Worse. Than. Ever. Not surprised that this formerly awesome chain is shuttering locations and scaling back on hours. Gave it one more chance today. Haven't been here in a while. Food is just awful. Turkey Cobb salad, paid extra for Double Turkey, yet I'm playing "Where's the Turkey?" So disappointing. The once great condiments bar is nothing but mashed capers, carrots that taste spoiled, and who knows what else.....I lost my appetite before I got anything else. So long, Cafe Express. It was fun while it lasted. read more

After stuffing myself with fattening food for days I begged Miss Farrah A for a healthy lunch...and so she took me hear. I guess I could have gotten a healthy salad, but as soon as I saw sweet potato fries (I'm obsessed!) I soon forgot about being healthy. A bowl of black bean soup and sweet potato fries for me. Yes, a random combo, but if you love sweet potato fries as much as I do you'll agree they pretty much go with anything. The soup was tasty at the first few bites, but then I got a bit sick of the black bean taste. The fries were so fabulous though that I didn't share many with Farrah...sorry! However, Farrah seemed to be enjoying her pesto pasta dish, which she was nice enough to share with me. It was pretty good despite all the oil it was drenched in. If you're looking for a healthy spot this probably isn't it, but definitely a good fast food option. read more

We used to love coming here but recently, they've gone under new management and they are only making cutbacks. The portions are tiny and the Avocado sandwich barely had any avocado and they hid it under a bunch of greens. The used to offer condiments like roasted garlic, capers, olives, croutons, grated cheese but now they want to charge .30 cents for a tiny side of cheese. They were also out of tomatoes for my sandwich and you still want to charge for cheese. Manager said thanks for the feedback but made no compensations or adjustments. We will not ever return here! read more

Cafe Express - Small chicken breast (maybe 2-3 oz). - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

Came in for a late lunch and tables where 75 dirty no where to seat for a clean table. Flies came coming around. One guy as doing all the table running service and cleaning in between while others behind counter just waiting until. Customer would walk in. read more

Cafe express gets 2 stars for me simply because of my waitress. She was super sweet. However, the food wasn't great. The chicken lacked taste and the sweet potato fries were fried extremely hard. I would suggest adding more wine choices. My chicken patty had such a funny smell . Not what I expected. read more

Cafe Express - Grilled chicken, and sweet potato fries with Red Blend wine - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

I love their food and the service is exceptional They are friendly and always welcoming. I frequently eat at cafe Express throughout Houston about 3 times a week. Love the menu. read more

This is what happened when I ordered fettuccini alfredo and asked to "add spinach". Cost $2.99 for the addition. Inedible. read more

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John Gill is the master mind here. The regulars are proud to call him by name. He works the floor like a whirling dervish taking orders, greeting guests and giving every staff member constant encouragement. Whenever I go I don't know what generous gesture he will provide. Once I asked him for veggies to go with the hummus. It was not on the menu, but he made them appear. Mostly he is a gentleman who makes you feel like you've come "home" to dine. You will not be disappointed. read more

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I had a quiet quick lunch at this location. The food was prepared to my liking in a reasonable amount of time. The food was fresh and delicious. I left totally satisfied. read more

Cafe Express - Mediterrane Salmon, french green beans, brown rice and garlic bread. Yum - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

Slow service and the food quality and taste was terrible. First time back here in years, what happened? This used to be such a fantastic place. read more

Every single time I come here, I've always enjoyed this place. Since I'm on my "No meat, no seafood diet", my girlfriend and I decided to come here. I got the Pasta Amore (Penne Pasta Infused with Roasted Artichoke Hearts, Black Olive Tapenade, Roasted Tomatoes & Garlic Drizzled with Basil Pinenut Pesto) which was very delicious. I thought that it might be bland or dry but it isn't. She got the petite sandwich combo which is creamy chicken salad sandwich (Diced Grilled Chicken, Basil & Celery, Garnished with Glazed Pecans, Red Leaf Lettuce & Roma Tomato on Ciabatta Bread) , side salad, and homemade chicken soup ( Roasted Chicken, Tiny Pearl Pasta & Vegetables). Usually if I'm not on my diet... I usually get a grilled chicken breast drizzled with basil pinenut pesto sauce and grilled artichokes, also has anyone tried there warm bread pudding with vanila sauce...because I have and its so delicious! I usually get extra vanilla sauce. Yum!!! Also another great thing about Cafe Express is that there's free Wi-fi. read more

