Fast, reasonably priced delicious food served in a clean, bustling environment by some very efficient and friendly people. You can easily dial back the carbs and fat by going "stock velveted" with the meat, and backing off a little on the rice. Just came here after a huge gym session and am completely loving this dinner. Save time by sitting at the bar - they even take you out of the line if they know you're sitting there. Yes, nobody who works here is Asian, except the guy at the register. But the recipes are, and they are way better than the bland, over-tenderized fatty glop Americans think is Chinese food. Pei Wei is Asian at its best! How could you not give this place five stars?
(5)
Anna F.
Pei Wei does have good food, but it's never a first choice for me. My boyfriend loves their orange chicken and they have great spring rolls, however I feel there are several better places in the metro to get Asian food. If you are near the Belle Isle area, I'd say for sure you should go, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here.
(3)
Online L.
I'm very sensitive about service and food quality, and I don't mind putting a scathing review out there on the web. Having said that, this Pei Wei location is consistently friendly, fast, the food is delicious and it's become a favorite lunch spot.
(4)
Brian W.
Love the lettuce wraps and kung pao. Always fast service and great food.
(5)
Brad D.
Pei Wei is always a hit for me. When I can't find a PF Changs nearby, Pei Wei is a great substitution. Good quality food, great flavors.
(5)
Matt J.
Good food for the price definitely. Norman is in desperate need of a hole in the wall teriyaki place.
(3)
S H.
Pei Wei is one of the favorites of my entire little family. I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old and they can always find something that they thoroughly enjoy. They both love the rice and chicken. My daughter loves to order the teriyaki chicken with the teriyaki sauce on the side and then she can decide how much sauce she wants. they have an excellent kids menu and the portions are just right. Personally I am a big fan of the mongolian beef and the larger adult portion of teriyaki chicken! I have honestly never had anything here that has not been cooked perfectly and tastes fresh and delicious. It has actually inspired me to branch out and try a few things that I normally wouldn't. I have not been disappointed yet. Now, as good as the food is, the service is even better. The manager is obviously the driving force of the restaurant. You will always find him working just as hard if not harder than every other person in there. He treats not only every customer that walks through the door with respect and a smile but he treats every employee in there the exact same way. You always see the same friendly faces in there meaning that the turnover in employees is almost nothing which, to me, says a lot to the character and professionalism of the management. They are always friendly to my kids and if you are lucky, you can catch the guys spinning napkins! (This is a trick that my daughter caught one time and now she asks about it every time we are in there!) This is the "fast food" or more casual dining experience of PF Chang's so if you are familiar with that restaurant and like it, then you will find much of the same menu here. Food is made-to-order and they are always very friendly about little substitutions and making things the way you want them. During busy hours you may have to wait just a little bit to sit down, but the guys that clear the tables are so fast that they really keep the customers moving though very efficiently and you never really have to wait that long. You never really have to wait for your food which is always hot and fresh. When you are in Norman, stop in here and enjoy a great meal and a great atmosphere!
(5)
Tiffanie O.
AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME!!!! Love the lettuce wraps and the sweet and sour chicken. They have a friendly atmosphere and the staff provides A+++ service. I love going here in the spring and fall so I can sit outside with my friends and family to enjoy my meal. I have moved to California but when I come to visit I always make time to stop and eat here. Yum :)
(5)
Philip M.
The only place I have found in the OKC metro that makes Mongolian beef the way I like it.
(3)
Stacey B.
I am very surprised that a chain restaurant has such great food. I love their Pad Thai and dumpling soup. The Viet Namese chicken salad rolls are a-mazing and so are the dipping sauces. I have had other things off the menu but I almost always have this. It is my favorite!
(4)
Shawn G.
It's okay. Their food is always fresh, and it is always made to order and ready very quickly. Dining in the experience is nice, and their take away is very efficient and I like the fact that you can order online. On the down-side it's just basic Americanized Chinese food, but it is better than any local options in Norman. Just one word of caution, if you order from their gluten free menu I have noticed that sometimes they infrequently mess up and will give me an item full gluten/cooked in flour.
(3)
Nat H.
