Panda Express

Guys — what happened? I eat here all the time, love your food. Got Kung pao today & it was terrible! Retraining!

I have to admit that this is my 2^nd review of this restaurant and i was glad that when I ordered my delicious food on the app, it made it faster and quick so that I don’t have to stand in the long line and it will be ready for you. It did take a little while to get used to the app and after that it was a breeze. When I got to the to the place to pick up my order, i was wondering if they had made it, but I guess not so it was understandable and i showed them the email and that’s how I was able to show them the confirmation number on the email and there is a section on the app for special requests and just let them know what you want and they will include it for you. Also i was glad to hear that if you get a cup of ice, it was completely free and I was surprised to hear that because most of the Panda Express restaurants i go to charge .49 and I am glad to see that I didn’t have to pay for the cup ice, which was a good idea. One suggestion for the people who uses the app to order, i hope that they can add a part where customers want to eat there or take out so it will be easier for people who want to eat the food right away instead of waiting to go home and eating it. I will be back to eat there again soon and I am going to make sure that i order my food via the app so I can just pick it up and go eat and it will make it a lot smoother and not wanting in the long lines especially if you are on a time constraint and have to be back at work before the lunch break is over.

1. VERDICT/​VALUE
Tough to review and recommend: you don’t go to Panda for authentic Chinese cuisine. It’s pre-​made fast food sitting under heat lamps, so you can’t fairly expect good quality food. And there’s competition close by (on Kapahulu/​Kapiolani) featuring better food for the same price. I guess you would come here if you wanted a modern-​looking takeout place to visit.
2. FOOD
Plate ($ 8.20): two entrée choices plus a carb.
Bigger Plate ($ 9.70): three entrée choices plus a carb.
You can choose to have your carb split in two (e.g. half portion of fried rice and half portion of fried noodles, etc.). Certain items are «premium» and so have a $ 1.50 upcharge — pay attention to the menus! The menu also has items not seen under the heat lamps, and so can be ordered fresh.
Overall, the food quality is ok for something quick and previously-​cooked. Recommended if you’re passing by and/​or are not looking for authentic food. Otherwise, better choices can be found for the same prices elsewhere.
3. SERVICE
Good stuff! Each visit has been met with good, polite service for a takeout place, with recommendations on what to get and how the plate choices work.
4. ATMOSPHERE
It’s a takeout place; there isn’t really space on the inside to go other than look at the pre-​made food or pay for your meal. It was renovated in 2013 – 2014 though so it does look relatively clean and modern. Parking is in the Safeway complex… which is nearly always busy.

After my experience here I decided to read the reviews and have come to see the experience was similar to a few people. Unfortunately I came to this Panda Express twice in a week and both times the food selection was limited, but the first time they were making food.
One my first visit the cashier acted as if it was just too much trouble to assist me and aside from his «what do you want body language» that attitude really put me off so I left. Today the young lady was very friendly and even though there were only a handful of items to select from I placed an order.
This place looks much nicer since the remodel, but I wish the soda machine was where I could refill my soda without an issue. Unfortunately, I realize too many people were probably ruining the experience for all of us paying customers. The seating is okay, but when the sun sets it hits directly on the seating area for a long time. They should invest in some sort of pull down to block the sun during that time of day. I like the open air of the seating, but tolerate the noise of passing traffic.
They share the parking lot so parking is everywhere. It is conveniently located near the bus so you can jump on and off the 13 or 14 with ease.

CAREFUL… Kitchen closes at 7:45pm, but doors close at 9pm. ???
This was on a Friday! So you only get what’s left, good luck!

Located in the shopping complex by Safeway on Kapahulu.
it is the SMALLEST Panda’s express I ever ever ever been to. They had all the top sellers so if you like those, you never gotta worry. But they were quick and efficient. If they don’t have what you’re looking for, there are tons of other restaurants in the area lol.
Plenty of parking.
Didn’t see a restroom.
1 star knocked off because their iced tea syrup had run out, we ordered two, so he said one of us must change drink order and the one iced tea that the guy gave us was nasty. –_​_​-​’ bruh.