Cafe Express - Pasta Amore - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

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This place was incredibly disappointing. The lady taking our order was a bit rude, and didn't even ask if I wanted anything to drink, just automatically gave me a water cup. Our food did not come out the way it was supposed to (certain things on side). That would have been completely fine, of course, until I started scraping off all the stuff that wasn't supposed to be on my burger in the first place and found to be what looked like pubic hair on the lettuce! We will definitely not be returning. read more

Cafe Express - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

Slow counter folks and a rather dreary interior made this a forgetful restaurant during a trip to Houston. This is the most disappointing Cafe Express I've visited, and that's unfortunate because I usually love Cafe Express. My club sandwich was ok but not overwhelmingly tasty nor with the freshest ingredients. The pastry I had was good but on the verge of being stale. On the flip side, the employees who work here (even the slow counter person) are incredibly nice--almost to the point where I was embarrassed for having to ask them to re-do my club because they forgot a few ingredients. read more

Cafe Express has gone downhill big time. I overlooked because my husband really likes the Triple Deli Salad. This is the second time is a row my Shrimp and Avocado Salad had zero avocado and the shrimp were dangerously undercooked. For $14+ dollars I got a green salad. Very disappointed. I will never be back. read more

Cafe express has dramatically disappointed me. Came since I was craving their salads. Ordered shrimp and avocado salad. They literally used the shrimp from a shrimp cocktail. They have the smell and the tomato sauce flavor. Not worth the price. Serving staff was very polite and decently clean interior. Food is just not what it used to be. read more

Cafe Express - Shrimp and avocado salad. Cold shrimp, you can still see the tomato and cilantro where it was part of a shrimp cocktail. - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

Previously had a not so good experience at the Greenway location, and I told management I was willing to give it another try. Service was excellent, grilled chicken with ice cream scoop of mashed potatoes and green beans were very delicious. My husband is not a fan of Cafe Express, and he was impressed with their grilled chicken, and veggie entree. He really enjoyed the complimentary fixings, which added more flavor to his entree. Parking can be a hassle during peak hours, which is usually during lunch hours. The manager and cashier was very pleasant. Overall, good hot dishes, and nice service. read more

Cafe Express - Grilled chicken breast, green beans, and mashed potatoes. $9.99 - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Professional and good variety. Me and big sis went we enjoyed. We set in the back more room back there. Different sodas( specialty sodas). Complimentary packaged bread sticks. Kinda pricy. Beautiful decor! Stay busy but mellow vrowds after 2pm and before11am. read more

Avia at the front is incredible! We were so sad to hear the turkey burger is no longer there. PLEASE BRING the TURKEY BURGER back!!!!

I usually go to the Kirby location but stop here every once in a while if I need to pick up something for work or am traveling through Midtown. I like the food for Cafe Express in general and this is probably the most consistent kitchen out of the 3 that I've been to (Kirby, W. Gray, and Uptown). I came by last night and it was much busier compared to the Kirby location for a Monday night. I was also surprised that they changed the menu dropping off many of the pasta offerings including my favourite, the linguine with the creamy tomato basil sauce. Bummer. I settled for a vegetarian black bean burger that had guacamole on it. You couldn't really taste the guacamole since the chalky taste of the patty overpowered everything but overall it was a decent burger especially if you dress it up with the plentiful options of the condiment bar. Counter and packaging-to-go service was prompt and the server was extremely nice in making sure that I had everything. Their credit card receipts don't have a tipping line to reward them though. read more

I usually make it here once a weekend for breakfast. I love their turkey-ham breakfast taco & their yogurt parfait with granolla. The yogurt is great with the strawberries and kiwi. If I make it hear for lunch, their chicken sandwhich with bacon with sweet potato fries is my go to. The have a delicious condiment bar with some mustards and sauces I have never seen before. Everyone loves their little breadsticks. I have never have had a bad meal here and always is great for a quick meal made from quality ingredients. Their staff is always friendly. read more

Awesome atmosphere and even better food.Caesar Salad and Shrimp and Avocado Salad and the chicken Alfredo was terrific!!!!!