I've driven by Pei Wei so many times on my way to Target and I've even stopped in to get a take out menu to prepare for the tastes and smells inside. But it wasn't until after a year of drive-bys that I finally succumbed to the pleasure of Pei Wei's beckoning marquee. Now I can finally cross Pei Wei off my bucket list. I knew from my initial visit when I went in to just grab a take out menu that the restaurant was counter service only and that's why I decided to just do take out. What I can't understand is why Pei Wei charges so much for counter service only. They don't have servers that refill your drinks like similar-service restaurants such as Ghengis Grill or Flat-top Grill, so what is it that we're paying for? I'm fully aware that Pei Wei is a chain; one that recalls PF Changs, Panda Express and the above-mentioned grills; in that the food is safe, homogenized American-Asian food. I was ready for that. And I like all the chain restaurants that I just mentioned because I know what kind of "safe, homogenized American-Asian" foods they serve and because they do it at a price relative to their service level. However I was not impressed with Pei Wei's food. We ordered using its online service which provides a picture of each of their dishes. I give kudos to the fact that they don't over-represent themselves in these photos as each picture is some fashion of veggies/protein/carb with a different color glaze. However, the name of each dish is specific to a regional Asian cuisine and that is where part of my 2-star score comes in. We ordered the Thai green curry with Tofu, the Chinese Orange Peel with Chicken and tofu and the Spicy Korean Beef. Full disclaimer: I'm Thai, I know what Thai dishes taste like and I never order curry from a restaurant, not even a Thai restaurant. So all the food really tasted like what I expected it to, which I have no complaints about, except for the tofu. In both dishes with tofu, the tofu was too dense, the texture was too chewy and tasteless. Other than that, the dishes were passable but not noteworthy enough to pay the price they are asking for at a restaurant that offers no table service. And that is where the other 2-star part of my rating comes in. The food rated a little less than I expected, and the price for this kind of food is too high to merit a repeat business. If Pei Wei charged even $1.50 to $2.00 less per dish, then it might make up a little for the fact that the food is not-so great and that there is no table services. I must add however, that the employees who do take the orders and bag the orders for take out are friendly and efficient and that the food comes really fast.
(2)
Aaron M.
This place impressed me. A simple clean menu with many options for combinations greeted us at the door. I ordered the hot and sour soup and shrimp pad Thai. By the time i got my drink from the fountain, my soup was already waiting at the table. Delicious and rich, loaded with bits of beef and things, it was some of the best h&s soup i think I've ever had. The shrimp pad Thai dish came right on time, and was fresh, hot, and simply stunning in flavor. The waitstaff exhibited highly trained servers who were quick as lightening with every request. They provided us with everything we needed for left overs, cleared the table in a flash, and refused to take the tip until we had vacated the table. All in all, this was a smooth, up scale experience for not a huge amount of money. Outstanding!
(5)
Patricia M.
After moving to Norman from Seattle, we were seriously missing Asian cuisine. So, we tried Pei Wei. We should have just gotten a frozen meal from the grocery store and eaten that. While the service was pleasant, the food was not.
(1)
Don W.
Different, and nice atmosphere, but not great food. I've hit up Pei Wei about half a dozen times, and it's okay. The food is just mediocre, but everything else about the place is pretty good. If you like very spicy food, you'll probably like this place more than I did. Likes: Good service, though it can be slow when they are packed. Nice interior for dine in. Also does carryout. Interesting menu - not just typical Chinese selections but a full range of multiple nationalities' dishes. Meals are decently priced. I also love that they give you a free drink to hit the fountain while you wait. I did like the mixture of bell peppers and pineapple in the sweet and sour chicken. Dislikes: Ridiculously spicy sesame chicken. Minimal flavor in the honey seared chicken. In general, most of the dishes are just so so. Pei Wei is definitely a nice change of pace, but don't bank of it to wow you.
(3)
Kurt M.
Excellent food, always hot and fresh. Food is cooked to order, and always arrives at the table quickly.
(4)
Jennifer G.
This place was my vegetarian savior in the middle of meat and potato land during my Oklahoma visit in 2008. Their terriyaki tofu rice bowl is my favorite!
(3)
Joley B.
I arrived in Norman today, and headed over to my friend's. We decided to get take out from Pei Wei. It was really easy to order online so that's what we did. I've never eaten here - I don't think we have them up in our part of NY. AND... I wasn't impressed. I got the Dan Dan Noodles and it was too heavy. I did like the spicy chili sauce, and the crab appetizer (but it was overdone), but I wouldn't go out of my way to order from here again.
(2)
Brandi D.
My niece loves this place. I have tried something new every time and am never disappointed. Friendly service and clean.
(4)
Kenneth M.
