I want to emphasize that Panda is not a "good for Lexington" restaurant but a good Chinese place, period. Typical American Chinese pablum is on offer, but skip it if you Iike flavor, and head for things like pig ear, Sichuan beef jerky, and char siu biao (BBQ pork bun). Current staff seem to be Malaysian or Singaporean Chinese judging on their dialect ("You got bill already?"), and no surprise, Hokkien/Teochew style dishes are best, with a couple of outstanding Nonya choices, Ike sticky rice dumplings and "carrot" (radish) cake. Sunday buffet is dim sum, the obvious choice. Go for dishes that sound strange or disgusting; they are on the menu for a reason. Update 10/12: Xiao long bao (soup dumplings) have been added to the dim sum buffet. Not the big-as-your-head style tang bao soup dumplings, but the small, pork-and-broth filled bite-sized ones from Shanghai. Either way, kicks it up a notch. Had a chance to try the preserved duck wing (yay) and red hot wanton soup (absolutely dripping chili oil and Sichuan peppercorns). Standards are not slipping here. Menu now claims they have Sichuan style hotpot. Will report back when I try this. read more

Best Chinese food in town. The specialty plates (usually titled Panda ____) have complex spices that are a far cry from the usual American-Chinese food. Great dumplings and Sezshuan dishes. Highly recommended. The weekend buffet is a lot of fun also! read more

Probably the best Chinese restaurant in Lexington . I have been here a few times but mostly I order things to be delivered home. They have really good portion size so I usually have leftovers for the next day. They got a great ma po tofu dish with ground beef and also a spicy bean fish dish that you can order. In both dishes the meat have a great flavor and the soft tofu absorbs all the flavors of the spicy sauce and has a smooth silky texture.. Panda Cuisine features a lot of good authentic dishes on their menu that you wouldn't find at other Chinese places so this is the perfect place to try something new. read more

I arrived late afternoon recently and immediately got seated as there were only two other tables in use. I ordered a soda, a cup of soup, sesame chicken and fried rice. The soda arrived immediately. The soup came shortly thereafter and I was told it would take 15-20 minutes for the other items to arrive. The plate on the table was whisked away. The soup was fine and the chicken and rice arrived less than 20 minutes later. Oops! They brought white rice, not fried rice, but replaced it quickly. The sesame chicken looked good. I was disappointed to see that the rice had no carrots, peas, onions or anything else mixed in. The sesame chicken was warm but not hot. It didn't strike me as freshly cooked because the chicken itself was mostly dried out and was difficult to cut with the side of my fork. The waitress did come by to ask if I wanted a refill for my soda, but only after I had finished eating. Maybe I just came at the wrong time... read more

I've been here a handful of times now because I can definitely say it is the best Chinese food in our neighborhood, and when the craving hits you you just have to go with it, right? :) We like Panda Cuisine because they have a wide variety on the menu with lots of authentic dishes as well as sweet-and-sour chicken type things. They also serve big portions and their prices aren't too high. My husband and father-in-law are really adventurous and like to try new things like the hot pots and weird fish dishes. I typically stick to sesame chicken or tofu. They also have AMAZING egg drop soup which is my favorite. However, the service is some of the worst I've ever encountered. They will seat you right away and then forget about you completely. The last time we went we waited a full 20 minutes for someone until I finally got up and sought them out. You will also wait forever and ever for water, your order to be taken, your food, a refill, to go boxes, and the check. In that order. I've ordered beer multiple times and they always seem to be out of what I want. I am not fully convinced they even stock beer even though it's on the menu. If you can get it for carry out that would be the best option! read more

I had such high hopes for this place after reading all of the positive reviews but I was disappointed. We ordered crab wontons and they were almost to the point of burnt. Egg drop soup was okay. My husband ordered sweet and sour chicken and I ordered the Hawaiian duck and we both got the fried rice. They fried rice was completely bland. The chicken was okay but nothing fancy. I was disappointed in the duck and couldn't get over the gray color of the meat so didn't attempt to finish it. It also came out 10-15 minutes after the chicken. I will say that other customers seemed to be enjoying their meals. read more

