With all of the to-go orders I've placed where they've quoted a time, I've gotten there 5 minutes after, and am still stuck waiting, you would think I would write a bad review, but that would be a disservice. It is just too damned good. I'll be honest, If you do not like P.F. Changs and it's Americanized version of Chinese food, you'll hate Pei Wei as well. But for those of you who dig it, It can't be beat. Pei Wei literally rips off P.F. Change menu (they're owned by them) and gives you smaller portions for a lower (more appropriate) price . It's excellent for take out and since it's individual, you can get it as spicy as you want without irritating your friends. The concept is simple, you pick from a protein, a sauce, and a cooking style and "Wa La!!" You have a quick fantastic meal.
(4)
Sung C.
We waited almost 40 minutes for two dishes. When the food finally came out, the shrimp tasted old and super dry. The lo mein had absolutely no flavor. The Mongolian sauce was extremely salty. I used to be a regular a couple years ago when I lived on City Ave and stopped by on the way back from the zoo. Needless to say, I am never coming back.
(1)
Tim Y.
I have religiously gone to this Pei Wei since it opened, mostly because I lived near it on City Avenue but ultimately because I just love the food and their mandarin green tea. I believe that Pei Wei makes the best Kung Pao (chicken/steak/shrimp/whatever) dish that I've ever had; I'm an addict of it and their unique tea. Now that I'm not living near it, I'm still returning for my weekly fix. It's a really pleasant modern take on Asian interiors, and it's fun to watch the fire spew up from the woks as they cook (oddly enough, I don't see that happen as much anymore for whatever reason). That being said, the other reviews are right in that this location has seen better days in the past. They have a couple really endearing hostesses and their kitchen staff seems pretty stable. But this location has had challenges in keeping things stocked, either throughout the day or even to get them through the weekend (sometimes there is no carrots or no peas in my dish, and they don't even warn me about that or even apologize for it!). There are times that cleanliness can be an issue, as management seemed to be a lot more tighter and proactive in the past. Though every business has its more challenging times, that's the nature of fast food in of itself. But yes, I am a fan and I am always looking forward to my next visit for more Pei Wei food! I just don't think that there is a better Kung Pao dish out there, or that I'll get as decent value for my dollar at many other Center City places.
(4)
Andrew A.
Don't even bother coming here. No effort by staff to clean anything or even ice the beer. Been here 40 min and they have not cleaned a single table I and others had to clean their own. An hour before they closed the beer bin had little to no ice and when I asked about it I was told they close soon so no need to ice. They close in over an hour!!! At 8:45 an employee turned the music off (same one who didn't care to ice the beer) and was told by someone I am guessing is in charge to turn it back on. Guessing it was a we are closing in 45 minutes time to wrap up type of thing. Very poorly run and no management at all in the evening.
(1)
Samantha E.
This place is great for a quick Asian inspired lunch, but has gone downhill over the last year or so. During my last visit, the soda machine did not work, but they did not warn anyone at the register while they were ordering and their screens that display the menu were not on, so the wait in line to order was much longer. The food is good for lunch- quick pad thai or lettuce wraps hit the spot midday. Their new sushi offerings are disappointing and flavorless.
(3)
Louis W.
First Time Experience - Good Stuff! I took my family here after going to an Easter event down the street, very happy that we did. The restaurant was very warm and welcoming. We have had carryout from another Pei Wei near us, but had never dined in. I liked the way they present the menus as you walk in (before you get to the counter where you order). We got a variety of dishes, and my kids are huge fans of Asian noodles so they were thrilled - the kids meals were affordable and had plenty for them to eat. My wife and I were pleasantly surprised at how fresh everything tasted - but we shouldn't have as the meals were made-to-order. They have real dining utensils (no plastic knives and forks here! We all really enjoyed a nice time, the atmosphere was easy going (contemporary music playing in the background), everyone was happy. I would come here again for sure.
(4)
Herbie H.
I was really pleasantly surprised with my visit to Pei Wei. We stopped in for lunch on a Saturday after visiting Target. We ordered one of the new sushi rolls, the Wasabi Crunch Roll, which was a great starter (we went for the 4pc). The sushi tasted fresh and the roll had great flavor. The crunch in the roll was a nice addition. I ordered a Vegetarian/Tofu Ginger Broccoli bowl over Dan Dan Noodles. I opted for the smaller portion, which was still pretty big (I brought about 1/3 of it home with me.) The noodles were tender, the tofu was nicely grilled and sliced, and there were a ton of vegetables. The Ginger Broccoli sauce was really flavorful, and paired nicely with the veggies/tofu. My boyfriend ordered a Caramel chicken bowl with rice. The flavor on the chicken was deep and rich. It reminded me of General Tso's, but less processed/breaded. I was not expecting that much from Pei Wei, but I was definitely surprised/impressed for a quick lunch.
(4)
Bhavika P.
Dynamite chicken (small) with fried rice - meant to be spicy which it was but I would more describe this as sweet tangy spicy. Although it tasted really good. Nice flavourful chicken too. Extra .99$ for replacing it with fried rice but worth it. Pei Wei curry with tofu and vegetables (small) - I loved this curry. A little on sweet side so spicy eaters might not like it or would need a side of sriracha. Good portion as a small size. Overall I loved the food..close to Indian style fried rice (those who have tried it would know what I mean ). The only reason for giving one less star is coz I found the place a little shabby and kinda unclean seating area.
(4)
Lauren W.
I am one of the many converts to the fast casual restaurant craze. I love going inside, being able to order quickly (well, after it takes me fifteen minutes to decide what to order), sit down, and have someone bring me my food in both less time and for less money that at a normal sit-down restaurant. Seve' M said it really well - Pei Wei may not make you dance in the street, but it does the job really nicely. I would go a step further and say that it makes me very happy as well! I can't comment on speed of service, as the two times I've been have been off-peak with not many customers. And I've only ordered takeout. Both takeout servers were very polite and friendly, and did a great job of double checking the accuracy of my order and offering me any paperware and condiments that I might need. The food is pretty yummy. But it will not knock your socks off. But (again), sometimes what you just need is a comforting meal. Sometimes you don't need a fancy meal that tingles new tastebuds and makes you wonder what the secret ingredient is. Sometimes, all you need are delicious Dan Dan noodles. That's my go to, and maybe that's what you should try. A nice bowl of chicken, bean sprouts and cucumbers in a spicy brown sauce begging to be tossed with hot noodles to soak up the sauce. It's really a perfect Asian American comfort food, with fresh veggies to boot.
(4)
Kyle S.
Went here for lunch on Friday with my boyfriend on a whim, and we were very disappointed. We went at the tail end of the lunch rush, and it was still quite crowded, but there was only one person working the register. This would normally not be an issue, except she was also the same person putting the numbers on the tables to indicate where the orders need to go. Also, they were out of the menus that describe what all the sauces are, so we had no clue what to order until we reached the register, which had a screen that described everything. No wonder the line was moving so slowly! We sat down and waited for our food to come, which took a little while, but we were in no rush and the place was crowded. Not an issue. When our food finally came, we were very disappointed to say the least. I ordered the pad thai noodle bowl, and calling it pad thai is awfully generous. It tasted like pad thai by way of an Americanized Chinese food strip mall restaurant, and I mean that in the most derogatory sense. The noodles were mushy, and the sauce tasted exactly like (and nearly had the consistency of) peanut butter. My boyfriend had similar things to say about his dan dan noodle bowl; the sauce in his was so thick he refused to eat even half of it. I don't know if we ordered the wrong things, or the kitchen was having an off day, or if we merely were victims of dining at the tail end of the lunch rush, but we will not be returning.
I've been wanting to try Pei Wei for a while now, but there isn't one nearby. My husband works in Bala, so I decided to meet him there for lunch on my way to the airport. When we walked in I could tell they were understaffed for the day. One person was working both the dine in and take out register. It took quite a while for her to take our order. Then we ordered and waited a good 15-20 minutes for our food. For being a fast service establishment, I thought that was slow. The food itself was good with nice sized portions. I was surprised that they were out of shrimp; that was disappointing. I ordered the chicken pad thai. It was better than I expected and it had a nice kick to it. I did think it was cool that they offered beer and wine, but you can't drink it outside at the tables. I would give it another try, but will make sure I build in a little extra time.
(3)
Jamaica Y.
I would give this place a third chance for sure, but the first two trips were pretty God awful. I love food in general and Asian fusion especially, but the meals I have had hear were both pretty bad. The first time I had the curry, which I would never recommend to anyone. I don't even remember the second thing I had, but it was equally yuck. Other people seem to like it though, so I would do some Yelp searching to figure out what to order and go back.
(1)
Sherrice B.
I was invited to have dinner at Pei Wei and was pleasantly surprised because I had passed this place a million times. The dining area is nice an the lighting was relaxing. I ordered the Chicken Pad Thai, it was deeeelishous very flavorful and hot. I will go back to try other options very soon. Only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because there were a few dirty tables in the dining room an we had to wipe our table off before we sat down. It was close to closing so that could be expected.
(4)
Nell W.
This is quick, Asian food. I had teriyaki chicken over fried rice and the mango California roll. I ordered the original bowl because the small bowl looked, well, small. Lol. Don't be fooled though. You get a lot of food in the small bowl. My friends and I had to take our leftovers. My friend really enjoyed the chicken salad roll. She had never tried it before and said she would definitely order it elsewhere when she goes out. The sushi was okay. Nothing fancy. The cashier was very helpful even though he was also the server and the receptionist when the phone rang. I definitely love the large menu when you walk in. I would return.
(3)
Art A.
I have eaten Chinese food from food carts. I have eaten Chinese food in the hood from those places with bullet proof plexiglass mazes. I have eaten Chinese food that sat too long on steam tables at all you can eat buffets. But I have never eaten food as bad as fast food joint, Pei Wei, in Bala Cynwyd. The vegetables in the spring rolls were so over cooked that an infant without teeth could eat them without choking. The Kung Pao Chicken had so much salt so as to make it inedible. A friend suggested that I mix the rice in to cut the saltiness. I followed his suggestion. All that did was to make the rice inedible, too.
(1)
Elena C.
For lunch, I ordered the Thai Basil Soup & Pad Thai with Vegetables and Tofu. The host said they only had the broth and basil at the time. I still ordered it. So the small Thai Basil soup came in a tiny little cup. It was okay, because I didn't even finish it. It was so salty. Pad Thai was interesting..... I don't know if you could even call it Pad Thai. I ordered a small, but it was huge! Normally, I love big plates, but I'm not sure what I'll do with the leftovers. I never had Pad Thai that had such a soupy substance, I guess they just add a ton of soy sauce. It was sooooo salty, I wanted to scrap my tongue off. The tofu was sliced like thin chicken strips. It didn't seem very fresh. On another note, I noticed the kitchen just leaves the hot water on constantly by the woks. I guess it's too much to turn the water off and on? I'm not a cook, but that seems very wasteful. I'll still go back and try the other menu items.
(2)
Davis J.
It would have been nice to get an email saying they didn't have half my order by the time I got there. Pour management on that.
(1)
Tyneisha M.
So my boyfriend and I have tried this place twice for takeout and I was pleased each time. The staff was friendly and our food was done pretty quickly. The first time I got the sweet and sour chicken with brown rice which was just okay and he got the caramel chicken and brown rice which I enjoyed more. We've also tried the steak and brown rice which was tasty. This place makes me feel not as guilty when eating chinese and the prices and portions are reasonable, so i'll definitely be back.
(4)
Sharee W.
The place is what it is. It's a quick place for some simple Asian inspired food. The food was okay. It's someplace I would go for a quick lunch, nothing fancy.
(3)
Janice M.
So disappointed in this location. Usually a big fan but the service is terrible here. Ice machine was broken. Ice in soda machine didn't work. Took over 20 minutes to get a to go order with only a few customers waiting and six people cooking. Orders came up and sat waiting to be boxed for the to go orders even though there were three people working the register/to go area. Staff didn't seem to care about customers at all. More interested in entertaining their friends that were hanging around. Won't be back.
(1)
Amy G.
Stopped in with my son for a quick, early dinner - BIG MISTAKE! It used to be okay, but it's just disgusting now. We ordered and then made our way over the filthy, sticky floor to the drink machines....I had ordered a glass of wine, surprising the cashier as they don't have wine, of course! I mentioned that it's on both the paper menu, the large chart menu, and the menu right in front of the registers which made her shrug....should have left right then. Food finally arrives and it's so covered with disgusting, heavily salted 'sauce' as to be almost inedible! I cannot believe that P.F.Changs puts their name on this awful place! Don't go - grab a box of cereal at the Target next door and you'll be much better off!!
(1)
Keith B.
Food is very good and the price makes it a good value. The new Thai foods are very flavorful. I always go for the Orange Beef, it's one of my favorites. We arrived at 8:30 and were told the dining room was closed. We had to order take out. The restaurant closes at 9:00. We sat on the patio with a lot of other customers.
(4)
Katie P.
I enjoy peiwei for good quality Chinese/ thai food. I usually get the pad thai. Only eat half if you're watching your weight. Their dishes are high calorie. Luckily they have highly publicized nutritional info.
(3)
Kristen S.
I used to live within walking distance of this pei wei, so it was a very convenient spot for fast take-out. The food is pretty good for essentially fast food, it is also very Americanized Asian cuisine, so someone looking for an authentic meal is definitely not going to get it. That being said, I generally like it and regularly return. What really has me bothered is their new sushi campaign. I don't have a problem with the sushi itself, I've tried it once and it was pretty good. My problem is that they never have any. They consistently run out before 6 pm, which is ridiculous. If you are going to do a huge promotion of a new product you are offering, maybe you should have enough where you don't run out every day before the dinner rush even begins. The cashiers even wear t-shirts about their sushi! I have ordered from this place probably over 10 times, and every single time I have tried to order the sushi, and every single time they have told me that they've run out. And I don't order dinner really late either, I would say I've never ordered later than 7pm. I'm guessing this is just an example of really poor management.
(2)
Elena C.
This place used to be good. When T and I first started dating we went here on Friday night all the time since it was across the street from his office. Not gourmet and a tad expensive but the food was good and the service decent. It's turned into a sh*t show. The food is lukewarm and bland and on my most recent visit I waited 20 minutes for a cup of soup. When it didn't show up I made two requests. Another 20 minutes later and nothing. So I waited another 10 minutes in line for a refund. The tables are never bussed and service is lackadaisical at best. It's a mess. Save your money and eat somewhere else.
(1)
Sunil A.
This place is horrible. The food is very bad and horrible customer service. They actually did not deliver soup or spring rolls which is part of our order. Even the person who is taking our order was pushy and did not help us. Overall I want to give 0 stars but can't so I ended up with one.
(1)
Ni K.
Love this place. Food is great, service is good. You can eat in or done right outside. You can also call ahead and pick up. It could just be me, but it seems like you get more food when you eat in than when you take out. I love the crab wontons and vegetable spring rolls. Sometimes when I'm headed to Target which is close by, I go to Pei Wei first and pick up some wontons and spring rolls to fuel my shopping trip. A bit overpriced but worth it because there is no MSG. Condiments and utensils are plentiful. They don't charge extra.
(4)
Vanessa W.
I work in the area so I've eaten my fair share of lunches at Pei Wei. I like the food at P.F. Chang's so since Pei Wei is owned by the same company, this location got my attention right away. A number of the dishes are not that great, unfortunately. But their brown rice is always cooked perfectly, the spring rolls are delicious, and I am a fan of their Thai Dynamite Chicken dish. They have a computerized soda fountain which I am a fan of. You can choose from hundreds of soda flavors and combinations. I used to go for the Fanta but now I stick to the sparkling flavored Dasani options, which are fruity and tasty too, without all the extra calories. The staff here are really friendly and that adds to the pleasant experience of eating here. My only complaint is that the tables are never quite as clean as I'd prefer. You can see into the open-air kitchen, and that always looks clean, but obviously the dining room should, too. This is located in the same shopping complex as Target and a PNC Bank location, so it's a nice place to grab lunch while you're running errands.
(3)
Joey M.
I have for sure had better Asian fusion BUT some saving graces are: 1. Serve beer including Kirin 2. Have the cool coca cola machine that allows you to choose a plethora of soda options (seriously very cool) As u walk in you order and pay. The food is then brought to the table. No actual waitress, so to speak. I had edemame, spring roll and sweet n sour chicken made with velvet stock ( decreases fat content by 30%) Overall it was ok...edemame and spring roll were good but the sweet n sour chicken was just ok. I'll likely go back but will have a different entree
(3)
Rachel H.
The food wasn't the problem here. The ignorant girl ( _Togo) at the register was. She was very rude and did not seem to have any patience at all. She was very short with me and interrupted me when I was trying to give my order. I am very disappointed in her professionalism. There are many people out there who don't have jobs if you don't like yours don't take it out on the customers who spend their hard earned money. Someone really needs to talk to her about her interactions with customers. Pei Wei should be ashamed that this is the face that greets and serves you. I WILL NOT BE GIVING PEI WEI MY BUSINESS IF SHE IS THERE SERVING ME.
(1)
Keith M.
I recently ate here and thought my meal was pure garbage. The place is like the McDonald's of Chinese food. At least the restaurant was clean.
Pei Wei offers reasonably priced semi-fast-Asian-food that is of acceptable quality. Pros are the restaurant itself is pretty nice given the prices, online ordering/pickup was a breeze, and they have gluten free options for those needing them. Unfortunately the food was not terrible but definitely forgettable. The one exception was the Hot and sour soup that was actually quite terrible. Broth had a corn starchy consistency and the pork tasted like campbells chicken noodle soup chicken bits. Chicken lettuce wraps were decent, almost as good as PF Chang's. Dan Dan noodles were okay. Noodles were overcooked, flavor wasn't bad. Thai dynamite steak wasn't great, heavy lime flavor over powered much of the spice. Surprisingly, gluten free spicy chicken was probably best entree. Recommended going here for quick dine in lunch or dinner. There isn't good Chinese in east falls so this isn't a bad option if you don't wanna shell out twice the money for han dynasty. Its funny, the suburbs of philly seem to have good and affordable chinese food while in the city I seem to find either cheap, terrible food, or expensive delicious food. If anyone knows a happy medium I'd love some tips.
(3)
Lauren F.
Food isn't all that good . Kind of expensive and horrible customer service . Food takes to long for something that's not that big in size .
(1)
Melissa W.
Not bad for Americanized quasi pan-Asian cuisine. It's all fairly tasty, in a fake Asian food kind of way. Portions are pretty large, though mostly heavy on the rice. Dishes with rice are around $8 each, but we had buy-one-get-one-free coupons for the entrees. For half price, this place was amazing. The "spicy" dishes are not very spicy (or at all, really). Regardless, I particularly enjoyed their approximation of a Thai green curry. The "steak" option seemed better than the chicken: in both the chicken dishes we ordered, the chicken came in the standard battered and fried nuggets soggy with goopy sauce typical of American Chinese takeout. But at least the meat appeared to be white meat, and was not gristly or with other unpleasant inclusions often found in Chinese food. However, I still think the steak option was better, though they were less generous with the beef strips. The guy at the counter who took our orders was very nice, and even came chasing after us in the parking lot when he gave us the wrong dish (not that we would've been able to tell the difference). For those of you who ever had the privilege of being familiar with Teen Girl Squad, I leave you with this: MSG'd!!! Oww, my stomach lining. But in this case, it burns in a good way.
(3)
Audrey M.
I think people confuse Pei Wei with real Chinese/Thai/Japanese. It is fast food brought to you by the same people that own PF Changs. PF Changs is an "open bag" place (they don't cook from scratch, open premade bags) and certainly not haute cuisine. That being said, Pei Wei is a decent place. Food always hot. Sometimes too much swimming in the sauce but not horrible. Also, it is trying to be a fusion place. Tricky to begin with but add the fast meal aspect and it can come up short. This is a good locations. Clean. Well lit. Friendly.
(3)
Matt R.
This is my favorite lunch place in the City Line Ave area. Impressive selection of Asian cuisine for a chain. Doesn't feel to chainy inside. Love the Pei Wei spicy which is their General Tso, Mongolian Beef is good to, and also the Kung Pow. Not huge on their salads. Their lettuce wraps are good and quality hot and sour soups. I've tried just about everything on the menu. I recommend the combo and getting a spring roll with it. Also if you eat in, sometimes they have the huge tall boy cans of Sapporo.
(5)
Heather H.
A frustrating experience. This was my first time here, and it was a train wreck! We will not be back. The place upon entering was extremely loud and dirty. There was no organization with staff so ordering and waiting took forever. Our order was wrong so we had to fix it. At least we had a gift certificate. So it's like we never paid. Don't let the outside decor fool you. This place is gross and trashy. The food was not good. I looked up the dishes online since we were going to pick it up and eat at home. I am so glad we did not dine-in. I had pad thai and was craving it. It tasted nothing like real or Americanized pad thai. It tasted like a camp fire. The peanut taste was missing completely even though there were weird peanut halves on top. I was really hungry and ate half. Debating on if the leftovers should just be trashed. The crab wontons were really weird. They looked tasty but were not. Avoid these too. Overall, I would rather eat at a mall food court Asian place. It might be a slight step above. At least they give you a free sample on a toothpick prior to ordering.
(1)
Michael F.
First time here today. Had a hot n sour soup to start. Very small portion, maybe 5 or 6 spoonfuls at the most. Ordered up the Spicy Korean w/ Chicken and brown rice. A very generous portion for sure, and everything cooked well. The sauce was a bit heavy and a tad sweet, but did a well enough job for lunch. The long beans were very tasty in the entree. For a chain, it's what you'd expect.
(3)
Benjamin M.
So, we accidentally happened upon here while looking for a lunch spot prior to heading across the river to Manayunk. I had never even heard of this place and just assumed it was another run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurant...that is until we saw a reference to "PF Changs" on the door. Whoa, hold up! We ventured inside, which was fairly spacious for a strip-mall restaurant. I decided on the Mandarin Kung Pao Chicken w/fried rice and wasn't disappointed with either the taste or the portion size. I recommend Pei Wei (aka, PF Changs Fast Food?), as a scaled down and more affordable version of the original restaurant. Too bad there's only two locations in Philadelphia area and two in western Jersey. Now I just need to figure out how in the heck to pronounce it.
(4)
Dave H.
I'd rather get local takeout Chinese. Pei Wei is awful, even for Americanized Chinese. They serve up pan-Asian style dishes, most which are reasonably-priced. Their menu even features handy-dandy labels to indicate what can be vegetized, and what can be made hot. Sadly their cooking was a pale imitation of reality: my so-called spicy "Thai" blazing noodles had MSG'd beef, and were coated in a chili sauce that tasted salty sweet - then again, I have deadened taste buds. My more normal friend found her dish too spicy. On the positive side, portions were good, and they sold beer. (I had hot tea, the next best thing.) Service wasn't in our face either - we sat ourselves after ordering up front - so be proactive if you want any. The interior was attractive enough, sporting P.F. Chang's branding. Oh, and parking is a snap! Pei Wei didn't remind me of any diner, save for their open kitchen. If you sit at the counter, you can watch staff wok and toss. Thanks to my friend for paying!
(2)
Sam J.
I love Pei Wei but I guess this just one of those "bad egg" locations. Staff is friendly, but that's about the only positive thing I could say about my 3-4 experiences here. The food tastes like it has been in the back of a freezer truck for 1500 miles or so, which I guess is probably accurate come to think of it. Rubbery chicken, chewy steak, fishy shrimp. The sesame chicken had more gristle than protein. Not the chef's fault here, they work with what they have. Avoid if you can, bit the food won't kill you if you have no other choice.
(2)
Monique C.
Went in last week to finally use the gift cards Pei Wei sent me for my previous bad experience. Let me just say that they got this place into shape. I made sure to come at the same time on the same day as my first visit. The dining area was clean and the staff were friendly and in uniform. There was no clowning around as far as I saw. Our food arrived quickly and was perfect. Solid 4/5 for Pei Wei.
(4)
ben c.
I came here for the first time. I didn't know what it was but my sister said it was good. It's like an asian fast food place. The foods we ordered were all very good. They have great customer service! The lady at the register counter was very nice and was helping in describing the dishes to us so we could figure out what we wanted to eat. The tables were always being cleaned and the servers (if you decided to dine in) were very accommodating and polite. One server even waiting for the customer who were getting their drinks from the soda machine to sit down before she brought over there meals. The staff was very well trained at this establishment. I will most likely visit again if i'm in the area.
(3)
Colleen O.
25-30 minute wait for take out food. Really?? Poorly run and have no idea what's even being cooked. Never again!
(1)
Shanique S.
I really get the same thing everytime :) Pei Wei Spicy (shrimp or chicken dish) is delicious!
(4)
K. A. N. A. K.
Uhh . . . Funny that we ordered Dan Dan noodles and "Spicy Korean" over rice, but both dishes tasted the same (and not like something they were supposed to reference) and that flavor was not particularly good.
(2)
Danny L.
Can't believe I got suckered in by the chicken lettuce wraps (PF Chang's Style) That's about the only thing worth ordering here. Take heed people.
(2)
Harry E.
I really love Pei Wei! Truly... I do. They have indoor or outdoor seating. Self serve fountain drinks including iced tea and lemons. Prices are very reasonable and super awesome props for posting the caloric info as well as fat and other important information. Spicy isn't really spicy but hey what are you going to do, it's a chain, chains NEVER give the 4 alarm fire my taste buds crave. I love eating outside with my Great Dane as all the passers by either gawk and avoid him like the plague or rush over to make friends. Also Starbucks is close by for a nice little after dinner coffee or espresso.
(4)
Veggie T.
Tofu options on a good number of the dishes plus a touchscreen soda machine put this place on my list. The kitchen staff is on full display, which is always nice even though they're usually louder than the customers. They lose some points for puttting mushrooms(yuck) in the spring rolls & chicken in both of their soups.
(3)
Steve V.
First "discovered" this poor man's PF Changs in California. Glad they are coming out this way. There is one in Cherry Hill as well. It is basically the fast food version of PF Changs. They are affiliated. You come in order, get a number, put it at your table of choice, and within minutes you are enjoying. The Crab Wontons are awesome! Anything with brown rice makes it "healthy." They also have nice untensils, plates, and napkins. Doesn't feel fast food at all!
(5)
Colleen M.
Oil. So much oil. This is the first time I've eaten from Pei Wei and it was disgusting. I got the traditional chicken lettuce wraps for take out and by the time I opened the box about 20 minutes later, so much oil had pooled in the bottom that I could have scooped out at least a few tablespoons without getting any chicken. I skimmed some of the chicken off the top to try the flavor and it mostly just tasted like oil. I also got the spicy Korean chicken and while not as oily, the sauce tasted like oil and salt. The chicken itself would have been pretty good. I wasn't too impressed with the service either. I may have been the first customer of the day (11:19am on Saturday) as they didn't seem quite ready for the day. The cashier was filling cups with a sauce right near the register which didn't seem like the correct area for that. I got a fountain soda while a worker was cleaning the condiment area (I appreciate the cleaning!). I tried to get a straw and he didn't seem to notice me. So I stepped back for a minute thinking to give him a chance to finish but he kept cleaning. I finally said excuse me and reached around him and he didn't even step back to let me reach anything else. He said something like "you're alright" like it was okay that I was getting in his way. The service issues were minor but I can still taste the oil. Gross.