I have eaten here about 25 times now. At one point, I absolutely loved this place thinking of it as a nearly the perfect restaurant chain. I completely enjoyed the food. The restaurant was always exceptionally clean and organized. The staff was always very friendly. Now, I am somewhat less enthusiastic. I still go there from time to time and still enjoy the "asian fusion" food type. However, the last couple visits suggest the chain is getting a little cheap/lazy with some of their service touches. The restaurant isn't quite as polished clean, the staff is much more willing to point at things rather than get you things, etc. It's a discouraging trend.
(4)
Jason S.
Food is great but the lunchtime manager is a huge jerk. I apologized for having my wife sit first (no signs saying otherwise). He ignored me. I stopped and asked if he heard me and without eye contact says "yes". Get over yourself man. I realize it is busy and you have a "system". I just didn't realize you had a "system".
(2)
Josh T.
Good fast Asian cuisine , there sweet and sour soup is money, for the hype it could be better
(3)
Melanie S.
This is mine and my daughter's favorite place to eat. We come here every chance we get! I love the pork egg rolls here, but why did the heck did they get smaller??????
(4)
Kerry S.
The resturant is always hopping everytime we visit any of the locations in the area. The dinning area at this location is a bit smaller, servers will usually try to seat you when there are large crowds coming in. The location is perfect right off the highway and in the middle of all the shopping. The food is usually very tender and taste great. I'd sugguest anyone to try them out. Check out their Facebook link for a two for one coupon. Eat and enjoy!
(5)
Sadie R.
Just picked up my lunch to-go and I'm pretty disappointed. I have had the same meal many times before at this location and it has been great. But the Vietnamese chicken salad rolls I just picked up are stale and hard (the rice paper is supposed to be soft). It's very obvious that they aren't freshly made today. Disappointed.
(1)
Matthew S.
Pei Wei is the Chili's of Asian casual. You know what you're getting into, there's something everyone likes, and the odds that something will go horribly wrong are fairly low. If you head into your interaction with Pei Wei with this mindset, you're golden. Don't expect to have a universe-altering experience, but also don't fret that you're going to find a finger in your lo mien. If you're into soda, they've got one of those cool machines that dispenses like 148 million possible combinations of soft drinks, which is fun. It's like going to lunch in the future. I highly recommend the online ordering system. My colleagues and I use it on the reg, and it's never failed us. Food is ready in like 10 minutes, and they're 12/12 in getting everything right. Kudos for doing the Internet right.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : No Drive-Thru : No Caters : Yes
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
Bill K.
Fast, reasonably priced delicious food served in a clean, bustling environment by some very efficient and friendly people. You can easily dial back the carbs and fat by going "stock velveted" with the meat, and backing off a little on the rice. Just came here after a huge gym session and am completely loving this dinner. Save time by sitting at the bar - they even take you out of the line if they know you're sitting there. Yes, nobody who works here is Asian, except the guy at the register. But the recipes are, and they are way better than the bland, over-tenderized fatty glop Americans think is Chinese food. Pei Wei is Asian at its best! How could you not give this place five stars?
(5)Anna F.
Pei Wei does have good food, but it's never a first choice for me. My boyfriend loves their orange chicken and they have great spring rolls, however I feel there are several better places in the metro to get Asian food. If you are near the Belle Isle area, I'd say for sure you should go, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here.
(3)Online L.
I'm very sensitive about service and food quality, and I don't mind putting a scathing review out there on the web. Having said that, this Pei Wei location is consistently friendly, fast, the food is delicious and it's become a favorite lunch spot.
(4)Brian W.
Love the lettuce wraps and kung pao. Always fast service and great food.
(5)Brad D.
Pei Wei is always a hit for me. When I can't find a PF Changs nearby, Pei Wei is a great substitution. Good quality food, great flavors.
(5)Matt J.
Good food for the price definitely. Norman is in desperate need of a hole in the wall teriyaki place.
(3)S H.
Pei Wei is one of the favorites of my entire little family. I have a 2 year old and a 4 year old and they can always find something that they thoroughly enjoy. They both love the rice and chicken. My daughter loves to order the teriyaki chicken with the teriyaki sauce on the side and then she can decide how much sauce she wants. they have an excellent kids menu and the portions are just right. Personally I am a big fan of the mongolian beef and the larger adult portion of teriyaki chicken! I have honestly never had anything here that has not been cooked perfectly and tastes fresh and delicious. It has actually inspired me to branch out and try a few things that I normally wouldn't. I have not been disappointed yet. Now, as good as the food is, the service is even better. The manager is obviously the driving force of the restaurant. You will always find him working just as hard if not harder than every other person in there. He treats not only every customer that walks through the door with respect and a smile but he treats every employee in there the exact same way. You always see the same friendly faces in there meaning that the turnover in employees is almost nothing which, to me, says a lot to the character and professionalism of the management. They are always friendly to my kids and if you are lucky, you can catch the guys spinning napkins! (This is a trick that my daughter caught one time and now she asks about it every time we are in there!) This is the "fast food" or more casual dining experience of PF Chang's so if you are familiar with that restaurant and like it, then you will find much of the same menu here. Food is made-to-order and they are always very friendly about little substitutions and making things the way you want them. During busy hours you may have to wait just a little bit to sit down, but the guys that clear the tables are so fast that they really keep the customers moving though very efficiently and you never really have to wait that long. You never really have to wait for your food which is always hot and fresh. When you are in Norman, stop in here and enjoy a great meal and a great atmosphere!