Excellent food, exactly what you expect to find in Hong Kong! Perfect spices, great texture and the melding of the flavors is second to none. read more

I love Panda Cuisine and have been a long time customer. I tend to be a creature of habit when it comes to ordering, always getting the same thing, for really no other reason than I know it's going to be great! However today was different, the weather has been subpar with all the rain this weekend and I was craving something warm and soothing. That's when I noticed it, Fish Fillet Hot Pot. It had the flavor profile I was looking for...it did not disappoint!!! I'm pretty sure this was the best thing that I have ever put in my mouth! Seriously this hot pot is next level! I am so glad I ventured outside my comfort zone and gave this soup a try. It is a full meal, full of tender, succulent white fish and lots of veggies...the broth, so savory, pure umami! Treat your taste buds and soul and order this on your next visit. You're welcome. read more

Very much worth the trip to their new location on Nicholasville Road. The weekend buffet offering is amazing. The cuisine is very authentic on these days and if you are an adventurous eater like me, you will get to try some stuff you have probably never had. I have enjoyed it every time. read more

If you want authentic Asian style cuisine, come here! Always do the sit down menu vs buffet. The staff is very friendly and is more than happy to guide you through the menu, my husband and I love it here! read more

My family used to love this place. We been going ever since they were still on New Circle Road from the first owner to now. But ever since the old owner (actually the 2nd owner since it opened) sold the restaurant recently we decided the food and service is just not the same anymore. The new chief either never had the training or recipe or they just adding random stuff into the food. More than once the food we order came out either tasteless or completely different than what it used to be. The last time we were there it was on a Monday night, it was kind of busy due to a party in their party room. There was 3 waitress, one 1 cashier and a hosts/owner(?) working that night. But everyone just doesn't seem to know what they were doing. They either running around aimlessly or busy chit-chatting with some guy at the bar. Even the service has went down-hill since the old time. My family decided not to go back anymore after that. It's really a shame, after 10 years + of good name. We are waiting for the new restaurant to open in the near future, hopefully. read more

I have to say this is the most authetic Chinese food I have had. Szhechuan cuisine are so freshly made and very nice decorations makes you feel confortable and warm. Love the chili fish, the beef, all kinds of snacks. You must regret if you do not have a try. read more

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Went here while the previous owner still owned the business for lunch on my birthday one day. Will never forget the staff making flowers out of fruit and giving it to me and the owner playing Happy Birthday for me on the harmonica. I had heard that things changed there, but going off of a recommendation of a friend that ate dinner there one night I went for lunch there on a Saturday not too long ago. The food was definitely different. I realize this is more authentic Chinese than the "Americanized" Chinese restaurants, but I myself can say I will never be there again. The food was horrible, the service was horrible (my girlfriend and I never once was offered a refill on our sodas) and the place was so dimly lit you could barely see right in front of you. read more

Never knew this place existed and I do not know why!! The food was great and the juicy dumplings were steamed to perfection

Saturday buffet is amazing! Dim sum, as well. Wonderful service and authentic cuisine.

WOW! We had dinner here last night. From the previous reviews here I wasn't sure what to expect, but what we got was one of the best dinners we've had in Lexington, and certainly one of the best values. The menu is staggering, and we were tempted to just close it and tell them to bring us whatever they thought we should eat. We started with the Sichuan pig ears, sliced paper thin and served cold in a sauce of hot pepper and garlic. Then we had the pine-tea smoked duck, a perfectly ENORMOUS platter of deliciously smoked duck with perfect crispy skin, and a whole fish done in a sauce with hot red pepper and pickled Chinese vegetables. All three were delicious, and it's a good thing because we ended up bringing home more than we ate. The service is friendly and prompt. The atmosphere is dark and spacious, with just enough Chinese restaurant bric-a-brac to be interesting but not tacky. Prices are very reasonable, considering the amount of food involved. I'm not familiar with the other Chinese restaurant offerings in Lexington these days, but I can't imagine it gets any better than this. read more

