I love Cafe Express and have always loved it since I was a kid. I used to live off their chicken tenders, fries, and my all time favorite, mac n cheese with grilled chicken (fancy for a kid's meal, right?). This location is my least favorite. The employees were not very nice, and my order was messed up twice. I went to grab my order and pointed out that I had asked for no cheese -- Two of the employees spoke and then the woman who took my order came and asked me if she took my order. I told her that yes, she was the one who took my order, and she took the plate and stormed off. I thanked her and apologized for any trouble. I also asked for pesto which was left out the 2nd time, and I was ignored at the counter for about 3 minutes before being approached. Again, I apologized for the inconvenience, and not once did they apologize or speak as if they weren't pissed off. Cafe Express is an awesome place to get in and out for a quick lunch, and they have tons of great options. Just wish the employees were a bit friendlier. read more

I feel like every 3rd or 4th time is not optimal. Food is always fine, service varies. I hurt my foot so I'm very obviously limping. The woman is standing by the left register so I walk/limp to that register. She's watching me and tells me she'll get me at the other register. Not a huge deal, but why did you let me walk the further distance only to tell to go to the other? Rude. I feel like some of the people at this location just like to jack with you. read more

This place should probably drop the word "fast" from "fast casual". This place is not convenient at all. The parking in the shopping center it's located in is atrocious. I know that this is not their fault, but it makes coming here a pain. They got my order wrong and tried to argue with me that I ordered it. I had ordered some kind of chicken dish and they gave me a salmon dish. I'm allergic to fish so please don't tell me I ordered it. As bad as I am making this place sound, once I finally got my food it was actually better than I thought it was going to be. The chicken was actually not overcooked and was quite good. Despite this, I really wouldn't want to come here again. Maybe I would have better luck at a different location. read more

This is the amount of crap salad you can expect in the Cobb salad from Cafe Express on West Gray. Advertised as Turkey Cobb on a bed of spring mix it contained 75% poor iceberg lettuce 2-4 pieces of spinach and the rest mixed including one rotten piece. Combined with an oily chicken soup and rancid olive oil (chile and Lemon) their standards are at an all time low! read more

Cafe Express - The 75% of the salad. - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

For quick a bowl of soup it's not bad. I got the potato soup, very small bowl, pretty tasty. The salads looked good, not really my go-to place but for something quick it works. read more

There were multiple things wrong with my curbside order. I called the store to let them know and spoke with a young man named Liam. He told me the customer's experience was very important to them and the best thing for me to do is leave a review so I could get the manager's attention, told me to have a good day and then hung up the phone. Really great customer service, Liam. read more

Chalk up another casualty to "no one has strong feelings about going anywhere for lunch, so let's just go to Cafe Express." The food is pretty good, and the service is pretty quick. Yet, something in me yearns for a more intimate/sincere setting for something that has the word "cafe" in its name. On the other hand, when you and your co-workers only have an hour for lunch, and you don't want another McMeal, Cafe Express is a fine dining establishment. I ordered the Spanish Chicken Romesco ("grilled chicken breast topped with rosemary garlic butter & Spanish-style Romesco sauce, a flavorful blend of roasted peppers & smoked almonds, paired with garlic mashed potatoes & sauteed spinach") and some sweet potato fries. The Spanish Chicken Romesco was good. The chicken wasn't overcooked. Honestly, I'll pretty much eat any kind of chicken dish if the chicken isn't poorly cooked. They gave me string beans instead of the spinach, which was a bummer but not enough to complain about. The sweet potato fries were a big disappointment. Overcooked and crunchy. No big complaints here; nothing to knock this down to 2 stars. read more

Good, interesting food thats served up quickly and for reasonable prices. This place is a chain (strike one in my book), but that doesn't really get in the way of what its trying to be. Cafe Express is for those times when you don't have time to cook and need a decent lunch or dinner quickly, where you can get something reasonably healthy and still not break the bank. You certainly won't be led to believe that some highly praised chef is back in the kitchen, but thats not what this place is about. When you're in the above mentioned situation, you can't do much better than Cafe Express. read more