Well went in to the Kapahulu location and chose a 3 entrée plate with fried rice. I ended up selecting orange chicken, beijing beef and those new rib things. Got home and noticed that the beijing beef was virtually bone dry (No sauce), the Orange chicken seemed to be cooked way too long or was old, the short ribs we cold and very salty but the fried rice wasn’t too terrible. It was very obvious that the younger local male (first name started with a «J» and last name an «L») didn’t want to be working today (Easter Sunday). He rudely rushed along my order asking «is that it» over and over. The management should be totally ashamed of workers like this. I wish I was recording our interaction on my phone so I could post it online to warn others of this location. If you want decent panda go to the king street location. If your unable to leave the shopping center area, your better off buying frozen Chinese food from Safeway and microwaving it. Next time I go into this panda I will be filming for sure, I’ll get a few eye rolls and subtle attitude from the «server» and I’ll walk out just before paying. Ill blast the video all over the place to raise awareness, SHAME ON YOU PANDA EXPRESS EMPLOYEES AND MANAGEMENT.

It’s small, but the great smell of food prepared fresh to order makes you want to eat everything.

Their hours say they’re open til 9, though, from the 5 plus times I’ve been there around after 8, they stop cooking at 8. This means you get whatever is left and your options are pretty poor. It’s really pretty lame, if you’re gonna be open til 9 serve your entire menu til 9.

I literally miss Burgers on the Edge at this location. But Panda Express comes a close runner up. Service was quick, although being sort of a mini location, no air conditioned seating which makes it kinda tough for conversation with the busses running, and no covered roof seating to provide some kind of shade. Maybe the area could be enclosed with some sort of air conditioning provided as the hot summer months are fast approaching.
A couple of entrees seemed like it had been standing for awhile, not so appetizing looking, ordered orange chicken and bei jing beef, always a great selection. Service was quick and friendly.
Will consider being back to this location on an order to go basis until the seating has impoved.

Came in last night (Friday 2÷13÷15) at 8:40pm with my husband. As we walked in, the man ringing in the guests said, «Hello. Just to let you know, the kitchen is now closed so what you see out is all we have left.» What was left was about a cup of very old and dry fried rice, 4 pieces of honey walnut shrimp, and 4 – 5 other dish choices all with barely enough for 1 full serving, and there were 3 people in line in front of us. They close at 9pm. This is extremely horrible business practice. Any fast food establishment I’ve ever walked into before closing, I’ve always been served what I ordered. Mind you we don’t make it a habit to walk into a sit-​down restaurant even 30 minutes before closing and asked to be served. We have heightened level of consideration and always ask if it is okay to just order food to go, but usually we’ll just bow out and go somewhere else.
With that said, Panda Express on Kapahulu is all walk-​in, pick your dish, they pack it up, and you leave. I still even usually leave a 15% tip (for take out)!!! If your business hours say you close at 9pm, and you’re primarily a takeout place, you should keep your kitchen open enough to anticipate last minute guests. You can pre-​close even most of the kitchen but still accommodate cooking enough for one person. That greeting we got showed us that they wanted to be out of there at 9pm on a Friday night of a 3-​day weekend and probably just take the left over food home!
I’ve been to this Kapahulu location many times and I work late on Fridays. When I first found out they close at 9pm, I got there at 8:50 but they had pre-​packed the remaining dish choices and discounted the plates, which was great. But to walk in at 8:40 with 3 others in line and expect us to pay full price for old dish choices sitting on the line is ridiculous. We walked out and went to Zippy’s!

We pass by this Panda 5 nights a week for sports in Kapiolani Park. We have always had great customer service and great food! There is always a line and they are always accommodating and courteous!