Not worth $16 for a barely cooked chicken sandwich (it was still pink) and raw sweet potato fries. The best part is the iced tea and it's pretty hard to screw up. I expected a lot better. The locations in Uptown and Woodway have better quality food. I'll be surprised if I don't get sick later. read more

We visit this Cafe Express location frequently during lunch. The cashier is always friendly, but the food is always made incorrectly. Before ordering I asked the cashier if I could susbtitute the meat on the shrimp capri (Fettuccini pasta with sauteed shrimp and spinach tossed with creamy roasted tomato sauce and Parmesan cheese) to include chicken because I have a shrimp allergy. When my buzzer went off, I had huge shrimp all over my dish. I informed the server that it was incorrect, and waited another 15 minutes before I received Penne pasta with meat sauce. Not at all what I wanted/ordered. I really like the downtown location better, but I am often in the area and keep giving them chances. They have plenty of parking and their teas are delicious. read more

Took over an hour to get food. The managers looked lost as hell. The chef looked confused and lost. There was one employee, a woman, between the kitchen and front who was pulling the weight of the restaurant. She deserves a raise and all the goodness of this world. Thank you ma'am. read more

Your website is no good. When I attempted a second order with some additions, it was stuck & would not add my selections. We ended up canceling And phoning in our order. I'd give you 0 stars!! Could not earn points from Open Table! read more

I ordered a veggie sandwich from here on Uber Eats and a few chicken sandwiches for my colleagues. The veggie sandwich was pretty good and I enjoyed the pickled vegetable paired with the hummus. I do wish the bread was a bit more toasted as the sandwich does claim that it is served on "toasted ciabatta bread." Regardless, it's still a great sandwich and I order it from Cafe Express locations frequently! Would recommend this place for a quick bite and if you're in a pinch, however there are definitely better restaurants in the nearby area. read more

Service was great. Food was even better. Our salads were amazing. Definitely reccommend the shrimp avocado salad.

Our firm had used Cafe Express many years for catered lunches until their quality just plummeted. Stopped using them for business and personally. We were really disappointed. Started using them again a couple of weeks ago and the difference is remarkable. Have had a number of lunches, hot meals and others salads and sandwiches. The food has been stellar. Trina Ryan at the River Oaks location, and those she works with, have great attitudes, are knowledgeable and take pride in what they are doing. I would suggest, if you too had written them off, give them another try. read more

I ordered the Caesar with chicken and my wife ordered a Caesar with shrimp. Besides there barely being any chicken on my salad, it was cold and rubbery. The shrimp was cold and boiled which is fine but we thought for the price it would at least be grilled and/or hot. After I finished my what should be called a side salad, I had to go up and order another meal because I was still very hungry. I ordered the turkey sandwich that had only two slices of deli meat turkey. After that I was still hungry so I ate some of my wife's Caesar. Long story short, I left still hungry after spending over $40 on lunch. I do not recommend to anyone who's hungry. read more

The chicken on the chicken pesto salad is so cold that it could be recently out of the freezer. Not many people here for lunch today. The food used to be good. So sad. Good prices but I guess you get what you pay for.... read more

Cafe Express - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

Wow...just wow. The food was overpriced and just piss poor. I wanted so much for this to work but who ever is running that kitchen just seemed to give up. My "chicken tortilla soup was simply pathetic. The cesar salad was WAY over dressed and lacked even the slightest effort. It was all show, no content. I'm not even mad I'm just disappointed. It's not fair that businesses can get away with this and unassuming consumers just take it. Puuullleeezzeee don't waste your time on this place. The only surprise here is the check. It's pretty much terrible room service food without the nice hotel room. read more