Not too shabby. Want to eat healthy, but can't decide what you want? Get the soup, salad, sandwich combo for $7. Fair warning though - Romano's Pizza is tucked right there in the corner and has tempting pizza. If you're trying to stay healthy, keep your eyes forward! read more

i really like cafe express. i love to get hair black bean burger or a salad. i also love the fact you can get a beer or a glass of wine. order at the counter and they call, buzz you when your order is ready. the turnover is pretty fast, so if you see a line don't be alarmed. this is probably the best location in houston. i've tried others and they weren't as nice. read more

I ordered black bean soup, hummus and grilled shrimp and rice. The soup is amazing!!! The hummus is good- not a fan of the whole grain pitas though it's a bit too dense. The shrimp were good but really small, the rice was ok. First time there so will def give another chance at least for the soup! read more

Remodel is really nice - brighter and lighter - I was REALLY wanting to like this place as I always loved Cafe Express. I went in for lunch and ordered a chicken Ceasar Salad and they were always known for their salads. Well - some of the lettuce was wilted, I barely got a tablespoon of parmasean and the chicken portion was skimpy too. I went up and asked for some more parmasean and was told (for my $15.00 salad) that they have portion control and extra cheese would be .26 cents - I was stunned - I showed him the amount on my salad and some of the lettuce was wilted. He went ahead and got me some parmasean and then the manager and he (open window) chatted about how they have portion control - presentation was bad, taste was just ok and not the most pleasant experience. Not pleased with the "NEW" cafe express. I had a salad today that was fabulous - same price - presentation was great and portions were normal. Sad when they update and ruin the menu. read more

I always love Cafe Express healthy options in our obesity stricken world. Everything is decently priced as well.

I have been coming to this location for years, and I usually get the salads, which are consistently good. But I wanted to post a review of this restaurant because of the recently outstanding service we received on the 4th of July. They opened early to accommodate our group of Great Books Houston readers for our annual 4th of July constitution discussion. A shout out to Nancy, who was super responsive when I was desperately searching for a new location (the book store where we normally hold the event had closed down), and for being so kind and helpful. The restaurant was preparing for opening when we arrived, but nevertheless they made us feel welcome and helped arrange the tables and the room. We had ordered pastries, fruit and coffee, and the food and service was lovely. It couldn't have been more seamless. Thank you so much for making this event a success!! read more

A little pricey for a burger and 15 wimpy fries, a little slow, but my mushroom and swiss was really delicious. They have the best water cups I've ever seen at a restaurant (being serious here...) Just get one and discover awesomeness. Too bad they spent so much time perfecting a water cup and not other parts of their business... Before I started yelping, I did have an experience here with my wife that I would have given 1-2 stars for just because of how poor the customer service was. However, I did not factor that experience into this review. read more

Cafe Express is notably one of the better places to take a large group or to meet people. Their food serves a basic common denominator, and people have a tendancy to load up on their pickled garlic at the salad station (they should just serve that as a side order - really - people fight over the pickled garlic). I think my biggest beef with this location is that they make what I call a salad-soup. They dredge their salads in so much salad dressing that the lettuce floats at the bottom - and I've asked for dressing on the side on several occasions. I have a three strike rule - if you can't get an order right three separate visits, I don't bother ordering it again. Personally - if you're looking for something light, stick to the black bean soup or their vegetable tart. A good majority of my office mates love eating there though, and they love their pastas, burgers, and sandwiches. I'm not a heavy lunch eater, so those plates would be at least two meals for me. read more

The food here is consistently fresh. Chicken pasta pesto deli salad is hard to pass up on. The real reason I'm writing this review, is to give them kudos. My agency recently hosted a breakfast meeting there in their back room. Did you know you could rent the back room for like $35?! It seats about 40 people. I turned in the list of food items requested by staff members, and while the names on the sheet were for my records, the took it on themselves to go the extra step and put stickers with each person's name on each meal box. This made getting the right meal to the right person so much easier. So THANK YOU - I think Nick was the manager that day. But thank you to all the staff that made our morning meeting go so smoothly! read more