(1)
Vishal S.
Went there for dinner and had the spicy korean chicken. The food was not awesome and not bad also. It was ok. Not going there for a second time though. The flavors were not so great. And could noit differentiate the chinese and korean flavors.
(2)
Karen F.
I had a surprisingly decent experience at Pei Wei - and this is the first and only time I'd ever been to one. It's kinda like the Qdoba of Chinese food. You place your order and pay at the front counter, then take your number and sit down. I ordered from a VERY nice young man at the counter. I had an order of 4 (fried) cream cheese wontons (supposedly they had crab - but they were very light on the crab) and the Viet Namese Chicken rolls (Not the salad wraps - the rice paper rolls). Good but I've had way better. Due to the EXCELLENT friendly service - not only from the counter man (who gave me a coupon for my next visit when he heard this was my frst) - but also the sweet young gal who nrought me my order, and the very CLEAN and uncrowded (note it was 11:25 AM on a Thursday) this porbably made my experience better than it could have been. That said - I will return again to try a "bowl" or entree. I would not get the Viet rolls again - but I would splurge on the cream-cheesey fried goodness once in a great while. I also would like to try their Thai style wonton soup. Not bad - really. I am pleasantly surprised and will return again to test them. P.S. My order total with tax was just under $12 - kinda high for lunch on a workday. (No beverage!!!!)
(3)
J Bradford L.
This is another take on a "high end" fast food Chinese restaurant. Similar ordering style as Chipotle or Piada. Order noodles, protein, sauce and extras. I got some kind of spicy noodles that tasted pretty darn good. Very modern, clean interior. They had beer at the location I was at!! I would give it a try if you come across one. Not going to be the best Chinese you've ever had, but if you are looking for decent quick noodles, you could do a lot worse.
(3)
Chris M.
So, I strolled into Pei Wei with my wife last night, not sure what to expect. I almost turned around and left when I realized that this was one of those order-at-the-counter-and-pay-first, Baja-Fresh-esque restaurants. But, I'm glad we stayed. The lady working the cash register was very pleasant and had a good sense of humor. There was a bin full of beer with a sign on it that said, "Large Beers - $6.25. Imported Beers - $4." I asked what the cost of a Sapporo would be because it is both large and imported. She laughed. Anyway, I asked what the spiciest thing on the menu was ("Blazing Thai" something or other) and got it and my wife got the teriyaki chicken bowl. We got the lettuce wraps appetizer - which is unbelievably good. Our food came out promptly was good. I way preferred my wife's food to mine, though -- that's what I get for chasing spiciness, rather than ordering something I know I will like. Anyway, total check was $25 (not bad), and we had a good overall experience. I would definitely come back for a casual, low-key night out.
(3)
Danan R.
This is very Americanized Chinese but sometimes I do want just that. And that is when I come here for my chicken teriyaki with brown rice. It's filling, fast, and cheap. And honestly, it's pretty good too. I would liken this to five guys, except that it serves Chinese rather than burgers. The sauces are flavorful and the ingredients are fresh. Plus, the veggies are crisp and given in ample amounts.
(4)
Carla V.
Pei Wei is great, I love their food but this location is almost always a disappointment. The staff, one woman in particular is always so rude and I am pretty sure she just wants to sabotage our eating experience for kicks. The food is always better and more consistent at other Pei Wei locations. It is such a bummer since I work near here but I am so tired of dealing with their terrible service!!
(2)
Bruce B.
Pei Wei is a well run chain restaurant with a energetic, multicultural staff. T he restaurant is comfy and attractive and they have nice plates and utensils and the open air kitchen is a great idea for a fast food spot. i love Asian food and a spot that offers Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean dishes caught my attention I ordered the Korean BBQ and my friend ordered the Pei Wei spicy chicken. I really liked my dish, even though it wasn't barbecued, the beef was very tasty as were the veggies and the sauce. My friend didn't care for the Pei Wei chicken saying that the coating on the chicken was too overpowering I had a Egg Roll that was filled with ground pork and veggies and it came with a nice sauce to dip it in. I don't know if you can call it fast food, because when you think of it most Asian food is fast food. How many times were you amazed when you called a Chinese take out and gave them a list of entrees as long as your arm and the voice on the other end of your call said "Ten minutes"
(3)
Mario B.
It's not gourmet, but it's much better than standard Chinese take-out fare. The Diner Selects meals are great, cheap options as they include an appetizer (wonton soup is awesome) for even less than the full-size entree price. Also, Pei Wei can be great for diets too. You can get lots of options "stock velveted" to save some calories/fat. Even without the stock-velveted option, you can get a full diner select portion of Mongolian Beef, Vietnamese Slaw, and Soup/Spring Roll for 350 calories and 12 grams of fat. This is much better than all other "fast food" (though be warned, as with all asian food, sodium content is very high). Also, never had any problems with ordering ahead online. In fact, I'd highly recommend because my biggest problem with the place has always been waiting for the food when I hadn't preordered. All and all, I recommend.
(4)
Surfandturf J.
If you can ignore the fruit flys, ice cold food, and broken soda machine, this place is pretty darned good.
(2)
Betsi K.
One of my favorite chains - there is no place better for a satisfying fix of Asian inspired food on the run...While we like to avoid chains when on vacation - sometimes you just want what you know will hit the pallet a certain way - and this fit the bill!
(4)
Laura D.
Sure it's commercialized and americanized, but I love this place. Healthy choices, tasty food, take-home portions, brown rice, quick service... that's plenty for me. I don't compare it to other asian food, I compare it to my other relatively quick and cheap food options outside the city. When my stomach is grumbling on Saturday afternoon I think to myself, "Do I want pizza place, fast food, Couch Tomato AGAIN, Wawa... oh yeah, Pei Wei!" Not only does it fit my under 45 min, ~$10 for a meal criteria, but has the added bonus of being healthy. And boy do I like health. I've had the spicy korean, thai coconut curry, and thai dynamite, and all have been quite good... options for tofu or shrimp, and brown rice, make it even better. Spicy dishes aren't over the top, but do have some kick. Wash it down with black current or orange peel brewed iced tea, yum. Top it all off with a fortune cookie or two... in bed.
(4)
Jen R.
I don't know how to review this place. Is it a restaurant? Is it fast food? Its a weird mix of both. I think they should pick one and stick with it. You order and pay as you walk in, then get your drinks and seat yourself. Your food is then served to you. We weren't halfway through our appetizers of lettuce wraps and two crab wontons when our food was served. We had the Honey Crispy Chicken with white rice and the Pei Wei Spicy Chicken. We loved the lettuce wraps. The rest was good but nothing special. Don't let the word "diner" fool you. Good food but pricey. For $32 we could have gotten more bang for our buck at our local chinese restaurant.
(2)
Payal P.
i think enough has been said about this place so i am just going to go with what i've had and recall being one way or another love - dan dan noodles korean with chicken or shrimp like - blazing noodles mongolian with shrimp lettuce wraps (they are sometimes amazing and some times ok) spicy ramen not a fan of - pad thai...the noodles taste too starchy
(4)
Brad M.
I love the Mongolian Steak with Fried Rice! It has the PFChangs Quality (I've never been to a Pei Wei and had a bad experience) The good always arrives quickly and has a consistent high quality taste.
(5)
Seve' M.
You are not going to be pissed that you came here. Now are you going to dance in the streets...not so much. I only get to go since I am across the street at work so I can't comment on "dining in" but if you call ahead your order it will definitely be there waiting for you to pick it up. One of the most Americanized Asian places I have ever been to but still good enough to want more. I think the price is pretty much on average for what you would expect and you get enough food that it will even out. Like I said before this place is just ehhhhhhh OK. Just a side note the reason I gave it four stars was because they are always on time with my order and I can pick it up quick and get back to my yelping.
(4)
Gavin S.
Honestly, the food here is not so bad. My problem with Pei Wei is that the menu is so limited I don't really see the point to this place. Chung Hing is nearby and has my favorite Chinese dish, shrimp in spicy tomato sauce (sometimes called Szechuan shrimp if prepared properly) as well as a full chinese menu. I've been to Pei Wei twice and agree this is totally Americanized chinese - both my meals were forgettable. Bottom line - Pei Wei = Pei WHY?
(2)
Sabrina R.
First - let's just point out Pei Wei isn't meant to be good Chinese/Asian food. It's a fast food, Asian experience. With that being said, back in 2008 - they did a fantastic job. Coming back here in 2012, it's horrible. I don't know when Pei Wei changed it's recipes, but they are now blander versions of lean cuisine meals. For the price you pay, you'd expect more. I will say the staff is always nice, and I like the outdoor seating. For almost the same price, go to California Pizza Kitchen next door.
(3)
Arica N.
I have eaten here over the years since it opened maybe 3 years ago(?). Always for lunch. This is by far the best Chinese/Asian food I have had on this coast. Your order is fresh made and delivered to your table by happy wait staff. If you have small children that may balk at spicy food you can always get brown rice and steamed veggies for a small price. Even if you don't like Chinese food go for the red floor, it is something to behold.
(4)
P H.
The best Asian cuisine I have had. A little more expensive than your everyday Chinese restaurant but far better. Fav Dishes: Spicy Korean (steak/brown rice) Sesame Chicken (Brown rice) Crab won-tons.
(5)
Rachel G.
Pei Wei is an asian-fusion diner quick service restaurant chain. The reason why I want to write this review is because I wanted to call attention to their gluten free menu. I've eaten there on several occasions, and they have a few GF dishes including hot entrees and salads that are yummy and readily available every time I'm there. It's great. It is becoming a big lunchtime favorite of mine. Try to the Pei Wei spicy chicken - comes with sugar snap peas and carrots with nice big chunks of chicken. A yummy alternative to the usual lunch salad indeed!
(3)
John B.
I came here only because a bunch of people wanted to go here for a quick meal...and I wasn't part of the decision making process. And i thought...sure, it can't be THAT bad. But...unfortunately, it was THAT bad. I had the "special" spicy Japanese ramen...which was not ramen at all but resembled yakiudon execept that the udon noodle was made with egg... The spice seemed like they put together generic hot sauce with some ginger and called it japanese...and yes, it was terrible. I saw other people's dishes...thai lettuce wrap (reminded me of cheesecake factory), pad thai (is there any *asian* restaurant that does not serve pad thai these days?), and a plethora of below average and terrible array of food.
(1)
Benjamin K.
Pad Thai is my standard for all Thai resturants. If the Pad Thai is good...i will try the rest of what is on the menu. I have eaten at probably 15 Thai resturants all together and this place has...BY FAR THE WORST PAD THAI I HAVE EVER TASTED! That is all. Greasy and tastless and made my guts hurt the next day pretty bad. Avoid it like the swine flu!
(1)
Jen L.
I was really excited to try Pei Wei (is it Pee-Wee or Pay-Way? No one can tell me) today for lunch because I had a manja craving for dumplings. Guess what - NO DUMPLINGS on the menu here. What is it with the lack of dumplings in the Philadelphia area (see my review of the liars at the Comcast Building Food Court), all I ever want are dumplings. I ordered the Crab Wontons aka crab rangoon and shared them with a friend, and the Thai Coconut Curry Chicken with brown rice. My entree was pretty enormous, and I ate it for lunch AND dinner. Both items were excellent, but I can still only give three stars due to the lack of motherfucking dumplings.
(3)
Tyler T.
I've been here too many times to count and it's been great every single time. I have ordered almost every entree but my favorite is the Mongolian Beef. The sauce is a perfect blend of spicy and sweet. Can never go wrong with the signature lettuce wraps and the cheese wontons. This is my go to spot when I'm in the need for a quick lunch or dinner.
(4)
Alex V.
Pei Wei is not a bad option if you want a lot of Chinese food for cheap, because the portions are huge. The food quality is average, but I've had a lot worse. The menu is essentially "American Chinese" with some fusion dishes too. I definitely recommend the Pei Wei Spicy, which is similar to General Tso's. One item of note, I consistently find dirty cups and dishes when I dine in at Pei Wei. I would recommend take out, or if you dine-in, get your drinks in paper cups.
(2)
Duke D.
Food is wonderful and fast. Two girls at the counter- WORST ATTITUDES ever. Her questions weren't clear, she couldn't answer simple questions about her own food. The other cashier was too busy texting! Sorry to bother you ladies with my money! I'll probably never return now. WAY TO GO
(2)
Julia C.
I have been to PF Chang's Pei Wei (pronounced Pay Way) several times and have always had a good meal. It's fresh, tasty and cheap. They also give you big portions. last night i went to dinner with a friend. My friend had the something under "signature Dishes" - the Vegetables & Tofu Thai Coconut Curry, which she said was spicey and tasty and I had a dish under the "noodles and big bowls" category - the Vegetables & Tofu Lo Mein. My dish was flavorful despite not being spicey. Both dishes were loaded with vegetables. Service was prompt, despite being relatively full for early dining (we arrived at 5:30-ish).
(4)
Cynthia D.
Veggie option, beer... I wanted this to be a "diner" but it's really just the qboba of asian fusion. Not a bad place to stop, but when I hear diner, I'm usually getting overly excited.
(3)
Megan D.
I stopped in on Saturday afternoon while running errands in the adjacent shopping center and kinda regretted it. The germaphobe in me is generally pretty happy to see an open kitchen design, and the modern decor with digital menu board gave me high hopes. The food I saw being delivered all looked really good. I ordered the teriyaki rice bowl with chicken. The dish was mainly made of rice(shocking that it was called a rice bowl right?) and lots of it! It would probably not bother me if the rice was cooked correctly. It was also so salty I barely got through half of the bowl. After about a half hour of shopping my stomach decided it also did not like the salty mush called rice. I don't think I will be returning anytime soon.
(2)
Uday T.
It is a very nice place. All the food items are very less priced (almost all items are @$6.95). I had pad Thai, spring rolls and chicken fried rice. I loved the fried rice. Nice spicy food. Very good service, super fast service. Would definitely like to visit again. Uday
(5)
Teri M.
Pei Wei is actually a scaled down version of P.F. Chang's. The owners decided several years ago to offer something a little cheaper/casual for folks who like the food from P.F. Chang's but can't afford to go out to eat all "upscale". There aren't many up here in PA, so it's hard to really know that, but when I lived in Dallas, I got the scoop as they were all brand new then. I haven't been to this location yet, but I do know the food is tasty, just beware of the beef broccoli (yeah go figure) if you are concerned with sodium content, it's on the high side.
(4)
Meg C.
Pei Wei is fast, cheap and good. The portions are generous (my boyfriend and I can split one entree and an appetizer and both be satisfied). Also, nutritional information is on their website, so you can figure out what dishes are the healthiest. I LOVE the fact that they have hot chili paste as a condiment, even the spicy dishes require a little more heat for me. Last time we visited, our edamame was ready before we got to our table. The service is amazingly fast, but obviously can get a bit slow around lunch. The chai tea is just okay, I usually just stick with water or Jones soda. The Pad Thai is very good for a fast food joint, not too sweet. I love the tofu and egg in it. I also really like the Chicken Dan Dan Noodles, which has both chicken and cucumber in it, a favorite flavor combination of mine. But I always return to the Pad Thai with chicken. Also, I always eat at least two fortune cookies. I swear theirs are less cardboardy than usual.
(4)
Alfredo G.
I used to work across a PF Changs, so I didn't have high expectations for an even more Americanized fast food chain. I was pleasantly surprised. Service was quick and the ambiance was good. The portions are relatively large. I'll take this over any other fast food Asian restaurant chain. What's up with the spice? My spicy Thai Blazing Noodles were actually spicy. Since when does that happen with Americanized food? And why doesn't PF Changs have that? Actually, I couldn't eat it all, so I wouldn't mind if they toned it down a bit. Maybe next time I won't accidentally say spicy before the name of the plate.
(4)
David T.
I had high hopes for Pei Wei when it opened last summer. I am a big fan of PF Changs, and when I heard Pei Wei was run by the same company, I figured it would be the next best thing. Pei Wei has a great concept - higher quality, chinese pseudo-fast food (think a chinese version of Panera Bread). Some of the food is tasty - the lettuce wraps are just as good as the ones you get at PF Changs, for example. The problem is most of the other dishes range from average to, well, average. So it's not really that Pei Wei is bad, it's just not as good as it could be. And because of that, I just can't bring myself to give it more than 3 stars. The service is pretty good - if you're going there for a business lunch, you can usually be in and out in 30 minutes. Keep in mind that there's no waitress service - you order your food when you arrive (like I said - think Panera).
(3)
Chris L.
Pei Wei is basically a fancy version of a diner that serves Asian food. If you're looking for authentic asian food, you will be disappointed. Like its parent restaurant PF Chang, it's just a "high class" type of place that's nicely decorated with fake asian food. It's also pricier than other food court type of places, with entrees starting at 7 dollars or so. The food is OK at best. Personally, I'd stick to the food court at the mall since it's cheaper for the same quality of food, or even better, goto Chinatown. One bonus about this place: they offer brown rice for health freaks for *no extra charge*. That's a first I've seen that... most other places charge an extra dollar for brown rice.
(3)
Dontae W.
I decided to go because I was interested to see what this new addition to City Line Avenue was really like. I ordered Spring Rolls and the Teriyaki Bowl. Both were good overall. I must admit I am not a big fan of Chinese food because I know most places sell a fake version of it. However, the Spring Rolls were larger than I expected and very tasty. The Vegetable-Tofu Teriyaki Bowl was okay. The rice was overcooked and they were stingy with the tofu. But again thats why it was just ok. Also, they made an attempt to give us something different with a Cosi type atmosphere and dim lighting. The food is not worth a special trip but it is one of the only chinese/Asian food places in the area.
(3)
Jenn H. H.
I like this place! The prices are ok, and you get plenty of food. You'll either be stuffed or take home a doggy bag. It's not authentic chinese / asian food. It's very americanized and palatable, but good. I'm in love with the chicken teriyaki and their brown rice. The place is bright, clean, with an open kitchen. You order, sit down, and they bring the food to you fairly quickly. It's a quick and cheap alternative to take out, if you actually want to sit.
(4)
Pete S.
"Even more Americanized, Americanized Asian food." Food is surprisingly well prepared and taste pretty good. I've been here several times and have not had a bad experience with service or the food itself. The place is clean and modern. The staff is always friendly. Price is cheap so I never hesitate to come back whenever I need my Americasian food fix.
(3)
Da S.
Great food. Great value.
(5)
Alex M.
PF Chang's cheaper diner-type restaurant just opened on City Line and I'm sure PCOM and St Joes students are rejoicing. Its cheap, light, wok-cooked food that sort of resembles the cuisine found at Chinese, Korean, and Thai restaurtants. Did I mention that it's really cheap? You basically order a sauce and a meat for an entree and they seat you like they do in a diner. Within minutes your food is at your table. While it's not authentic, it's still decent - especially for the area. The Kung Pao shrimp was by far the best, most flavorful, dish they had. I'll update this review as I try more dishes. Check it out!
(3)
Erin C.
Crab wontons were dry. Sweet and sour chicken was very bland. Dan Dan noodles tasted like Lean Cuisine with x4 the sodium.
(1)
Foodie H.
best pei wei in town!!!! love it....i eat there 1 a week.
(5)
Jason L.
Food was extremely salty and over-cooked. Will not visit again.
(2)
Francesca H.
This is a great spot to go too if you want fast Chinese without sacrificing taste. I am a big fan of the Hot & Sour soup and Lemon Pepper Chicken. Although they did take it off the menu. My new favorite has become the Tia Dynamite. Food is hot and fresh and never greasy like all other Chinese fast food places. Great place 100%
(5)
Dana B.
Casual, laid-back atmosphere and decent food. The spring rolls were great, and I got the Thai Mango Chicken (which only happens to be there for a limited time right now) and it was good but a bit spicy for my taste. Would definitely come back to try all the other selections they have, provided I'm in the area again.
(4)
Andrew D.
basic americanized chinese food. not the worst i've had, but certainly not the best. sorry paul fleming, but this one's not even par for the pei wei course (which would warrant three stars, at most). better check the kitchen on city ave... i won't be back.
(1)
M. C.
My husband and I love this place. It has a lot of similar dishes that P.F. Chang's has, but it's much, much cheaper. By the way, it is pronounced Pay Way. It even says on their take-out menu. I always get the Pei Wei Spicy Chicken wth fried rice (fried rice is $1 more than plain) and my husband gets the Mongolian Beef. The Pei Wei Spicy comes with some vegetables too (unlike P.F. Chang's version). I feel like I get much more for my money when I eat at Pei Wei. And trust me, when they say it's spicy, it is spicy. Tip: Get a take-out box when you sit down and put half of your entree into a take-home box before you start eating - or share with a friend. The portions are huge. They can easily feed two people who don't overeat a lot or can be someone's lunch and dinner. Very good place. I highly recommend it! The decor is decent, it has an Asian theme of course, and there is plenty of parking.
(4)
Stephanie C.
What can I say? I moved from Pei Wei's STRONGEST market in Dallas to Philadelphia. HUGE PEI WEI FAN! Great service!!! You can't go wrong with the vietnamese chicken salad rolls. Very low fat, healthy, and tasty! Also, try the Asian coconut curry! SO GOOD!
(5)
Katie P.
I wrote a review about P.F. Changs awhile back. I prayed that a P.F. Changs would open up near me. I kept driving past Pei Wei with a heavy judgement until I discovered it was owned by P.F. Changs. My nickname for Pei Wei is P.F. Changs Junior. Now I can only report about the takeout. It is pretty good. Not as great as P.F. Changs. One thing I love about Pei Wei is the tofu strips they put into the dishes. I have had the Pei Wei Spicy with tofu several times. It is chewy and full of flavor- not like regular tofu which is gelatinous and yucky. I wish they would package their tofu and sell it in the grocery store. My guess is that they partial dehydrate marinated tofu and then deep fry it. I also love the Lo Mein with shrimp although it is a little on the sweet side. Service is super speedy. I go there at off hours and only have had to wait at the most ten minutes after placing my order. It would be great if P.F. Changs would open up a few more locations closer to me than Plymouth Meeting Mall but I understand they have to be in places that have huge parking lots. So for now I am happy with Pei Wei as a quick alternative to his daddy.
(4)
Barry S.
For a Pei Wei it is not too bad. The service is kind of slow though.
(3)
jon v.
Pei Wei's food is not good. Pad Thai didn't taste like Pad Thai and their version of General Tso's Chicken was not good, either. You're better off going to a real chinese restaurant.
(2)
matthew l.
If you love hot and sour soup, stay away from this one, its pretty bad. Having said that I go to Pei Wei almost every time I go to the Target next door. Its a chain and you know it, but the minced chicken in lettuce wraps is a nice summer item especially sitting outside on a balmy evening. The menu is pan Asian so you get a little of your favorite Korean, Viet, Chinese and Japanese almost favorite bastardized versions. The pad Thai is good rice noodles with the usual garnishes of egg, mung bean, crushed peanuts, cilantro, lime and just about everything but the tiny dessicated shrimp. The Dan Dan noodles are tasty egg noodles with minced chicken with a garlic chile hit and the portion, as with most dishes here, is generous. Spring rolls, spicy Thai Blazing noodles and a Teriyaki bowl pretty good. If you ask that they go easy on the oil, you should be OK. Iced tea and Coke with a perfect brix as well as a Yeungling or TsingTao go well. I go whenever I go to the Target next door. Hmmm! I think the question is, would I go if this was a Target-less location? Not sure. One genuine bummer, no udon. Can't figure that one as its on the company menu. Love the udon!
(3)
Anne M.
I would give it 3.5 stars...I have gone to the one in Springfield and had mixed emotions. PF Changs (see Chris L's. review) at least in the Chadds Ford location, is the slowest service I have ever seen, so the fast food atmosphere and similar menu makes Pei Wei like PF Changs Express. Of course Changs has a very nice assortment of teas and is a great place to take a date, whereas the newly opened Baltimore Pike locale is already just acceptably clean, not spotless, and when I asked if they served coffee the manager very rudely sniggered in my face. (Why that is funny I don't know.) They do have lovely sauces, like chili oil and so forth and I personally think white rice is disgusting. Out here in the suburban wilderness you can't get brown rice for love or money. The decor is more San Francisco-y than trying to be actually Oriental, I think. The chain is from out that way originally. The food was good, smaller portions than Chang's which is sometimes a good thing. Not too bad an idea but I'd rather go to one in the city than this particular locale.
(3)
CE C.
so when this first opened probably close to two years now, i use to frequent it a lot, it's cheap and really not that bad considering it is fast food asian. so i decided to return recently when visiting philly for a quick bite. i had the blazing noodles with beef and a friend had the pad thai. boy has it gone downhill, i was embarrassed that i even recommended this place for dinner. my blazing noodles were soggy and all i tasted was pepper, no other spices. there was a lot of beef that was tough to eat. The pad thai was a pile of noodles with maybe a piece of tofu here and there. At least they still have that bowl of oranges in the back for dessert. i dont think i will be returning again
(2)
Luey H.
man i was excited because i actually enjoy PF Changs although it is fake chinese food. Pei Wei has a nice atmosphere but the food is ridiculously salty. My friend order some Vietnamese Spring Roll which is a mistake. I'm viet and never order vietnamese spring rolls in a fusion place. the rest of the stuff was SUPER salty. my friend order the pad thai, ok but too salty to eat. My Kung Pao chicken was so salty i wanted to douse my tea on it and wash off the sauce. we sent the food back and although it was less salty it was still inedible. i dont know how the people around us were eating this crap. the managers were telling us all the sauces were pre made and there was nothing they could do. omg. eat here if you want to have high blood pressure
(1)
Chris M.
So, I strolled into Pei Wei with my wife last night, not sure what to expect. I almost turned around and left when I realized that this was one of those order-at-the-counter-and-pay-first, Baja-Fresh-esque restaurants. But, I'm glad we stayed. The lady working the cash register was very pleasant and had a good sense of humor. There was a bin full of beer with a sign on it that said, "Large Beers - $6.25. Imported Beers - $4." I asked what the cost of a Sapporo would be because it is both large and imported. She laughed. Anyway, I asked what the spiciest thing on the menu was ("Blazing Thai" something or other) and got it and my wife got the teriyaki chicken bowl. We got the lettuce wraps appetizer - which is unbelievably good. Our food came out promptly was good. I way preferred my wife's food to mine, though -- that's what I get for chasing spiciness, rather than ordering something I know I will like. Anyway, total check was $25 (not bad), and we had a good overall experience. I would definitely come back for a casual, low-key night out.