Cafe Express - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

I went by there today during my lunch break and ordered my food to go. I had the petite combo with blt, salad and chili. First, I was greeted by the cashier. She took my order right away. My food was perfect & just as I ordered it! I'm not sure what type of bread was on my blt but it was wonderful! It was thicker than most, but not too thick and wasn't sweet. The bacon was thick and cooked well, but not crispy. The chili is amazing. I love that they add corn to it! The salad is just the right size. It doesn't overwhelm your meal. You get just enough to eat to enjoy it all without feeling hungry or too full after you eat. Now to the drink! I love that they give you several options on what to drink. I love tea and there are several types of flavors! read more

This location is closed. They were taking take out orders only 3-4 days ago. Now they seem to allow orders online, but those orders do not process, and once you get there the kitchen is closed for remodel. No info or warning whatsoever online that they have no working kitchen. read more

Cafe Express is a chain restaurant. Chain restaurants are not necessarily a bad thing, because I love P.F. Chang's and finding the exact same experience down here as I do in Seattle or anywhere else my plans for world domination might take me. And we all know how much Chipotle and Freebirds are like the best thing to ever happen to burritos, because fuck Taco Bell, they have committed many sins upon burritos from the drive-thru. Cafe Express as an option for food has never blown my skirt up in the way that Freebirds or P.F. Chang's does. My reaction is more like 'meh' because while it's not going to reinvent the lunch wheel, it usually gives a suitably acceptable experience. Especially the one downtown, I have never had a totally terrible experience; at the Uptown one I had a miserable experience. So their scorecard is not as flawless as Salata, that Salata has always treated me like a proper Kingslayer. I had not spent much time in this shopping centre before. It's the one on W. Gray just past Waugh if you are coming from downtown/Midtown and heading towards the Kroger on W. Gray. There were numerous badly parked soccer moms which injected a little bit of chaos into the parking lot. Like a SUV thought it needed three spots - I hope the old gal was a bit drunk instead of that bad at parking; mostly because if she sobered up long enough at Spicy Pickle then she might not hit my car numerous times on her way back to her eighth martini of the day, likely at Marfreless down the road after they opened later this afternoon. Looking for a parking spot that long and delicately, trying to minimize potential harm to the Dragon as much as possible, I had the enjoyable experience of jamming out to my current favorite song, "Keep Your Hands Off Her" by the Black Keys (covering Junior Kimbrough's original.) The food options at Cafe Express are your basic salads, sandwich, and soups. I do not like soup, so just strike a third of their food offerings already. I can make a sandwich at home just as well as the next drunken guy, and I can use donuts for bread if nobody is looking, because fuck you that's why. So going out for a basic sandwich, well just goes over my head; sure if there was something unique and awesome then yeah I would try it (e.g. how Lankford makes their burgers stand out by putting mac and cheese on the Grim Burger, that is how you 'Merica a burger, I wish Cafe Express would 'Merica up a turkey sandwich by adding mac and cheese and a fried egg into the mix.) So the sandwiches are boring. The salads are your run of the mill things as well - you could cut up turkey slices and put them in a store-bought bag of salad too, I think. Kroger's is like ten feet that way *points* and it would be cheaper overall than a Cafe Express Salad (tm) I still went with the Smoked Turkey Cobb salad. Because it sounded relatively healthy, but it had bacon, so I didn't need to feel too much shame shuffling up to the counter to claim my prize. When I ordered it looked like the cashier girl was like "really bro, a salad?" but maybe I am just being sensitive. The best part about Cafe Express is the black currant iced tea. It is sorcery in a cup; it is one of the best beverages EVER that is neither alcoholic, nor an Icee, so it rules the roost of two beverage types. If beverage competitions were like prison films let's just say Cafe Express's black currant iced tea would have the top bunk and take what he wants whenever he wants from the other weaker beverages. But he chose me and called me "papi" so we are tyte besties, we only have eyes for each other. Even though the location was pretty packed our food still came out about five minutes later. My dining companion ordered one of the sandwiches and he got it about two minutes before my salad was ready, so apparently they do actually go out around back and freshly kill the lettuce for you, meanwhile sandwich meats require less killing and prep time than a salad, so there you go. I wish the salad had more bacon, but the turkey was evident in proportionality and pleasingly crisp and cooled, the vinaigrette dressing was adequate to grease the lettuce and make it edible, so really it was a decent lunch option even if a bit bland. The iced tea kicked the meal up a notch to make up for the boring suburban white people blandness of the salad, so all in all, $11 for lunch was an appropriate price tag for the experience because I would have paid $11 just for the tea by itself. No mom, I wouldn't have been high, I would have just been happy ... *whispers* happy I blazed that dank ass weed to really appreciate the black currant essence on the tongue, as I swirl around the tea in the cup approvingly like it was a fine wine. That'll do Pig, that'll do. read more