I loooove some Panda Express but this is the worst one I’ve been to of which there have been many! They didn’t tell my boyfriend that they were out of teriyaki sauce until they were handing him his completed meal, which was supposed to be teriyaki chicken. My eggplant tofu had to be prepared because they were out of it and even though it was «fresh» it was still super oily and had a huge amount of chow mein with very little of the entrée.
I know this is fast food and it has basically no nutritional value but the other Panda Expresses that I go to are just sooo much better in terms of service and food quality. I like the idea of the walk-​up window for ordering and picking up your food but the tables outside are frickin’ disgusting and at night there is no lighting if you wanted to eat there. Do yourself a favor and go to the Panda on S. King or even at Ala Moana if you want to satisfy that Panda craving.

Worst Panda Express location when it comes to food! Don’t bother to go here you’ll just waste your money here. They serve bad food.

Yes I cheated again, sometimes I go luxury and sometimes I go cheap. But when I am THIS hungry and need anything in my tummy, this would be one of the places to go to. Cool outdoor dining area and I get to feed sparrow birds with my leftover rice. Sorry guys. They cooked my plate really hot and fresh, than any other restaurants I know, that was already in the buffet tray. Awesomess! Ohh the best part sometimes, when they are closing, they give away $ 5 deal of the combo plate because they have last food before closing. Just to let you know!

We are regulars now. Bf gets a 2 entrée plate with chicken, beef, and fried rice. I get an eggplant entrée and a side of steamed vegetables. Each time we use their free entrée coupon and our bill comes to $ 9.77 with tax. That is cheap food. Bf claims he always gets plenty of food and it is always freshly made. My food varies from time to time in both freshness and quantity sometimes my tofu eggplant is good and and sometimes the tofu is tough and the eggplant squishy and sometimes my tiny box of steamed vegetables has more air than vegetables.

So i came here after hours of studying at the nearby Starbucks by Kapahulu. I was starving, wanted to find a place where i could eat different choices, and at the same time have big portions to say the least. I was thinking of going Gina’s but decided, ehhh pandas sounds good right about now and my stomach couldn’t wait any longer. Also i get to see my fortune of the day.
So i got the three choice one, i got brown rice as much starch, then the typical orange chicken, then beef broccoli and the sweat fire chicken breast.
There was this big lady working and there were so many food on those pans and as she was scooping them and putting them on my plate the portion was so small. and note that they were about to close in 12 minutes. When i got my food my plate looked liked potions at an upscale restaurant were you pay big money just to only have 2 – 4 bites. I only had 4 pieces of orange chicken and not the big sized ones, for the beed broccoli it was more like beef gravy, i had like two broccoli and 3 pieces of thin beef, don’t even get me started at the sweet fire chicken breast it was more like sweet fire chili peppers. Ive been to alot of panda expresses and they give at least a reasonable amount where it can actually fill you up esp when paying around $ 8 – 9. As for this location i had to drink alot of water to just satisfy my stomach.
I mean its cool that this location does delivery and all but the lady working that night, come on just cause im not big doesnt mean i cant eat.
This doesnt mean im not going to eat Panda express anymore i love there food esp when i have no choice, but just not this one.
btw my fortune cookie that night was «Your presence livens up any conversation»
lol feelin pompous right now

I absolutely hate not being able to see the food when ordering it. This is a walk-​up window /​drive-​thru. You CANNOT see any of the food which you are ordering. Anyone who knows Panda Express knows that there are always food items that sit too long get old and overcooked. Fresh placed out food is always the best. The portion sizes here also stink. They are really chintzy than other Panda Express locations!

Very convienent location in Kapahulu same parking lot as Safeway. This location you order and pay at window on Kapahulu street side then walk around to another window to pick up food when ready. A little different from other locations that make the food as you walk toward cashier.
They have pictures on wall to show you what they have.

Since all Panda Expresses sell the same items, I won’t go into detail about their food. If you’ve been to one, you’ve been to them all. Personally, I prefer this location because it is very clean and the staff is very friendly. The manager Alex is very professional and courteous to his staff and customers. Last but not least, great location with lots of parking!