(3)
Danan R.
This is very Americanized Chinese but sometimes I do want just that. And that is when I come here for my chicken teriyaki with brown rice. It's filling, fast, and cheap. And honestly, it's pretty good too. I would liken this to five guys, except that it serves Chinese rather than burgers. The sauces are flavorful and the ingredients are fresh. Plus, the veggies are crisp and given in ample amounts.
(4)
Carla V.
Pei Wei is great, I love their food but this location is almost always a disappointment. The staff, one woman in particular is always so rude and I am pretty sure she just wants to sabotage our eating experience for kicks. The food is always better and more consistent at other Pei Wei locations. It is such a bummer since I work near here but I am so tired of dealing with their terrible service!!
(2)
Bruce B.
Pei Wei is a well run chain restaurant with a energetic, multicultural staff. T he restaurant is comfy and attractive and they have nice plates and utensils and the open air kitchen is a great idea for a fast food spot. i love Asian food and a spot that offers Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean dishes caught my attention I ordered the Korean BBQ and my friend ordered the Pei Wei spicy chicken. I really liked my dish, even though it wasn't barbecued, the beef was very tasty as were the veggies and the sauce. My friend didn't care for the Pei Wei chicken saying that the coating on the chicken was too overpowering I had a Egg Roll that was filled with ground pork and veggies and it came with a nice sauce to dip it in. I don't know if you can call it fast food, because when you think of it most Asian food is fast food. How many times were you amazed when you called a Chinese take out and gave them a list of entrees as long as your arm and the voice on the other end of your call said "Ten minutes"
(3)
Mario B.
It's not gourmet, but it's much better than standard Chinese take-out fare. The Diner Selects meals are great, cheap options as they include an appetizer (wonton soup is awesome) for even less than the full-size entree price. Also, Pei Wei can be great for diets too. You can get lots of options "stock velveted" to save some calories/fat. Even without the stock-velveted option, you can get a full diner select portion of Mongolian Beef, Vietnamese Slaw, and Soup/Spring Roll for 350 calories and 12 grams of fat. This is much better than all other "fast food" (though be warned, as with all asian food, sodium content is very high). Also, never had any problems with ordering ahead online. In fact, I'd highly recommend because my biggest problem with the place has always been waiting for the food when I hadn't preordered. All and all, I recommend.
(4)
Surfandturf J.
If you can ignore the fruit flys, ice cold food, and broken soda machine, this place is pretty darned good.
(2)
Betsi K.
One of my favorite chains - there is no place better for a satisfying fix of Asian inspired food on the run...While we like to avoid chains when on vacation - sometimes you just want what you know will hit the pallet a certain way - and this fit the bill!
(4)
Laura D.
Sure it's commercialized and americanized, but I love this place. Healthy choices, tasty food, take-home portions, brown rice, quick service... that's plenty for me. I don't compare it to other asian food, I compare it to my other relatively quick and cheap food options outside the city. When my stomach is grumbling on Saturday afternoon I think to myself, "Do I want pizza place, fast food, Couch Tomato AGAIN, Wawa... oh yeah, Pei Wei!" Not only does it fit my under 45 min, ~$10 for a meal criteria, but has the added bonus of being healthy. And boy do I like health. I've had the spicy korean, thai coconut curry, and thai dynamite, and all have been quite good... options for tofu or shrimp, and brown rice, make it even better. Spicy dishes aren't over the top, but do have some kick. Wash it down with black current or orange peel brewed iced tea, yum. Top it all off with a fortune cookie or two... in bed.
(4)
Jen R.
I don't know how to review this place. Is it a restaurant? Is it fast food? Its a weird mix of both. I think they should pick one and stick with it. You order and pay as you walk in, then get your drinks and seat yourself. Your food is then served to you. We weren't halfway through our appetizers of lettuce wraps and two crab wontons when our food was served. We had the Honey Crispy Chicken with white rice and the Pei Wei Spicy Chicken. We loved the lettuce wraps. The rest was good but nothing special. Don't let the word "diner" fool you. Good food but pricey. For $32 we could have gotten more bang for our buck at our local chinese restaurant.
(2)
Steve V.
First "discovered" this poor man's PF Changs in California. Glad they are coming out this way. There is one in Cherry Hill as well. It is basically the fast food version of PF Changs. They are affiliated. You come in order, get a number, put it at your table of choice, and within minutes you are enjoying. The Crab Wontons are awesome! Anything with brown rice makes it "healthy." They also have nice untensils, plates, and napkins. Doesn't feel fast food at all!
(5)
Payal P.
i think enough has been said about this place so i am just going to go with what i've had and recall being one way or another love - dan dan noodles korean with chicken or shrimp like - blazing noodles mongolian with shrimp lettuce wraps (they are sometimes amazing and some times ok) spicy ramen not a fan of - pad thai...the noodles taste too starchy
(4)
Brad M.
I love the Mongolian Steak with Fried Rice! It has the PFChangs Quality (I've never been to a Pei Wei and had a bad experience) The good always arrives quickly and has a consistent high quality taste.
(5)
Seve' M.
You are not going to be pissed that you came here. Now are you going to dance in the streets...not so much. I only get to go since I am across the street at work so I can't comment on "dining in" but if you call ahead your order it will definitely be there waiting for you to pick it up. One of the most Americanized Asian places I have ever been to but still good enough to want more. I think the price is pretty much on average for what you would expect and you get enough food that it will even out. Like I said before this place is just ehhhhhhh OK. Just a side note the reason I gave it four stars was because they are always on time with my order and I can pick it up quick and get back to my yelping.
(4)
Gavin S.
Honestly, the food here is not so bad. My problem with Pei Wei is that the menu is so limited I don't really see the point to this place. Chung Hing is nearby and has my favorite Chinese dish, shrimp in spicy tomato sauce (sometimes called Szechuan shrimp if prepared properly) as well as a full chinese menu. I've been to Pei Wei twice and agree this is totally Americanized chinese - both my meals were forgettable. Bottom line - Pei Wei = Pei WHY?
(2)
Sabrina R.
First - let's just point out Pei Wei isn't meant to be good Chinese/Asian food. It's a fast food, Asian experience. With that being said, back in 2008 - they did a fantastic job. Coming back here in 2012, it's horrible. I don't know when Pei Wei changed it's recipes, but they are now blander versions of lean cuisine meals. For the price you pay, you'd expect more. I will say the staff is always nice, and I like the outdoor seating. For almost the same price, go to California Pizza Kitchen next door.
(3)
Arica N.
I have eaten here over the years since it opened maybe 3 years ago(?). Always for lunch. This is by far the best Chinese/Asian food I have had on this coast. Your order is fresh made and delivered to your table by happy wait staff. If you have small children that may balk at spicy food you can always get brown rice and steamed veggies for a small price. Even if you don't like Chinese food go for the red floor, it is something to behold.
(4)
P H.
The best Asian cuisine I have had. A little more expensive than your everyday Chinese restaurant but far better. Fav Dishes: Spicy Korean (steak/brown rice) Sesame Chicken (Brown rice) Crab won-tons.
(5)
Rachel G.
Pei Wei is an asian-fusion diner quick service restaurant chain. The reason why I want to write this review is because I wanted to call attention to their gluten free menu. I've eaten there on several occasions, and they have a few GF dishes including hot entrees and salads that are yummy and readily available every time I'm there. It's great. It is becoming a big lunchtime favorite of mine. Try to the Pei Wei spicy chicken - comes with sugar snap peas and carrots with nice big chunks of chicken. A yummy alternative to the usual lunch salad indeed!
(3)
John B.
I came here only because a bunch of people wanted to go here for a quick meal...and I wasn't part of the decision making process. And i thought...sure, it can't be THAT bad. But...unfortunately, it was THAT bad. I had the "special" spicy Japanese ramen...which was not ramen at all but resembled yakiudon execept that the udon noodle was made with egg... The spice seemed like they put together generic hot sauce with some ginger and called it japanese...and yes, it was terrible. I saw other people's dishes...thai lettuce wrap (reminded me of cheesecake factory), pad thai (is there any *asian* restaurant that does not serve pad thai these days?), and a plethora of below average and terrible array of food.
(1)
Benjamin K.
Pad Thai is my standard for all Thai resturants. If the Pad Thai is good...i will try the rest of what is on the menu. I have eaten at probably 15 Thai resturants all together and this place has...BY FAR THE WORST PAD THAI I HAVE EVER TASTED! That is all. Greasy and tastless and made my guts hurt the next day pretty bad. Avoid it like the swine flu!
(1)
Jen L.
I was really excited to try Pei Wei (is it Pee-Wee or Pay-Way? No one can tell me) today for lunch because I had a manja craving for dumplings. Guess what - NO DUMPLINGS on the menu here. What is it with the lack of dumplings in the Philadelphia area (see my review of the liars at the Comcast Building Food Court), all I ever want are dumplings. I ordered the Crab Wontons aka crab rangoon and shared them with a friend, and the Thai Coconut Curry Chicken with brown rice. My entree was pretty enormous, and I ate it for lunch AND dinner. Both items were excellent, but I can still only give three stars due to the lack of motherfucking dumplings.
(3)
Tyler T.
I've been here too many times to count and it's been great every single time. I have ordered almost every entree but my favorite is the Mongolian Beef. The sauce is a perfect blend of spicy and sweet. Can never go wrong with the signature lettuce wraps and the cheese wontons. This is my go to spot when I'm in the need for a quick lunch or dinner.
(4)
Alex V.
Pei Wei is not a bad option if you want a lot of Chinese food for cheap, because the portions are huge. The food quality is average, but I've had a lot worse. The menu is essentially "American Chinese" with some fusion dishes too. I definitely recommend the Pei Wei Spicy, which is similar to General Tso's. One item of note, I consistently find dirty cups and dishes when I dine in at Pei Wei. I would recommend take out, or if you dine-in, get your drinks in paper cups.
(2)
Duke D.
Food is wonderful and fast. Two girls at the counter- WORST ATTITUDES ever. Her questions weren't clear, she couldn't answer simple questions about her own food. The other cashier was too busy texting! Sorry to bother you ladies with my money! I'll probably never return now. WAY TO GO
(2)
Julia C.
I have been to PF Chang's Pei Wei (pronounced Pay Way) several times and have always had a good meal. It's fresh, tasty and cheap. They also give you big portions. last night i went to dinner with a friend. My friend had the something under "signature Dishes" - the Vegetables & Tofu Thai Coconut Curry, which she said was spicey and tasty and I had a dish under the "noodles and big bowls" category - the Vegetables & Tofu Lo Mein. My dish was flavorful despite not being spicey. Both dishes were loaded with vegetables. Service was prompt, despite being relatively full for early dining (we arrived at 5:30-ish).
(4)
Melissa W.
Not bad for Americanized quasi pan-Asian cuisine. It's all fairly tasty, in a fake Asian food kind of way. Portions are pretty large, though mostly heavy on the rice. Dishes with rice are around $8 each, but we had buy-one-get-one-free coupons for the entrees. For half price, this place was amazing. The "spicy" dishes are not very spicy (or at all, really). Regardless, I particularly enjoyed their approximation of a Thai green curry. The "steak" option seemed better than the chicken: in both the chicken dishes we ordered, the chicken came in the standard battered and fried nuggets soggy with goopy sauce typical of American Chinese takeout. But at least the meat appeared to be white meat, and was not gristly or with other unpleasant inclusions often found in Chinese food. However, I still think the steak option was better, though they were less generous with the beef strips. The guy at the counter who took our orders was very nice, and even came chasing after us in the parking lot when he gave us the wrong dish (not that we would've been able to tell the difference). For those of you who ever had the privilege of being familiar with Teen Girl Squad, I leave you with this: MSG'd!!! Oww, my stomach lining. But in this case, it burns in a good way.
(3)
Audrey M.
I think people confuse Pei Wei with real Chinese/Thai/Japanese. It is fast food brought to you by the same people that own PF Changs. PF Changs is an "open bag" place (they don't cook from scratch, open premade bags) and certainly not haute cuisine. That being said, Pei Wei is a decent place. Food always hot. Sometimes too much swimming in the sauce but not horrible. Also, it is trying to be a fusion place. Tricky to begin with but add the fast meal aspect and it can come up short. This is a good locations. Clean. Well lit. Friendly.
(3)
Matt R.
This is my favorite lunch place in the City Line Ave area. Impressive selection of Asian cuisine for a chain. Doesn't feel to chainy inside. Love the Pei Wei spicy which is their General Tso, Mongolian Beef is good to, and also the Kung Pow. Not huge on their salads. Their lettuce wraps are good and quality hot and sour soups. I've tried just about everything on the menu. I recommend the combo and getting a spring roll with it. Also if you eat in, sometimes they have the huge tall boy cans of Sapporo.
(5)
Heather H.
A frustrating experience. This was my first time here, and it was a train wreck! We will not be back. The place upon entering was extremely loud and dirty. There was no organization with staff so ordering and waiting took forever. Our order was wrong so we had to fix it. At least we had a gift certificate. So it's like we never paid. Don't let the outside decor fool you. This place is gross and trashy. The food was not good. I looked up the dishes online since we were going to pick it up and eat at home. I am so glad we did not dine-in. I had pad thai and was craving it. It tasted nothing like real or Americanized pad thai. It tasted like a camp fire. The peanut taste was missing completely even though there were weird peanut halves on top. I was really hungry and ate half. Debating on if the leftovers should just be trashed. The crab wontons were really weird. They looked tasty but were not. Avoid these too. Overall, I would rather eat at a mall food court Asian place. It might be a slight step above. At least they give you a free sample on a toothpick prior to ordering.
(1)
Michael F.
First time here today. Had a hot n sour soup to start. Very small portion, maybe 5 or 6 spoonfuls at the most. Ordered up the Spicy Korean w/ Chicken and brown rice. A very generous portion for sure, and everything cooked well. The sauce was a bit heavy and a tad sweet, but did a well enough job for lunch. The long beans were very tasty in the entree. For a chain, it's what you'd expect.
(3)
Cynthia D.
Veggie option, beer... I wanted this to be a "diner" but it's really just the qboba of asian fusion. Not a bad place to stop, but when I hear diner, I'm usually getting overly excited.
(3)
Megan D.
I stopped in on Saturday afternoon while running errands in the adjacent shopping center and kinda regretted it. The germaphobe in me is generally pretty happy to see an open kitchen design, and the modern decor with digital menu board gave me high hopes. The food I saw being delivered all looked really good. I ordered the teriyaki rice bowl with chicken. The dish was mainly made of rice(shocking that it was called a rice bowl right?) and lots of it! It would probably not bother me if the rice was cooked correctly. It was also so salty I barely got through half of the bowl. After about a half hour of shopping my stomach decided it also did not like the salty mush called rice. I don't think I will be returning anytime soon.
(2)
Uday T.
It is a very nice place. All the food items are very less priced (almost all items are @$6.95). I had pad Thai, spring rolls and chicken fried rice. I loved the fried rice. Nice spicy food. Very good service, super fast service. Would definitely like to visit again. Uday
(5)
Teri M.
Pei Wei is actually a scaled down version of P.F. Chang's. The owners decided several years ago to offer something a little cheaper/casual for folks who like the food from P.F. Chang's but can't afford to go out to eat all "upscale". There aren't many up here in PA, so it's hard to really know that, but when I lived in Dallas, I got the scoop as they were all brand new then. I haven't been to this location yet, but I do know the food is tasty, just beware of the beef broccoli (yeah go figure) if you are concerned with sodium content, it's on the high side.
(4)
Dana B.
Casual, laid-back atmosphere and decent food. The spring rolls were great, and I got the Thai Mango Chicken (which only happens to be there for a limited time right now) and it was good but a bit spicy for my taste. Would definitely come back to try all the other selections they have, provided I'm in the area again.
(4)
Andrew D.
basic americanized chinese food. not the worst i've had, but certainly not the best. sorry paul fleming, but this one's not even par for the pei wei course (which would warrant three stars, at most). better check the kitchen on city ave... i won't be back.
(1)
Meg C.
Pei Wei is fast, cheap and good. The portions are generous (my boyfriend and I can split one entree and an appetizer and both be satisfied). Also, nutritional information is on their website, so you can figure out what dishes are the healthiest. I LOVE the fact that they have hot chili paste as a condiment, even the spicy dishes require a little more heat for me. Last time we visited, our edamame was ready before we got to our table. The service is amazingly fast, but obviously can get a bit slow around lunch. The chai tea is just okay, I usually just stick with water or Jones soda. The Pad Thai is very good for a fast food joint, not too sweet. I love the tofu and egg in it. I also really like the Chicken Dan Dan Noodles, which has both chicken and cucumber in it, a favorite flavor combination of mine. But I always return to the Pad Thai with chicken. Also, I always eat at least two fortune cookies. I swear theirs are less cardboardy than usual.
(4)
Alfredo G.
I used to work across a PF Changs, so I didn't have high expectations for an even more Americanized fast food chain. I was pleasantly surprised. Service was quick and the ambiance was good. The portions are relatively large. I'll take this over any other fast food Asian restaurant chain. What's up with the spice? My spicy Thai Blazing Noodles were actually spicy. Since when does that happen with Americanized food? And why doesn't PF Changs have that? Actually, I couldn't eat it all, so I wouldn't mind if they toned it down a bit. Maybe next time I won't accidentally say spicy before the name of the plate.
(4)
Andrew R.
With all of the to-go orders I've placed where they've quoted a time, I've gotten there 5 minutes after, and am still stuck waiting, you would think I would write a bad review, but that would be a disservice. It is just too damned good. I'll be honest, If you do not like P.F. Changs and it's Americanized version of Chinese food, you'll hate Pei Wei as well. But for those of you who dig it, It can't be beat. Pei Wei literally rips off P.F. Change menu (they're owned by them) and gives you smaller portions for a lower (more appropriate) price . It's excellent for take out and since it's individual, you can get it as spicy as you want without irritating your friends. The concept is simple, you pick from a protein, a sauce, and a cooking style and "Wa La!!" You have a quick fantastic meal.
(4)
Sung C.
We waited almost 40 minutes for two dishes. When the food finally came out, the shrimp tasted old and super dry. The lo mein had absolutely no flavor. The Mongolian sauce was extremely salty. I used to be a regular a couple years ago when I lived on City Ave and stopped by on the way back from the zoo. Needless to say, I am never coming back.
(1)
Tim Y.
I have religiously gone to this Pei Wei since it opened, mostly because I lived near it on City Avenue but ultimately because I just love the food and their mandarin green tea. I believe that Pei Wei makes the best Kung Pao (chicken/steak/shrimp/whatever) dish that I've ever had; I'm an addict of it and their unique tea. Now that I'm not living near it, I'm still returning for my weekly fix. It's a really pleasant modern take on Asian interiors, and it's fun to watch the fire spew up from the woks as they cook (oddly enough, I don't see that happen as much anymore for whatever reason). That being said, the other reviews are right in that this location has seen better days in the past. They have a couple really endearing hostesses and their kitchen staff seems pretty stable. But this location has had challenges in keeping things stocked, either throughout the day or even to get them through the weekend (sometimes there is no carrots or no peas in my dish, and they don't even warn me about that or even apologize for it!). There are times that cleanliness can be an issue, as management seemed to be a lot more tighter and proactive in the past. Though every business has its more challenging times, that's the nature of fast food in of itself. But yes, I am a fan and I am always looking forward to my next visit for more Pei Wei food! I just don't think that there is a better Kung Pao dish out there, or that I'll get as decent value for my dollar at many other Center City places.
(4)
Andrew A.
Don't even bother coming here. No effort by staff to clean anything or even ice the beer. Been here 40 min and they have not cleaned a single table I and others had to clean their own. An hour before they closed the beer bin had little to no ice and when I asked about it I was told they close soon so no need to ice. They close in over an hour!!! At 8:45 an employee turned the music off (same one who didn't care to ice the beer) and was told by someone I am guessing is in charge to turn it back on. Guessing it was a we are closing in 45 minutes time to wrap up type of thing. Very poorly run and no management at all in the evening.
(1)
Samantha E.
This place is great for a quick Asian inspired lunch, but has gone downhill over the last year or so. During my last visit, the soda machine did not work, but they did not warn anyone at the register while they were ordering and their screens that display the menu were not on, so the wait in line to order was much longer. The food is good for lunch- quick pad thai or lettuce wraps hit the spot midday. Their new sushi offerings are disappointing and flavorless.
(3)
Louis W.
First Time Experience - Good Stuff! I took my family here after going to an Easter event down the street, very happy that we did. The restaurant was very warm and welcoming. We have had carryout from another Pei Wei near us, but had never dined in. I liked the way they present the menus as you walk in (before you get to the counter where you order). We got a variety of dishes, and my kids are huge fans of Asian noodles so they were thrilled - the kids meals were affordable and had plenty for them to eat. My wife and I were pleasantly surprised at how fresh everything tasted - but we shouldn't have as the meals were made-to-order. They have real dining utensils (no plastic knives and forks here! We all really enjoyed a nice time, the atmosphere was easy going (contemporary music playing in the background), everyone was happy. I would come here again for sure.
(4)
Herbie H.
I was really pleasantly surprised with my visit to Pei Wei. We stopped in for lunch on a Saturday after visiting Target. We ordered one of the new sushi rolls, the Wasabi Crunch Roll, which was a great starter (we went for the 4pc). The sushi tasted fresh and the roll had great flavor. The crunch in the roll was a nice addition. I ordered a Vegetarian/Tofu Ginger Broccoli bowl over Dan Dan Noodles. I opted for the smaller portion, which was still pretty big (I brought about 1/3 of it home with me.) The noodles were tender, the tofu was nicely grilled and sliced, and there were a ton of vegetables. The Ginger Broccoli sauce was really flavorful, and paired nicely with the veggies/tofu. My boyfriend ordered a Caramel chicken bowl with rice. The flavor on the chicken was deep and rich. It reminded me of General Tso's, but less processed/breaded. I was not expecting that much from Pei Wei, but I was definitely surprised/impressed for a quick lunch.
(4)
Bhavika P.
Dynamite chicken (small) with fried rice - meant to be spicy which it was but I would more describe this as sweet tangy spicy. Although it tasted really good. Nice flavourful chicken too. Extra .99$ for replacing it with fried rice but worth it. Pei Wei curry with tofu and vegetables (small) - I loved this curry. A little on sweet side so spicy eaters might not like it or would need a side of sriracha. Good portion as a small size. Overall I loved the food..close to Indian style fried rice (those who have tried it would know what I mean ). The only reason for giving one less star is coz I found the place a little shabby and kinda unclean seating area.
(4)
Lauren W.
I am one of the many converts to the fast casual restaurant craze. I love going inside, being able to order quickly (well, after it takes me fifteen minutes to decide what to order), sit down, and have someone bring me my food in both less time and for less money that at a normal sit-down restaurant. Seve' M said it really well - Pei Wei may not make you dance in the street, but it does the job really nicely. I would go a step further and say that it makes me very happy as well! I can't comment on speed of service, as the two times I've been have been off-peak with not many customers. And I've only ordered takeout. Both takeout servers were very polite and friendly, and did a great job of double checking the accuracy of my order and offering me any paperware and condiments that I might need. The food is pretty yummy. But it will not knock your socks off. But (again), sometimes what you just need is a comforting meal. Sometimes you don't need a fancy meal that tingles new tastebuds and makes you wonder what the secret ingredient is. Sometimes, all you need are delicious Dan Dan noodles. That's my go to, and maybe that's what you should try. A nice bowl of chicken, bean sprouts and cucumbers in a spicy brown sauce begging to be tossed with hot noodles to soak up the sauce. It's really a perfect Asian American comfort food, with fresh veggies to boot.
(4)
Kyle S.
Went here for lunch on Friday with my boyfriend on a whim, and we were very disappointed. We went at the tail end of the lunch rush, and it was still quite crowded, but there was only one person working the register. This would normally not be an issue, except she was also the same person putting the numbers on the tables to indicate where the orders need to go. Also, they were out of the menus that describe what all the sauces are, so we had no clue what to order until we reached the register, which had a screen that described everything. No wonder the line was moving so slowly! We sat down and waited for our food to come, which took a little while, but we were in no rush and the place was crowded. Not an issue. When our food finally came, we were very disappointed to say the least. I ordered the pad thai noodle bowl, and calling it pad thai is awfully generous. It tasted like pad thai by way of an Americanized Chinese food strip mall restaurant, and I mean that in the most derogatory sense. The noodles were mushy, and the sauce tasted exactly like (and nearly had the consistency of) peanut butter. My boyfriend had similar things to say about his dan dan noodle bowl; the sauce in his was so thick he refused to eat even half of it. I don't know if we ordered the wrong things, or the kitchen was having an off day, or if we merely were victims of dining at the tail end of the lunch rush, but we will not be returning.
I've been wanting to try Pei Wei for a while now, but there isn't one nearby. My husband works in Bala, so I decided to meet him there for lunch on my way to the airport. When we walked in I could tell they were understaffed for the day. One person was working both the dine in and take out register. It took quite a while for her to take our order. Then we ordered and waited a good 15-20 minutes for our food. For being a fast service establishment, I thought that was slow. The food itself was good with nice sized portions. I was surprised that they were out of shrimp; that was disappointing. I ordered the chicken pad thai. It was better than I expected and it had a nice kick to it. I did think it was cool that they offered beer and wine, but you can't drink it outside at the tables. I would give it another try, but will make sure I build in a little extra time.
(3)
Jamaica Y.
I would give this place a third chance for sure, but the first two trips were pretty God awful. I love food in general and Asian fusion especially, but the meals I have had hear were both pretty bad. The first time I had the curry, which I would never recommend to anyone. I don't even remember the second thing I had, but it was equally yuck. Other people seem to like it though, so I would do some Yelp searching to figure out what to order and go back.
(1)
Sherrice B.
I was invited to have dinner at Pei Wei and was pleasantly surprised because I had passed this place a million times. The dining area is nice an the lighting was relaxing. I ordered the Chicken Pad Thai, it was deeeelishous very flavorful and hot. I will go back to try other options very soon. Only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because there were a few dirty tables in the dining room an we had to wipe our table off before we sat down. It was close to closing so that could be expected.
(4)
Nell W.
This is quick, Asian food. I had teriyaki chicken over fried rice and the mango California roll. I ordered the original bowl because the small bowl looked, well, small. Lol. Don't be fooled though. You get a lot of food in the small bowl. My friends and I had to take our leftovers. My friend really enjoyed the chicken salad roll. She had never tried it before and said she would definitely order it elsewhere when she goes out. The sushi was okay. Nothing fancy. The cashier was very helpful even though he was also the server and the receptionist when the phone rang. I definitely love the large menu when you walk in. I would return.
(3)
Art A.
