Panda Express Cantonese BBQ Brisket
Some dishes arrive quietly and leave just as fast. Panda Express Cantonese BBQ Brisket did the opposite: it sold out during its first nationwide run, then came back because so many guests asked for it. On the Panda Express Menu, it now stands out as the chain’s first brisket entrée.
This guide explains what the dish is, when it was available, how to order it, what it costs, and how it tastes, so you can decide whether it is worth trying before it disappears again.
What Is Panda Express Cantonese BBQ Brisket?
Panda Express Cantonese BBQ Brisket is a slow-cooked beef brisket dish, and the first time Panda Express has put brisket on its menu. The beef is cooked until tender, cut by hand, then seared in the wok over a high flame and tossed in a sauce inspired by Char Siu, the Cantonese roast pork known for its sweet and savoury glaze.
It is served as an entrée, so it can sit alongside the usual sides rather than replacing them. For a wider look at the chain’s beef and other meat choices, see the Panda Express meat guide.
From Sell-Out to Second Run: The Timeline
The dish first ran nationwide from 2 June to 10 August 2026. Demand was strong enough that it sold out, with more than five million scoops served during that first run.
By popular demand, Panda Express Cantonese BBQ Brisket returned nationwide on 1 September 2026. It is still available as a limited-time item while supplies last, and no end date has been announced for the return run, so it could finish without warning. If you want to try it, it is safer not to leave it too long.
How to Order Panda Express Cantonese BBQ Brisket and What It Costs
Panda Express Cantonese BBQ Brisket can be ordered as a Bowl, a Plate, a Bigger Plate, a five-person Family Meal, or on its own à la carte. A Bowl pairs one entrée with a base, while the larger formats add more entrées and are better suited to sharing.
It sits in the super-premium tier, so expect an extra charge over a standard entrée, but the amount varies by location and there is no single national figure to quote. For illustration only, reports have put the extra at $1.95 in Los Angeles during the summer run, while a small à la carte serving was listed at $7.65 in Rhode Island on the return run, and this site’s homepage places the dish in its $6.90+ premium tier. Check the price at your local restaurant before you order, because the figure at the counter is the one that counts.
For the latest details straight from the source, see the dish on the official Panda Express website before you head to a restaurant.
Calories and Protein
A serving of Panda Express Cantonese BBQ Brisket contains 410 calories and 44 grams of protein, making it Panda’s highest-protein dish. That combination explains much of its appeal: it is filling without being the heaviest choice on the menu in calorie terms.
For comparison with other entrées and sides, see the Panda Express Nutrition chart.
What It Tastes Like
The first thing you notice is the contrast. The outside carries a dark, caramelised bark from the wok sear, while the inside stays soft and yielding after the slow cook. It is not dry in the way brisket sometimes can be, and the hand-cut pieces give it a more substantial bite than shredded beef.
The flavour leans smoky and sweet, then savoury, with the Char Siu-style sauce coating rather than drowning the meat. It is rich enough to stand up to plain rice, and a sharper side can cut through the sweetness if you want balance. This is a dish built around the beef, not around heat, so it suits guests who prefer depth of flavour over spice.
Guests who want heat rather than sweetness may prefer the Panda Express Sichuan Chicken, which takes a very different route to flavour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
Panda Express Cantonese BBQ Brisket earned its return the hard way, by selling out first time round. It is a straightforward idea done well: tender, flame-seared brisket in a sweet, smoky, savoury sauce, with the highest protein count on the menu.
If slow-cooked beef with a smoky-sweet glaze sounds like your kind of entrée, this return run is your chance to judge it for yourself. Order it in the format that suits your appetite, and see what all the fuss was about.
