chinese restaurant is a fantastic option for those who appreciate the convenience and affordability of takeout without compromising on taste. If you're in the mood for great cheap Chinese food, give this place a try – you won't be disappointed!I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and taste of the food. The house lo mein has chicken, beef, and shrimp. The meats didn't taste rubbery or like they had gone "off" (as I have had that happen at other fast Chinese restaurants, it's nice to see it tasted fresh). The vegetable fried rice had quite a lot of different veggies and a good portion of them, too. The General Tso's chicken had the ratio of batter to chicken you'd expect from this kind of to go Chinese restaurant, so I was not dissapointed.To sample a bit of everything, I got the appetizer platter for one, and each item was good.It's crucial to understand the context here – this is not a sit-down, fine-dining establishment. Instead, it excels in providing quick, delicious, and affordable Chinese food. So if you are looking for a budget friendly Chinese meal, I wouldn't let the bad reviews deter you from going here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Paul Kersey
So anyone who reads my reviews knows my reputation: I pull no punches and I tell it exactly the way I experienced it. So here we go:Walking in here, this place looks like the stereotypical NYC take out spot: dark, dingy, and to some, rather unclean. You can smell the odor of burnt cooking oil but hey, I'm not here for that. I am hungry and want food.I don't know if I am wrong here but I come from a culture where you are polite. Hello, Hi, Please, Excuse me, Thank you, and Good bye are used. So I adressed the lady and said Hello, how are you ma'am? This lady gave me absolutely 0 response. Then looked at me and said, What do you want?What the F#$K kind of way is that to greet a customer especially one who had never been here before? And don't tell me it's because you come from another country because my family have owned restaurants and know how to show respect.I told her I would like a Kung Pao Chicken with less oil and less sauce. Dinner combo. Did they listen? Of course NOT!Let me tell you folks this: What I got for damn near $12 was fried chicken pieces, no carrots, no peppers, mushrooms, or even peanuts. Plain fried rice I wouldn't even feed by dog, and an egg roll that tasted like a stick of grease. ALL THE FOOD WAS OILY AND SALTY AS HELL AND DROWNED IN SAUCE. Before I left, she took my money, gave me my food and didn't even say thank you. NOTHING. I said, thanks. Have a good night.You know what bothers me about this place?I am Chinese American/Asian American, I speak their language, and I am deeply disturbed by people like this. Why? Because it's Chinese people like this who give the Asian community a negative image: unfriendly, anti-social, and just plain disrespectful. I am all about promoting Asian businesses but only under the right circumstances. I am ashamed that this business is Asian owned and operated and it's a place in which potential limited minded non-Asians can easily think that all Asians are like them.Moral of the story: If you like this place, god bless you and keep supporting them. I don't care.If you want better food and service where people treat you on a human level, don't come here. I will never walk in here again.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Bruce Lee
Very rude
Jason B
Thought I was going to panda Express, as someone who had a family member at the local ER, excellent service and middle of the road dishes. Only mild complaint is that I would expect crispy beef to have a better dredge coating so it actually has some crispyness, it was limp, flavor good, but missed the mark for texture.BTW, this isn't panda Express, but just as good and much cheaper. Got like 4 dishes for under $50, which is not the norm these days. Would go again if in the area.Parking: About 10 spots, easy access and availability.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: General TSO
Franky Tam
This place is great... adjust your expectations at this price point
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
M J
DO NOT EAT HERE! These people do not use the standard health practices of washing their hands nor do they use gloves when preparing your food. The woman at the register took our order and payment before she went into the kitchen and started grabbing rice and other food items to cook, WITH HER BARE HANDS!! She did not wash her hands and apparently she had some type of flakey rash on her hands. Additionally, the two guys that were in the kitchen preparing spring rolls or maybe dumplings, were also not using gloves. Absolutely disgusting and this place should be shut down!