(5)Tiffanie O.
AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME!!!! Love the lettuce wraps and the sweet and sour chicken. They have a friendly atmosphere and the staff provides A+++ service. I love going here in the spring and fall so I can sit outside with my friends and family to enjoy my meal. I have moved to California but when I come to visit I always make time to stop and eat here. Yum :)
(5)Philip M.
The only place I have found in the OKC metro that makes Mongolian beef the way I like it.
(3)Stacey B.
I am very surprised that a chain restaurant has such great food. I love their Pad Thai and dumpling soup. The Viet Namese chicken salad rolls are a-mazing and so are the dipping sauces. I have had other things off the menu but I almost always have this. It is my favorite!
(4)Shawn G.
It's okay. Their food is always fresh, and it is always made to order and ready very quickly. Dining in the experience is nice, and their take away is very efficient and I like the fact that you can order online. On the down-side it's just basic Americanized Chinese food, but it is better than any local options in Norman. Just one word of caution, if you order from their gluten free menu I have noticed that sometimes they infrequently mess up and will give me an item full gluten/cooked in flour.
(3)Nat H.
I've driven by Pei Wei so many times on my way to Target and I've even stopped in to get a take out menu to prepare for the tastes and smells inside. But it wasn't until after a year of drive-bys that I finally succumbed to the pleasure of Pei Wei's beckoning marquee. Now I can finally cross Pei Wei off my bucket list. I knew from my initial visit when I went in to just grab a take out menu that the restaurant was counter service only and that's why I decided to just do take out. What I can't understand is why Pei Wei charges so much for counter service only. They don't have servers that refill your drinks like similar-service restaurants such as Ghengis Grill or Flat-top Grill, so what is it that we're paying for? I'm fully aware that Pei Wei is a chain; one that recalls PF Changs, Panda Express and the above-mentioned grills; in that the food is safe, homogenized American-Asian food. I was ready for that. And I like all the chain restaurants that I just mentioned because I know what kind of "safe, homogenized American-Asian" foods they serve and because they do it at a price relative to their service level. However I was not impressed with Pei Wei's food. We ordered using its online service which provides a picture of each of their dishes. I give kudos to the fact that they don't over-represent themselves in these photos as each picture is some fashion of veggies/protein/carb with a different color glaze. However, the name of each dish is specific to a regional Asian cuisine and that is where part of my 2-star score comes in. We ordered the Thai green curry with Tofu, the Chinese Orange Peel with Chicken and tofu and the Spicy Korean Beef. Full disclaimer: I'm Thai, I know what Thai dishes taste like and I never order curry from a restaurant, not even a Thai restaurant. So all the food really tasted like what I expected it to, which I have no complaints about, except for the tofu. In both dishes with tofu, the tofu was too dense, the texture was too chewy and tasteless. Other than that, the dishes were passable but not noteworthy enough to pay the price they are asking for at a restaurant that offers no table service. And that is where the other 2-star part of my rating comes in. The food rated a little less than I expected, and the price for this kind of food is too high to merit a repeat business. If Pei Wei charged even $1.50 to $2.00 less per dish, then it might make up a little for the fact that the food is not-so great and that there is no table services. I must add however, that the employees who do take the orders and bag the orders for take out are friendly and efficient and that the food comes really fast.
(2)Aaron M.
This place impressed me. A simple clean menu with many options for combinations greeted us at the door. I ordered the hot and sour soup and shrimp pad Thai. By the time i got my drink from the fountain, my soup was already waiting at the table. Delicious and rich, loaded with bits of beef and things, it was some of the best h&s soup i think I've ever had. The shrimp pad Thai dish came right on time, and was fresh, hot, and simply stunning in flavor. The waitstaff exhibited highly trained servers who were quick as lightening with every request. They provided us with everything we needed for left overs, cleared the table in a flash, and refused to take the tip until we had vacated the table. All in all, this was a smooth, up scale experience for not a huge amount of money. Outstanding!