I was anticipating finally getting some dimsum which I heard they serve during their weekend lunch buffet. It's not dim sum I served in carts. But, This is the most authentic Chinese dimsum fare buffet I've had in all of KY. I did not have any chicken or pigs feet or tripe but I'm sure a lot of the other Asians there did otherwise they wouldn't cook it. Sad that they didn't have seaweed, shrimp har gao or Siu Mai or sushi. I didn't try the soup to save more room in my stomach but my hubby said the egg drop soup was good. I guess it's a good sign that they didn't have any American food, which usually tastes processed and frozen, because I can't picture the Chinese cook in the back whipping up some burger sliders and Mac n cheese from scratch. It's priced okay @ $12 because they serve more seafood like mussels, clams, shrimp, fish. Just So- so dessert and fruit bar. I am giving 3.5 Stars as a comparison of uniqueness of dishes and freshness, with the other Chinese buffets in Lexington which are probably 1-3 stars. read more

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Very authentic Chinese food!!!! I love that they have 豆苗! I've come here twice in a row already! Will def come more. Huge menu too! The only thing I don't like is it's too dark in the restaurant haha read more

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This is the best Szechuan in the state!!! My husband and I went last night, we were one of the 4 tables in the entire restaurant. My husband and I both love the numbing sensation of peppercorn dishes- and we're not disappointed. We ordered: Mapo Tofu: perfectly cooked tofu, good sauce, just wish it was a spicier. Will definitely order again, as it's the closest to what we miss after leaving Houston that we have found. Peppercorn Fish- Amazing, had the wonderful peppercorn tingling feeling- seasoned perfectly. Potentially my favorite dish I've had since moving to Kentucky. Scallion pancake- hot and fresh, a little thick for me, but well done- will probably branch out more next time. Chicken ??- it was a dry rub chicken with peppers that was amazing. Most times chicken like this is dried out but this was not! My husband loved it, we ordered no bones which as $2 extra but well worth it in value. I can't wait to go back! read more

We accidentally went here when looking for Panda Express. We decided to try the buffet. The good: lots of variety, some items were good. The best was the Crab Rangoon, but you can get that anywhere. The staff was very nice. The bad: nothing was hot, most was barely warm to cool, some items not so good. There was an unknown spice in some of the items that, while I somewhat liked it while eating, stayed with me all day, which was not pleasurable. We won't go back. read more

This is the best authentic Chinese food in town. We go there almost every week, we try new things all the time, and it never disappoints. They offer many of the old standbys, but also some great, interesting spicy Sichuan dishes. Our favorites are Kung Pao Tofu and Chicken with Hot Pickles (which has nothing to do with American style pickles). The buffets are ok, but ordering off the menu is the best way to go, and you get just as much for your money. read more

My boyfriend and I have eaten here twice now, and both experiences were mediocre at best. Food: We absolutely love the food here! It's always very good and arrives in a timely fashion after ordering. I've sampled the pineapple duck and the General Tso's chicken, and my boyfriend has had the General Tso's tofu and the shredded pork with bean sprouts. Everything was excellent. Service: The service is the only thing don't like about this restaurant. Each time we've been here we've had to wait at least 5 minutes to be seated (or even noticed). The servers are pretty decent and friendly most of the time. However, we had to wait an unusually long time for anybody to take our order (almost 15 minutes each time), and we had to wait an equally long time for our check and change. I could understand if they were busy, but that wasn't the case. We got the feeling that we were being completely ignored. read more

food was amazing, they were extremely polite during the meal, and afterwards they saw we were stuck in the rain and brought us an umbrella. best place ever 10/10 it feels like a home read more

Just average. The walnut chicken had pecans and not walnuts. The shrimp was so heavily coated in batter it tasted like subpar bar food. The sauce what little there was of it was good. The shrimp dumplings had very little flavor. The sweet and sour chicken could have come from the frozen food section at Walmart. The curry chicken was better than all the rest but needed more chicken and less vegetables. The fried rice had NO vegetables, just rice fried in oil with very few tiny flecks of egg. More like 2 stars no way close to 4. read more

I would give them -5 if that's an option! I was in the middle of eating and this woman who's either the manager or owner came and told us that we should leave if we are done! My friend was still eating! WORST service ever! Who the hell does this their customers! WORST experience WORST Money spent!!! read more