I have eaten Chinese food from food carts. I have eaten Chinese food in the hood from those places with bullet proof plexiglass mazes. I have eaten Chinese food that sat too long on steam tables at all you can eat buffets. But I have never eaten food as bad as fast food joint, Pei Wei, in Bala Cynwyd. The vegetables in the spring rolls were so over cooked that an infant without teeth could eat them without choking. The Kung Pao Chicken had so much salt so as to make it inedible. A friend suggested that I mix the rice in to cut the saltiness. I followed his suggestion. All that did was to make the rice inedible, too.
(1)
Elena C.
For lunch, I ordered the Thai Basil Soup & Pad Thai with Vegetables and Tofu. The host said they only had the broth and basil at the time. I still ordered it. So the small Thai Basil soup came in a tiny little cup. It was okay, because I didn't even finish it. It was so salty. Pad Thai was interesting..... I don't know if you could even call it Pad Thai. I ordered a small, but it was huge! Normally, I love big plates, but I'm not sure what I'll do with the leftovers. I never had Pad Thai that had such a soupy substance, I guess they just add a ton of soy sauce. It was sooooo salty, I wanted to scrap my tongue off. The tofu was sliced like thin chicken strips. It didn't seem very fresh. On another note, I noticed the kitchen just leaves the hot water on constantly by the woks. I guess it's too much to turn the water off and on? I'm not a cook, but that seems very wasteful. I'll still go back and try the other menu items.
(2)
Davis J.
It would have been nice to get an email saying they didn't have half my order by the time I got there. Pour management on that.
(1)
Tyneisha M.
So my boyfriend and I have tried this place twice for takeout and I was pleased each time. The staff was friendly and our food was done pretty quickly. The first time I got the sweet and sour chicken with brown rice which was just okay and he got the caramel chicken and brown rice which I enjoyed more. We've also tried the steak and brown rice which was tasty. This place makes me feel not as guilty when eating chinese and the prices and portions are reasonable, so i'll definitely be back.
(4)
Sharee W.
The place is what it is. It's a quick place for some simple Asian inspired food. The food was okay. It's someplace I would go for a quick lunch, nothing fancy.
(3)
Janice M.
So disappointed in this location. Usually a big fan but the service is terrible here. Ice machine was broken. Ice in soda machine didn't work. Took over 20 minutes to get a to go order with only a few customers waiting and six people cooking. Orders came up and sat waiting to be boxed for the to go orders even though there were three people working the register/to go area. Staff didn't seem to care about customers at all. More interested in entertaining their friends that were hanging around. Won't be back.
(1)
Amy G.
Stopped in with my son for a quick, early dinner - BIG MISTAKE! It used to be okay, but it's just disgusting now. We ordered and then made our way over the filthy, sticky floor to the drink machines....I had ordered a glass of wine, surprising the cashier as they don't have wine, of course! I mentioned that it's on both the paper menu, the large chart menu, and the menu right in front of the registers which made her shrug....should have left right then. Food finally arrives and it's so covered with disgusting, heavily salted 'sauce' as to be almost inedible! I cannot believe that P.F.Changs puts their name on this awful place! Don't go - grab a box of cereal at the Target next door and you'll be much better off!!
(1)
Keith B.
Food is very good and the price makes it a good value. The new Thai foods are very flavorful. I always go for the Orange Beef, it's one of my favorites. We arrived at 8:30 and were told the dining room was closed. We had to order take out. The restaurant closes at 9:00. We sat on the patio with a lot of other customers.
(4)
Katie P.
I enjoy peiwei for good quality Chinese/ thai food. I usually get the pad thai. Only eat half if you're watching your weight. Their dishes are high calorie. Luckily they have highly publicized nutritional info.
(3)
Kristen S.
I used to live within walking distance of this pei wei, so it was a very convenient spot for fast take-out. The food is pretty good for essentially fast food, it is also very Americanized Asian cuisine, so someone looking for an authentic meal is definitely not going to get it. That being said, I generally like it and regularly return. What really has me bothered is their new sushi campaign. I don't have a problem with the sushi itself, I've tried it once and it was pretty good. My problem is that they never have any. They consistently run out before 6 pm, which is ridiculous. If you are going to do a huge promotion of a new product you are offering, maybe you should have enough where you don't run out every day before the dinner rush even begins. The cashiers even wear t-shirts about their sushi! I have ordered from this place probably over 10 times, and every single time I have tried to order the sushi, and every single time they have told me that they've run out. And I don't order dinner really late either, I would say I've never ordered later than 7pm. I'm guessing this is just an example of really poor management.
(2)
Elena C.
This place used to be good. When T and I first started dating we went here on Friday night all the time since it was across the street from his office. Not gourmet and a tad expensive but the food was good and the service decent. It's turned into a sh*t show. The food is lukewarm and bland and on my most recent visit I waited 20 minutes for a cup of soup. When it didn't show up I made two requests. Another 20 minutes later and nothing. So I waited another 10 minutes in line for a refund. The tables are never bussed and service is lackadaisical at best. It's a mess. Save your money and eat somewhere else.
(1)
Sunil A.
This place is horrible. The food is very bad and horrible customer service. They actually did not deliver soup or spring rolls which is part of our order. Even the person who is taking our order was pushy and did not help us. Overall I want to give 0 stars but can't so I ended up with one.
(1)
Ni K.
Love this place. Food is great, service is good. You can eat in or done right outside. You can also call ahead and pick up. It could just be me, but it seems like you get more food when you eat in than when you take out. I love the crab wontons and vegetable spring rolls. Sometimes when I'm headed to Target which is close by, I go to Pei Wei first and pick up some wontons and spring rolls to fuel my shopping trip. A bit overpriced but worth it because there is no MSG. Condiments and utensils are plentiful. They don't charge extra.
(4)
Vanessa W.
I work in the area so I've eaten my fair share of lunches at Pei Wei. I like the food at P.F. Chang's so since Pei Wei is owned by the same company, this location got my attention right away. A number of the dishes are not that great, unfortunately. But their brown rice is always cooked perfectly, the spring rolls are delicious, and I am a fan of their Thai Dynamite Chicken dish. They have a computerized soda fountain which I am a fan of. You can choose from hundreds of soda flavors and combinations. I used to go for the Fanta but now I stick to the sparkling flavored Dasani options, which are fruity and tasty too, without all the extra calories. The staff here are really friendly and that adds to the pleasant experience of eating here. My only complaint is that the tables are never quite as clean as I'd prefer. You can see into the open-air kitchen, and that always looks clean, but obviously the dining room should, too. This is located in the same shopping complex as Target and a PNC Bank location, so it's a nice place to grab lunch while you're running errands.
(3)
Joey M.
I have for sure had better Asian fusion BUT some saving graces are: 1. Serve beer including Kirin 2. Have the cool coca cola machine that allows you to choose a plethora of soda options (seriously very cool) As u walk in you order and pay. The food is then brought to the table. No actual waitress, so to speak. I had edemame, spring roll and sweet n sour chicken made with velvet stock ( decreases fat content by 30%) Overall it was ok...edemame and spring roll were good but the sweet n sour chicken was just ok. I'll likely go back but will have a different entree
(3)
Rachel H.
The food wasn't the problem here. The ignorant girl ( _Togo) at the register was. She was very rude and did not seem to have any patience at all. She was very short with me and interrupted me when I was trying to give my order. I am very disappointed in her professionalism. There are many people out there who don't have jobs if you don't like yours don't take it out on the customers who spend their hard earned money. Someone really needs to talk to her about her interactions with customers. Pei Wei should be ashamed that this is the face that greets and serves you. I WILL NOT BE GIVING PEI WEI MY BUSINESS IF SHE IS THERE SERVING ME.
(1)
Keith M.
I recently ate here and thought my meal was pure garbage. The place is like the McDonald's of Chinese food. At least the restaurant was clean.
Pei Wei offers reasonably priced semi-fast-Asian-food that is of acceptable quality. Pros are the restaurant itself is pretty nice given the prices, online ordering/pickup was a breeze, and they have gluten free options for those needing them. Unfortunately the food was not terrible but definitely forgettable. The one exception was the Hot and sour soup that was actually quite terrible. Broth had a corn starchy consistency and the pork tasted like campbells chicken noodle soup chicken bits. Chicken lettuce wraps were decent, almost as good as PF Chang's. Dan Dan noodles were okay. Noodles were overcooked, flavor wasn't bad. Thai dynamite steak wasn't great, heavy lime flavor over powered much of the spice. Surprisingly, gluten free spicy chicken was probably best entree. Recommended going here for quick dine in lunch or dinner. There isn't good Chinese in east falls so this isn't a bad option if you don't wanna shell out twice the money for han dynasty. Its funny, the suburbs of philly seem to have good and affordable chinese food while in the city I seem to find either cheap, terrible food, or expensive delicious food. If anyone knows a happy medium I'd love some tips.
(3)
Lauren F.
Food isn't all that good . Kind of expensive and horrible customer service . Food takes to long for something that's not that big in size .
(1)
David T.
I had high hopes for Pei Wei when it opened last summer. I am a big fan of PF Changs, and when I heard Pei Wei was run by the same company, I figured it would be the next best thing. Pei Wei has a great concept - higher quality, chinese pseudo-fast food (think a chinese version of Panera Bread). Some of the food is tasty - the lettuce wraps are just as good as the ones you get at PF Changs, for example. The problem is most of the other dishes range from average to, well, average. So it's not really that Pei Wei is bad, it's just not as good as it could be. And because of that, I just can't bring myself to give it more than 3 stars. The service is pretty good - if you're going there for a business lunch, you can usually be in and out in 30 minutes. Keep in mind that there's no waitress service - you order your food when you arrive (like I said - think Panera).
(3)
Chris L.
Pei Wei is basically a fancy version of a diner that serves Asian food. If you're looking for authentic asian food, you will be disappointed. Like its parent restaurant PF Chang, it's just a "high class" type of place that's nicely decorated with fake asian food. It's also pricier than other food court type of places, with entrees starting at 7 dollars or so. The food is OK at best. Personally, I'd stick to the food court at the mall since it's cheaper for the same quality of food, or even better, goto Chinatown. One bonus about this place: they offer brown rice for health freaks for *no extra charge*. That's a first I've seen that... most other places charge an extra dollar for brown rice.
(3)
Dontae W.
I decided to go because I was interested to see what this new addition to City Line Avenue was really like. I ordered Spring Rolls and the Teriyaki Bowl. Both were good overall. I must admit I am not a big fan of Chinese food because I know most places sell a fake version of it. However, the Spring Rolls were larger than I expected and very tasty. The Vegetable-Tofu Teriyaki Bowl was okay. The rice was overcooked and they were stingy with the tofu. But again thats why it was just ok. Also, they made an attempt to give us something different with a Cosi type atmosphere and dim lighting. The food is not worth a special trip but it is one of the only chinese/Asian food places in the area.
(3)
Jenn H. H.
I like this place! The prices are ok, and you get plenty of food. You'll either be stuffed or take home a doggy bag. It's not authentic chinese / asian food. It's very americanized and palatable, but good. I'm in love with the chicken teriyaki and their brown rice. The place is bright, clean, with an open kitchen. You order, sit down, and they bring the food to you fairly quickly. It's a quick and cheap alternative to take out, if you actually want to sit.
(4)
Pete S.
"Even more Americanized, Americanized Asian food." Food is surprisingly well prepared and taste pretty good. I've been here several times and have not had a bad experience with service or the food itself. The place is clean and modern. The staff is always friendly. Price is cheap so I never hesitate to come back whenever I need my Americasian food fix.
(3)
Da S.
Great food. Great value.
(5)
Alex M.
PF Chang's cheaper diner-type restaurant just opened on City Line and I'm sure PCOM and St Joes students are rejoicing. Its cheap, light, wok-cooked food that sort of resembles the cuisine found at Chinese, Korean, and Thai restaurtants. Did I mention that it's really cheap? You basically order a sauce and a meat for an entree and they seat you like they do in a diner. Within minutes your food is at your table. While it's not authentic, it's still decent - especially for the area. The Kung Pao shrimp was by far the best, most flavorful, dish they had. I'll update this review as I try more dishes. Check it out!
(3)
Erin C.
Crab wontons were dry. Sweet and sour chicken was very bland. Dan Dan noodles tasted like Lean Cuisine with x4 the sodium.
(1)
Foodie H.
best pei wei in town!!!! love it....i eat there 1 a week.
(5)
Jason L.
Food was extremely salty and over-cooked. Will not visit again.
(2)
Francesca H.
This is a great spot to go too if you want fast Chinese without sacrificing taste. I am a big fan of the Hot & Sour soup and Lemon Pepper Chicken. Although they did take it off the menu. My new favorite has become the Tia Dynamite. Food is hot and fresh and never greasy like all other Chinese fast food places. Great place 100%
(5)
M. C.
My husband and I love this place. It has a lot of similar dishes that P.F. Chang's has, but it's much, much cheaper. By the way, it is pronounced Pay Way. It even says on their take-out menu. I always get the Pei Wei Spicy Chicken wth fried rice (fried rice is $1 more than plain) and my husband gets the Mongolian Beef. The Pei Wei Spicy comes with some vegetables too (unlike P.F. Chang's version). I feel like I get much more for my money when I eat at Pei Wei. And trust me, when they say it's spicy, it is spicy. Tip: Get a take-out box when you sit down and put half of your entree into a take-home box before you start eating - or share with a friend. The portions are huge. They can easily feed two people who don't overeat a lot or can be someone's lunch and dinner. Very good place. I highly recommend it! The decor is decent, it has an Asian theme of course, and there is plenty of parking.
(4)
Stephanie C.
What can I say? I moved from Pei Wei's STRONGEST market in Dallas to Philadelphia. HUGE PEI WEI FAN! Great service!!! You can't go wrong with the vietnamese chicken salad rolls. Very low fat, healthy, and tasty! Also, try the Asian coconut curry! SO GOOD!
(5)
Katie P.
I wrote a review about P.F. Changs awhile back. I prayed that a P.F. Changs would open up near me. I kept driving past Pei Wei with a heavy judgement until I discovered it was owned by P.F. Changs. My nickname for Pei Wei is P.F. Changs Junior. Now I can only report about the takeout. It is pretty good. Not as great as P.F. Changs. One thing I love about Pei Wei is the tofu strips they put into the dishes. I have had the Pei Wei Spicy with tofu several times. It is chewy and full of flavor- not like regular tofu which is gelatinous and yucky. I wish they would package their tofu and sell it in the grocery store. My guess is that they partial dehydrate marinated tofu and then deep fry it. I also love the Lo Mein with shrimp although it is a little on the sweet side. Service is super speedy. I go there at off hours and only have had to wait at the most ten minutes after placing my order. It would be great if P.F. Changs would open up a few more locations closer to me than Plymouth Meeting Mall but I understand they have to be in places that have huge parking lots. So for now I am happy with Pei Wei as a quick alternative to his daddy.
(4)
Barry S.
For a Pei Wei it is not too bad. The service is kind of slow though.
(3)
jon v.
Pei Wei's food is not good. Pad Thai didn't taste like Pad Thai and their version of General Tso's Chicken was not good, either. You're better off going to a real chinese restaurant.
(2)
matthew l.
If you love hot and sour soup, stay away from this one, its pretty bad. Having said that I go to Pei Wei almost every time I go to the Target next door. Its a chain and you know it, but the minced chicken in lettuce wraps is a nice summer item especially sitting outside on a balmy evening. The menu is pan Asian so you get a little of your favorite Korean, Viet, Chinese and Japanese almost favorite bastardized versions. The pad Thai is good rice noodles with the usual garnishes of egg, mung bean, crushed peanuts, cilantro, lime and just about everything but the tiny dessicated shrimp. The Dan Dan noodles are tasty egg noodles with minced chicken with a garlic chile hit and the portion, as with most dishes here, is generous. Spring rolls, spicy Thai Blazing noodles and a Teriyaki bowl pretty good. If you ask that they go easy on the oil, you should be OK. Iced tea and Coke with a perfect brix as well as a Yeungling or TsingTao go well. I go whenever I go to the Target next door. Hmmm! I think the question is, would I go if this was a Target-less location? Not sure. One genuine bummer, no udon. Can't figure that one as its on the company menu. Love the udon!
(3)
Anne M.
I would give it 3.5 stars...I have gone to the one in Springfield and had mixed emotions. PF Changs (see Chris L's. review) at least in the Chadds Ford location, is the slowest service I have ever seen, so the fast food atmosphere and similar menu makes Pei Wei like PF Changs Express. Of course Changs has a very nice assortment of teas and is a great place to take a date, whereas the newly opened Baltimore Pike locale is already just acceptably clean, not spotless, and when I asked if they served coffee the manager very rudely sniggered in my face. (Why that is funny I don't know.) They do have lovely sauces, like chili oil and so forth and I personally think white rice is disgusting. Out here in the suburban wilderness you can't get brown rice for love or money. The decor is more San Francisco-y than trying to be actually Oriental, I think. The chain is from out that way originally. The food was good, smaller portions than Chang's which is sometimes a good thing. Not too bad an idea but I'd rather go to one in the city than this particular locale.
(3)
CE C.
so when this first opened probably close to two years now, i use to frequent it a lot, it's cheap and really not that bad considering it is fast food asian. so i decided to return recently when visiting philly for a quick bite. i had the blazing noodles with beef and a friend had the pad thai. boy has it gone downhill, i was embarrassed that i even recommended this place for dinner. my blazing noodles were soggy and all i tasted was pepper, no other spices. there was a lot of beef that was tough to eat. The pad thai was a pile of noodles with maybe a piece of tofu here and there. At least they still have that bowl of oranges in the back for dessert. i dont think i will be returning again
(2)
Luey H.
man i was excited because i actually enjoy PF Changs although it is fake chinese food. Pei Wei has a nice atmosphere but the food is ridiculously salty. My friend order some Vietnamese Spring Roll which is a mistake. I'm viet and never order vietnamese spring rolls in a fusion place. the rest of the stuff was SUPER salty. my friend order the pad thai, ok but too salty to eat. My Kung Pao chicken was so salty i wanted to douse my tea on it and wash off the sauce. we sent the food back and although it was less salty it was still inedible. i dont know how the people around us were eating this crap. the managers were telling us all the sauces were pre made and there was nothing they could do. omg. eat here if you want to have high blood pressure
(1)
Benjamin M.
So, we accidentally happened upon here while looking for a lunch spot prior to heading across the river to Manayunk. I had never even heard of this place and just assumed it was another run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurant...that is until we saw a reference to "PF Changs" on the door. Whoa, hold up! We ventured inside, which was fairly spacious for a strip-mall restaurant. I decided on the Mandarin Kung Pao Chicken w/fried rice and wasn't disappointed with either the taste or the portion size. I recommend Pei Wei (aka, PF Changs Fast Food?), as a scaled down and more affordable version of the original restaurant. Too bad there's only two locations in Philadelphia area and two in western Jersey. Now I just need to figure out how in the heck to pronounce it.
(4)
Dave H.
I'd rather get local takeout Chinese. Pei Wei is awful, even for Americanized Chinese. They serve up pan-Asian style dishes, most which are reasonably-priced. Their menu even features handy-dandy labels to indicate what can be vegetized, and what can be made hot. Sadly their cooking was a pale imitation of reality: my so-called spicy "Thai" blazing noodles had MSG'd beef, and were coated in a chili sauce that tasted salty sweet - then again, I have deadened taste buds. My more normal friend found her dish too spicy. On the positive side, portions were good, and they sold beer. (I had hot tea, the next best thing.) Service wasn't in our face either - we sat ourselves after ordering up front - so be proactive if you want any. The interior was attractive enough, sporting P.F. Chang's branding. Oh, and parking is a snap! Pei Wei didn't remind me of any diner, save for their open kitchen. If you sit at the counter, you can watch staff wok and toss. Thanks to my friend for paying!
(2)
Sam J.
I love Pei Wei but I guess this just one of those "bad egg" locations. Staff is friendly, but that's about the only positive thing I could say about my 3-4 experiences here. The food tastes like it has been in the back of a freezer truck for 1500 miles or so, which I guess is probably accurate come to think of it. Rubbery chicken, chewy steak, fishy shrimp. The sesame chicken had more gristle than protein. Not the chef's fault here, they work with what they have. Avoid if you can, bit the food won't kill you if you have no other choice.
(2)
Monique C.
Went in last week to finally use the gift cards Pei Wei sent me for my previous bad experience. Let me just say that they got this place into shape. I made sure to come at the same time on the same day as my first visit. The dining area was clean and the staff were friendly and in uniform. There was no clowning around as far as I saw. Our food arrived quickly and was perfect. Solid 4/5 for Pei Wei.
(4)
ben c.
I came here for the first time. I didn't know what it was but my sister said it was good. It's like an asian fast food place. The foods we ordered were all very good. They have great customer service! The lady at the register counter was very nice and was helping in describing the dishes to us so we could figure out what we wanted to eat. The tables were always being cleaned and the servers (if you decided to dine in) were very accommodating and polite. One server even waiting for the customer who were getting their drinks from the soda machine to sit down before she brought over there meals. The staff was very well trained at this establishment. I will most likely visit again if i'm in the area.
(3)
Colleen O.
25-30 minute wait for take out food. Really?? Poorly run and have no idea what's even being cooked. Never again!
(1)
Shanique S.
I really get the same thing everytime :) Pei Wei Spicy (shrimp or chicken dish) is delicious!
(4)
K. A. N. A. K.
Uhh . . . Funny that we ordered Dan Dan noodles and "Spicy Korean" over rice, but both dishes tasted the same (and not like something they were supposed to reference) and that flavor was not particularly good.
(2)
Danny L.
Can't believe I got suckered in by the chicken lettuce wraps (PF Chang's Style) That's about the only thing worth ordering here. Take heed people.
(2)
Harry E.
I really love Pei Wei! Truly... I do. They have indoor or outdoor seating. Self serve fountain drinks including iced tea and lemons. Prices are very reasonable and super awesome props for posting the caloric info as well as fat and other important information. Spicy isn't really spicy but hey what are you going to do, it's a chain, chains NEVER give the 4 alarm fire my taste buds crave. I love eating outside with my Great Dane as all the passers by either gawk and avoid him like the plague or rush over to make friends. Also Starbucks is close by for a nice little after dinner coffee or espresso.
(4)
Veggie T.
Tofu options on a good number of the dishes plus a touchscreen soda machine put this place on my list. The kitchen staff is on full display, which is always nice even though they're usually louder than the customers. They lose some points for puttting mushrooms(yuck) in the spring rolls & chicken in both of their soups.
(3)
Colleen M.
Oil. So much oil. This is the first time I've eaten from Pei Wei and it was disgusting. I got the traditional chicken lettuce wraps for take out and by the time I opened the box about 20 minutes later, so much oil had pooled in the bottom that I could have scooped out at least a few tablespoons without getting any chicken. I skimmed some of the chicken off the top to try the flavor and it mostly just tasted like oil. I also got the spicy Korean chicken and while not as oily, the sauce tasted like oil and salt. The chicken itself would have been pretty good. I wasn't too impressed with the service either. I may have been the first customer of the day (11:19am on Saturday) as they didn't seem quite ready for the day. The cashier was filling cups with a sauce right near the register which didn't seem like the correct area for that. I got a fountain soda while a worker was cleaning the condiment area (I appreciate the cleaning!). I tried to get a straw and he didn't seem to notice me. So I stepped back for a minute thinking to give him a chance to finish but he kept cleaning. I finally said excuse me and reached around him and he didn't even step back to let me reach anything else. He said something like "you're alright" like it was okay that I was getting in his way. The service issues were minor but I can still taste the oil. Gross.
(1)
Vishal S.
Went there for dinner and had the spicy korean chicken. The food was not awesome and not bad also. It was ok. Not going there for a second time though. The flavors were not so great. And could noit differentiate the chinese and korean flavors.
(2)
Karen F.
I had a surprisingly decent experience at Pei Wei - and this is the first and only time I'd ever been to one. It's kinda like the Qdoba of Chinese food. You place your order and pay at the front counter, then take your number and sit down. I ordered from a VERY nice young man at the counter. I had an order of 4 (fried) cream cheese wontons (supposedly they had crab - but they were very light on the crab) and the Viet Namese Chicken rolls (Not the salad wraps - the rice paper rolls). Good but I've had way better. Due to the EXCELLENT friendly service - not only from the counter man (who gave me a coupon for my next visit when he heard this was my frst) - but also the sweet young gal who nrought me my order, and the very CLEAN and uncrowded (note it was 11:25 AM on a Thursday) this porbably made my experience better than it could have been. That said - I will return again to try a "bowl" or entree. I would not get the Viet rolls again - but I would splurge on the cream-cheesey fried goodness once in a great while. I also would like to try their Thai style wonton soup. Not bad - really. I am pleasantly surprised and will return again to test them. P.S. My order total with tax was just under $12 - kinda high for lunch on a workday. (No beverage!!!!)
(3)
J Bradford L.
This is another take on a "high end" fast food Chinese restaurant. Similar ordering style as Chipotle or Piada. Order noodles, protein, sauce and extras. I got some kind of spicy noodles that tasted pretty darn good. Very modern, clean interior. They had beer at the location I was at!! I would give it a try if you come across one. Not going to be the best Chinese you've ever had, but if you are looking for decent quick noodles, you could do a lot worse.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Garage Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : 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 : No
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.
Andrew R.
With all of the to-go orders I've placed where they've quoted a time, I've gotten there 5 minutes after, and am still stuck waiting, you would think I would write a bad review, but that would be a disservice. It is just too damned good. I'll be honest, If you do not like P.F. Changs and it's Americanized version of Chinese food, you'll hate Pei Wei as well. But for those of you who dig it, It can't be beat. Pei Wei literally rips off P.F. Change menu (they're owned by them) and gives you smaller portions for a lower (more appropriate) price . It's excellent for take out and since it's individual, you can get it as spicy as you want without irritating your friends. The concept is simple, you pick from a protein, a sauce, and a cooking style and "Wa La!!" You have a quick fantastic meal.
(4)Sung C.
We waited almost 40 minutes for two dishes. When the food finally came out, the shrimp tasted old and super dry. The lo mein had absolutely no flavor. The Mongolian sauce was extremely salty. I used to be a regular a couple years ago when I lived on City Ave and stopped by on the way back from the zoo. Needless to say, I am never coming back.
(1)Tim Y.