Food: 1
Adrian Mollo
Food was basic and palatable but lacking in any manner that would encourage me to repeat. Hot and sour soup had a notable molasses flavor, which was odd. Orange chicken was rather tough.Vegetarian options: The menu included a variety of vegetarian options.
Adrian M.
We ordered hot & sour soup, vegetable spring rolls, chicken fried rice, and orange chicken. I would rate the vegetable spring rolls as 2.5 out of 5. The rest, 2 out of 5. Palatable, slightly lacking, not items we would repeat. The hot & sour soup had a marked molasses flavor.
Adrian M
We ordered hot & sour soup, vegetable spring rolls, chicken fried rice, and orange chicken. I would rate the vegetable spring rolls as 2.5 out of 5. The rest 2 out of 5. Palatable, but lacking, not items we would repeat. Did not save the leftovers. The hot & sour soup had a marked molasses flavor.
Ordered takeout of hot and sour soup and Singapore noodles. Not only was the food ready in the stated time, it was delicious! I will takeout from Panda Cafe anytime I'm visiting in Arlington!
Mariane D.
Very good. Order arrived earlier than expected. Will order again from them, specially for days I don't have time to cook.
Daniel S.
Probably one of the best places for your basic delivery Americanized "Chinese" food in the area. Prices are fair. Food is fine. No regrets.
Celia Taylor-Puckett
Lo mein and crab rangoons were great!
Jen Reil
Tried Panda Cafe for the first time yesterday and was very satisfied. Ordered a large wonton soup, lunch portion general tso chicken and beef and broccoli with fried rice. The wonton soup was incredible, light, thin noodles with a seasoned filling. The general tso chicken sauce was really good. The beef in the beef broccoli was only okay a few thick chewy pieces but the broccoli made up for it; truly the freshest, perfectly steamed broccoli I've ever had. I would recommend everyone give it a try, and very reasonable prices!
Panda Cafe is a familiar American-style Chinese takeout. One of my dinner guests helped herself to multiple portions of the Singapore Noodles. All the dishes were fine except the General Tso's Chicken. The sauce solidified into a jellied mass with the breaded chicken. I will definitely order again, but it would be nice if they offered an option of reduced plastic, e.g. compostable containers and no sauce packets, even if they have to charge extra for this.
I'm writing this review to debunk any misconceptions about the (currently) below 4-star rating. It turns out, this place is a hidden gem for those seeking affordable and quick Chinese takeout – a fact that might be lost on some who have different expectations. This Chinese restaurant is a fantastic option for those who appreciate the convenience and affordability of takeout without compromising on taste. If you're in the mood for great cheap Chinese food, give this place a try – you won't be disappointed!I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and taste of the food. The house lo mein has chicken, beef, and shrimp. The meats didn't taste rubbery or like they had gone "off" (as I have had that happen at other fast Chinese restaurants, it's nice to see it tasted fresh). The vegetable fried rice had quite a lot of different veggies and a good portion of them, too. The General Tso's chicken had the ratio of batter to chicken you'd expect from this kind of to go Chinese restaurant, so I was not dissapointed.To sample a bit of everything, I got the appetizer platter for one, and each item was good.It's crucial to understand the context here – this is not a sit-down, fine-dining establishment. Instead, it excels in providing quick, delicious, and affordable Chinese food. So if you are looking for a budget friendly Chinese meal, I wouldn't let the bad reviews deter you from going here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
So anyone who reads my reviews knows my reputation: I pull no punches and I tell it exactly the way I experienced it. So here we go:Walking in here, this place looks like the stereotypical NYC take out spot: dark, dingy, and to some, rather unclean. You can smell the odor of burnt cooking oil but hey, I'm not here for that. I am hungry and want food.I don't know if I am wrong here but I come from a culture where you are polite. Hello, Hi, Please, Excuse me, Thank you, and Good bye are used. So I adressed the lady and said Hello, how are you ma'am? This lady gave me absolutely 0 response. Then looked at me and said, What do you want?What the F#$K kind of way is that to greet a customer especially one who had never been here before? And don't tell me it's because you come