(5)Patricia M.
After moving to Norman from Seattle, we were seriously missing Asian cuisine. So, we tried Pei Wei. We should have just gotten a frozen meal from the grocery store and eaten that. While the service was pleasant, the food was not.
(1)Don W.
Different, and nice atmosphere, but not great food. I've hit up Pei Wei about half a dozen times, and it's okay. The food is just mediocre, but everything else about the place is pretty good. If you like very spicy food, you'll probably like this place more than I did. Likes: Good service, though it can be slow when they are packed. Nice interior for dine in. Also does carryout. Interesting menu - not just typical Chinese selections but a full range of multiple nationalities' dishes. Meals are decently priced. I also love that they give you a free drink to hit the fountain while you wait. I did like the mixture of bell peppers and pineapple in the sweet and sour chicken. Dislikes: Ridiculously spicy sesame chicken. Minimal flavor in the honey seared chicken. In general, most of the dishes are just so so. Pei Wei is definitely a nice change of pace, but don't bank of it to wow you.
(3)Kurt M.
Excellent food, always hot and fresh. Food is cooked to order, and always arrives at the table quickly.
(4)Jennifer G.
This place was my vegetarian savior in the middle of meat and potato land during my Oklahoma visit in 2008. Their terriyaki tofu rice bowl is my favorite!
(3)Joley B.
I arrived in Norman today, and headed over to my friend's. We decided to get take out from Pei Wei. It was really easy to order online so that's what we did. I've never eaten here - I don't think we have them up in our part of NY. AND... I wasn't impressed. I got the Dan Dan Noodles and it was too heavy. I did like the spicy chili sauce, and the crab appetizer (but it was overdone), but I wouldn't go out of my way to order from here again.
(2)Brandi D.
My niece loves this place. I have tried something new every time and am never disappointed. Friendly service and clean.
(4)Kenneth M.
I have eaten here about 25 times now. At one point, I absolutely loved this place thinking of it as a nearly the perfect restaurant chain. I completely enjoyed the food. The restaurant was always exceptionally clean and organized. The staff was always very friendly. Now, I am somewhat less enthusiastic. I still go there from time to time and still enjoy the "asian fusion" food type. However, the last couple visits suggest the chain is getting a little cheap/lazy with some of their service touches. The restaurant isn't quite as polished clean, the staff is much more willing to point at things rather than get you things, etc. It's a discouraging trend.
(4)Jason S.
Food is great but the lunchtime manager is a huge jerk. I apologized for having my wife sit first (no signs saying otherwise). He ignored me. I stopped and asked if he heard me and without eye contact says "yes". Get over yourself man. I realize it is busy and you have a "system". I just didn't realize you had a "system".
(2)Josh T.
Good fast Asian cuisine , there sweet and sour soup is money, for the hype it could be better
(3)Melanie S.
This is mine and my daughter's favorite place to eat. We come here every chance we get! I love the pork egg rolls here, but why did the heck did they get smaller??????
(4)Kerry S.
The resturant is always hopping everytime we visit any of the locations in the area. The dinning area at this location is a bit smaller, servers will usually try to seat you when there are large crowds coming in. The location is perfect right off the highway and in the middle of all the shopping. The food is usually very tender and taste great. I'd sugguest anyone to try them out. Check out their Facebook link for a two for one coupon. Eat and enjoy!
(5)Sadie R.
Just picked up my lunch to-go and I'm pretty disappointed. I have had the same meal many times before at this location and it has been great. But the Vietnamese chicken salad rolls I just picked up are stale and hard (the rice paper is supposed to be soft). It's very obvious that they aren't freshly made today. Disappointed.
(1)Matthew S.
Pei Wei is the Chili's of Asian casual. You know what you're getting into, there's something everyone likes, and the odds that something will go horribly wrong are fairly low. If you head into your interaction with Pei Wei with this mindset, you're golden. Don't expect to have a universe-altering experience, but also don't fret that you're going to find a finger in your lo mien. If you're into soda, they've got one of those cool machines that dispenses like 148 million possible combinations of soft drinks, which is fun. It's like going to lunch in the future. I highly recommend the online ordering system. My colleagues and I use it on the reg, and it's never failed us. Food is ready in like 10 minutes, and they're 12/12 in getting everything right. Kudos for doing the Internet right.
(4)