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    Panda Express

    2.4 (25 reviews)
    Closed 9:30 am - 11:30 pm

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    Chow mein, original orange chicken (top right), beyond orange chicken (bottom right)
    Cici C.

    We were fascinated by the history of Panda Express and decided to give it a go after almost a decade of ignoring this chain. Panda Express App-- I downloaded the app per recommendation, and surprising the app is pretty easy to use. Except when I went to pick up the food, the app showed the order is cancelled, but when I called the location to clarify, they said they got the order and have it prepped already! Staff were super nice and friendly on the phone and in person. Everyone was masked at least when I visited there twice via drive-thru. Now food wise, we expected worse and was pleasantly surprised. Original orange chicken-- the sourness was pretty strong, and it's actually not bad because it's not sickenly sweet like other Americanized Chinese orange chicken. Though the meat was a bit tougher and smaller than I'd liked. Beyond orange chicken-- this!! was really a pleasant surprise. I wasn't put off by the fake meat at all, and actually preferred this over the actual meat. The texture is softer and more tender, kind of like McD's chicken nuggets. Would totally order again! Black pepper Angus steak-- this was pretty salty, no other layers, and to me it was kinda bland/simplistic in terms of flavors. I'm not super impressed by this. Honey walnut shrimp-- this was also surprisingly good. Shrimp and coating are tender and sweetness is not overwhelming. I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised by how not sickeningly sweet these dishes are, which was typically my number one issue with Americanized Chinese food. Would definitely order again, especially since the kids can eat this too. Egg rolls-- this was really the biggest surprise. We all loved the egg rolls. The veggie ones were good and chicken ones were also good. It's light and crunchy on the outside, and not extremely thick or chewy like other egg rolls. The fried skin texture is exactly what I'd expect. Flavor was also light and on point. Not sure why the veggie ones came with two but the chicken one only had one. Chow mein-- this was drier than I'd liked, but my daughter really liked it. I liked that it has cabbage stir fried into it! Greens-- I actually really really liked this option. I thought it was just gonna be broccoli, but it has all sorts of vegetables including kale! Flavor was light but fresh which is great against the orange chicken sourness. Definitely would order this again. Fried rice-- this was OK, like chow mein, it's a bit dry but I think it's intentional to soak up the sauces.

    Orange Chicken, Fried Rice, Broccoli with Beef
    Angelie F.

    AMAZING CUSTOMER SERVICE really nice to see the friendly faces as I sat down to eat with my family. Employees were attentive and easy to communicate with. The food was reasonably priced and definite hits the spot. If you're looking for a place to eat in Vernon Hills, look no further!!

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    6 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    6 months ago

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    4 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    It seems that they are trying to cut costs. Much less quantity and slow down the food restocking.

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    2 years ago

    Delicious great service and good ! Love the firecracker shrimp and place was clean like always

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    4 years ago

    This place gets crappy reviews and I'm not sure why. The people here are always friendly to me and my food is always tasty and rad.

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    4 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Very small portions compared to other Panda Express, talked to manager who said she couldn't do anything and walked away.

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    4 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Panda Express

    Invicto - Horchata

    Invicto

    3.8(280 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    I have had a few recommendations for this place so I was in the area and I was able to try it…read more Horchata was really good I would really go back for it but it's just too much ice and the lady doesn't feel it to the brim that's my only complaint. I also tried something called Vampiro it's kind of like a tostada it was actually really good and I would go back to try more stuff on the menu. The place was nice it's really cool setting I didn't interact with any of the servers just because we did the ordering on the kiosk. I feel like it is a must try place I would have to go back and try more stuff. Happy eating!

    It's been a while since I've been here. The first time was during COVID lockdowns. We placed an…read moreonline order for a few milkshakes to go. The wait time said a half hour, and I was thinking "30 minutes for some milkshakes? No way, that can't be right." So I showed up after about 15 minutes... and walked out another 15 minutes later with the milkshakes. Fast forward a few years later, and thinking it was probably just an anomaly, decided to give this place another try. I love the old-school Tijuana vibe and decor, and the food is great. I really enjoyed my tacos, especially with the various salsas available. And $3 margaritas? Hell yeah. But I can't fathom why three tacos and a burrito would take over a half hour to prepare by even the most inexperienced kitchen staff. After we ate, we decided to order a milkshake to go, thinking that with only a few people left in the restaurant, it shouldn't take too long. It was finally served 20 minutes later. Both experiences - the one a few years ago, and the one recently - took place during dinner hour on the weekend. I'm genuinely curious if the inefficiency persists during busy weekday lunch hours when people need to get back to work. As I said, the food is delicious and there are plenty of menu choices I want to try. Life is too short, though. If I were to give it a positive spin, I would say that it's great if you have a lot of spare time.