from another country because my family have owned restaurants and know how to show respect.I told her I would like a Kung Pao Chicken with less oil and less sauce. Dinner combo. Did they listen? Of course NOT!Let me tell you folks this: What I got for damn near $12 was fried chicken pieces, no carrots, no peppers, mushrooms, or even peanuts. Plain fried rice I wouldn't even feed by dog, and an egg roll that tasted like a stick of grease. ALL THE FOOD WAS OILY AND SALTY AS HELL AND DROWNED IN SAUCE. Before I left, she took my money, gave me my food and didn't even say thank you. NOTHING. I said, thanks. Have a good night.You know what bothers me about this place?I am Chinese American/Asian American, I speak their language, and I am deeply disturbed by people like this. Why? Because it's Chinese people like this who give the Asian community a negative image: unfriendly, anti-social, and just plain disrespectful. I am all about promoting Asian businesses but only under the right circumstances. I am ashamed that this business is Asian owned and operated and it's a place in which potential limited minded non-Asians can easily think that all Asians are like them.Moral of the story: If you like this place, god bless you and keep supporting them. I don't care.If you want better food and service where people treat you on a human level, don't come here. I will never walk in here again.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Very rude
Thought I was going to panda Express, as someone who had a family member at the local ER, excellent service and middle of the road dishes. Only mild complaint is that I would expect crispy beef to have a better dredge coating so it actually has some crispyness, it was limp, flavor good, but missed the mark for texture.BTW, this isn't panda Express, but just as good and much cheaper. Got like 4 dishes for under $50, which is not the norm these days. Would go again if in the area.Parking: About 10 spots, easy access and availability.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: General TSO
This place is great... adjust your expectations at this price point
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
DO NOT EAT HERE! These people do not use the standard health practices of washing their hands nor do they use gloves when preparing your food. The woman at the register took our order and payment before she went into the kitchen and started grabbing rice and other food items to cook, WITH HER BARE HANDS!! She did not wash her hands and apparently she had some type of flakey rash on her hands. Additionally, the two guys that were in the kitchen preparing spring rolls or maybe dumplings, were also not using gloves. Absolutely disgusting and this place should be shut down!
Food: 1
Food was basic and palatable but lacking in any manner that would encourage me to repeat. Hot and sour soup had a notable molasses flavor, which was odd. Orange chicken was rather tough.Vegetarian options: The menu included a variety of vegetarian options.
We ordered hot & sour soup, vegetable spring rolls, chicken fried rice, and orange chicken. I would rate the vegetable spring rolls as 2.5 out of 5. The rest, 2 out of 5. Palatable, slightly lacking, not items we would repeat. The hot & sour soup had a marked molasses flavor.
We ordered hot & sour soup, vegetable spring rolls, chicken fried rice, and orange chicken. I would rate the vegetable spring rolls as 2.5 out of 5. The rest 2 out of 5. Palatable, but lacking, not items we would repeat. Did not save the leftovers. The hot & sour soup had a marked molasses flavor.
Restaurantji Recommends
Ordered takeout of hot and sour soup and Singapore noodles. Not only was the food ready in the stated time, it was delicious! I will takeout from Panda Cafe anytime I'm visiting in Arlington!
Very good. Order arrived earlier than expected. Will order again from them, specially for days I don't have time to cook.
Probably one of the best places for your basic delivery Americanized "Chinese" food in the area. Prices are fair. Food is fine. No regrets.
Lo mein and crab rangoons were great!
Tried Panda Cafe for the first time yesterday and was very satisfied. Ordered a large wonton soup, lunch portion general tso chicken and beef and broccoli with fried rice. The wonton soup was incredible, light, thin noodles with a seasoned filling. The general tso chicken sauce was really good. The beef in the beef broccoli was only okay a few thick chewy pieces but the broccoli made up for it; truly the freshest, perfectly steamed broccoli I've ever had. I would recommend everyone give it a try, and very reasonable prices!