Peony Chinese Kitchen — Restaurant in Laguna Beach

We were in the area early for the Pageant of the Masters, and surrounding eateries all hand a longer wait time. We walked past this area, and they had a to-go menu tucked away along the sidewalk. We checked it out, and the pricing was good. As luck would have it, there was no wait to be seated, and we chose a shady corner outside. Service was quick and friendly, and knowledgeable. The waiter made sure to check allergies and spice levels, an extra bit of service we were happy to see. We ordered the vegetable egg rolls, the kung pao chicken, the orange chicken, the black pepper beef, the chicken fried rice, the chicken dumplings, and the chicken wonton in szechuan sauce. Starting with the appetizer items, the veggie egg rolls were a surprise! The veggie blend inside was hearty with hints of fresh herbs. They were perfectly fried. The chicken dumplings were pan fried. The filling was unique, as it was visually just chicken, but it was so flavorful. It was almost like XLB but in a different form. So good! The chicken wonton in szechuan sauce was unique. Not exactly my favorite, but it might be for someone else. For me, the spice level was fine, but it had too much of a lemon essence in it. I'm not sure if they used lemon oil, but it didn't taste like natural lemon, and it was definitely the overpowering flavor of the dish. The chicken fried rice was perfect and basic, nothing fancy, but was a great base to build a plate on beyond white or brown rice. The kung pao chicken had a spicy kick! The veggies were fresh, the sauce was exactly what I expected, and the peanuts added a great crunch. The orange chicken was pretty much perfect, not overly sweet or otherwise pungent. The chicken pieces were cooked thoroughly without drying out. The black pepper beef was my favorite dish, and yes, there's a lot of black pepper on it. The beef chunks were tender and the sauce was umami goodness. If I would have had leftovers of this one, I would have tried to make a black pepper steak sandwich at home. It was delicious. If you can't tell from the pictures, the portions are generous, family style. This is as close to nostalgia home-cooked Chinese food as I've ever had. They are currently working on getting their beer/wine license, so that wasn't available yet, but this is on the list to visit again if I'm ever in the area. I would definitely recommend this place to friends. I can see why the reviews so far...

Walking into Peony Chinese Kitchen feels less like stepping into a restaurant and more like entering a medieval dojo where ninjas lurk in the shadows, ready to end you with a swift strike. The first thing you’ll notice is the cold, menacing energy—especially from the person manning the front. I don’t know his name, but his rudeness speaks volumes. His demeanor was so shockingly inappropriate that I half expected him to challenge me to a duel instead of simply handing me my order.

Let me remind you, my friend, this is the United States of America. You don’t get to approach people as if you’re hinting at physical violence. This isn’t a martial arts movie, and you’re not some ancient warrior defending sacred territory. Your passive-aggressive behavior doesn’t belong here—or anywhere, for that matter.

To the small-eyed man who seems to fancy himself a Japanese artist-swordsman hybrid: Let me break it down for you. This is Laguna Beach, home to some of the kindest, most polite people in the world. I walked into your establishment to pick up a takeout order, only to be met with your smug attitude and bizarre antics. You actually smirked as if you were rehearsing for some samurai drama, then shoved my order through your tiny, miserable little takeout window as if you were doing me a favor.

A bit of advice: adjust your attitude, my guy. Hospitality isn’t about acting like a warrior in a Quentin Tarantino movie. Your theatrics might be amusing if they weren’t so disrespectful.

Needless to say, I’ll never step foot in this place again, and I’ll make sure to warn every single one of my friends about this little slice of culinary hostility. Peony Chinese Kitchen? More like “Peony Martial Arts Dojo: Where Food Comes with a Side of Passive...

This restaurant was a complete disappointment for me. First of all, the staff’s attitude was incredibly rude. From the moment we walked in, they acted as if our presence bothered them. They gave short, sarcastic answers to simple questions and didn’t even bother to make eye contact. While ordering, they rushed us and wore expressions that made us feel completely unwelcome.

The food was just as bad as the service. Every dish we ordered was a disaster in both taste and presentation. The Hot and Sour Soup was completely bland and overly salty, like an old soup that had simply been reheated. The Orange Chicken was rubbery, greasy, and came with dry, stale rice. I seriously doubt the freshness of the ingredients. For these prices, serving such careless and flavorless food is unacceptable.

The overall atmosphere was unpleasant as well. Tables hadn’t been properly cleaned, the floors were sticky, and a heavy, stale oil smell filled the air. I haven’t had such a terrible dining experience in a long time.

In short, this place fails completely in both service and food quality. It’s shocking that a restaurant located in a tourist area like Laguna Beach would maintain such low standards. I definitely do not recommend it—don’t waste your money or...