Our kids LOVE panda express. For the kids' birthdays we allow the birthday kid to choose the dinner spot on their special day... and for the past 2 years our 1st grader has chosen panda express. We always order the orange chicken and beef with broccoli, enjoy exploring the new dishes at panda innovation kitchen, and were really intrigued when our friends said that panda inn is even better than express. However, since my dad was born in Hong Kong and we used to spend almost every weekend eating dim sum or enjoying other amazingly delicious authentic Chinese food, I felt a bit like an imposter coming to Panda Inn. Interestingly, Panda Inn (and Express and Innovation Kitchen) is truly Chinese-American food - its own foodie niche. While the dishes seem like they're from a Chinese restaurant, there's an American flair them.. like the Orange Chicken, which is deliciously crunchy crust, moist center, and sweet/salty/spicy sauce but not really Chinese, not really American? Service was great, even with our larger party of half kids, food came out fresh and relatively quickly, and ambiance was modern and clean. We definitely enjoyed the orange chicken and beef with broccoli as usual (and they are more elevated than panda express and portions are large), walnut shrimp and mu shu pork were delicious too. Pretty cool that they have a bar (the kids got a kick out of their glass-cleaning device) and there are private-ish rooms available too. read more

I had a fantastic experience here! First, the ambience here is incredible. We came on a Saturday afternoon and the restaurant was greatly well lit and quiet. Our food came at a normal pace and our waiter was so attentive. We ordered beef lo mein, honey walnut shrimp, and orange chicken. Highly recommend the honey walnut shrimp and orange chicken. For a party of 5 we could have used one more entree just to give you an idea of the portions. Also their fortune cookies have chocolate on them which makes them great. Overall, great experience and will definitely come back, read more

My friend and I recently dined at Panda Inn and were really impressed by the delicious food and impeccable service. Ashtin was great!. I would most definitely come back here ! It's like Panda Express but elegant. read more

Today was my wife's and I first experience at Panda Inn. We had heard many good things about the Pasadena location, but since that location is undergoing remodeling, we dined at the Glendale restaurant for the first time. We recommend Panda Inn Glendale and enjoyed our dining experience. We would like to thank our busser David who was so helpful and our server Jenny who provided great service! Thank you. They both provided us top notch service with a smile. read more

My first time at Panda Inn was wonderful! The vibe of the establishment is very relaxing, our server Jenny was incredibly friendly and accommodating, our food was both tasty and we didn't have to wait very long at all for it. I'll certainly be back! read more

Panda Inn is a Glendale gem! The food is consistently delicious and the service is exemplary. Each time we dine here, we're graciously welcomed by the restaurant managers, Kim and Brian who lead a team of servers to deliver the best service possible. Our favorite main dishes are panda beef, sweet and pungent chicken, eggplant and tofu which are perfectly paired with their chili oil - this is some of the best I've tried. Such an enjoyable dining experience which explains the success of the "Panda" restaurants (Inn and Express) read more

love coming here for their eggplant tofu!! such a stable of mine, and it always hits! our server ashtin also recommended sizzling rice soup and the spicy serrano pork & both are so delicious! :-) my other go to is their phoenix chicken, it's packed with flavor so it's super yummy with rice. shoutout to our amazing server ashtin for always making our experience here wonderful! she's super attentive and fun to talk with, i would recommend anyone to have her as their server! read more

I want to give a shout out to David for his amazing service and making my experience great!

Love this place! Food is always on point and service is always great! Jenni was our server tonight and she was so friendly, personable and helped give us some great recommendations! The Panda beef and Phoenix chicken were delicious! Ambiance is great as well super casual vibes with an upscale feel! Can't wait to be back! read more

Carla was an amazing waitress. She greeted my friend and I with a smile and answered all our questions. The food was delicious, the service was outstanding, and the ambience was charming. read more

The food, the service, the place is our favorite Chinese restaurant. We have loved everything we ate and every staff person who has greeted and served us. It's a family favorite. read more

Delicious food! Ashtin gave great customer service! It made the visit very pleasant! Will definitely be returning!

Amazing experience!! Kenny the manager is fantastic, he is always welcoming and makes sure all of the staff are on their "A" game. Food was excellent, my new go to is the Mongolian Filet Mignon. read more

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The food is the same as always. Good quality Chinese food for an extravagant atmosphere. However, the food doesn't match up to the prices. Also, it seems like they've been having some issues finding convenient waiters and waitresses. read more

Carla provided top notch, friendly service to my group on my birthday. She made my day with her extraordinary service. Food was awesome and very satisfying. Thanks Carla. read more