Cafe Express is a pretty good standy-by for post-work/post-work out food. It's not especially creative, even though it is touted as the creation of the "renowned chef" Robert Del Grande. They've got burgers, pasta, soups, and salads. It is fancier than the Souper Salad on the other end of this ginormous strip center. They offer wine and beer and a Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4-7pm where you get $1 off a single carafe, $2 off a double carafe, and $3 off a bottle. They also have free Wi-Fi. I ordered the veggie burger here recently and it was pretty good because it was not the black bean veggie burger they used to have. This upgraded veggie burger is hand formed, with rice, mushrooms, and probably egg and cheese as the binding agent. I ordered it Southwest style, so it came topped with guacamole, melted jack cheese, tomato slice, a big slice of red onion, jalepenos, I don't remember if it had lettuce or not, because I may have picked it off. I like that you can order your veggie burger any style and you're not stuck in the veggie burger rut some places have when they offer a veggie burger on the menu. The fact that they offer sweet potato fries is another major plus. Those fries are addictive. Also, they have a great self-serve condiment bar with a variety of things from your standards to olives, capers, shredded parmesan, peppers, and an outstanding mango/jalepeno salsa that goes well with those sweet potato fries. Overall, the menu items are reliable, the portions generous and relatively health-conscious, and you can definitely come here by yourself to study or work and not be hassled. read more

Every time I come in here the portion sizes are changing. They keep getting smaller and smaller. Today I paid almost 7 dollars for a bowl of potato soup that the recipe has changed to fillers like carrots and celery and less potatoes. The sauce is visibly watery and less creamy. The manager so they no longer include cheese or bacon on the soup but the price remains the same. He says they have to cut corners somewhere and shrugged. This is our last time visiting here. read more

On 8/29/2018 I ordered the Southwestern Chicken meal at the 1422 W. Gray St location and I have to say it was the worst experience of food I've had in a while. I've ordered from this Cafe Express before but I was shocked at how poorly this meal was put together. The chicken was so tough that it was extremely hard to cut through with a knife. The beans were cold, everything looked like it was mixed in like a disgusting slobbery soup. What an embarrassment to allow a customer to receive this meal in the most horrible condition. Do NOT order from this location and especially this meal. read more

Cafe Express - Southwestern Chicken - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

Now, this is not a gourmet restaurant, but as a casual diner, it serves very good food, at a decent price, with good service. My wife had the salmon, which she raved over. I had pasta with shrimp, and artichokes, which had a very pungent pesto/ground pickles type of sauce. Was very good. As my wife and I say, this place is definitely a "do over.' read more

There's nothing like grabbing a plastic buzzer and waiting to retrieve the food you just paid for that makes a person feel unique in this vast, overpopulated world. Ah yes food. I come here reluctantly sometimes. I like their Caesar salad and the fact that I am at liberty to pack (to my heart's content) a lot of capers into tiny plastic containers. That is a special feeling! I guess this place is supposed to be fast . . . and maybe it is, but when it's crowded--it tends to hurt my head. And so where is the convenience? What's the trade-off? Maybe I'm just jaded. The food is o.k. overall, but never my first choice. read more

This is for Cafe Express's breakfast. The seem to be as thrilled to see anyone walk through the door as I am at having to wake up at 5 am. The selection seems interesting, but what is served seems microwaved. The eggs have come to me cold, and they were annoyed that I went back and insisted that I have a warm breakfast. Guess they didn't spend enough time defrosting the egg patties? I'd expect this kind of quality from Subway, where breakfast costs $2, but not at Cafe Express. This is really too bad, since I am a fan of their bacon, and I wanted to have it with eggs. Stick to dinner. There's nothing to see in the morning. It's all half-assed. read more