I have been to Panda Cuisine before and the food was good. However, I tried to make a reservation just a few minutes ago for Chinese New Year tomorrow. They asked me to wait and then set the phone on the counter and completely ignored it! I could hear them talking to customers and making change. I waited a full 15 minutes, shouting into the phone every few minutes when there was a lull. No good. I finally hung up and called back . . . and got a recording that said that number had not been activated. Needless to say, I am pretty bummed about not getting to celebrate Chinese New Year with the best Chinese restaurant in town. But after this, and in reading other reviews, I will not even attempt to eat there again. read more

The Americanized dishes like General Tso's or Kung Pao Chicken are very well executed (maybe a bit overpriced at ~$12) but high quality. The beef in the Panda's Beef Delight was not high quality imho. (typical of many Chinese restaurants?). Plus there were several mouthfuls that were insanely salty. MSG possible. The service is hit-or-miss. Same with attitude of the workers! Best dish we had was the bokchoi and mushrooms. Great side. I am not adventurous enough to try things like Spicy Frog in Fire Pot, green onion kidney or pan-fried Beef Tendon. Maybe that is the good stuff, as many people who prefer more traditional Chinese seem to love this place. read more

Order from restaurant website https://www.pandacuisineky.com

Came here on the way to the Lexington Airport and we were pleasantly surprised! It was a buffet on Sunday morning and I'm always weary of Chinese buffets. But boy did they surprised me! Fantastic food. Garlic Eggplant and their Pork BBQ buns are two of our favorites from the buffet. I appreciate the authenticity of the food versus just having orange chicken and bad lo mein that many buffets have. Would definitely come back here when in Lexington again! read more

Best Chinese food I've ever eaten. I got the Kung Pao Tofu and honestly it's one of my new favorite foods. I can very easily see myself celebrating my next birthday there. Waitress was very kind and attentive, we never had an empty glass! If you love Chinese food definitely give this place a shot read more

Panda Cuisine - Seafood Near Me - Lexington, Kentucky

The food was great. The breading on the sweet and sour chicken was light and not greasy at all. My favorite was the hot and sour soup. It had the right amount of "hot" unlike so many of the watered down versions. read more

Ordered takeout delivery with fellow coworkers and each of us were charged $4.00/order for a delivery fee. This is way to much to have to pay per person. Terrible! Never again! read more

don't listen to these other people that order the americanized stuff, there is an authentic chinese menu that has the spicy fish and other good stuff like the tofu pot. This place is the best chinese in lexington, ky. you cannot go wrong. the service is great and the food is delicious. the szechuan chef is like world renowned man. but you gotta order from the authentic menu read more

I came here because my Chinese friends around me said this restaurant is good, so I went this place based on my ideal expectation and curiosity. My expectation was trying to find a place has the same meal and feeling when I was in China. Honestly, the food was pretty good. But what ruined the food was service. One of the waitresses wasn't wanting to service us. Her attitude was bad. What truly disgusted me was the attitude after the meal. I simply paid for my meal and left. After I went out, I was called back in because of a low tip. I was given the 15% of the total amount and they basically forced me to change it to over 20%. I have been working in the restaurant for a while, and I wouldn't do this to the customers, because I know this kind of behavior would lose their customers for sure, even the Chinese customer who is seeking a taste of home. In my point of view, Gap 2, which is the "Service design and standards gap", occurred between my expectation and actual service delivered by the restaurant. The waitress didn't know how to establish a better relationship with the customers, and pursuing the short-term profit such as tips. To ensure this kind of situation wouldn't happen again, I think the owner of the restaurant could increase the salary to the waitresses, thus they wouldn't harm the business because of claim tips from the customers. read more