The Wikipedia article about the Cherngs' legacy of how they built the empire of PExpresses globally is a replete tale, but this place is where it all began and continues as the original banquet style Yangzhou-based cuisine but often lightened up with a Guangzhou style take with less soy and more chicken stock. I've been enjoying this place since 1995 through about 3 different remodels that continuously refreshed the look and feel to keep it at top form, including subtle tweaks to the recipes. My personal favorites have perpetually been the mango duck salad (found no where else) and the black bean fish. But literally every dish on this menu is totally tasty! Now for those trying to compare PI with Alhambra or San Gabriel places, it's not the point at all. These recipes were based on what is best here in the U.S. not China. And while we can import just about any ingredient these days, PI was not about that (which would have been cost prohibitive in the 80's and probably not well received by Glendale's usual demographics.) These are quite original versions of mostly recognizable dishes by name, but none of them here are just thrown together ending up all tasting the same. The Express versions you might imagine as the menu items from here in a simplified format for quick stir fry only prep and serve. But the Inn versions are the real deal versions, and the complexity of flavor and ingredient differences is totally clear. Parking in Glendale is still kind of 1/2 lots and 1/2 streets depending on the time of day. And those white chocolate dipped fortune cookies are good enough for wedding favors (and often are, for their catering business.) This one place sticks in my mind as way above the similarly priced competitors of PFChangs and maybe Sam Woo. But not because the Inn is more authentic or exotic - it's because their dishes simply always taste better, no matter what you pick. And one last thing. For some reason I'm totally addicted to their version of brown rice. read more

Still serving excellent Chinese food since we started eating here 30 years ago. Our go to Chinese restaurant. The food, service and ambiance simply the best! read more

Lilly was an amazing server ! She made my experience here a great time for me and my family. I enjoyed the panda beef, that dish was my favorite. Overall a great experience, even had good music playing, the vibes were there. read more

Went here for dinner and the food was delicious! The ambiance is nice and our server Ashtin was super kind and attentive. Highly recommend the phoenix chicken and ginger-ginger ale! read more

The food was good, better than Panda Express for sure. However, the place was too crowded! The service my family and I received was a bit delayed. We waited for almost 2 hours for our last order, Walnut Shrimp, to be served and then minutes later, the busser or waitress, after asking him, would take 20-30mins more because they were short on shrimp, so my family and I waited even longer! Place is too crowded you can barely pass through the halls. read more

Randy provided wonderful service! He was very attentive and kind. Food was fresh and well prepared!

This place is very clean, tastefully decorated, food are delicious and in very good quality.

Very nice, clean, modern Chinese restaurant! Easy parking across street! Fast service.. really good food! Ordered hot and sour soup, Mongolian beef, orange chicken, and the shrimp with walnuts. I was blown away at how fresh the food tasted and how it was cooked/prepared. Delicious. Big servings too! Will most definitely come back and also bring others as well! The fortune cookie half dipped in white chocolate ended the meal in perfection. Thank you for existing in Glendale! I hope you keep up the consistency. :) read more

Excited to try the origins of panda express as I thought it would be an elevated food experience like panda but better. Nope, food was bland and everything tasted exactly the same. It was bizarre. Panda express was 1 million times better and of course half the price. They need to do some work in the kitchen. read more

Panda Inn is a little more than I'd like to spend for a regular meal, but in my opinion, this is definitely meant to be a higher-scale, family-style experience. While the cost is about double what you'd normally pay for an entree, so is the portion size, so I recommend sharing dishes or planning to take some to-go! For anyone who doesn't know the history of Panda Inn, they are the original restaurant that inspired Panda Express! This means you have the option to order a higher-quality version of some of their most famous dishes. While I haven't actually ordered any of the options available at Panda Express at Panda Inn (I really wanted to try something new), the waiters let me know that the Honey Walnut Shrimp and Orange Chicken are still some of their more popular menu items. I'll break down the dishes I have had the opportunity to try: Hot & Sour Soup: 4/5 - I loved the slow building heat in their hot & sour soup. It had a nice acidic bite and was loaded with veggies. Egg Drop Soup: 5/5 - Egg-cellent egg drop! I could have eaten a whole bowl. Panda Rice: 5/5 - I absolutely loved this dish. Vegetable fried rice topped with seafood, vegetables and brown sauce. The sauce added a rich flavor to the rice that complimented it really well. I took a lot of this home, but found myself going back for a little more every few hours because I craved more. Sweet & Pungent Shrimp: 5/5 - Delicious, lightly-fried, juicy shrimp with a sweet and spicy glaze. Everything from the texture to the flavor was spot on. Panda Beef: 3/5 - This one fell a little short for me, but I'm not huge on super fried food. The flavor of the sauce was very good, but the meat was sliced very thin, so it was quite crispy after frying that it seemed a little dry. I would have preferred either a little more sauce or slightly thicker beef. Baba Shrimp: 3/5 - This just personally wasn't a style of shrimp I'm into. They're served with part of the shrimp shell as part of the dish, which is completely edible but I'm just not a fan of shrimp shells. Since it was so sticky, it was hard to get the meat out of the shell as well, and I felt like I wasn't experiencing it the way it was intended. If you're a fan of shell-on shrimp, you'll probably enjoy this dish a lot more than I did. They end your meal with a white chocolate dipped fortune cookie, which is a surprisingly nice pairing! The service here has been incredible every time I've gone, so if you're looking for a nice night out with a group of friends, I think the Panda Inn is a good choice. read more

I cannot wait to come back here! Food was absolutely delicious. Service was great. Atmosphere was inviting and calming.