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    Invicto
    Invicto - Churro shacks

    Churro shacks

    Invicto

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    Portillo's & Barnelli's Vernon Hills

    Portillo's & Barnelli's Vernon Hills

    3.5(549 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$

    I stopped by Portillo's and had an excellent experience from start to finish. The restaurant was…read moreclean, well organized, and had a fun atmosphere. Even though it was busy, the line moved quickly, and the employees were friendly and efficient. The food was fresh, hot, and full of flavor. Everything tasted like it was made to order, and the portions were generous. It's easy to see why Portillo's has such a loyal following because the quality and consistency really stand out. Overall, this is one of my favorite places to grab a meal. Great food, fast service, and a welcoming atmosphere make Portillo's well worth the visit. I'll definitely be back again.

    I love Portillo's so much! I swear the hot dogs in LA just don't hit like this so whenever I'm home…read morein Chicago, if time allows, I hit them up. I did just that when visiting my friends in the 'burbs and we rolled through this Vernon Hills location. Parking was plentiful although it was packed liked a lowkey In-N-Out as they usually are, with a drive thru line looping through the parking lot. Every Portillo's has a theme and here it's the 1930s & 40s with gangster vibes and prohibition is still alive and well. So much fun stuff to look around at here. Staff was great at this location, it was clean and organized, food came out as fresh as is here and quickly. I know everyone loves their beef but I am all about the hot dog. It's my must get when I come here and younger Sarah enjoyed their chocolate cake and milkshakes. However these days, give me a hot dog and split some fries with me and I'm good. Great Portillo's location I'd return back to!

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    Portillo's & Barnelli's Vernon Hills
    Portillo's & Barnelli's Vernon Hills
    Portillo's & Barnelli's Vernon Hills

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    Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen - New Honey Lemon Pepper Wings

    Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen

    2.5(76 reviews)
    1.5 mi
    $

    When you walk in (no drive thru for me), you are meet with wood tones a colorful fed and orange…read morepalette, and light instrumental music in the lobby having direct conflict with the more aggressive music ruminating from the kitchen. The counter service is good. A friendly host guided me through the process. The delivery back to the counter was fast enough that I could fill my soda cup and that was all. I ordered the 3 piece spicy chicken tender meal with macaroni and cheese and BBQ sauce. The chicken was crispy, crunchy, and packed full of flavor. The BBQ sauce was sweet enough to balance out the spice and not overpower the chicken flavor. The Mac and cheese, although baked, was bland and the noodles were overcooked. I really didn't expect much on that though so... meets expectations. The meal came with a biscuit. That biscuit was buttery, light, and flavorful. Overall, not a terrible experience. Prices right too.

    It's Popeyes. I don't particularly have too much expectations on these giant fast food chains…read more The only thing that makes me want to point out is when these places run out of food items. There were plenty of other Popeyes elsewhere for example, ran out of mash potatoes or slaw. Or, some stop frying spicy chicken around dinner time. Something like this should never happen in my opinion, but they do. This particular location is across the street from me, so it's an easy option when my family crave fried chicken. Because of this, I can't really comment on ambiance of the dining area since I've never eaten inside. Of the couple dozen times we ordered from them, they never messed up our orders or ran out of food. It's a win for me.

    Photos
    Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen - Dining room

    Dining room

    Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen - Popeyes Sides

    Popeyes Sides

    Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen - Popeyes Strawberry Biscuits

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    Popeyes Strawberry Biscuits

    The Philly Special - Pickle fries

    The Philly Special

    4.4(169 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    I am not from Philly, but I have been there a few times and this place has a vibe like many of the…read moreshops I would look for. Not the tourist traps, but more like the small neighborhood places where they can't risk cutting corners. The menu is simple and you don't need much time to pick your order. Its a place where you are probably appreciated if you walk in knowing what you want. That's also authentic to Philadelphia, as I remember. I ordered a classic with ribeye, and provolone. A side of fries and a drink. Drinks are self-serve from the fountain, so I filled my cup and grabbed a table. Only a few minutes later, I had my order. The steak was great.. Plenty of cheese and onion, and on a nice, chewy roll. Look, it's a cheesesteak. Just a darned good, basic cheesesteak. I am not going to attempt to wax poetic about some time in Philly when such and such happened before a Dead Milkmen show, or something. The fries were solid as well. Medium cut and cooked to have a good mix of crispy fries mixed in. They also have a house-made hot sauce that is pretty darned good on the sandwich. If you want an unpretentious meal and are short on time, this is a great option. Good food, fast service and reasonably priced. Give them a try. If you're not a snob, you're gonna like it.

    I ordered take-out after driving by here for years. Went with the 6" cheese steak, cheese whiz,…read moreonions and added a fry to make it combo. Service was perfect, it was a pick up aftwr all, ambiance is sterile? Like not much personality...like grab your food and go. But if you want a beer then have some Food: cheese steak was perfect. Meat, cheese, onions and soft bread. Fries...well its hard to keep Fries hot i recognize. So they were plentiful and somewhat lukewarm and under salted. So id order just the cheese steak next time! Definitely worth the stop!

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    The Philly Special
    The Philly Special - To go Philly Chicken Sandwich 8in and fries

    To go Philly Chicken Sandwich 8in and fries

    The Philly Special - Outside

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    Outside

    Panda Express - chinese - Updated September 2026

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