11 Overlooked P.F. Chang’s Dishes You Need to Try

There are some dishes at P.F. Chang’s, that iconic Asian-inspired chain restaurant, that absolutely aren’t worth your time. However, that doesn’t mean that everything on the menu is bad. In fact, some of the chain’s less-appreciated offerings are actually the most delicious dishes available at the restaurant. But without trying everything on the menu itself, how would you know what to order — especially when you’re bypassing the most popular options and instead seeking out those underrated dishes just aren’t that hyped? After all, there’s probably a lot you don’t know about P.F. Chang’s.

That’s why we’ve created this list of some of the best and most underrated dishes you might want to try the next time you visit P.F. Chang’s. Whether you’re looking for a savory main course or something sweet to finish off your meal, these selections will have you covered. Sure, these may not be dishes that get all the love online, but they’re options that are absolutely worth exploring if you want to try something new and different the next time you visit the iconic restaurant. These are the underrated P.F. Chang’s menu items that should be on your must-try list.

Unless you’re a serious seafood lover, a shrimp dish may not be the first thing you would think to eat at P.F. Chang’s. But in reality, some of the chain’s shrimp dishes pack a surprising amount of flavor. One of those dishes is the firecracker shrimp bowl, and it’s absolutely one of our favorites. This dish is somewhat spicy (but not overwhelmingly so) and features shrimp tossed with charred onions and peppers. That spicy sauce does have a bit of sweetness to it, but the sweetness in this dish is milder than many of the other super sugary offerings for which this chain is known.

The real appeal here is the mixture of the lean shrimp with the rich, buttery sauce. Some dishes at P.F. Chang’s can be a bit too heavy with that sugary sauce added in, but because this dish starts with shrimp, it’s light enough to hold up to the intensity of the sauce. At the same time, that intensity complements the shrimp instead of overpowering it, leaving you with a dish that feels lighter than a lot of the chain’s other menu items.

Too many people will go to a restaurant like P.F. Chang’s and completely write off the tofu dishes in favor of the more meat-heavy options instead. But this is your sign not to ignore tofu when you go out to eat because P.F. Chang’s ma po tofu is one of the better items on the menu. Like a lot of the dishes you’ll find at the chain, the sauce on this tofu is somewhat sweet, which isn’t always ideal if you tend to like more savory dishes. However, because it has some spice to it, that sweetness is somewhat balanced out, giving the tofu a flavor intensity that you might not expect if you’re not someone who eats tofu on a regular basis. Even though the tofu is covered in that spicy-sweet red sauce, it’s still quite crispy, giving this dish a nice textural element.

Along with the tofu itself, you’ll also get a heaping serving of steamed broccoli with this dish, which helps to bulk it up and ensures you’re getting in some greens. Enjoy it with a side of rice, and you might just be able to appreciate tofu in a whole new light.

Just because you’re going out to eat doesn’t necessarily mean that you want something that tastes super heavy, which is why you might want to scan the salad list when you visit P.F. Chang’s. It turns out that one of the restaurant’s best underrated dishes happens to be there. The Thai peanut salad is crunchy, crispy, and super fresh, but it’s also filling enough to count as your entree.

In this salad, you’ll find Napa cabbage along with a slew of other veggies like celery, cucumber, and bell peppers. All of these vegetables are quite crisp and provide the bed for the other ingredients you’ll find on top of the salad. You’ll find a hearty serving of your choice of chicken or salmon (we prefer the chicken) alongside crunchy, fried lo mein noodles. A flavorful Thai peanut dressing and togarashi spice blend finish it off, bringing all those flavors together and adding a pop of interest to the finished dish. Share it with the table, or keep it all to yourself for a lighter dinner option.

Most of the desserts on P.F. Chang’s menu are kind of unexpected and not exactly what you might expect from an Asian-inspired restaurant, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not good. In fact, some of them, like the banana spring rolls, are surprisingly delicious. Anyone who loves bananas — and who likes them sweet — is likely to be a fan. The small banana pieces are cooked until they’re crispy and drizzled with a vanilla-caramel drizzle that highlights their fruity sweetness with more complexity. The result is a dessert that feels simultaneously healthy and indulgent, with enough sweetness for even the most ravenous of sweet tooths.

But you won’t just get a banana when you order this dessert. It also comes with a side of coconut pineapple ice cream, which complements the tropical flavors in the banana well. Strawberries and blueberries finish off the dessert plate, offering a pop of color and freshness.

When you look at the P.F. Chang’s menu and feel lost, unsure of what to order next, you can always feel good about snagging some dumplings. After all, who doesn’t love meat wrapped in dough? It’s a universally beloved food, and it just so happens that P.F. Chang’s does dumplings pretty well. That’s certainly true for the chain’s pork dumplings, which are mostly absent the super-sweet flavoring you’ll find in most of the chain’s dishes. The meat inside is juicy and flavorful but neutral enough that the light chili drizzle sauce doesn’t clash with the filling.

You can order the dumplings either steamed or pan-fried. The steamed version is better if you want to enjoy the chewiness of the dumpling wrapper, while the pan-fried dumplings are preferable if you like your dumplings to have a bit of crunch and some extra to them. In our opinion, you can’t really go wrong with either.