This is the best chinese food in Lexington, but the rude service on my last visit is really making me reconsider coming back. We have been regular customers and have brought several friends with us who also became regulars over the last few years. However, the last visit was a disaster from the start. First, my parents arrived first and asked if they could be seated at one of the large round tables for our party of six. They were told that the tables were resevered and were sat in an area of the restaurant separate from all other customers; they noted they were the only non-Asians at that time. Meanwhile, all of the large tables sat empty the entire time we were there until after 9 pm. We ordered a lot of food, and our dishes literally would not fit in the table. My parents felt discriminated against as it became obvious those tables were not reserved. Then, after we paid the bill we were followed out of the restaurant saying we didn't leave a big enough tip. My husband's family had left appropriate tip of more than 15% on their card despite the table ordeal, plus a few dollars on the table. The lady followed us outside and confronted us with the extra amount on the table, and embarassed and confused she was handed an extra $20 from our party. The next day, my husband's family checked and confirmed the tip for the whole bill was also charged on their card. My parents felt discriminated against and my husband's family felt embarrassed and ripped off. We were harrassed into tipping 40% after being denied an appropriate seating area for our party size. We don't know if we want to risk taking friends here again after this fiasco. read more

My family and I decided to eat here one Sunday night. Won't make that mistake again. We were seated at a table which was sticky all over it. Some of the tables were covered with table cloths but we were not given that option. The food didn't improve the experience. It was sauce heavy and wasn't fresh at all. Seemed like something they had left over from a buffet they had earlier. Don't waste your time or money coming here. read more

Please don't go here. During this covid 19 time . I came here order Kung Pao chicken .chicken was so dry and hard. Bad quality meat. Rice was also not good is like food just got warmed up from yesterday cost me $13 dollars. No refund or nothing. But I still called to let them know. Do you think they cared. No. No. Please don't waste your money here, believe me don't go. Just one bite into that meat ,oh my what did I just eat. That will be my last time here. read more

There is an old Chinese proverb that states, "When you go to Beijing, you see what low rank you hold. When you travel to Canton, you realize how little money you've got. But when you come to Chengdu, you find out how large your appetite is." Well, Panda Cuisine is as close as one can get to Chengdu without leaving Lexington. Chef Tong Xu's focus is on Sichuan cuisine, and the flavor notes are exotic and superb. It is said that a peasant must stand a long time on a hillside with his mouth open before a roast duck flies in, and Chef Tong Xu must have heeded those words, for one gets a sense at Panda Cuisine that the Chinese truly did conquer the world through food. If I may offer a few suggestions, the spicy frog in fire pot is both sublime and mouth-watering. While I cared little for the peking duck, the beer duck prepared spicy is also a rare delight. After cleansing the palate with a cup of piping hot tea, treat yourself to the fried ice cream. Go on, you deserve it! read more

Service can be uneven, but food is always good. We've eaten both Americanized dishes and more authentic dishes and all have been enjoyable. Kung Pao tofu really hit the spot tonight, too bad they forgot to bring the soup we ordered. No worries, they took it off the bill and all was well. I feel compelled to leave a good review tonight particularly, because another party was acting so awfully. A party of eight, at least half of them teenagers, were having a dinner/birthday party (with gifts and balloons). The only disruption at the table was someone using chopsticks as drumsticks. However, "Mom" was indignant about the automatic gratuity that was added to the bill due to the party size. She felt that because so many of the guests were teenagers, they should be allowed to pay whatever they want instead of the set gratuity. Apparently, if you're a teen you should get service for free, or maybe if you can't appreciate the service you shouldn't have to pay for it. I'm just not sure. They probably won't be coming back, but I sure will! read more

I thought that this place was a carry-out, fast paced place. Wow, I was wrong. As I walked into the restaurant, I was surprised that it wasn't the average, order at the order Chinese restaurant. We sat down and were given a menu by a friendly young lady, she came back a few minutes later and took our drink orders quickly, I mentioned that we were ready to order and she acted oblivious. Several minutes passed and then the next person approached and took our orders. My point to explaining this, without going further about the service, is that too many people waited on us, and not one paid enough attention to our minute needs. The food: I ordered the vegetarian delight...it was excellent. The tofu was just right, not too mushy. My husband got a spicy tofu soup, it was huge but way too much tofu and lacked other ingredients. He didn't even finish a forth of it, without inquiring about how our meals were, yet another person took our plate and bowl away and gave us the check. This seems like an excellent place for groups. They have huge round tables and have family style options. read more