I have religiously gone to this Pei Wei since it opened, mostly because I lived near it on City Avenue but ultimately because I just love the food and their mandarin green tea. I believe that Pei Wei makes the best Kung Pao (chicken/steak/shrimp/whatever) dish that I've ever had; I'm an addict of it and their unique tea. Now that I'm not living near it, I'm still returning for my weekly fix. It's a really pleasant modern take on Asian interiors, and it's fun to watch the fire spew up from the woks as they cook (oddly enough, I don't see that happen as much anymore for whatever reason). That being said, the other reviews are right in that this location has seen better days in the past. They have a couple really endearing hostesses and their kitchen staff seems pretty stable. But this location has had challenges in keeping things stocked, either throughout the day or even to get them through the weekend (sometimes there is no carrots or no peas in my dish, and they don't even warn me about that or even apologize for it!). There are times that cleanliness can be an issue, as management seemed to be a lot more tighter and proactive in the past. Though every business has its more challenging times, that's the nature of fast food in of itself. But yes, I am a fan and I am always looking forward to my next visit for more Pei Wei food! I just don't think that there is a better Kung Pao dish out there, or that I'll get as decent value for my dollar at many other Center City places.
(4)Andrew A.
Don't even bother coming here. No effort by staff to clean anything or even ice the beer. Been here 40 min and they have not cleaned a single table I and others had to clean their own. An hour before they closed the beer bin had little to no ice and when I asked about it I was told they close soon so no need to ice. They close in over an hour!!! At 8:45 an employee turned the music off (same one who didn't care to ice the beer) and was told by someone I am guessing is in charge to turn it back on. Guessing it was a we are closing in 45 minutes time to wrap up type of thing. Very poorly run and no management at all in the evening.
(1)Samantha E.
This place is great for a quick Asian inspired lunch, but has gone downhill over the last year or so. During my last visit, the soda machine did not work, but they did not warn anyone at the register while they were ordering and their screens that display the menu were not on, so the wait in line to order was much longer. The food is good for lunch- quick pad thai or lettuce wraps hit the spot midday. Their new sushi offerings are disappointing and flavorless.
(3)Louis W.
First Time Experience - Good Stuff! I took my family here after going to an Easter event down the street, very happy that we did. The restaurant was very warm and welcoming. We have had carryout from another Pei Wei near us, but had never dined in. I liked the way they present the menus as you walk in (before you get to the counter where you order). We got a variety of dishes, and my kids are huge fans of Asian noodles so they were thrilled - the kids meals were affordable and had plenty for them to eat. My wife and I were pleasantly surprised at how fresh everything tasted - but we shouldn't have as the meals were made-to-order. They have real dining utensils (no plastic knives and forks here! We all really enjoyed a nice time, the atmosphere was easy going (contemporary music playing in the background), everyone was happy. I would come here again for sure.
(4)Herbie H.
I was really pleasantly surprised with my visit to Pei Wei. We stopped in for lunch on a Saturday after visiting Target. We ordered one of the new sushi rolls, the Wasabi Crunch Roll, which was a great starter (we went for the 4pc). The sushi tasted fresh and the roll had great flavor. The crunch in the roll was a nice addition. I ordered a Vegetarian/Tofu Ginger Broccoli bowl over Dan Dan Noodles. I opted for the smaller portion, which was still pretty big (I brought about 1/3 of it home with me.) The noodles were tender, the tofu was nicely grilled and sliced, and there were a ton of vegetables. The Ginger Broccoli sauce was really flavorful, and paired nicely with the veggies/tofu. My boyfriend ordered a Caramel chicken bowl with rice. The flavor on the chicken was deep and rich. It reminded me of General Tso's, but less processed/breaded. I was not expecting that much from Pei Wei, but I was definitely surprised/impressed for a quick lunch.
(4)Bhavika P.
Dynamite chicken (small) with fried rice - meant to be spicy which it was but I would more describe this as sweet tangy spicy. Although it tasted really good. Nice flavourful chicken too. Extra .99$ for replacing it with fried rice but worth it. Pei Wei curry with tofu and vegetables (small) - I loved this curry. A little on sweet side so spicy eaters might not like it or would need a side of sriracha. Good portion as a small size. Overall I loved the food..close to Indian style fried rice (those who have tried it would know what I mean ). The only reason for giving one less star is coz I found the place a little shabby and kinda unclean seating area.
(4)Lauren W.
I am one of the many converts to the fast casual restaurant craze. I love going inside, being able to order quickly (well, after it takes me fifteen minutes to decide what to order), sit down, and have someone bring me my food in both less time and for less money that at a normal sit-down restaurant. Seve' M said it really well - Pei Wei may not make you dance in the street, but it does the job really nicely. I would go a step further and say that it makes me very happy as well! I can't comment on speed of service, as the two times I've been have been off-peak with not many customers. And I've only ordered takeout. Both takeout servers were very polite and friendly, and did a great job of double checking the accuracy of my order and offering me any paperware and condiments that I might need. The food is pretty yummy. But it will not knock your socks off. But (again), sometimes what you just need is a comforting meal. Sometimes you don't need a fancy meal that tingles new tastebuds and makes you wonder what the secret ingredient is. Sometimes, all you need are delicious Dan Dan noodles. That's my go to, and maybe that's what you should try. A nice bowl of chicken, bean sprouts and cucumbers in a spicy brown sauce begging to be tossed with hot noodles to soak up the sauce. It's really a perfect Asian American comfort food, with fresh veggies to boot.
(4)Kyle S.
Went here for lunch on Friday with my boyfriend on a whim, and we were very disappointed. We went at the tail end of the lunch rush, and it was still quite crowded, but there was only one person working the register. This would normally not be an issue, except she was also the same person putting the numbers on the tables to indicate where the orders need to go. Also, they were out of the menus that describe what all the sauces are, so we had no clue what to order until we reached the register, which had a screen that described everything. No wonder the line was moving so slowly! We sat down and waited for our food to come, which took a little while, but we were in no rush and the place was crowded. Not an issue. When our food finally came, we were very disappointed to say the least. I ordered the pad thai noodle bowl, and calling it pad thai is awfully generous. It tasted like pad thai by way of an Americanized Chinese food strip mall restaurant, and I mean that in the most derogatory sense. The noodles were mushy, and the sauce tasted exactly like (and nearly had the consistency of) peanut butter. My boyfriend had similar things to say about his dan dan noodle bowl; the sauce in his was so thick he refused to eat even half of it. I don't know if we ordered the wrong things, or the kitchen was having an off day, or if we merely were victims of dining at the tail end of the lunch rush, but we will not be returning.
(1)Wendy G.
Peiwei is a disgrace to all Asians in general. DO NOT be fooled by their nice décor and their cool vending machine! When I first when here with my mom, we both thought that eating here would be a nice because the outside and inside of the restaurant looked very nice and welcoming. To order here, you basically look at the menu they have provided on the wall and then you tell the person on the counter. After you do that then they give you a number and when you food is ready they call your number. After I ordered, I waited for more than half an hour until I got my food. I ordered the chicken vegetables and rice. After I got my food, I was expecting amazing Chinese food since it took so long for them to prepare it. However I was wrong. Peiwei's food is equivalent to panda express' food , the food is Chinese-American. Their open kitchen revealed that none of the chefs were Chinese, which is obviously why the Chinese food did not taste good(wonder why the kitchen was open, there is nothing to boast about). Also, the price of the food did not match the quality of the food , it was way too expensive. If you are not Chinese and you like lo mein and general Tsao's chicken, then I suggest you come here to try Peiwei's. If not, do not come here or you will be sadly unsatisfied. I would suggest you go to other Chinese restaurants around the area, such as lotus garden, tiger noodles, and even panda express. However, if you are looking for a cool vending machine with many cool buttons and drinks, you should come to Peiwei. Overall, Peiwei is a disgrace to Chinese cuisine and you should only go there if you are craving mediocre Chinese-American food.
(2)Amy A.
I've been wanting to try Pei Wei for a while now, but there isn't one nearby. My husband works in Bala, so I decided to meet him there for lunch on my way to the airport. When we walked in I could tell they were understaffed for the day. One person was working both the dine in and take out register. It took quite a while for her to take our order. Then we ordered and waited a good 15-20 minutes for our food. For being a fast service establishment, I thought that was slow. The food itself was good with nice sized portions. I was surprised that they were out of shrimp; that was disappointing. I ordered the chicken pad thai. It was better than I expected and it had a nice kick to it. I did think it was cool that they offered beer and wine, but you can't drink it outside at the tables. I would give it another try, but will make sure I build in a little extra time.
(3)Jamaica Y.
I would give this place a third chance for sure, but the first two trips were pretty God awful. I love food in general and Asian fusion especially, but the meals I have had hear were both pretty bad. The first time I had the curry, which I would never recommend to anyone. I don't even remember the second thing I had, but it was equally yuck. Other people seem to like it though, so I would do some Yelp searching to figure out what to order and go back.
(1)Sherrice B.
I was invited to have dinner at Pei Wei and was pleasantly surprised because I had passed this place a million times. The dining area is nice an the lighting was relaxing. I ordered the Chicken Pad Thai, it was deeeelishous very flavorful and hot. I will go back to try other options very soon. Only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because there were a few dirty tables in the dining room an we had to wipe our table off before we sat down. It was close to closing so that could be expected.
(4)Nell W.
This is quick, Asian food. I had teriyaki chicken over fried rice and the mango California roll. I ordered the original bowl because the small bowl looked, well, small. Lol. Don't be fooled though. You get a lot of food in the small bowl. My friends and I had to take our leftovers. My friend really enjoyed the chicken salad roll. She had never tried it before and said she would definitely order it elsewhere when she goes out. The sushi was okay. Nothing fancy. The cashier was very helpful even though he was also the server and the receptionist when the phone rang. I definitely love the large menu when you walk in. I would return.
(3)Art A.
I have eaten Chinese food from food carts. I have eaten Chinese food in the hood from those places with bullet proof plexiglass mazes. I have eaten Chinese food that sat too long on steam tables at all you can eat buffets. But I have never eaten food as bad as fast food joint, Pei Wei, in Bala Cynwyd. The vegetables in the spring rolls were so over cooked that an infant without teeth could eat them without choking. The Kung Pao Chicken had so much salt so as to make it inedible. A friend suggested that I mix the rice in to cut the saltiness. I followed his suggestion. All that did was to make the rice inedible, too.
(1)Elena C.
For lunch, I ordered the Thai Basil Soup & Pad Thai with Vegetables and Tofu. The host said they only had the broth and basil at the time. I still ordered it. So the small Thai Basil soup came in a tiny little cup. It was okay, because I didn't even finish it. It was so salty. Pad Thai was interesting..... I don't know if you could even call it Pad Thai. I ordered a small, but it was huge! Normally, I love big plates, but I'm not sure what I'll do with the leftovers. I never had Pad Thai that had such a soupy substance, I guess they just add a ton of soy sauce. It was sooooo salty, I wanted to scrap my tongue off. The tofu was sliced like thin chicken strips. It didn't seem very fresh. On another note, I noticed the kitchen just leaves the hot water on constantly by the woks. I guess it's too much to turn the water off and on? I'm not a cook, but that seems very wasteful. I'll still go back and try the other menu items.
(2)Davis J.
It would have been nice to get an email saying they didn't have half my order by the time I got there. Pour management on that.
(1)Tyneisha M.
So my boyfriend and I have tried this place twice for takeout and I was pleased each time. The staff was friendly and our food was done pretty quickly. The first time I got the sweet and sour chicken with brown rice which was just okay and he got the caramel chicken and brown rice which I enjoyed more. We've also tried the steak and brown rice which was tasty. This place makes me feel not as guilty when eating chinese and the prices and portions are reasonable, so i'll definitely be back.
(4)Sharee W.
The place is what it is. It's a quick place for some simple Asian inspired food. The food was okay. It's someplace I would go for a quick lunch, nothing fancy.
(3)Janice M.
So disappointed in this location. Usually a big fan but the service is terrible here. Ice machine was broken. Ice in soda machine didn't work. Took over 20 minutes to get a to go order with only a few customers waiting and six people cooking. Orders came up and sat waiting to be boxed for the to go orders even though there were three people working the register/to go area. Staff didn't seem to care about customers at all. More interested in entertaining their friends that were hanging around. Won't be back.
(1)Amy G.
Stopped in with my son for a quick, early dinner - BIG MISTAKE! It used to be okay, but it's just disgusting now. We ordered and then made our way over the filthy, sticky floor to the drink machines....I had ordered a glass of wine, surprising the cashier as they don't have wine, of course! I mentioned that it's on both the paper menu, the large chart menu, and the menu right in front of the registers which made her shrug....should have left right then. Food finally arrives and it's so covered with disgusting, heavily salted 'sauce' as to be almost inedible! I cannot believe that P.F.Changs puts their name on this awful place! Don't go - grab a box of cereal at the Target next door and you'll be much better off!!
(1)Keith B.
Food is very good and the price makes it a good value. The new Thai foods are very flavorful. I always go for the Orange Beef, it's one of my favorites. We arrived at 8:30 and were told the dining room was closed. We had to order take out. The restaurant closes at 9:00. We sat on the patio with a lot of other customers.
(4)Katie P.
I enjoy peiwei for good quality Chinese/ thai food. I usually get the pad thai. Only eat half if you're watching your weight. Their dishes are high calorie. Luckily they have highly publicized nutritional info.
(3)Kristen S.
I used to live within walking distance of this pei wei, so it was a very convenient spot for fast take-out. The food is pretty good for essentially fast food, it is also very Americanized Asian cuisine, so someone looking for an authentic meal is definitely not going to get it. That being said, I generally like it and regularly return. What really has me bothered is their new sushi campaign. I don't have a problem with the sushi itself, I've tried it once and it was pretty good. My problem is that they never have any. They consistently run out before 6 pm, which is ridiculous. If you are going to do a huge promotion of a new product you are offering, maybe you should have enough where you don't run out every day before the dinner rush even begins. The cashiers even wear t-shirts about their sushi! I have ordered from this place probably over 10 times, and every single time I have tried to order the sushi, and every single time they have told me that they've run out. And I don't order dinner really late either, I would say I've never ordered later than 7pm. I'm guessing this is just an example of really poor management.
(2)Elena C.
This place used to be good. When T and I first started dating we went here on Friday night all the time since it was across the street from his office. Not gourmet and a tad expensive but the food was good and the service decent. It's turned into a sh*t show. The food is lukewarm and bland and on my most recent visit I waited 20 minutes for a cup of soup. When it didn't show up I made two requests. Another 20 minutes later and nothing. So I waited another 10 minutes in line for a refund. The tables are never bussed and service is lackadaisical at best. It's a mess. Save your money and eat somewhere else.
(1)Sunil A.
This place is horrible. The food is very bad and horrible customer service. They actually did not deliver soup or spring rolls which is part of our order. Even the person who is taking our order was pushy and did not help us. Overall I want to give 0 stars but can't so I ended up with one.
(1)Ni K.
Love this place. Food is great, service is good. You can eat in or done right outside. You can also call ahead and pick up. It could just be me, but it seems like you get more food when you eat in than when you take out. I love the crab wontons and vegetable spring rolls. Sometimes when I'm headed to Target which is close by, I go to Pei Wei first and pick up some wontons and spring rolls to fuel my shopping trip. A bit overpriced but worth it because there is no MSG. Condiments and utensils are plentiful. They don't charge extra.
(4)Vanessa W.
I work in the area so I've eaten my fair share of lunches at Pei Wei. I like the food at P.F. Chang's so since Pei Wei is owned by the same company, this location got my attention right away. A number of the dishes are not that great, unfortunately. But their brown rice is always cooked perfectly, the spring rolls are delicious, and I am a fan of their Thai Dynamite Chicken dish. They have a computerized soda fountain which I am a fan of. You can choose from hundreds of soda flavors and combinations. I used to go for the Fanta but now I stick to the sparkling flavored Dasani options, which are fruity and tasty too, without all the extra calories. The staff here are really friendly and that adds to the pleasant experience of eating here. My only complaint is that the tables are never quite as clean as I'd prefer. You can see into the open-air kitchen, and that always looks clean, but obviously the dining room should, too. This is located in the same shopping complex as Target and a PNC Bank location, so it's a nice place to grab lunch while you're running errands.
(3)Joey M.
I have for sure had better Asian fusion BUT some saving graces are: 1. Serve beer including Kirin 2. Have the cool coca cola machine that allows you to choose a plethora of soda options (seriously very cool) As u walk in you order and pay. The food is then brought to the table. No actual waitress, so to speak. I had edemame, spring roll and sweet n sour chicken made with velvet stock ( decreases fat content by 30%) Overall it was ok...edemame and spring roll were good but the sweet n sour chicken was just ok. I'll likely go back but will have a different entree
(3)Rachel H.
The food wasn't the problem here. The ignorant girl ( _Togo) at the register was. She was very rude and did not seem to have any patience at all. She was very short with me and interrupted me when I was trying to give my order. I am very disappointed in her professionalism. There are many people out there who don't have jobs if you don't like yours don't take it out on the customers who spend their hard earned money. Someone really needs to talk to her about her interactions with customers. Pei Wei should be ashamed that this is the face that greets and serves you. I WILL NOT BE GIVING PEI WEI MY BUSINESS IF SHE IS THERE SERVING ME.
(1)Keith M.
I recently ate here and thought my meal was pure garbage. The place is like the McDonald's of Chinese food. At least the restaurant was clean.
(1)Melveetia T.
Tonight I was hungry for some fast Asian food and I was in for a surprise. First the guy that had taken my order was distracted by his phone. Second our appetizer came out way after our entrée....no apology from the server. Third, the lettuce wraps were so damn salty...I thought for sure I would croak right there. I sent the wraps back..once again no apology. The ignorant waitress brought me another round...once again no apology or even an "enjoy". I only gave them 2 stars because my entree of Kung Pao Chicken was actually tasty. I will never visit again!!!!
(2)Ron G.
Pei Wei offers reasonably priced semi-fast-Asian-food that is of acceptable quality. Pros are the restaurant itself is pretty nice given the prices, online ordering/pickup was a breeze, and they have gluten free options for those needing them. Unfortunately the food was not terrible but definitely forgettable. The one exception was the Hot and sour soup that was actually quite terrible. Broth had a corn starchy consistency and the pork tasted like campbells chicken noodle soup chicken bits. Chicken lettuce wraps were decent, almost as good as PF Chang's. Dan Dan noodles were okay. Noodles were overcooked, flavor wasn't bad. Thai dynamite steak wasn't great, heavy lime flavor over powered much of the spice. Surprisingly, gluten free spicy chicken was probably best entree. Recommended going here for quick dine in lunch or dinner. There isn't good Chinese in east falls so this isn't a bad option if you don't wanna shell out twice the money for han dynasty. Its funny, the suburbs of philly seem to have good and affordable chinese food while in the city I seem to find either cheap, terrible food, or expensive delicious food. If anyone knows a happy medium I'd love some tips.
(3)Lauren F.
Food isn't all that good . Kind of expensive and horrible customer service . Food takes to long for something that's not that big in size .
(1)Melissa W.
Not bad for Americanized quasi pan-Asian cuisine. It's all fairly tasty, in a fake Asian food kind of way. Portions are pretty large, though mostly heavy on the rice. Dishes with rice are around $8 each, but we had buy-one-get-one-free coupons for the entrees. For half price, this place was amazing. The "spicy" dishes are not very spicy (or at all, really). Regardless, I particularly enjoyed their approximation of a Thai green curry. The "steak" option seemed better than the chicken: in both the chicken dishes we ordered, the chicken came in the standard battered and fried nuggets soggy with goopy sauce typical of American Chinese takeout. But at least the meat appeared to be white meat, and was not gristly or with other unpleasant inclusions often found in Chinese food. However, I still think the steak option was better, though they were less generous with the beef strips. The guy at the counter who took our orders was very nice, and even came chasing after us in the parking lot when he gave us the wrong dish (not that we would've been able to tell the difference). For those of you who ever had the privilege of being familiar with Teen Girl Squad, I leave you with this: MSG'd!!! Oww, my stomach lining. But in this case, it burns in a good way.
(3)Audrey M.
I think people confuse Pei Wei with real Chinese/Thai/Japanese. It is fast food brought to you by the same people that own PF Changs. PF Changs is an "open bag" place (they don't cook from scratch, open premade bags) and certainly not haute cuisine. That being said, Pei Wei is a decent place. Food always hot. Sometimes too much swimming in the sauce but not horrible. Also, it is trying to be a fusion place. Tricky to begin with but add the fast meal aspect and it can come up short. This is a good locations. Clean. Well lit. Friendly.
(3)Matt R.
This is my favorite lunch place in the City Line Ave area. Impressive selection of Asian cuisine for a chain. Doesn't feel to chainy inside. Love the Pei Wei spicy which is their General Tso, Mongolian Beef is good to, and also the Kung Pow. Not huge on their salads. Their lettuce wraps are good and quality hot and sour soups. I've tried just about everything on the menu. I recommend the combo and getting a spring roll with it. Also if you eat in, sometimes they have the huge tall boy cans of Sapporo.
(5)Heather H.
A frustrating experience. This was my first time here, and it was a train wreck! We will not be back. The place upon entering was extremely loud and dirty. There was no organization with staff so ordering and waiting took forever. Our order was wrong so we had to fix it. At least we had a gift certificate. So it's like we never paid. Don't let the outside decor fool you. This place is gross and trashy. The food was not good. I looked up the dishes online since we were going to pick it up and eat at home. I am so glad we did not dine-in. I had pad thai and was craving it. It tasted nothing like real or Americanized pad thai. It tasted like a camp fire. The peanut taste was missing completely even though there were weird peanut halves on top. I was really hungry and ate half. Debating on if the leftovers should just be trashed. The crab wontons were really weird. They looked tasty but were not. Avoid these too. Overall, I would rather eat at a mall food court Asian place. It might be a slight step above. At least they give you a free sample on a toothpick prior to ordering.
(1)Michael F.
First time here today. Had a hot n sour soup to start. Very small portion, maybe 5 or 6 spoonfuls at the most. Ordered up the Spicy Korean w/ Chicken and brown rice. A very generous portion for sure, and everything cooked well. The sauce was a bit heavy and a tad sweet, but did a well enough job for lunch. The long beans were very tasty in the entree. For a chain, it's what you'd expect.
(3)Benjamin M.
So, we accidentally happened upon here while looking for a lunch spot prior to heading across the river to Manayunk. I had never even heard of this place and just assumed it was another run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurant...that is until we saw a reference to "PF Changs" on the door. Whoa, hold up! We ventured inside, which was fairly spacious for a strip-mall restaurant. I decided on the Mandarin Kung Pao Chicken w/fried rice and wasn't disappointed with either the taste or the portion size. I recommend Pei Wei (aka, PF Changs Fast Food?), as a scaled down and more affordable version of the original restaurant. Too bad there's only two locations in Philadelphia area and two in western Jersey. Now I just need to figure out how in the heck to pronounce it.
(4)Dave H.
I'd rather get local takeout Chinese. Pei Wei is awful, even for Americanized Chinese. They serve up pan-Asian style dishes, most which are reasonably-priced. Their menu even features handy-dandy labels to indicate what can be vegetized, and what can be made hot. Sadly their cooking was a pale imitation of reality: my so-called spicy "Thai" blazing noodles had MSG'd beef, and were coated in a chili sauce that tasted salty sweet - then again, I have deadened taste buds. My more normal friend found her dish too spicy. On the positive side, portions were good, and they sold beer. (I had hot tea, the next best thing.) Service wasn't in our face either - we sat ourselves after ordering up front - so be proactive if you want any. The interior was attractive enough, sporting P.F. Chang's branding. Oh, and parking is a snap! Pei Wei didn't remind me of any diner, save for their open kitchen. If you sit at the counter, you can watch staff wok and toss. Thanks to my friend for paying!
(2)Sam J.
I love Pei Wei but I guess this just one of those "bad egg" locations. Staff is friendly, but that's about the only positive thing I could say about my 3-4 experiences here. The food tastes like it has been in the back of a freezer truck for 1500 miles or so, which I guess is probably accurate come to think of it. Rubbery chicken, chewy steak, fishy shrimp. The sesame chicken had more gristle than protein. Not the chef's fault here, they work with what they have. Avoid if you can, bit the food won't kill you if you have no other choice.
(2)Monique C.
Went in last week to finally use the gift cards Pei Wei sent me for my previous bad experience. Let me just say that they got this place into shape. I made sure to come at the same time on the same day as my first visit. The dining area was clean and the staff were friendly and in uniform. There was no clowning around as far as I saw. Our food arrived quickly and was perfect. Solid 4/5 for Pei Wei.
(4)ben c.
I came here for the first time. I didn't know what it was but my sister said it was good. It's like an asian fast food place. The foods we ordered were all very good. They have great customer service! The lady at the register counter was very nice and was helping in describing the dishes to us so we could figure out what we wanted to eat. The tables were always being cleaned and the servers (if you decided to dine in) were very accommodating and polite. One server even waiting for the customer who were getting their drinks from the soda machine to sit down before she brought over there meals. The staff was very well trained at this establishment. I will most likely visit again if i'm in the area.
(3)Colleen O.
25-30 minute wait for take out food. Really?? Poorly run and have no idea what's even being cooked. Never again!
(1)Shanique S.
I really get the same thing everytime :) Pei Wei Spicy (shrimp or chicken dish) is delicious!
(4)K. A. N. A. K.
Uhh . . . Funny that we ordered Dan Dan noodles and "Spicy Korean" over rice, but both dishes tasted the same (and not like something they were supposed to reference) and that flavor was not particularly good.
(2)Danny L.
Can't believe I got suckered in by the chicken lettuce wraps (PF Chang's Style) That's about the only thing worth ordering here. Take heed people.
(2)Harry E.
I really love Pei Wei! Truly... I do. They have indoor or outdoor seating. Self serve fountain drinks including iced tea and lemons. Prices are very reasonable and super awesome props for posting the caloric info as well as fat and other important information. Spicy isn't really spicy but hey what are you going to do, it's a chain, chains NEVER give the 4 alarm fire my taste buds crave. I love eating outside with my Great Dane as all the passers by either gawk and avoid him like the plague or rush over to make friends. Also Starbucks is close by for a nice little after dinner coffee or espresso.
(4)Veggie T.
Tofu options on a good number of the dishes plus a touchscreen soda machine put this place on my list. The kitchen staff is on full display, which is always nice even though they're usually louder than the customers. They lose some points for puttting mushrooms(yuck) in the spring rolls & chicken in both of their soups.
(3)Steve V.
First "discovered" this poor man's PF Changs in California. Glad they are coming out this way. There is one in Cherry Hill as well. It is basically the fast food version of PF Changs. They are affiliated. You come in order, get a number, put it at your table of choice, and within minutes you are enjoying. The Crab Wontons are awesome! Anything with brown rice makes it "healthy." They also have nice untensils, plates, and napkins. Doesn't feel fast food at all!
(5)Colleen M.