We had lunch at 3:00 P.M., I had the shrimp capri and some garlic and carrots from the snack bar OMG... Delicioso all the way !! The outside seating was very nice !! read more

Cafe Express saved me today! I had a confirmed meeting scheduled for 45 ppl at Metropolitan Multiservice Center, as did a group before me, and both of us found the doors locked. Even though the building had a flood, some rooms are available for use and we were even listed on their website as meeting there today. The test we needed to take is a State Mandated test for the camp we hold for individuals who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. It was very hot today so we went across to Cafe Express, not even calling beforehand. The staff were so accommodating and helped us to put tables together without us even asking. The music was pretty loud, but nice music, however Kevin, the Manager turned it down for us so the group could hear us. I didn't figure $ in our non profit oeganization's budget for this, but offered the group a soft drink. Next year, I am going to book the back room and we are going to eat there. All were so helpful and polite, in a most stressful situation. I can't thank them enough. read more

Though I live nearby and pass this establishment almost every day, I had yet to come to this Cafe Express location. I am a lady of routine, so I always order the soup/salad/sandwich combo consisting of the chicken salad sandwich on ciabatta bread, Caesar salad, and creamy new potato soup. This meal is consistently delicious and always hits the spot. I also enjoy the numerous snacks and condiments that Cafe Express has to offer. From the mini pickles, to bread sticks, to the roasted garlic and sun-dried tomatoes I always find something delicious to snack or add an extra kick to my meal. read more

This specific location was surprisingly good. Bathrooms clean and smelling good. Service on point. 830pm friday night and food came quick. The half roasted chicken comes w a side of broth. Baked potato satisfied. An overall great experience, but i will leave the truly exceptional experience for my lunch yesterday at Dish Society that deserves a 5 star. read more

Cafe Express - Sandwiches Near Me - Houston, Texas

Here's the thing. The chicken romesco (sp?) is my go-to meal when I work late. I love it. That said - the consistency of the food however varies enough for me to notice. Sometimes the chicken is fairly sized, other times its enough to feed a toddler. I've had about 4 different meals here and they were all good enough to order again. Bottom line: I like it. read more

Some people pooh-pooh this cool cafe but we love it. There are lots of locations but no matter which one you choose, you're guaranteed a delicious, fresh meal. We lived in Austin for a couple of years and were happy to find a Cafe Express there, too. My favorite is the Triple Deli Salad, though I sometimes go for the black bean soup, which is served with a side Caesar or house salad and delicious garlic bread. My husband always orders one of their great burgers. Yummy iced tea, delicious decadent desserts and an amazing condiment bar that's worth the trip in itself---cornichons, pickled carrots with jalepenos, capers, olives, roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, oh---and the breadsticks. Some kid-friendly choices, too...mac and cheese, chicken tenders, burger, grilled cheese...much better than McD and includes a drink and fruit. Gotta have Cafe Express. Gotta go. Right now. read more

Just a simple soup and salad but black bean soup was seasoned well and my Caesar Salad was fresh with the perfect amount of Parmesan cheese and dressing. Garlic bread? Bonus! read more

This is a review of my shrimp and avocado salad... the good: ingredients were pretty fresh. The bad: the shrimp were unseasoned, cold, and looked like they were from one of those grocery store shrimp cocktail rings. They had a dash of hot sauce on top in a half-hearted attempt to give them some flavor.The ugly: there were like 5 shrimp and two hunks of avocado. For fourteen bucks I left very hungry and came home and ate two slices of leftover pizza. I might try here again, but if you're in the mood for a large, filling salad, head to Salata a few doors down. read more

This River Oaks location has my vote for the best take-out/delivery restaurant in the city during covid. The food has always been the same as it was before, full of flavor, healthy, great quality, and good service. The business in ran well and it shows. read more