Great spot for lunch if you are in the mood for Chinese food. They have a very reasonably priced lunch menu that comes with a starter soup. Clean and nice decor. read more

Panda Express, but nicer!! I would eat here weekly. And they have vegan/plant based options! Win win. Great spot for an easy date night or a girls/ guys night. Either way, it's a safe go-to option... it's fancy Panda Express. Their take out is good too, if you'd rather. read more

Ashton was fantastic. Her wonderful suggestions, warm and authentic manner made dinner, my brother's birthday, extra special.

Our second time here, food is great, tasty and fresh. But service not so good. Orange chicken and garlic pasta was great. read more

Panda Inn - Chinese Near Me - Glendale, California

I'm impressed! The food is delicious. The staff is kind and gracious. The ambiance is nice. My husband is a bread and cheese kind of guy. It's almost always burgers and pizza with this guy. In fact, it's far and few between we eat "exotic" meals. When he suggested Panda Inn (a seemingly healthy restaurant) I seized the opportunity! We both can agree that a little rice and vegetables never hurt anybody. We shared a dish of shrimp fried rice and orange chicken. They were both delicious. In the end, we were full. I believe we even had leftovers? The wait staff was very kind and gracious. It felt good to be in their conscious presence. To take the cake, they brought us white chocolate dipped fortune cookies. Delicious! I highly recommend it! read more

I visited this place last night and it was my first time. Although it was a long wait to be seated but it was worthit . The receptinist was very pleasant. The place was very clean. Ambiance wise , very nice setting and the lighting as well,. Prices of food is reasonable and ample serving. The taste is magnificent .i loved their plating. But most of all our waitress Maureen was very friendly , she was very concerned came back to our tablevthree times asking me if everything is okay although she was very busy because at that time the place was full. For sure I will come back. Overall i will rate this place a five star restaurant,.Almost I forgot, their fortune cookies were wrap individually with a heart shape of white chocolate. read more

Service was very good, cool atmosphere and yummy food. More authentic than Panda Express so don't get this mixed up with the other one even though they are they same owner. This is very yummy food and everyone was very nice. I wanna go back for more food. The veggie dumplings wassss fireeee read more

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Wow! This place just made us wanna go back soon foodwas good and the service was EXCELLENT. Never in my life have I seen a restaurant staff assist our elder companion to get seated and also open the table napkin and put it on his lap as well. They just went above and beyond what a "good service" is all about and they truly seemed genuine. Whoever owns this restaurant, your staff is a reflection of your leadership and little things like that truly matter. Our server was Bono and he was the nicest person ever! We had the honey walnut shrimp, upside down noodles and crispy garlic chicken! Everything is 10/10!!! We were just a small party goin in for the first time and the experience we had is definitely something we'll be sharing to other people. read more

The restaurant is spacious and clean. The environment is elegant without being gaudy. We tried multiple dishes including a soup and dessert. While we liked most of our dishes I was not a big fan of the wide noodles in my chow mein. I am more of a traditionalist when it comes to chow mein in that I prefer the crunchy pan fried noodles. The other dishes were good. Overall the taste was fairly good, the portion sizes were fair and reasonably priced for a higher end Chinese restaurant. For dessert, we tried the vanilla bean, green tea and ube sorbet. read more

This place is super unorganized with online orders. Even specific sauces requested were not even included in the order. If you normally serve fortune cookies to dine in guests why is it not included in online orders. read more

Food was decent but the price is outrageous. If you're going to pay this much, you're better off going to yang chows in DTLA much better and flavourful food at a much cheaper price point. read more

They have redone the restaurant and it's all for the better, prices are still Reasonable, the food is really good and the customer service is great, today was my second time in with the family, (wife and newborn) no problems what so ever, everyone in the restaurant was great. I have to say we missed you panda inn for a whole year and change but it was for the better. read more

My husband and I came for dinner last night. As we entered we got a ver pleasant greeting. Then he escorted us to our table. He was very nicer because we asked if we could sit at a different table and he happily said sure. Our waiter came soon after. I unfortunately don't remember his name, but he had one of the biggest smiles. He brought us our drinks and took our order. The food was great. We got the Lo Mein and Phoenix chicken. We also got the vegetable pot sticker as our appetizer. Yesterday was once again another wonderful experience at Panda Inn!! Only thing that my husband and I noticed was that the fortune cookies had changed. They don't have the white chocolate on their, which was amazing. I didn't eat mine, but my husband said it was not as good as before. read more

The food from Panda Inn is all SO good. We ordered from here often during the lockdowns, then finally checked it out in person. Turns out, this is a rather upscale restaurant with a full bar, with excellent service. It really is the best Chinese food you're going to find around Glendale. read more