Here we are, back to another tofu dish. Unfortunately, at a lot of restaurants, tofu just doesn’t get the love it deserves, and that’s certainly the case at P.F. Chang’s. But you don’t have to be a vegetarian to order the Mongolian tofu. Whether you’re usually a meat eater or not, we happen to think it’s one of the most underrated options on the menu. The glaze on this tofu is sweeter than we prefer in a lot of dishes, but because it’s combined with super-salty soy sauce, the result is a well-balanced dish that packs a ton of flavor in every bite.

The garlic in this dish is what really makes it pop, though — the flavor of the garlic is quite pronounced, so it’s a good option if you (like us) just can’t get enough garlic in your favorite dishes. You’ll also find green onion in your dish, which gives it just a touch of freshness and an extra pop of flavor. Since it’s cooked, though, you won’t be left with that overwhelming flavor of onion long after you’ve finished your meal. It’s best enjoyed with rice, which can somewhat temper the dish’s boldness.

There are so many people who go to restaurants and only focus on the main dishes while almost completely ignoring the sides. Often, though, it’s those shareable side dishes that really shine. That’s certainly the case when it comes to P.F. Chang’s kung pao Brussels sprouts. We love Brussels sprouts in all their forms, but these are particularly delicious, with their bold, deeply flavorful kung pao sauce that offers savory, sweet, and tangy flavors all in one go. That flavor intensity in the sauce covers up any remaining bitterness in the Brussels sprouts, which makes this an ideal dish even for the veggie-hesitant diners at your table.

The Brussels sprouts are charred, which gives them a crispness and another layer of flavor complexity. In your Brussels sprouts dish, you’ll also find peanuts, which add crunch and texture, and chili pods, which amp up the heat and give the vegetables just the right amount of spice.

Don’t like or don’t eat pork? No worries — you’re not going to be left out of the dumpling game. We’ve already discussed how much we love P.F. Chang’s pork dumplings, so it should come as no surprise that we’re big fans of the shrimp dumplings as well. These dumplings taste lighter than their meatier counterparts, with less of that juiciness you’d normally expect from pork. At the same time, they have a bouncier, more interesting texture from the chopped shrimp inside. That texture is what really makes these dumplings shine.

Like with the pork dumplings, you can choose between having your shrimp dumplings steamed and pan-fried. We love the shrimp dumplings steamed, but if you prefer a crispier texture, you’re better off getting them pan-fried. And once you add the chili drizzle sauce, this dim sum dish comes together perfectly. Order it as a side dish to share with the table, as an appetizer to get your meal off to a great start, or as an entree when you’re not feeling hungry enough to order a whole plate for yourself.

Another side dish you might want to try the next time you go to P.F. Chang’s? The chili garlic green beans. This is one of the simpler options on the menu, but sometimes, it’s that simplicity that really makes a dish enjoyable. The chain isn’t lying when it says that these green beans are spicy, so keep that in mind if you’re sensitive to heat. They’re covered in a red chili sauce that packs a decent amount of heat — perfect for those of us who never feel like restaurant food is spicy enough. P.F. Chang’s uses fresh garlic (not powdered) in this recipe, which really makes that garlicky flavor pop.

The standout ingredient, though, is the Sichuan preserves, which add an umami note along with a noticeably delicious funk to the finished dish. If you’re the kind of person who normally skips over the side dishes in favor of the entrees on the menu, you should slow down and take a look at what P.F. Chang’s has to offer. When you order these chili garlic green beans, you’re not likely to be disappointed.

The Northern-style pork spare ribs at P.F. Chang’s may be on the appetizer menu, but we think that they’re delicious enough to play the starring role at your table. If you go to an American Southern-style BBQ restaurant, you’ll find ribs that are slathered in a sauce that’s often a bit too sweet. At P.F. Chang’s, though, the pork spare ribs are dry-rubbed, meaning that they take on a lovely crispiness that makes biting into them a texturally exciting experience. They’re not super crispy, per se, but that slight dryness gives them just the right amount of chewiness.

But it’s not just the texture of these pork spare ribs that we love. The flavor is also on point. With a generous five-spice seasoning, you’re going to get a ton of flavor in every bite. There’s a lovely complexity there that complements the inherent fattiness in pork, but it’s still simple enough that you could easily eat the whole plate of these ribs all on your own. Order them as an appetizer as intended, or make them your main course, along with a side dish of vegetables for a lighter dinner.

You may not think of an Asian-inspired chain restaurant as the best place to get a chocolate dessert, but that’s probably because you’ve never tried P.F. Chang’s chocolate souffle before. This is a relatively simple dish, but it’s that simplicity that makes it so easy to love. The chocolate souffle itself is deeply chocolatey, with a richness that’s not overpowered by too much sugar. Yes, it is quite sweet, but that sweetness is balanced with a dose of bitterness that really brings the dish together.

Order this dessert, and you won’t just be getting a plain chocolate souffle, though. It comes covered in a layer of vanilla ice cream, which adds an icy complement to the otherwise room-temperature dessert. The best part may just be the drizzle of raspberry sauce, which adds a pop of tartness to the dish that really brings the dessert to life. Sure, you may be stuffed after ordering this at the end of your meal, but believe us when we say that the slight discomfort is absolutely worth giving this dessert a try.

These menu items were chosen based on their lack of widespread popularity (i.e., they haven’t been widely written about on the internet), along with their flavor and quality, based on both personal experience and reviews. These items, for the most part — with the exception of the desserts — tend to be less sweet than many items on P.F. Chang’s menu, offering a slightly saltier, more savory dining experience at the popular chain restaurant.