1. Great Greek salad. The dressing is tangy with a slight bit of spice. 2. Turkey burger is very rich and very filling. Ordered with sweet potato fries. Very good. 3. They don't have regular iced tea. Mainly just Black Currant. And being a serious iced tea drinker, I was initially peeved, but the Black Currant is pretty good. Not sweet, but flavored. 4. Their garlic bread on a ciabatta half hits the spot. Pair it with a salad, and you'll use it to scoop up the last remnants of a salad at the bottom of the big bowl. 5. I also like the fact that there isn't a waitstaff to tip. Makes going for lunch or quick dinner even better, in my book. 6. I have to admit I found a few things that I like here and I don't venture off my faves. read more

Bring back coke. Whatever that is in the soda fountain sucks. And to think I paid $2.89. Don't I feel like a tool. Otherwise my meal was fine. Good burger, fries were out of a bag. Honestly, that weird soda ruined my meal. They aren't joking when they say "can't beat the real thing". read more

Stopped by for lunch - got a Triple deli salad. It was inedible - salad was drenched in bland creamy dressing. Chicken and tuna salad were just awful. Obviously CE has seen its better days. I used to go to the location in the museum - it was delicious and a great location for me. What happened?? UPDATE: CE sent me a note apologizing for the bad experience saying the manager had been notified. They asked for my home address to send coupons for a free lunch to see if I had a better experience. I sent them my address and never got any coupons or a reply from them. Oh well. read more

Today I ordered a Bacon cheeseburger with fries to go and when I got the order I noticed that the fries were undercooked. I was disappointed cause this is the first time that it ever happened read more

Ehhhhhhhh....... it wasnt as great as I expected. The chicken alfredo n side salad is what i ordered. The chicken tasted funny and the sauce n noodles were kinda chilled... yuck.. then the ceaser salad was legit wet lettuce with sauce ontop and 3 tiny croutons... definitely wont be returning.. i had such high hopes and it really let me down read more

I waited 30minutes for a to go that was sitting on the counter although the cashier gave me a buzzer that should have been activated when meal was ready! I had to walk to counter and ask and she hands me the bag, no apology, just oh here it is. So that means my food was super cold I am sure it was sitting for more than 15 minutes read more

The food here is pretty good and very affordable. I come here a lot on my lunch breaks. They have a fresh toppings bar and a large selection for drinks. read more

Food is great, only reason I didnt give 5 stars is because the customer service could have been better. Def will keep coming back because the food is amazing read more

I am assume Cafe express was bought out. They got rid of coke products and the prices went way up. Today I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich and it large but too much of a mess to eat without a fork and knife. The fries were cold and not good. They got new plates so I guess that is what I am paying for. The staff was friendly but the food is not worth the price. Even the condiment bar has been downsized and the pickles left were sad and pitiful. I don't think I will be coming back. Disappointed. read more

Very unimpressed. Unfriendly staff, from the counter help to the cook, who gave me a nasty look as I picked up my food. I got the shrimp avocado salad and the shrimp smelled bad and the dressing was so thick it was almost lumpy. I normally eat at and love the Woodway location, I'll stick to my usual location in the future. read more

I come here when I'm all out of other options and don't feel like going to the grocery store. The food isn't bad but I wouldn't call it gourmet either. Presentation is nice but when you taste the food...it's just okay. Today I had a Turkey Club with fruit and I honestly felt like I could have made the exact same thing at home. For what they charge, you'd expect it to be a little better. One thing I do love is their brownies. I usually stay away from sweets and carbs but I can't resist their brownies! Overall, this place gets a "C+" in my book. It's not bad, it's not great, it's just serves overpriced, average food. read more

I love cafe express, probably come at least once a week! But this location is terrible! The staff makes me feel extremely uncomfortable every time I go there. They are always very rude and make it feel like an inconvenience to even take my order. Id much rather drive an extra ten minutes than come to this location. read more

Never disappointed with the food or service! I have discovered Sundays as the best time of thw week to frequent this great establishment. To all those reading this review find a reason to come back! :) read more

This was possibly the worst/slowest deli I could have chosen to eat at. It took literally 45 minutes to get a sandwhich and soup together. It was 2pm. Not busy. The woman at the counter was extremely rude and couldn't be bothered about anything. I will never go back to cafe express on river oaks. Their food is decent but this locations customer service has really left a bad taste in my mouth. read more