Panda Mami York - York

Brian C.

A pleasant enough experience, nice to be able to choose your dishes from the vast array including English, Indian, Chinese etc, plus loads of desserts. All dishes are quite well presented and cared for by the cooking staff. You have to pay for your food on entry, they add a service charge here, then you get sat at a table and your drinks order is taken. They then pop back, whilst your eating, and ask for the drinks payment which they ALSO ADD a service charge too!!! The restaurant was quite cold and by the time you've got back to your table after choosing a plate full it's going/gone cold.

Louise C.

I honestly don't know how they can produce such high quality food as a buffet, with so many available dishes. All the meat was tender, even the beef. They had some unusual dishes to try, like eel sushi, which was delicious and apples cooked in wine, which was the star of the show, in my opinion. Very friendly staff too. We will definitely be back.

Frank P.

This restaurant offers a fantastic range of different foods, including starters, mains, and desserts. The staff are always on hand to clear the tables, and there’s a good selection of drinks available, though they’re a separate charge. However, there are a few questionable customers here and there. 😅

Desiree R.

My friends and I truly loved Panda Mami! Food was really good, variety of choices, atmosphere was lovely and service was excellent. Special shoutout to Chris who helped us with our vouchers and getting us seated. Will defo come back.

Elliott M.

Good Value, Pleasant Experience

My recent trip for lunch at Panda Mami York offered a satisfying and excellent value-for-money experience, with the total coming to approximately £15.99 per person for the buffet and an additional £4 for a drink.

The Food:
Satisfying Variety and Value
The sheer variety of food on offer is perhaps the biggest draw, featuring a wide selection of international cuisines. While the quality is generally what you'd expect from a large-scale buffet—good, solid, and standard quality—it certainly delivers on taste and variety.
I found all the dishes to be tasty in their own right, although nothing was truly groundbreaking. That said, some plates stood out from the crowd; for example, the beef curry was particularly delicious, offering a rich flavour and tender meat. For the price point, the value is undeniable; you get a tremendous amount of food and choice for what you pay. There were no complaints, but I also wasn't completely blown away by any single dish—it was simply very good, reliable buffet fare.

Service and Atmosphere:
The service was a highlight of the visit. The staff were consistently polite, attentive, and made me feel very welcome. While the service itself was efficient and basic—nothing overly elaborate—it was delivered with warmth, ensuring I felt comfortable and well-looked after throughout my meal.
The restaurant's atmosphere contributes greatly to the relaxed experience. They lean into a pleasant, casual dining setting which feels very welcoming. It's a comfortable space that allows you to enjoy your meal without any pretension, making it an ideal spot for a relaxed weekday lunch.

Panda Mami York offers a tremendously valuable and enjoyable lunchtime buffet. While the food quality is not gourmet, it is consistent, tasty, and features enough variety to please any palate, with dishes like the beef curry proving genuinely delicious. Coupled with welcoming service and a relaxed atmosphere, it's a fantastic option for a generous, casual meal. If you're looking for a massive selection of food at an exceptional price—rather than a fine-dining experience—Panda Mami is a highly recommended choice in York.

Zoea

I only came here because my friends wanted to, otherwise I wouldn’t have, as I had already read the bad reviews. Unfortunately, they were accurate.

First of all, cleanliness: yes, the plates and cutlery were clean and the general environment was acceptable, but take a look at the stove and barbecue grill the staff use to cook your food. They looked extremely unclean.

Second, the food itself. The Chinese dishes were, at best, about 40% close to authentic, according to my Chinese friends. My Indian friends said the same about the Indian food. The sushi was unsettling too — the wasabi was such an unnatural, fluorescent green that I genuinely worried for anyone who ate it. The meats with sauces, such as sweet and sour chicken, looked artificial, with colours that screamed chemicals.

There is no denying that the variety is wide, but for £25 you can get a much better and more authentic Chinese, Indian or Japanese meal at a proper restaurant in York. I see little point in coming to a place that risks sending you to the hospital.

On a positive note, the staff were all polite and friendly, though they did seem very tired.

Heather A.

Amazing place, clean, nice atmosphere, dirty plates cutlery taken away so you can get a fresh plate fir the next course. Attentive staff, nothing too much trouble the food is amazing lots to choose from the desserts so good, healthy options lije fruit also. Planning our next panda mami lunch/ dinner 🐼 ❤️ 😍

Rhonda G.

Food overpriced
-just over £60 for 2 adults and 1 child at 4pm
-if hadn't paid upfront would probably have left without eating.
Staff friendly
Atmosphere - music was good if a bit loud
Food quite average and duck was cubed not crispy and shredded. - rubbery and tasteless.
Toilets absolutely disgusting
-toilet roll dispenser broken on the floor and tissue everywhere unusable. Hand-wash in 1 of 4 sinks only. Men's had no tissue or locks on the 2 cubicles.
Won't be back.