Oil. So much oil. This is the first time I've eaten from Pei Wei and it was disgusting. I got the traditional chicken lettuce wraps for take out and by the time I opened the box about 20 minutes later, so much oil had pooled in the bottom that I could have scooped out at least a few tablespoons without getting any chicken. I skimmed some of the chicken off the top to try the flavor and it mostly just tasted like oil. I also got the spicy Korean chicken and while not as oily, the sauce tasted like oil and salt. The chicken itself would have been pretty good. I wasn't too impressed with the service either. I may have been the first customer of the day (11:19am on Saturday) as they didn't seem quite ready for the day. The cashier was filling cups with a sauce right near the register which didn't seem like the correct area for that. I got a fountain soda while a worker was cleaning the condiment area (I appreciate the cleaning!). I tried to get a straw and he didn't seem to notice me. So I stepped back for a minute thinking to give him a chance to finish but he kept cleaning. I finally said excuse me and reached around him and he didn't even step back to let me reach anything else. He said something like "you're alright" like it was okay that I was getting in his way. The service issues were minor but I can still taste the oil. Gross.
(1)Vishal S.
Went there for dinner and had the spicy korean chicken. The food was not awesome and not bad also. It was ok. Not going there for a second time though. The flavors were not so great. And could noit differentiate the chinese and korean flavors.
(2)Karen F.
I had a surprisingly decent experience at Pei Wei - and this is the first and only time I'd ever been to one. It's kinda like the Qdoba of Chinese food. You place your order and pay at the front counter, then take your number and sit down. I ordered from a VERY nice young man at the counter. I had an order of 4 (fried) cream cheese wontons (supposedly they had crab - but they were very light on the crab) and the Viet Namese Chicken rolls (Not the salad wraps - the rice paper rolls). Good but I've had way better. Due to the EXCELLENT friendly service - not only from the counter man (who gave me a coupon for my next visit when he heard this was my frst) - but also the sweet young gal who nrought me my order, and the very CLEAN and uncrowded (note it was 11:25 AM on a Thursday) this porbably made my experience better than it could have been. That said - I will return again to try a "bowl" or entree. I would not get the Viet rolls again - but I would splurge on the cream-cheesey fried goodness once in a great while. I also would like to try their Thai style wonton soup. Not bad - really. I am pleasantly surprised and will return again to test them. P.S. My order total with tax was just under $12 - kinda high for lunch on a workday. (No beverage!!!!)
(3)J Bradford L.
This is another take on a "high end" fast food Chinese restaurant. Similar ordering style as Chipotle or Piada. Order noodles, protein, sauce and extras. I got some kind of spicy noodles that tasted pretty darn good. Very modern, clean interior. They had beer at the location I was at!! I would give it a try if you come across one. Not going to be the best Chinese you've ever had, but if you are looking for decent quick noodles, you could do a lot worse.
(3)Chris M.
So, I strolled into Pei Wei with my wife last night, not sure what to expect. I almost turned around and left when I realized that this was one of those order-at-the-counter-and-pay-first, Baja-Fresh-esque restaurants. But, I'm glad we stayed. The lady working the cash register was very pleasant and had a good sense of humor. There was a bin full of beer with a sign on it that said, "Large Beers - $6.25. Imported Beers - $4." I asked what the cost of a Sapporo would be because it is both large and imported. She laughed. Anyway, I asked what the spiciest thing on the menu was ("Blazing Thai" something or other) and got it and my wife got the teriyaki chicken bowl. We got the lettuce wraps appetizer - which is unbelievably good. Our food came out promptly was good. I way preferred my wife's food to mine, though -- that's what I get for chasing spiciness, rather than ordering something I know I will like. Anyway, total check was $25 (not bad), and we had a good overall experience. I would definitely come back for a casual, low-key night out.
(3)Danan R.
This is very Americanized Chinese but sometimes I do want just that. And that is when I come here for my chicken teriyaki with brown rice. It's filling, fast, and cheap. And honestly, it's pretty good too. I would liken this to five guys, except that it serves Chinese rather than burgers. The sauces are flavorful and the ingredients are fresh. Plus, the veggies are crisp and given in ample amounts.
(4)Carla V.
Pei Wei is great, I love their food but this location is almost always a disappointment. The staff, one woman in particular is always so rude and I am pretty sure she just wants to sabotage our eating experience for kicks. The food is always better and more consistent at other Pei Wei locations. It is such a bummer since I work near here but I am so tired of dealing with their terrible service!!
(2)Bruce B.
Pei Wei is a well run chain restaurant with a energetic, multicultural staff. T he restaurant is comfy and attractive and they have nice plates and utensils and the open air kitchen is a great idea for a fast food spot. i love Asian food and a spot that offers Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean dishes caught my attention I ordered the Korean BBQ and my friend ordered the Pei Wei spicy chicken. I really liked my dish, even though it wasn't barbecued, the beef was very tasty as were the veggies and the sauce. My friend didn't care for the Pei Wei chicken saying that the coating on the chicken was too overpowering I had a Egg Roll that was filled with ground pork and veggies and it came with a nice sauce to dip it in. I don't know if you can call it fast food, because when you think of it most Asian food is fast food. How many times were you amazed when you called a Chinese take out and gave them a list of entrees as long as your arm and the voice on the other end of your call said "Ten minutes"
(3)Mario B.
It's not gourmet, but it's much better than standard Chinese take-out fare. The Diner Selects meals are great, cheap options as they include an appetizer (wonton soup is awesome) for even less than the full-size entree price. Also, Pei Wei can be great for diets too. You can get lots of options "stock velveted" to save some calories/fat. Even without the stock-velveted option, you can get a full diner select portion of Mongolian Beef, Vietnamese Slaw, and Soup/Spring Roll for 350 calories and 12 grams of fat. This is much better than all other "fast food" (though be warned, as with all asian food, sodium content is very high). Also, never had any problems with ordering ahead online. In fact, I'd highly recommend because my biggest problem with the place has always been waiting for the food when I hadn't preordered. All and all, I recommend.
(4)Surfandturf J.
If you can ignore the fruit flys, ice cold food, and broken soda machine, this place is pretty darned good.
(2)Betsi K.
One of my favorite chains - there is no place better for a satisfying fix of Asian inspired food on the run...While we like to avoid chains when on vacation - sometimes you just want what you know will hit the pallet a certain way - and this fit the bill!
(4)Laura D.
Sure it's commercialized and americanized, but I love this place. Healthy choices, tasty food, take-home portions, brown rice, quick service... that's plenty for me. I don't compare it to other asian food, I compare it to my other relatively quick and cheap food options outside the city. When my stomach is grumbling on Saturday afternoon I think to myself, "Do I want pizza place, fast food, Couch Tomato AGAIN, Wawa... oh yeah, Pei Wei!" Not only does it fit my under 45 min, ~$10 for a meal criteria, but has the added bonus of being healthy. And boy do I like health. I've had the spicy korean, thai coconut curry, and thai dynamite, and all have been quite good... options for tofu or shrimp, and brown rice, make it even better. Spicy dishes aren't over the top, but do have some kick. Wash it down with black current or orange peel brewed iced tea, yum. Top it all off with a fortune cookie or two... in bed.
(4)Jen R.
I don't know how to review this place. Is it a restaurant? Is it fast food? Its a weird mix of both. I think they should pick one and stick with it. You order and pay as you walk in, then get your drinks and seat yourself. Your food is then served to you. We weren't halfway through our appetizers of lettuce wraps and two crab wontons when our food was served. We had the Honey Crispy Chicken with white rice and the Pei Wei Spicy Chicken. We loved the lettuce wraps. The rest was good but nothing special. Don't let the word "diner" fool you. Good food but pricey. For $32 we could have gotten more bang for our buck at our local chinese restaurant.
(2)Payal P.
i think enough has been said about this place so i am just going to go with what i've had and recall being one way or another love - dan dan noodles korean with chicken or shrimp like - blazing noodles mongolian with shrimp lettuce wraps (they are sometimes amazing and some times ok) spicy ramen not a fan of - pad thai...the noodles taste too starchy
(4)Brad M.
I love the Mongolian Steak with Fried Rice! It has the PFChangs Quality (I've never been to a Pei Wei and had a bad experience) The good always arrives quickly and has a consistent high quality taste.
(5)Seve' M.
You are not going to be pissed that you came here. Now are you going to dance in the streets...not so much. I only get to go since I am across the street at work so I can't comment on "dining in" but if you call ahead your order it will definitely be there waiting for you to pick it up. One of the most Americanized Asian places I have ever been to but still good enough to want more. I think the price is pretty much on average for what you would expect and you get enough food that it will even out. Like I said before this place is just ehhhhhhh OK. Just a side note the reason I gave it four stars was because they are always on time with my order and I can pick it up quick and get back to my yelping.
(4)Gavin S.
Honestly, the food here is not so bad. My problem with Pei Wei is that the menu is so limited I don't really see the point to this place. Chung Hing is nearby and has my favorite Chinese dish, shrimp in spicy tomato sauce (sometimes called Szechuan shrimp if prepared properly) as well as a full chinese menu. I've been to Pei Wei twice and agree this is totally Americanized chinese - both my meals were forgettable. Bottom line - Pei Wei = Pei WHY?
(2)Sabrina R.
First - let's just point out Pei Wei isn't meant to be good Chinese/Asian food. It's a fast food, Asian experience. With that being said, back in 2008 - they did a fantastic job. Coming back here in 2012, it's horrible. I don't know when Pei Wei changed it's recipes, but they are now blander versions of lean cuisine meals. For the price you pay, you'd expect more. I will say the staff is always nice, and I like the outdoor seating. For almost the same price, go to California Pizza Kitchen next door.
(3)Arica N.
I have eaten here over the years since it opened maybe 3 years ago(?). Always for lunch. This is by far the best Chinese/Asian food I have had on this coast. Your order is fresh made and delivered to your table by happy wait staff. If you have small children that may balk at spicy food you can always get brown rice and steamed veggies for a small price. Even if you don't like Chinese food go for the red floor, it is something to behold.
(4)P H.
The best Asian cuisine I have had. A little more expensive than your everyday Chinese restaurant but far better. Fav Dishes: Spicy Korean (steak/brown rice) Sesame Chicken (Brown rice) Crab won-tons.
(5)Rachel G.
Pei Wei is an asian-fusion diner quick service restaurant chain. The reason why I want to write this review is because I wanted to call attention to their gluten free menu. I've eaten there on several occasions, and they have a few GF dishes including hot entrees and salads that are yummy and readily available every time I'm there. It's great. It is becoming a big lunchtime favorite of mine. Try to the Pei Wei spicy chicken - comes with sugar snap peas and carrots with nice big chunks of chicken. A yummy alternative to the usual lunch salad indeed!
(3)John B.
I came here only because a bunch of people wanted to go here for a quick meal...and I wasn't part of the decision making process. And i thought...sure, it can't be THAT bad. But...unfortunately, it was THAT bad. I had the "special" spicy Japanese ramen...which was not ramen at all but resembled yakiudon execept that the udon noodle was made with egg... The spice seemed like they put together generic hot sauce with some ginger and called it japanese...and yes, it was terrible. I saw other people's dishes...thai lettuce wrap (reminded me of cheesecake factory), pad thai (is there any *asian* restaurant that does not serve pad thai these days?), and a plethora of below average and terrible array of food.
(1)Benjamin K.
Pad Thai is my standard for all Thai resturants. If the Pad Thai is good...i will try the rest of what is on the menu. I have eaten at probably 15 Thai resturants all together and this place has...BY FAR THE WORST PAD THAI I HAVE EVER TASTED! That is all. Greasy and tastless and made my guts hurt the next day pretty bad. Avoid it like the swine flu!
(1)Jen L.
I was really excited to try Pei Wei (is it Pee-Wee or Pay-Way? No one can tell me) today for lunch because I had a manja craving for dumplings. Guess what - NO DUMPLINGS on the menu here. What is it with the lack of dumplings in the Philadelphia area (see my review of the liars at the Comcast Building Food Court), all I ever want are dumplings. I ordered the Crab Wontons aka crab rangoon and shared them with a friend, and the Thai Coconut Curry Chicken with brown rice. My entree was pretty enormous, and I ate it for lunch AND dinner. Both items were excellent, but I can still only give three stars due to the lack of motherfucking dumplings.
(3)Tyler T.
I've been here too many times to count and it's been great every single time. I have ordered almost every entree but my favorite is the Mongolian Beef. The sauce is a perfect blend of spicy and sweet. Can never go wrong with the signature lettuce wraps and the cheese wontons. This is my go to spot when I'm in the need for a quick lunch or dinner.
(4)Alex V.
Pei Wei is not a bad option if you want a lot of Chinese food for cheap, because the portions are huge. The food quality is average, but I've had a lot worse. The menu is essentially "American Chinese" with some fusion dishes too. I definitely recommend the Pei Wei Spicy, which is similar to General Tso's. One item of note, I consistently find dirty cups and dishes when I dine in at Pei Wei. I would recommend take out, or if you dine-in, get your drinks in paper cups.
(2)Duke D.
Food is wonderful and fast. Two girls at the counter- WORST ATTITUDES ever. Her questions weren't clear, she couldn't answer simple questions about her own food. The other cashier was too busy texting! Sorry to bother you ladies with my money! I'll probably never return now. WAY TO GO
(2)Julia C.
I have been to PF Chang's Pei Wei (pronounced Pay Way) several times and have always had a good meal. It's fresh, tasty and cheap. They also give you big portions. last night i went to dinner with a friend. My friend had the something under "signature Dishes" - the Vegetables & Tofu Thai Coconut Curry, which she said was spicey and tasty and I had a dish under the "noodles and big bowls" category - the Vegetables & Tofu Lo Mein. My dish was flavorful despite not being spicey. Both dishes were loaded with vegetables. Service was prompt, despite being relatively full for early dining (we arrived at 5:30-ish).
(4)Cynthia D.
Veggie option, beer... I wanted this to be a "diner" but it's really just the qboba of asian fusion. Not a bad place to stop, but when I hear diner, I'm usually getting overly excited.
(3)Megan D.
I stopped in on Saturday afternoon while running errands in the adjacent shopping center and kinda regretted it. The germaphobe in me is generally pretty happy to see an open kitchen design, and the modern decor with digital menu board gave me high hopes. The food I saw being delivered all looked really good. I ordered the teriyaki rice bowl with chicken. The dish was mainly made of rice(shocking that it was called a rice bowl right?) and lots of it! It would probably not bother me if the rice was cooked correctly. It was also so salty I barely got through half of the bowl. After about a half hour of shopping my stomach decided it also did not like the salty mush called rice. I don't think I will be returning anytime soon.
(2)Uday T.
It is a very nice place. All the food items are very less priced (almost all items are @$6.95). I had pad Thai, spring rolls and chicken fried rice. I loved the fried rice. Nice spicy food. Very good service, super fast service. Would definitely like to visit again. Uday
(5)Teri M.
Pei Wei is actually a scaled down version of P.F. Chang's. The owners decided several years ago to offer something a little cheaper/casual for folks who like the food from P.F. Chang's but can't afford to go out to eat all "upscale". There aren't many up here in PA, so it's hard to really know that, but when I lived in Dallas, I got the scoop as they were all brand new then. I haven't been to this location yet, but I do know the food is tasty, just beware of the beef broccoli (yeah go figure) if you are concerned with sodium content, it's on the high side.
(4)Meg C.
Pei Wei is fast, cheap and good. The portions are generous (my boyfriend and I can split one entree and an appetizer and both be satisfied). Also, nutritional information is on their website, so you can figure out what dishes are the healthiest. I LOVE the fact that they have hot chili paste as a condiment, even the spicy dishes require a little more heat for me. Last time we visited, our edamame was ready before we got to our table. The service is amazingly fast, but obviously can get a bit slow around lunch. The chai tea is just okay, I usually just stick with water or Jones soda. The Pad Thai is very good for a fast food joint, not too sweet. I love the tofu and egg in it. I also really like the Chicken Dan Dan Noodles, which has both chicken and cucumber in it, a favorite flavor combination of mine. But I always return to the Pad Thai with chicken. Also, I always eat at least two fortune cookies. I swear theirs are less cardboardy than usual.
(4)Alfredo G.
I used to work across a PF Changs, so I didn't have high expectations for an even more Americanized fast food chain. I was pleasantly surprised. Service was quick and the ambiance was good. The portions are relatively large. I'll take this over any other fast food Asian restaurant chain. What's up with the spice? My spicy Thai Blazing Noodles were actually spicy. Since when does that happen with Americanized food? And why doesn't PF Changs have that? Actually, I couldn't eat it all, so I wouldn't mind if they toned it down a bit. Maybe next time I won't accidentally say spicy before the name of the plate.
(4)David T.
I had high hopes for Pei Wei when it opened last summer. I am a big fan of PF Changs, and when I heard Pei Wei was run by the same company, I figured it would be the next best thing. Pei Wei has a great concept - higher quality, chinese pseudo-fast food (think a chinese version of Panera Bread). Some of the food is tasty - the lettuce wraps are just as good as the ones you get at PF Changs, for example. The problem is most of the other dishes range from average to, well, average. So it's not really that Pei Wei is bad, it's just not as good as it could be. And because of that, I just can't bring myself to give it more than 3 stars. The service is pretty good - if you're going there for a business lunch, you can usually be in and out in 30 minutes. Keep in mind that there's no waitress service - you order your food when you arrive (like I said - think Panera).
(3)Chris L.
Pei Wei is basically a fancy version of a diner that serves Asian food. If you're looking for authentic asian food, you will be disappointed. Like its parent restaurant PF Chang, it's just a "high class" type of place that's nicely decorated with fake asian food. It's also pricier than other food court type of places, with entrees starting at 7 dollars or so. The food is OK at best. Personally, I'd stick to the food court at the mall since it's cheaper for the same quality of food, or even better, goto Chinatown. One bonus about this place: they offer brown rice for health freaks for *no extra charge*. That's a first I've seen that... most other places charge an extra dollar for brown rice.
(3)Dontae W.
I decided to go because I was interested to see what this new addition to City Line Avenue was really like. I ordered Spring Rolls and the Teriyaki Bowl. Both were good overall. I must admit I am not a big fan of Chinese food because I know most places sell a fake version of it. However, the Spring Rolls were larger than I expected and very tasty. The Vegetable-Tofu Teriyaki Bowl was okay. The rice was overcooked and they were stingy with the tofu. But again thats why it was just ok. Also, they made an attempt to give us something different with a Cosi type atmosphere and dim lighting. The food is not worth a special trip but it is one of the only chinese/Asian food places in the area.
(3)Jenn H. H.
I like this place! The prices are ok, and you get plenty of food. You'll either be stuffed or take home a doggy bag. It's not authentic chinese / asian food. It's very americanized and palatable, but good. I'm in love with the chicken teriyaki and their brown rice. The place is bright, clean, with an open kitchen. You order, sit down, and they bring the food to you fairly quickly. It's a quick and cheap alternative to take out, if you actually want to sit.
(4)Pete S.
"Even more Americanized, Americanized Asian food." Food is surprisingly well prepared and taste pretty good. I've been here several times and have not had a bad experience with service or the food itself. The place is clean and modern. The staff is always friendly. Price is cheap so I never hesitate to come back whenever I need my Americasian food fix.
(3)Da S.
Great food. Great value.
(5)Alex M.
PF Chang's cheaper diner-type restaurant just opened on City Line and I'm sure PCOM and St Joes students are rejoicing. Its cheap, light, wok-cooked food that sort of resembles the cuisine found at Chinese, Korean, and Thai restaurtants. Did I mention that it's really cheap? You basically order a sauce and a meat for an entree and they seat you like they do in a diner. Within minutes your food is at your table. While it's not authentic, it's still decent - especially for the area. The Kung Pao shrimp was by far the best, most flavorful, dish they had. I'll update this review as I try more dishes. Check it out!
(3)Erin C.
Crab wontons were dry. Sweet and sour chicken was very bland. Dan Dan noodles tasted like Lean Cuisine with x4 the sodium.
(1)Foodie H.
best pei wei in town!!!! love it....i eat there 1 a week.
(5)Jason L.
Food was extremely salty and over-cooked. Will not visit again.
(2)Francesca H.
This is a great spot to go too if you want fast Chinese without sacrificing taste. I am a big fan of the Hot & Sour soup and Lemon Pepper Chicken. Although they did take it off the menu. My new favorite has become the Tia Dynamite. Food is hot and fresh and never greasy like all other Chinese fast food places. Great place 100%
(5)Dana B.
Casual, laid-back atmosphere and decent food. The spring rolls were great, and I got the Thai Mango Chicken (which only happens to be there for a limited time right now) and it was good but a bit spicy for my taste. Would definitely come back to try all the other selections they have, provided I'm in the area again.
(4)Andrew D.
basic americanized chinese food. not the worst i've had, but certainly not the best. sorry paul fleming, but this one's not even par for the pei wei course (which would warrant three stars, at most). better check the kitchen on city ave... i won't be back.
(1)M. C.
My husband and I love this place. It has a lot of similar dishes that P.F. Chang's has, but it's much, much cheaper. By the way, it is pronounced Pay Way. It even says on their take-out menu. I always get the Pei Wei Spicy Chicken wth fried rice (fried rice is $1 more than plain) and my husband gets the Mongolian Beef. The Pei Wei Spicy comes with some vegetables too (unlike P.F. Chang's version). I feel like I get much more for my money when I eat at Pei Wei. And trust me, when they say it's spicy, it is spicy. Tip: Get a take-out box when you sit down and put half of your entree into a take-home box before you start eating - or share with a friend. The portions are huge. They can easily feed two people who don't overeat a lot or can be someone's lunch and dinner. Very good place. I highly recommend it! The decor is decent, it has an Asian theme of course, and there is plenty of parking.
(4)Stephanie C.
What can I say? I moved from Pei Wei's STRONGEST market in Dallas to Philadelphia. HUGE PEI WEI FAN! Great service!!! You can't go wrong with the vietnamese chicken salad rolls. Very low fat, healthy, and tasty! Also, try the Asian coconut curry! SO GOOD!
(5)Katie P.
I wrote a review about P.F. Changs awhile back. I prayed that a P.F. Changs would open up near me. I kept driving past Pei Wei with a heavy judgement until I discovered it was owned by P.F. Changs. My nickname for Pei Wei is P.F. Changs Junior. Now I can only report about the takeout. It is pretty good. Not as great as P.F. Changs. One thing I love about Pei Wei is the tofu strips they put into the dishes. I have had the Pei Wei Spicy with tofu several times. It is chewy and full of flavor- not like regular tofu which is gelatinous and yucky. I wish they would package their tofu and sell it in the grocery store. My guess is that they partial dehydrate marinated tofu and then deep fry it. I also love the Lo Mein with shrimp although it is a little on the sweet side. Service is super speedy. I go there at off hours and only have had to wait at the most ten minutes after placing my order. It would be great if P.F. Changs would open up a few more locations closer to me than Plymouth Meeting Mall but I understand they have to be in places that have huge parking lots. So for now I am happy with Pei Wei as a quick alternative to his daddy.
(4)Barry S.
For a Pei Wei it is not too bad. The service is kind of slow though.
(3)jon v.
Pei Wei's food is not good. Pad Thai didn't taste like Pad Thai and their version of General Tso's Chicken was not good, either. You're better off going to a real chinese restaurant.
(2)matthew l.
If you love hot and sour soup, stay away from this one, its pretty bad. Having said that I go to Pei Wei almost every time I go to the Target next door. Its a chain and you know it, but the minced chicken in lettuce wraps is a nice summer item especially sitting outside on a balmy evening. The menu is pan Asian so you get a little of your favorite Korean, Viet, Chinese and Japanese almost favorite bastardized versions. The pad Thai is good rice noodles with the usual garnishes of egg, mung bean, crushed peanuts, cilantro, lime and just about everything but the tiny dessicated shrimp. The Dan Dan noodles are tasty egg noodles with minced chicken with a garlic chile hit and the portion, as with most dishes here, is generous. Spring rolls, spicy Thai Blazing noodles and a Teriyaki bowl pretty good. If you ask that they go easy on the oil, you should be OK. Iced tea and Coke with a perfect brix as well as a Yeungling or TsingTao go well. I go whenever I go to the Target next door. Hmmm! I think the question is, would I go if this was a Target-less location? Not sure. One genuine bummer, no udon. Can't figure that one as its on the company menu. Love the udon!
(3)Anne M.
I would give it 3.5 stars...I have gone to the one in Springfield and had mixed emotions. PF Changs (see Chris L's. review) at least in the Chadds Ford location, is the slowest service I have ever seen, so the fast food atmosphere and similar menu makes Pei Wei like PF Changs Express. Of course Changs has a very nice assortment of teas and is a great place to take a date, whereas the newly opened Baltimore Pike locale is already just acceptably clean, not spotless, and when I asked if they served coffee the manager very rudely sniggered in my face. (Why that is funny I don't know.) They do have lovely sauces, like chili oil and so forth and I personally think white rice is disgusting. Out here in the suburban wilderness you can't get brown rice for love or money. The decor is more San Francisco-y than trying to be actually Oriental, I think. The chain is from out that way originally. The food was good, smaller portions than Chang's which is sometimes a good thing. Not too bad an idea but I'd rather go to one in the city than this particular locale.
(3)CE C.
so when this first opened probably close to two years now, i use to frequent it a lot, it's cheap and really not that bad considering it is fast food asian. so i decided to return recently when visiting philly for a quick bite. i had the blazing noodles with beef and a friend had the pad thai. boy has it gone downhill, i was embarrassed that i even recommended this place for dinner. my blazing noodles were soggy and all i tasted was pepper, no other spices. there was a lot of beef that was tough to eat. The pad thai was a pile of noodles with maybe a piece of tofu here and there. At least they still have that bowl of oranges in the back for dessert. i dont think i will be returning again
(2)Luey H.
man i was excited because i actually enjoy PF Changs although it is fake chinese food. Pei Wei has a nice atmosphere but the food is ridiculously salty. My friend order some Vietnamese Spring Roll which is a mistake. I'm viet and never order vietnamese spring rolls in a fusion place. the rest of the stuff was SUPER salty. my friend order the pad thai, ok but too salty to eat. My Kung Pao chicken was so salty i wanted to douse my tea on it and wash off the sauce. we sent the food back and although it was less salty it was still inedible. i dont know how the people around us were eating this crap. the managers were telling us all the sauces were pre made and there was nothing they could do. omg. eat here if you want to have high blood pressure
(1)Chris M.
So, I strolled into Pei Wei with my wife last night, not sure what to expect. I almost turned around and left when I realized that this was one of those order-at-the-counter-and-pay-first, Baja-Fresh-esque restaurants. But, I'm glad we stayed. The lady working the cash register was very pleasant and had a good sense of humor. There was a bin full of beer with a sign on it that said, "Large Beers - $6.25. Imported Beers - $4." I asked what the cost of a Sapporo would be because it is both large and imported. She laughed. Anyway, I asked what the spiciest thing on the menu was ("Blazing Thai" something or other) and got it and my wife got the teriyaki chicken bowl. We got the lettuce wraps appetizer - which is unbelievably good. Our food came out promptly was good. I way preferred my wife's food to mine, though -- that's what I get for chasing spiciness, rather than ordering something I know I will like. Anyway, total check was $25 (not bad), and we had a good overall experience. I would definitely come back for a casual, low-key night out.
(3)Danan R.
This is very Americanized Chinese but sometimes I do want just that. And that is when I come here for my chicken teriyaki with brown rice. It's filling, fast, and cheap. And honestly, it's pretty good too. I would liken this to five guys, except that it serves Chinese rather than burgers. The sauces are flavorful and the ingredients are fresh. Plus, the veggies are crisp and given in ample amounts.
(4)Carla V.
Pei Wei is great, I love their food but this location is almost always a disappointment. The staff, one woman in particular is always so rude and I am pretty sure she just wants to sabotage our eating experience for kicks. The food is always better and more consistent at other Pei Wei locations. It is such a bummer since I work near here but I am so tired of dealing with their terrible service!!
(2)Bruce B.
Pei Wei is a well run chain restaurant with a energetic, multicultural staff. T he restaurant is comfy and attractive and they have nice plates and utensils and the open air kitchen is a great idea for a fast food spot. i love Asian food and a spot that offers Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean dishes caught my attention I ordered the Korean BBQ and my friend ordered the Pei Wei spicy chicken. I really liked my dish, even though it wasn't barbecued, the beef was very tasty as were the veggies and the sauce. My friend didn't care for the Pei Wei chicken saying that the coating on the chicken was too overpowering I had a Egg Roll that was filled with ground pork and veggies and it came with a nice sauce to dip it in. I don't know if you can call it fast food, because when you think of it most Asian food is fast food. How many times were you amazed when you called a Chinese take out and gave them a list of entrees as long as your arm and the voice on the other end of your call said "Ten minutes"
(3)Mario B.
It's not gourmet, but it's much better than standard Chinese take-out fare. The Diner Selects meals are great, cheap options as they include an appetizer (wonton soup is awesome) for even less than the full-size entree price. Also, Pei Wei can be great for diets too. You can get lots of options "stock velveted" to save some calories/fat. Even without the stock-velveted option, you can get a full diner select portion of Mongolian Beef, Vietnamese Slaw, and Soup/Spring Roll for 350 calories and 12 grams of fat. This is much better than all other "fast food" (though be warned, as with all asian food, sodium content is very high). Also, never had any problems with ordering ahead online. In fact, I'd highly recommend because my biggest problem with the place has always been waiting for the food when I hadn't preordered. All and all, I recommend.
(4)Surfandturf J.
If you can ignore the fruit flys, ice cold food, and broken soda machine, this place is pretty darned good.
(2)Betsi K.
One of my favorite chains - there is no place better for a satisfying fix of Asian inspired food on the run...While we like to avoid chains when on vacation - sometimes you just want what you know will hit the pallet a certain way - and this fit the bill!
(4)Laura D.
Sure it's commercialized and americanized, but I love this place. Healthy choices, tasty food, take-home portions, brown rice, quick service... that's plenty for me. I don't compare it to other asian food, I compare it to my other relatively quick and cheap food options outside the city. When my stomach is grumbling on Saturday afternoon I think to myself, "Do I want pizza place, fast food, Couch Tomato AGAIN, Wawa... oh yeah, Pei Wei!" Not only does it fit my under 45 min, ~$10 for a meal criteria, but has the added bonus of being healthy. And boy do I like health. I've had the spicy korean, thai coconut curry, and thai dynamite, and all have been quite good... options for tofu or shrimp, and brown rice, make it even better. Spicy dishes aren't over the top, but do have some kick. Wash it down with black current or orange peel brewed iced tea, yum. Top it all off with a fortune cookie or two... in bed.
(4)Jen R.
I don't know how to review this place. Is it a restaurant? Is it fast food? Its a weird mix of both. I think they should pick one and stick with it. You order and pay as you walk in, then get your drinks and seat yourself. Your food is then served to you. We weren't halfway through our appetizers of lettuce wraps and two crab wontons when our food was served. We had the Honey Crispy Chicken with white rice and the Pei Wei Spicy Chicken. We loved the lettuce wraps. The rest was good but nothing special. Don't let the word "diner" fool you. Good food but pricey. For $32 we could have gotten more bang for our buck at our local chinese restaurant.
(2)Steve V.
First "discovered" this poor man's PF Changs in California. Glad they are coming out this way. There is one in Cherry Hill as well. It is basically the fast food version of PF Changs. They are affiliated. You come in order, get a number, put it at your table of choice, and within minutes you are enjoying. The Crab Wontons are awesome! Anything with brown rice makes it "healthy." They also have nice untensils, plates, and napkins. Doesn't feel fast food at all!
(5)Payal P.
i think enough has been said about this place so i am just going to go with what i've had and recall being one way or another love - dan dan noodles korean with chicken or shrimp like - blazing noodles mongolian with shrimp lettuce wraps (they are sometimes amazing and some times ok) spicy ramen not a fan of - pad thai...the noodles taste too starchy
(4)Brad M.
I love the Mongolian Steak with Fried Rice! It has the PFChangs Quality (I've never been to a Pei Wei and had a bad experience) The good always arrives quickly and has a consistent high quality taste.
(5)Seve' M.
You are not going to be pissed that you came here. Now are you going to dance in the streets...not so much. I only get to go since I am across the street at work so I can't comment on "dining in" but if you call ahead your order it will definitely be there waiting for you to pick it up. One of the most Americanized Asian places I have ever been to but still good enough to want more. I think the price is pretty much on average for what you would expect and you get enough food that it will even out. Like I said before this place is just ehhhhhhh OK. Just a side note the reason I gave it four stars was because they are always on time with my order and I can pick it up quick and get back to my yelping.
(4)Gavin S.
Honestly, the food here is not so bad. My problem with Pei Wei is that the menu is so limited I don't really see the point to this place. Chung Hing is nearby and has my favorite Chinese dish, shrimp in spicy tomato sauce (sometimes called Szechuan shrimp if prepared properly) as well as a full chinese menu. I've been to Pei Wei twice and agree this is totally Americanized chinese - both my meals were forgettable. Bottom line - Pei Wei = Pei WHY?
(2)Sabrina R.
First - let's just point out Pei Wei isn't meant to be good Chinese/Asian food. It's a fast food, Asian experience. With that being said, back in 2008 - they did a fantastic job. Coming back here in 2012, it's horrible. I don't know when Pei Wei changed it's recipes, but they are now blander versions of lean cuisine meals. For the price you pay, you'd expect more. I will say the staff is always nice, and I like the outdoor seating. For almost the same price, go to California Pizza Kitchen next door.
(3)Arica N.
I have eaten here over the years since it opened maybe 3 years ago(?). Always for lunch. This is by far the best Chinese/Asian food I have had on this coast. Your order is fresh made and delivered to your table by happy wait staff. If you have small children that may balk at spicy food you can always get brown rice and steamed veggies for a small price. Even if you don't like Chinese food go for the red floor, it is something to behold.
(4)P H.
The best Asian cuisine I have had. A little more expensive than your everyday Chinese restaurant but far better. Fav Dishes: Spicy Korean (steak/brown rice) Sesame Chicken (Brown rice) Crab won-tons.
(5)Rachel G.
Pei Wei is an asian-fusion diner quick service restaurant chain. The reason why I want to write this review is because I wanted to call attention to their gluten free menu. I've eaten there on several occasions, and they have a few GF dishes including hot entrees and salads that are yummy and readily available every time I'm there. It's great. It is becoming a big lunchtime favorite of mine. Try to the Pei Wei spicy chicken - comes with sugar snap peas and carrots with nice big chunks of chicken. A yummy alternative to the usual lunch salad indeed!
(3)John B.
I came here only because a bunch of people wanted to go here for a quick meal...and I wasn't part of the decision making process. And i thought...sure, it can't be THAT bad. But...unfortunately, it was THAT bad. I had the "special" spicy Japanese ramen...which was not ramen at all but resembled yakiudon execept that the udon noodle was made with egg... The spice seemed like they put together generic hot sauce with some ginger and called it japanese...and yes, it was terrible. I saw other people's dishes...thai lettuce wrap (reminded me of cheesecake factory), pad thai (is there any *asian* restaurant that does not serve pad thai these days?), and a plethora of below average and terrible array of food.
(1)Benjamin K.
Pad Thai is my standard for all Thai resturants. If the Pad Thai is good...i will try the rest of what is on the menu. I have eaten at probably 15 Thai resturants all together and this place has...BY FAR THE WORST PAD THAI I HAVE EVER TASTED! That is all. Greasy and tastless and made my guts hurt the next day pretty bad. Avoid it like the swine flu!
(1)Jen L.
I was really excited to try Pei Wei (is it Pee-Wee or Pay-Way? No one can tell me) today for lunch because I had a manja craving for dumplings. Guess what - NO DUMPLINGS on the menu here. What is it with the lack of dumplings in the Philadelphia area (see my review of the liars at the Comcast Building Food Court), all I ever want are dumplings. I ordered the Crab Wontons aka crab rangoon and shared them with a friend, and the Thai Coconut Curry Chicken with brown rice. My entree was pretty enormous, and I ate it for lunch AND dinner. Both items were excellent, but I can still only give three stars due to the lack of motherfucking dumplings.
(3)Tyler T.
I've been here too many times to count and it's been great every single time. I have ordered almost every entree but my favorite is the Mongolian Beef. The sauce is a perfect blend of spicy and sweet. Can never go wrong with the signature lettuce wraps and the cheese wontons. This is my go to spot when I'm in the need for a quick lunch or dinner.
(4)Alex V.
Pei Wei is not a bad option if you want a lot of Chinese food for cheap, because the portions are huge. The food quality is average, but I've had a lot worse. The menu is essentially "American Chinese" with some fusion dishes too. I definitely recommend the Pei Wei Spicy, which is similar to General Tso's. One item of note, I consistently find dirty cups and dishes when I dine in at Pei Wei. I would recommend take out, or if you dine-in, get your drinks in paper cups.
(2)Duke D.
Food is wonderful and fast. Two girls at the counter- WORST ATTITUDES ever. Her questions weren't clear, she couldn't answer simple questions about her own food. The other cashier was too busy texting! Sorry to bother you ladies with my money! I'll probably never return now. WAY TO GO
(2)Julia C.
I have been to PF Chang's Pei Wei (pronounced Pay Way) several times and have always had a good meal. It's fresh, tasty and cheap. They also give you big portions. last night i went to dinner with a friend. My friend had the something under "signature Dishes" - the Vegetables & Tofu Thai Coconut Curry, which she said was spicey and tasty and I had a dish under the "noodles and big bowls" category - the Vegetables & Tofu Lo Mein. My dish was flavorful despite not being spicey. Both dishes were loaded with vegetables. Service was prompt, despite being relatively full for early dining (we arrived at 5:30-ish).
(4)Melissa W.
Not bad for Americanized quasi pan-Asian cuisine. It's all fairly tasty, in a fake Asian food kind of way. Portions are pretty large, though mostly heavy on the rice. Dishes with rice are around $8 each, but we had buy-one-get-one-free coupons for the entrees. For half price, this place was amazing. The "spicy" dishes are not very spicy (or at all, really). Regardless, I particularly enjoyed their approximation of a Thai green curry. The "steak" option seemed better than the chicken: in both the chicken dishes we ordered, the chicken came in the standard battered and fried nuggets soggy with goopy sauce typical of American Chinese takeout. But at least the meat appeared to be white meat, and was not gristly or with other unpleasant inclusions often found in Chinese food. However, I still think the steak option was better, though they were less generous with the beef strips. The guy at the counter who took our orders was very nice, and even came chasing after us in the parking lot when he gave us the wrong dish (not that we would've been able to tell the difference). For those of you who ever had the privilege of being familiar with Teen Girl Squad, I leave you with this: MSG'd!!! Oww, my stomach lining. But in this case, it burns in a good way.
(3)Audrey M.
I think people confuse Pei Wei with real Chinese/Thai/Japanese. It is fast food brought to you by the same people that own PF Changs. PF Changs is an "open bag" place (they don't cook from scratch, open premade bags) and certainly not haute cuisine. That being said, Pei Wei is a decent place. Food always hot. Sometimes too much swimming in the sauce but not horrible. Also, it is trying to be a fusion place. Tricky to begin with but add the fast meal aspect and it can come up short. This is a good locations. Clean. Well lit. Friendly.
(3)Matt R.
This is my favorite lunch place in the City Line Ave area. Impressive selection of Asian cuisine for a chain. Doesn't feel to chainy inside. Love the Pei Wei spicy which is their General Tso, Mongolian Beef is good to, and also the Kung Pow. Not huge on their salads. Their lettuce wraps are good and quality hot and sour soups. I've tried just about everything on the menu. I recommend the combo and getting a spring roll with it. Also if you eat in, sometimes they have the huge tall boy cans of Sapporo.
(5)Heather H.
A frustrating experience. This was my first time here, and it was a train wreck! We will not be back. The place upon entering was extremely loud and dirty. There was no organization with staff so ordering and waiting took forever. Our order was wrong so we had to fix it. At least we had a gift certificate. So it's like we never paid. Don't let the outside decor fool you. This place is gross and trashy. The food was not good. I looked up the dishes online since we were going to pick it up and eat at home. I am so glad we did not dine-in. I had pad thai and was craving it. It tasted nothing like real or Americanized pad thai. It tasted like a camp fire. The peanut taste was missing completely even though there were weird peanut halves on top. I was really hungry and ate half. Debating on if the leftovers should just be trashed. The crab wontons were really weird. They looked tasty but were not. Avoid these too. Overall, I would rather eat at a mall food court Asian place. It might be a slight step above. At least they give you a free sample on a toothpick prior to ordering.
(1)Michael F.
First time here today. Had a hot n sour soup to start. Very small portion, maybe 5 or 6 spoonfuls at the most. Ordered up the Spicy Korean w/ Chicken and brown rice. A very generous portion for sure, and everything cooked well. The sauce was a bit heavy and a tad sweet, but did a well enough job for lunch. The long beans were very tasty in the entree. For a chain, it's what you'd expect.
(3)Cynthia D.
Veggie option, beer... I wanted this to be a "diner" but it's really just the qboba of asian fusion. Not a bad place to stop, but when I hear diner, I'm usually getting overly excited.
(3)Megan D.
I stopped in on Saturday afternoon while running errands in the adjacent shopping center and kinda regretted it. The germaphobe in me is generally pretty happy to see an open kitchen design, and the modern decor with digital menu board gave me high hopes. The food I saw being delivered all looked really good. I ordered the teriyaki rice bowl with chicken. The dish was mainly made of rice(shocking that it was called a rice bowl right?) and lots of it! It would probably not bother me if the rice was cooked correctly. It was also so salty I barely got through half of the bowl. After about a half hour of shopping my stomach decided it also did not like the salty mush called rice. I don't think I will be returning anytime soon.
(2)Uday T.
It is a very nice place. All the food items are very less priced (almost all items are @$6.95). I had pad Thai, spring rolls and chicken fried rice. I loved the fried rice. Nice spicy food. Very good service, super fast service. Would definitely like to visit again. Uday
(5)Teri M.
Pei Wei is actually a scaled down version of P.F. Chang's. The owners decided several years ago to offer something a little cheaper/casual for folks who like the food from P.F. Chang's but can't afford to go out to eat all "upscale". There aren't many up here in PA, so it's hard to really know that, but when I lived in Dallas, I got the scoop as they were all brand new then. I haven't been to this location yet, but I do know the food is tasty, just beware of the beef broccoli (yeah go figure) if you are concerned with sodium content, it's on the high side.
(4)Dana B.
Casual, laid-back atmosphere and decent food. The spring rolls were great, and I got the Thai Mango Chicken (which only happens to be there for a limited time right now) and it was good but a bit spicy for my taste. Would definitely come back to try all the other selections they have, provided I'm in the area again.
(4)Andrew D.
basic americanized chinese food. not the worst i've had, but certainly not the best. sorry paul fleming, but this one's not even par for the pei wei course (which would warrant three stars, at most). better check the kitchen on city ave... i won't be back.
(1)Meg C.
Pei Wei is fast, cheap and good. The portions are generous (my boyfriend and I can split one entree and an appetizer and both be satisfied). Also, nutritional information is on their website, so you can figure out what dishes are the healthiest. I LOVE the fact that they have hot chili paste as a condiment, even the spicy dishes require a little more heat for me. Last time we visited, our edamame was ready before we got to our table. The service is amazingly fast, but obviously can get a bit slow around lunch. The chai tea is just okay, I usually just stick with water or Jones soda. The Pad Thai is very good for a fast food joint, not too sweet. I love the tofu and egg in it. I also really like the Chicken Dan Dan Noodles, which has both chicken and cucumber in it, a favorite flavor combination of mine. But I always return to the Pad Thai with chicken. Also, I always eat at least two fortune cookies. I swear theirs are less cardboardy than usual.
(4)Alfredo G.
I used to work across a PF Changs, so I didn't have high expectations for an even more Americanized fast food chain. I was pleasantly surprised. Service was quick and the ambiance was good. The portions are relatively large. I'll take this over any other fast food Asian restaurant chain. What's up with the spice? My spicy Thai Blazing Noodles were actually spicy. Since when does that happen with Americanized food? And why doesn't PF Changs have that? Actually, I couldn't eat it all, so I wouldn't mind if they toned it down a bit. Maybe next time I won't accidentally say spicy before the name of the plate.
(4)Andrew R.
With all of the to-go orders I've placed where they've quoted a time, I've gotten there 5 minutes after, and am still stuck waiting, you would think I would write a bad review, but that would be a disservice. It is just too damned good. I'll be honest, If you do not like P.F. Changs and it's Americanized version of Chinese food, you'll hate Pei Wei as well. But for those of you who dig it, It can't be beat. Pei Wei literally rips off P.F. Change menu (they're owned by them) and gives you smaller portions for a lower (more appropriate) price . It's excellent for take out and since it's individual, you can get it as spicy as you want without irritating your friends. The concept is simple, you pick from a protein, a sauce, and a cooking style and "Wa La!!" You have a quick fantastic meal.
(4)Sung C.
We waited almost 40 minutes for two dishes. When the food finally came out, the shrimp tasted old and super dry. The lo mein had absolutely no flavor. The Mongolian sauce was extremely salty. I used to be a regular a couple years ago when I lived on City Ave and stopped by on the way back from the zoo. Needless to say, I am never coming back.
(1)Tim Y.
I have religiously gone to this Pei Wei since it opened, mostly because I lived near it on City Avenue but ultimately because I just love the food and their mandarin green tea. I believe that Pei Wei makes the best Kung Pao (chicken/steak/shrimp/whatever) dish that I've ever had; I'm an addict of it and their unique tea. Now that I'm not living near it, I'm still returning for my weekly fix. It's a really pleasant modern take on Asian interiors, and it's fun to watch the fire spew up from the woks as they cook (oddly enough, I don't see that happen as much anymore for whatever reason). That being said, the other reviews are right in that this location has seen better days in the past. They have a couple really endearing hostesses and their kitchen staff seems pretty stable. But this location has had challenges in keeping things stocked, either throughout the day or even to get them through the weekend (sometimes there is no carrots or no peas in my dish, and they don't even warn me about that or even apologize for it!). There are times that cleanliness can be an issue, as management seemed to be a lot more tighter and proactive in the past. Though every business has its more challenging times, that's the nature of fast food in of itself. But yes, I am a fan and I am always looking forward to my next visit for more Pei Wei food! I just don't think that there is a better Kung Pao dish out there, or that I'll get as decent value for my dollar at many other Center City places.
(4)Andrew A.
Don't even bother coming here. No effort by staff to clean anything or even ice the beer. Been here 40 min and they have not cleaned a single table I and others had to clean their own. An hour before they closed the beer bin had little to no ice and when I asked about it I was told they close soon so no need to ice. They close in over an hour!!! At 8:45 an employee turned the music off (same one who didn't care to ice the beer) and was told by someone I am guessing is in charge to turn it back on. Guessing it was a we are closing in 45 minutes time to wrap up type of thing. Very poorly run and no management at all in the evening.
(1)Samantha E.
This place is great for a quick Asian inspired lunch, but has gone downhill over the last year or so. During my last visit, the soda machine did not work, but they did not warn anyone at the register while they were ordering and their screens that display the menu were not on, so the wait in line to order was much longer. The food is good for lunch- quick pad thai or lettuce wraps hit the spot midday. Their new sushi offerings are disappointing and flavorless.
(3)Louis W.
First Time Experience - Good Stuff! I took my family here after going to an Easter event down the street, very happy that we did. The restaurant was very warm and welcoming. We have had carryout from another Pei Wei near us, but had never dined in. I liked the way they present the menus as you walk in (before you get to the counter where you order). We got a variety of dishes, and my kids are huge fans of Asian noodles so they were thrilled - the kids meals were affordable and had plenty for them to eat. My wife and I were pleasantly surprised at how fresh everything tasted - but we shouldn't have as the meals were made-to-order. They have real dining utensils (no plastic knives and forks here! We all really enjoyed a nice time, the atmosphere was easy going (contemporary music playing in the background), everyone was happy. I would come here again for sure.
(4)Herbie H.
I was really pleasantly surprised with my visit to Pei Wei. We stopped in for lunch on a Saturday after visiting Target. We ordered one of the new sushi rolls, the Wasabi Crunch Roll, which was a great starter (we went for the 4pc). The sushi tasted fresh and the roll had great flavor. The crunch in the roll was a nice addition. I ordered a Vegetarian/Tofu Ginger Broccoli bowl over Dan Dan Noodles. I opted for the smaller portion, which was still pretty big (I brought about 1/3 of it home with me.) The noodles were tender, the tofu was nicely grilled and sliced, and there were a ton of vegetables. The Ginger Broccoli sauce was really flavorful, and paired nicely with the veggies/tofu. My boyfriend ordered a Caramel chicken bowl with rice. The flavor on the chicken was deep and rich. It reminded me of General Tso's, but less processed/breaded. I was not expecting that much from Pei Wei, but I was definitely surprised/impressed for a quick lunch.
(4)Bhavika P.
Dynamite chicken (small) with fried rice - meant to be spicy which it was but I would more describe this as sweet tangy spicy. Although it tasted really good. Nice flavourful chicken too. Extra .99$ for replacing it with fried rice but worth it. Pei Wei curry with tofu and vegetables (small) - I loved this curry. A little on sweet side so spicy eaters might not like it or would need a side of sriracha. Good portion as a small size. Overall I loved the food..close to Indian style fried rice (those who have tried it would know what I mean ). The only reason for giving one less star is coz I found the place a little shabby and kinda unclean seating area.
(4)Lauren W.
I am one of the many converts to the fast casual restaurant craze. I love going inside, being able to order quickly (well, after it takes me fifteen minutes to decide what to order), sit down, and have someone bring me my food in both less time and for less money that at a normal sit-down restaurant. Seve' M said it really well - Pei Wei may not make you dance in the street, but it does the job really nicely. I would go a step further and say that it makes me very happy as well! I can't comment on speed of service, as the two times I've been have been off-peak with not many customers. And I've only ordered takeout. Both takeout servers were very polite and friendly, and did a great job of double checking the accuracy of my order and offering me any paperware and condiments that I might need. The food is pretty yummy. But it will not knock your socks off. But (again), sometimes what you just need is a comforting meal. Sometimes you don't need a fancy meal that tingles new tastebuds and makes you wonder what the secret ingredient is. Sometimes, all you need are delicious Dan Dan noodles. That's my go to, and maybe that's what you should try. A nice bowl of chicken, bean sprouts and cucumbers in a spicy brown sauce begging to be tossed with hot noodles to soak up the sauce. It's really a perfect Asian American comfort food, with fresh veggies to boot.
(4)Kyle S.
Went here for lunch on Friday with my boyfriend on a whim, and we were very disappointed. We went at the tail end of the lunch rush, and it was still quite crowded, but there was only one person working the register. This would normally not be an issue, except she was also the same person putting the numbers on the tables to indicate where the orders need to go. Also, they were out of the menus that describe what all the sauces are, so we had no clue what to order until we reached the register, which had a screen that described everything. No wonder the line was moving so slowly! We sat down and waited for our food to come, which took a little while, but we were in no rush and the place was crowded. Not an issue. When our food finally came, we were very disappointed to say the least. I ordered the pad thai noodle bowl, and calling it pad thai is awfully generous. It tasted like pad thai by way of an Americanized Chinese food strip mall restaurant, and I mean that in the most derogatory sense. The noodles were mushy, and the sauce tasted exactly like (and nearly had the consistency of) peanut butter. My boyfriend had similar things to say about his dan dan noodle bowl; the sauce in his was so thick he refused to eat even half of it. I don't know if we ordered the wrong things, or the kitchen was having an off day, or if we merely were victims of dining at the tail end of the lunch rush, but we will not be returning.
(1)Wendy G.
Peiwei is a disgrace to all Asians in general. DO NOT be fooled by their nice décor and their cool vending machine! When I first when here with my mom, we both thought that eating here would be a nice because the outside and inside of the restaurant looked very nice and welcoming. To order here, you basically look at the menu they have provided on the wall and then you tell the person on the counter. After you do that then they give you a number and when you food is ready they call your number. After I ordered, I waited for more than half an hour until I got my food. I ordered the chicken vegetables and rice. After I got my food, I was expecting amazing Chinese food since it took so long for them to prepare it. However I was wrong. Peiwei's food is equivalent to panda express' food , the food is Chinese-American. Their open kitchen revealed that none of the chefs were Chinese, which is obviously why the Chinese food did not taste good(wonder why the kitchen was open, there is nothing to boast about). Also, the price of the food did not match the quality of the food , it was way too expensive. If you are not Chinese and you like lo mein and general Tsao's chicken, then I suggest you come here to try Peiwei's. If not, do not come here or you will be sadly unsatisfied. I would suggest you go to other Chinese restaurants around the area, such as lotus garden, tiger noodles, and even panda express. However, if you are looking for a cool vending machine with many cool buttons and drinks, you should come to Peiwei. Overall, Peiwei is a disgrace to Chinese cuisine and you should only go there if you are craving mediocre Chinese-American food.
(2)Amy A.
I've been wanting to try Pei Wei for a while now, but there isn't one nearby. My husband works in Bala, so I decided to meet him there for lunch on my way to the airport. When we walked in I could tell they were understaffed for the day. One person was working both the dine in and take out register. It took quite a while for her to take our order. Then we ordered and waited a good 15-20 minutes for our food. For being a fast service establishment, I thought that was slow. The food itself was good with nice sized portions. I was surprised that they were out of shrimp; that was disappointing. I ordered the chicken pad thai. It was better than I expected and it had a nice kick to it. I did think it was cool that they offered beer and wine, but you can't drink it outside at the tables. I would give it another try, but will make sure I build in a little extra time.
(3)Jamaica Y.
I would give this place a third chance for sure, but the first two trips were pretty God awful. I love food in general and Asian fusion especially, but the meals I have had hear were both pretty bad. The first time I had the curry, which I would never recommend to anyone. I don't even remember the second thing I had, but it was equally yuck. Other people seem to like it though, so I would do some Yelp searching to figure out what to order and go back.
(1)Sherrice B.
I was invited to have dinner at Pei Wei and was pleasantly surprised because I had passed this place a million times. The dining area is nice an the lighting was relaxing. I ordered the Chicken Pad Thai, it was deeeelishous very flavorful and hot. I will go back to try other options very soon. Only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because there were a few dirty tables in the dining room an we had to wipe our table off before we sat down. It was close to closing so that could be expected.
(4)Nell W.
This is quick, Asian food. I had teriyaki chicken over fried rice and the mango California roll. I ordered the original bowl because the small bowl looked, well, small. Lol. Don't be fooled though. You get a lot of food in the small bowl. My friends and I had to take our leftovers. My friend really enjoyed the chicken salad roll. She had never tried it before and said she would definitely order it elsewhere when she goes out. The sushi was okay. Nothing fancy. The cashier was very helpful even though he was also the server and the receptionist when the phone rang. I definitely love the large menu when you walk in. I would return.
(3)Art A.
I have eaten Chinese food from food carts. I have eaten Chinese food in the hood from those places with bullet proof plexiglass mazes. I have eaten Chinese food that sat too long on steam tables at all you can eat buffets. But I have never eaten food as bad as fast food joint, Pei Wei, in Bala Cynwyd. The vegetables in the spring rolls were so over cooked that an infant without teeth could eat them without choking. The Kung Pao Chicken had so much salt so as to make it inedible. A friend suggested that I mix the rice in to cut the saltiness. I followed his suggestion. All that did was to make the rice inedible, too.
(1)Elena C.
For lunch, I ordered the Thai Basil Soup & Pad Thai with Vegetables and Tofu. The host said they only had the broth and basil at the time. I still ordered it. So the small Thai Basil soup came in a tiny little cup. It was okay, because I didn't even finish it. It was so salty. Pad Thai was interesting..... I don't know if you could even call it Pad Thai. I ordered a small, but it was huge! Normally, I love big plates, but I'm not sure what I'll do with the leftovers. I never had Pad Thai that had such a soupy substance, I guess they just add a ton of soy sauce. It was sooooo salty, I wanted to scrap my tongue off. The tofu was sliced like thin chicken strips. It didn't seem very fresh. On another note, I noticed the kitchen just leaves the hot water on constantly by the woks. I guess it's too much to turn the water off and on? I'm not a cook, but that seems very wasteful. I'll still go back and try the other menu items.
(2)Davis J.
It would have been nice to get an email saying they didn't have half my order by the time I got there. Pour management on that.
(1)Tyneisha M.
So my boyfriend and I have tried this place twice for takeout and I was pleased each time. The staff was friendly and our food was done pretty quickly. The first time I got the sweet and sour chicken with brown rice which was just okay and he got the caramel chicken and brown rice which I enjoyed more. We've also tried the steak and brown rice which was tasty. This place makes me feel not as guilty when eating chinese and the prices and portions are reasonable, so i'll definitely be back.
(4)Sharee W.
The place is what it is. It's a quick place for some simple Asian inspired food. The food was okay. It's someplace I would go for a quick lunch, nothing fancy.
(3)Janice M.
So disappointed in this location. Usually a big fan but the service is terrible here. Ice machine was broken. Ice in soda machine didn't work. Took over 20 minutes to get a to go order with only a few customers waiting and six people cooking. Orders came up and sat waiting to be boxed for the to go orders even though there were three people working the register/to go area. Staff didn't seem to care about customers at all. More interested in entertaining their friends that were hanging around. Won't be back.
(1)Amy G.
Stopped in with my son for a quick, early dinner - BIG MISTAKE! It used to be okay, but it's just disgusting now. We ordered and then made our way over the filthy, sticky floor to the drink machines....I had ordered a glass of wine, surprising the cashier as they don't have wine, of course! I mentioned that it's on both the paper menu, the large chart menu, and the menu right in front of the registers which made her shrug....should have left right then. Food finally arrives and it's so covered with disgusting, heavily salted 'sauce' as to be almost inedible! I cannot believe that P.F.Changs puts their name on this awful place! Don't go - grab a box of cereal at the Target next door and you'll be much better off!!
(1)Keith B.
Food is very good and the price makes it a good value. The new Thai foods are very flavorful. I always go for the Orange Beef, it's one of my favorites. We arrived at 8:30 and were told the dining room was closed. We had to order take out. The restaurant closes at 9:00. We sat on the patio with a lot of other customers.
(4)Katie P.
I enjoy peiwei for good quality Chinese/ thai food. I usually get the pad thai. Only eat half if you're watching your weight. Their dishes are high calorie. Luckily they have highly publicized nutritional info.
(3)Kristen S.
I used to live within walking distance of this pei wei, so it was a very convenient spot for fast take-out. The food is pretty good for essentially fast food, it is also very Americanized Asian cuisine, so someone looking for an authentic meal is definitely not going to get it. That being said, I generally like it and regularly return. What really has me bothered is their new sushi campaign. I don't have a problem with the sushi itself, I've tried it once and it was pretty good. My problem is that they never have any. They consistently run out before 6 pm, which is ridiculous. If you are going to do a huge promotion of a new product you are offering, maybe you should have enough where you don't run out every day before the dinner rush even begins. The cashiers even wear t-shirts about their sushi! I have ordered from this place probably over 10 times, and every single time I have tried to order the sushi, and every single time they have told me that they've run out. And I don't order dinner really late either, I would say I've never ordered later than 7pm. I'm guessing this is just an example of really poor management.
(2)Elena C.
This place used to be good. When T and I first started dating we went here on Friday night all the time since it was across the street from his office. Not gourmet and a tad expensive but the food was good and the service decent. It's turned into a sh*t show. The food is lukewarm and bland and on my most recent visit I waited 20 minutes for a cup of soup. When it didn't show up I made two requests. Another 20 minutes later and nothing. So I waited another 10 minutes in line for a refund. The tables are never bussed and service is lackadaisical at best. It's a mess. Save your money and eat somewhere else.
(1)Sunil A.
This place is horrible. The food is very bad and horrible customer service. They actually did not deliver soup or spring rolls which is part of our order. Even the person who is taking our order was pushy and did not help us. Overall I want to give 0 stars but can't so I ended up with one.
(1)Ni K.
Love this place. Food is great, service is good. You can eat in or done right outside. You can also call ahead and pick up. It could just be me, but it seems like you get more food when you eat in than when you take out. I love the crab wontons and vegetable spring rolls. Sometimes when I'm headed to Target which is close by, I go to Pei Wei first and pick up some wontons and spring rolls to fuel my shopping trip. A bit overpriced but worth it because there is no MSG. Condiments and utensils are plentiful. They don't charge extra.
(4)Vanessa W.
I work in the area so I've eaten my fair share of lunches at Pei Wei. I like the food at P.F. Chang's so since Pei Wei is owned by the same company, this location got my attention right away. A number of the dishes are not that great, unfortunately. But their brown rice is always cooked perfectly, the spring rolls are delicious, and I am a fan of their Thai Dynamite Chicken dish. They have a computerized soda fountain which I am a fan of. You can choose from hundreds of soda flavors and combinations. I used to go for the Fanta but now I stick to the sparkling flavored Dasani options, which are fruity and tasty too, without all the extra calories. The staff here are really friendly and that adds to the pleasant experience of eating here. My only complaint is that the tables are never quite as clean as I'd prefer. You can see into the open-air kitchen, and that always looks clean, but obviously the dining room should, too. This is located in the same shopping complex as Target and a PNC Bank location, so it's a nice place to grab lunch while you're running errands.
(3)Joey M.
I have for sure had better Asian fusion BUT some saving graces are: 1. Serve beer including Kirin 2. Have the cool coca cola machine that allows you to choose a plethora of soda options (seriously very cool) As u walk in you order and pay. The food is then brought to the table. No actual waitress, so to speak. I had edemame, spring roll and sweet n sour chicken made with velvet stock ( decreases fat content by 30%) Overall it was ok...edemame and spring roll were good but the sweet n sour chicken was just ok. I'll likely go back but will have a different entree
(3)Rachel H.
The food wasn't the problem here. The ignorant girl ( _Togo) at the register was. She was very rude and did not seem to have any patience at all. She was very short with me and interrupted me when I was trying to give my order. I am very disappointed in her professionalism. There are many people out there who don't have jobs if you don't like yours don't take it out on the customers who spend their hard earned money. Someone really needs to talk to her about her interactions with customers. Pei Wei should be ashamed that this is the face that greets and serves you. I WILL NOT BE GIVING PEI WEI MY BUSINESS IF SHE IS THERE SERVING ME.
(1)Keith M.
I recently ate here and thought my meal was pure garbage. The place is like the McDonald's of Chinese food. At least the restaurant was clean.
(1)Melveetia T.
Tonight I was hungry for some fast Asian food and I was in for a surprise. First the guy that had taken my order was distracted by his phone. Second our appetizer came out way after our entrée....no apology from the server. Third, the lettuce wraps were so damn salty...I thought for sure I would croak right there. I sent the wraps back..once again no apology. The ignorant waitress brought me another round...once again no apology or even an "enjoy". I only gave them 2 stars because my entree of Kung Pao Chicken was actually tasty. I will never visit again!!!!
(2)Ron G.
Pei Wei offers reasonably priced semi-fast-Asian-food that is of acceptable quality. Pros are the restaurant itself is pretty nice given the prices, online ordering/pickup was a breeze, and they have gluten free options for those needing them. Unfortunately the food was not terrible but definitely forgettable. The one exception was the Hot and sour soup that was actually quite terrible. Broth had a corn starchy consistency and the pork tasted like campbells chicken noodle soup chicken bits. Chicken lettuce wraps were decent, almost as good as PF Chang's. Dan Dan noodles were okay. Noodles were overcooked, flavor wasn't bad. Thai dynamite steak wasn't great, heavy lime flavor over powered much of the spice. Surprisingly, gluten free spicy chicken was probably best entree. Recommended going here for quick dine in lunch or dinner. There isn't good Chinese in east falls so this isn't a bad option if you don't wanna shell out twice the money for han dynasty. Its funny, the suburbs of philly seem to have good and affordable chinese food while in the city I seem to find either cheap, terrible food, or expensive delicious food. If anyone knows a happy medium I'd love some tips.
(3)Lauren F.
Food isn't all that good . Kind of expensive and horrible customer service . Food takes to long for something that's not that big in size .
(1)David T.
I had high hopes for Pei Wei when it opened last summer. I am a big fan of PF Changs, and when I heard Pei Wei was run by the same company, I figured it would be the next best thing. Pei Wei has a great concept - higher quality, chinese pseudo-fast food (think a chinese version of Panera Bread). Some of the food is tasty - the lettuce wraps are just as good as the ones you get at PF Changs, for example. The problem is most of the other dishes range from average to, well, average. So it's not really that Pei Wei is bad, it's just not as good as it could be. And because of that, I just can't bring myself to give it more than 3 stars. The service is pretty good - if you're going there for a business lunch, you can usually be in and out in 30 minutes. Keep in mind that there's no waitress service - you order your food when you arrive (like I said - think Panera).
(3)Chris L.
Pei Wei is basically a fancy version of a diner that serves Asian food. If you're looking for authentic asian food, you will be disappointed. Like its parent restaurant PF Chang, it's just a "high class" type of place that's nicely decorated with fake asian food. It's also pricier than other food court type of places, with entrees starting at 7 dollars or so. The food is OK at best. Personally, I'd stick to the food court at the mall since it's cheaper for the same quality of food, or even better, goto Chinatown. One bonus about this place: they offer brown rice for health freaks for *no extra charge*. That's a first I've seen that... most other places charge an extra dollar for brown rice.
(3)Dontae W.
I decided to go because I was interested to see what this new addition to City Line Avenue was really like. I ordered Spring Rolls and the Teriyaki Bowl. Both were good overall. I must admit I am not a big fan of Chinese food because I know most places sell a fake version of it. However, the Spring Rolls were larger than I expected and very tasty. The Vegetable-Tofu Teriyaki Bowl was okay. The rice was overcooked and they were stingy with the tofu. But again thats why it was just ok. Also, they made an attempt to give us something different with a Cosi type atmosphere and dim lighting. The food is not worth a special trip but it is one of the only chinese/Asian food places in the area.
(3)Jenn H. H.
I like this place! The prices are ok, and you get plenty of food. You'll either be stuffed or take home a doggy bag. It's not authentic chinese / asian food. It's very americanized and palatable, but good. I'm in love with the chicken teriyaki and their brown rice. The place is bright, clean, with an open kitchen. You order, sit down, and they bring the food to you fairly quickly. It's a quick and cheap alternative to take out, if you actually want to sit.
(4)Pete S.
"Even more Americanized, Americanized Asian food." Food is surprisingly well prepared and taste pretty good. I've been here several times and have not had a bad experience with service or the food itself. The place is clean and modern. The staff is always friendly. Price is cheap so I never hesitate to come back whenever I need my Americasian food fix.
(3)Da S.
Great food. Great value.
(5)Alex M.
PF Chang's cheaper diner-type restaurant just opened on City Line and I'm sure PCOM and St Joes students are rejoicing. Its cheap, light, wok-cooked food that sort of resembles the cuisine found at Chinese, Korean, and Thai restaurtants. Did I mention that it's really cheap? You basically order a sauce and a meat for an entree and they seat you like they do in a diner. Within minutes your food is at your table. While it's not authentic, it's still decent - especially for the area. The Kung Pao shrimp was by far the best, most flavorful, dish they had. I'll update this review as I try more dishes. Check it out!
(3)Erin C.
Crab wontons were dry. Sweet and sour chicken was very bland. Dan Dan noodles tasted like Lean Cuisine with x4 the sodium.
(1)Foodie H.
best pei wei in town!!!! love it....i eat there 1 a week.
(5)Jason L.
Food was extremely salty and over-cooked. Will not visit again.
(2)Francesca H.
This is a great spot to go too if you want fast Chinese without sacrificing taste. I am a big fan of the Hot & Sour soup and Lemon Pepper Chicken. Although they did take it off the menu. My new favorite has become the Tia Dynamite. Food is hot and fresh and never greasy like all other Chinese fast food places. Great place 100%
(5)M. C.
My husband and I love this place. It has a lot of similar dishes that P.F. Chang's has, but it's much, much cheaper. By the way, it is pronounced Pay Way. It even says on their take-out menu. I always get the Pei Wei Spicy Chicken wth fried rice (fried rice is $1 more than plain) and my husband gets the Mongolian Beef. The Pei Wei Spicy comes with some vegetables too (unlike P.F. Chang's version). I feel like I get much more for my money when I eat at Pei Wei. And trust me, when they say it's spicy, it is spicy. Tip: Get a take-out box when you sit down and put half of your entree into a take-home box before you start eating - or share with a friend. The portions are huge. They can easily feed two people who don't overeat a lot or can be someone's lunch and dinner. Very good place. I highly recommend it! The decor is decent, it has an Asian theme of course, and there is plenty of parking.
(4)Stephanie C.
What can I say? I moved from Pei Wei's STRONGEST market in Dallas to Philadelphia. HUGE PEI WEI FAN! Great service!!! You can't go wrong with the vietnamese chicken salad rolls. Very low fat, healthy, and tasty! Also, try the Asian coconut curry! SO GOOD!
(5)Katie P.
I wrote a review about P.F. Changs awhile back. I prayed that a P.F. Changs would open up near me. I kept driving past Pei Wei with a heavy judgement until I discovered it was owned by P.F. Changs. My nickname for Pei Wei is P.F. Changs Junior. Now I can only report about the takeout. It is pretty good. Not as great as P.F. Changs. One thing I love about Pei Wei is the tofu strips they put into the dishes. I have had the Pei Wei Spicy with tofu several times. It is chewy and full of flavor- not like regular tofu which is gelatinous and yucky. I wish they would package their tofu and sell it in the grocery store. My guess is that they partial dehydrate marinated tofu and then deep fry it. I also love the Lo Mein with shrimp although it is a little on the sweet side. Service is super speedy. I go there at off hours and only have had to wait at the most ten minutes after placing my order. It would be great if P.F. Changs would open up a few more locations closer to me than Plymouth Meeting Mall but I understand they have to be in places that have huge parking lots. So for now I am happy with Pei Wei as a quick alternative to his daddy.
(4)Barry S.
For a Pei Wei it is not too bad. The service is kind of slow though.
(3)jon v.
Pei Wei's food is not good. Pad Thai didn't taste like Pad Thai and their version of General Tso's Chicken was not good, either. You're better off going to a real chinese restaurant.
(2)matthew l.
If you love hot and sour soup, stay away from this one, its pretty bad. Having said that I go to Pei Wei almost every time I go to the Target next door. Its a chain and you know it, but the minced chicken in lettuce wraps is a nice summer item especially sitting outside on a balmy evening. The menu is pan Asian so you get a little of your favorite Korean, Viet, Chinese and Japanese almost favorite bastardized versions. The pad Thai is good rice noodles with the usual garnishes of egg, mung bean, crushed peanuts, cilantro, lime and just about everything but the tiny dessicated shrimp. The Dan Dan noodles are tasty egg noodles with minced chicken with a garlic chile hit and the portion, as with most dishes here, is generous. Spring rolls, spicy Thai Blazing noodles and a Teriyaki bowl pretty good. If you ask that they go easy on the oil, you should be OK. Iced tea and Coke with a perfect brix as well as a Yeungling or TsingTao go well. I go whenever I go to the Target next door. Hmmm! I think the question is, would I go if this was a Target-less location? Not sure. One genuine bummer, no udon. Can't figure that one as its on the company menu. Love the udon!
(3)Anne M.
I would give it 3.5 stars...I have gone to the one in Springfield and had mixed emotions. PF Changs (see Chris L's. review) at least in the Chadds Ford location, is the slowest service I have ever seen, so the fast food atmosphere and similar menu makes Pei Wei like PF Changs Express. Of course Changs has a very nice assortment of teas and is a great place to take a date, whereas the newly opened Baltimore Pike locale is already just acceptably clean, not spotless, and when I asked if they served coffee the manager very rudely sniggered in my face. (Why that is funny I don't know.) They do have lovely sauces, like chili oil and so forth and I personally think white rice is disgusting. Out here in the suburban wilderness you can't get brown rice for love or money. The decor is more San Francisco-y than trying to be actually Oriental, I think. The chain is from out that way originally. The food was good, smaller portions than Chang's which is sometimes a good thing. Not too bad an idea but I'd rather go to one in the city than this particular locale.
(3)CE C.
so when this first opened probably close to two years now, i use to frequent it a lot, it's cheap and really not that bad considering it is fast food asian. so i decided to return recently when visiting philly for a quick bite. i had the blazing noodles with beef and a friend had the pad thai. boy has it gone downhill, i was embarrassed that i even recommended this place for dinner. my blazing noodles were soggy and all i tasted was pepper, no other spices. there was a lot of beef that was tough to eat. The pad thai was a pile of noodles with maybe a piece of tofu here and there. At least they still have that bowl of oranges in the back for dessert. i dont think i will be returning again
(2)Luey H.
man i was excited because i actually enjoy PF Changs although it is fake chinese food. Pei Wei has a nice atmosphere but the food is ridiculously salty. My friend order some Vietnamese Spring Roll which is a mistake. I'm viet and never order vietnamese spring rolls in a fusion place. the rest of the stuff was SUPER salty. my friend order the pad thai, ok but too salty to eat. My Kung Pao chicken was so salty i wanted to douse my tea on it and wash off the sauce. we sent the food back and although it was less salty it was still inedible. i dont know how the people around us were eating this crap. the managers were telling us all the sauces were pre made and there was nothing they could do. omg. eat here if you want to have high blood pressure
(1)Benjamin M.
So, we accidentally happened upon here while looking for a lunch spot prior to heading across the river to Manayunk. I had never even heard of this place and just assumed it was another run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurant...that is until we saw a reference to "PF Changs" on the door. Whoa, hold up! We ventured inside, which was fairly spacious for a strip-mall restaurant. I decided on the Mandarin Kung Pao Chicken w/fried rice and wasn't disappointed with either the taste or the portion size. I recommend Pei Wei (aka, PF Changs Fast Food?), as a scaled down and more affordable version of the original restaurant. Too bad there's only two locations in Philadelphia area and two in western Jersey. Now I just need to figure out how in the heck to pronounce it.
(4)Dave H.
I'd rather get local takeout Chinese. Pei Wei is awful, even for Americanized Chinese. They serve up pan-Asian style dishes, most which are reasonably-priced. Their menu even features handy-dandy labels to indicate what can be vegetized, and what can be made hot. Sadly their cooking was a pale imitation of reality: my so-called spicy "Thai" blazing noodles had MSG'd beef, and were coated in a chili sauce that tasted salty sweet - then again, I have deadened taste buds. My more normal friend found her dish too spicy. On the positive side, portions were good, and they sold beer. (I had hot tea, the next best thing.) Service wasn't in our face either - we sat ourselves after ordering up front - so be proactive if you want any. The interior was attractive enough, sporting P.F. Chang's branding. Oh, and parking is a snap! Pei Wei didn't remind me of any diner, save for their open kitchen. If you sit at the counter, you can watch staff wok and toss. Thanks to my friend for paying!
(2)Sam J.
I love Pei Wei but I guess this just one of those "bad egg" locations. Staff is friendly, but that's about the only positive thing I could say about my 3-4 experiences here. The food tastes like it has been in the back of a freezer truck for 1500 miles or so, which I guess is probably accurate come to think of it. Rubbery chicken, chewy steak, fishy shrimp. The sesame chicken had more gristle than protein. Not the chef's fault here, they work with what they have. Avoid if you can, bit the food won't kill you if you have no other choice.
(2)Monique C.
Went in last week to finally use the gift cards Pei Wei sent me for my previous bad experience. Let me just say that they got this place into shape. I made sure to come at the same time on the same day as my first visit. The dining area was clean and the staff were friendly and in uniform. There was no clowning around as far as I saw. Our food arrived quickly and was perfect. Solid 4/5 for Pei Wei.
(4)ben c.
I came here for the first time. I didn't know what it was but my sister said it was good. It's like an asian fast food place. The foods we ordered were all very good. They have great customer service! The lady at the register counter was very nice and was helping in describing the dishes to us so we could figure out what we wanted to eat. The tables were always being cleaned and the servers (if you decided to dine in) were very accommodating and polite. One server even waiting for the customer who were getting their drinks from the soda machine to sit down before she brought over there meals. The staff was very well trained at this establishment. I will most likely visit again if i'm in the area.
(3)Colleen O.
25-30 minute wait for take out food. Really?? Poorly run and have no idea what's even being cooked. Never again!
(1)Shanique S.
I really get the same thing everytime :) Pei Wei Spicy (shrimp or chicken dish) is delicious!
(4)K. A. N. A. K.
Uhh . . . Funny that we ordered Dan Dan noodles and "Spicy Korean" over rice, but both dishes tasted the same (and not like something they were supposed to reference) and that flavor was not particularly good.
(2)Danny L.
Can't believe I got suckered in by the chicken lettuce wraps (PF Chang's Style) That's about the only thing worth ordering here. Take heed people.
(2)Harry E.
I really love Pei Wei! Truly... I do. They have indoor or outdoor seating. Self serve fountain drinks including iced tea and lemons. Prices are very reasonable and super awesome props for posting the caloric info as well as fat and other important information. Spicy isn't really spicy but hey what are you going to do, it's a chain, chains NEVER give the 4 alarm fire my taste buds crave. I love eating outside with my Great Dane as all the passers by either gawk and avoid him like the plague or rush over to make friends. Also Starbucks is close by for a nice little after dinner coffee or espresso.
(4)Veggie T.
Tofu options on a good number of the dishes plus a touchscreen soda machine put this place on my list. The kitchen staff is on full display, which is always nice even though they're usually louder than the customers. They lose some points for puttting mushrooms(yuck) in the spring rolls & chicken in both of their soups.
(3)Colleen M.
Oil. So much oil. This is the first time I've eaten from Pei Wei and it was disgusting. I got the traditional chicken lettuce wraps for take out and by the time I opened the box about 20 minutes later, so much oil had pooled in the bottom that I could have scooped out at least a few tablespoons without getting any chicken. I skimmed some of the chicken off the top to try the flavor and it mostly just tasted like oil. I also got the spicy Korean chicken and while not as oily, the sauce tasted like oil and salt. The chicken itself would have been pretty good. I wasn't too impressed with the service either. I may have been the first customer of the day (11:19am on Saturday) as they didn't seem quite ready for the day. The cashier was filling cups with a sauce right near the register which didn't seem like the correct area for that. I got a fountain soda while a worker was cleaning the condiment area (I appreciate the cleaning!). I tried to get a straw and he didn't seem to notice me. So I stepped back for a minute thinking to give him a chance to finish but he kept cleaning. I finally said excuse me and reached around him and he didn't even step back to let me reach anything else. He said something like "you're alright" like it was okay that I was getting in his way. The service issues were minor but I can still taste the oil. Gross.
(1)Vishal S.
Went there for dinner and had the spicy korean chicken. The food was not awesome and not bad also. It was ok. Not going there for a second time though. The flavors were not so great. And could noit differentiate the chinese and korean flavors.
(2)Karen F.
I had a surprisingly decent experience at Pei Wei - and this is the first and only time I'd ever been to one. It's kinda like the Qdoba of Chinese food. You place your order and pay at the front counter, then take your number and sit down. I ordered from a VERY nice young man at the counter. I had an order of 4 (fried) cream cheese wontons (supposedly they had crab - but they were very light on the crab) and the Viet Namese Chicken rolls (Not the salad wraps - the rice paper rolls). Good but I've had way better. Due to the EXCELLENT friendly service - not only from the counter man (who gave me a coupon for my next visit when he heard this was my frst) - but also the sweet young gal who nrought me my order, and the very CLEAN and uncrowded (note it was 11:25 AM on a Thursday) this porbably made my experience better than it could have been. That said - I will return again to try a "bowl" or entree. I would not get the Viet rolls again - but I would splurge on the cream-cheesey fried goodness once in a great while. I also would like to try their Thai style wonton soup. Not bad - really. I am pleasantly surprised and will return again to test them. P.S. My order total with tax was just under $12 - kinda high for lunch on a workday. (No beverage!!!!)
(3)J Bradford L.
This is another take on a "high end" fast food Chinese restaurant. Similar ordering style as Chipotle or Piada. Order noodles, protein, sauce and extras. I got some kind of spicy noodles that tasted pretty darn good. Very modern, clean interior. They had beer at the location I was at!! I would give it a try if you come across one. Not going to be the best Chinese you've ever had, but if you are looking for decent quick noodles, you could do a lot worse.
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