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    China Express

    3.2 (247 reviews)
    InexpensiveChinese
    Open 11:00 am - 8:30 pm

    China Express Photos

    Business Info

    CHINA EXPRESS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - China Express

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    Shrimp W.lobster Sa
    Alethea A.

    Very fast service, tasty shrimp in lobster sauce, came with rice and more than 1 shrimp per $! (I don't know if that's typical). Fed 2 people for ~$18. And I didn't break out in hives which happens occasionally when shrimp aren't fresh/cleaned properly. Definitely a takeout kinda spot though (there are only 4 tables, 2 in and 2 out). Do the business a favor and pay cash.

    Kung Pao Three Flavored
    Kendra P.

    How have I lived in Pasadena all these years and never even heard of this place is beyond me. My husband drove by it one day and thought that we should try it, so we got takeout one night. I would say best affordable, quick Chinese food in the area. Huge portions and everything was made to order, not sitting under a heat lamp. The food was so hot it still was too hot to eat once we got it home. They pack the to go containers to the brim, we had serval meals for leftovers. The people there, I would have to assume are the owners are very nice people. The place is small and I would mostly think people come for the takeout. I will definitely be going back again when I have that craving for Chinese food.

    Menu September 2023
    Thomas K.

    Got the Mongolian beef during their lunch special. It was just ok. You get a heavy container with a lot of food. But the rice and onions are filler. Not too much meat. Very oily. Each onion piece was coated in oil. The flavor was just ok. Not terrible but not great. I want to like and support this place. It has a small business mom and pop feel to it. The food however was not worth making my way here again for. It would be like a no name chinese stand at the food court of a mall. I didnt hate it but didnt love it. Solid 3 stars

    China Express Chicken Broccoli .

    Went for a bike ride in El Prieto , was really hungry for Chinese food I googled and read a few reviews . Five minutes later I was ordering Chicken Broccolli. Not in the menu, but I heard the lady before me order it. The broccolli was perfectly cooked (not soft nor mushy nor hard) just the right soft crunch moist with egg drop soup flavor . The chicken was sliced in a way that I thought it was fish, but as my mouth encapsulated it , it was indeed a delicious soft chicken with the light sauce (like an egg drop soup flavor) from the broccoli that mixed to the chicken. The Side of fried rice had just enough light saltiness to pop out tha complemented the veggie and chicken. There was also in in a small bag a spring roll delightfully light and didn't seem greasy plus a crunchy wonton . A garlic pepper sauce was included but I would have preferred a slightly , crunchy toasted chile oil or toasted garlic sesame oil. No Diet Coke in cans only in bottle. BUT for $13 this was something I would drive from West Hollywood to Altadena! I pinned China Express in my map!

    Shrimp with China peas lunch speacial. (Egg roll not shown)

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Love it here, I will definitely come here again and again. The food is nice and the service is quick.

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    3 years ago

    They get your order wrong say their going to replace it like any other restaurant would and they want you to pay again

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    3 years ago

    Food is amazing always fresh and hot! Recommend yess Ona scale 1-10 10love it will I go back yes definitely..

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    7 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Best Chinese food in Pasadena, food is always made fresh to order and has been a staple in this community for decades.

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    8 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Very good food...every time I come food is fresh no complaints...good prices and good portions

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    4 years ago

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    17 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    4 years ago

    I never leave reviews for anything, but the food I ordered was absolutely awful. Please do yourself the favor a don't order anything here.

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    15 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Food is okay nothing fancy or gourmet but is average Chinesse food not bad not delicious just regular!

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    9 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    Page 2 of 7

    Ask the Community - China Express

    Are they open now?

    Yes. 11:30-8:30pm

    Is China Express closed? I've been trying to go for the last week!

    Why is it closed

    Do they use MSG?

    Probably but it's good! Just drink lots of water after

    View All 4 Questions

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    People searched for Chinese 212,501 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

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    Woon - Not very appetizing chilled cucumber

    Woon

    4.0(248 reviews)
    0.6 mi
    $$

    Finally made it out to Woon Pasadena for brunch! Stopped by with a friend on a Sunday - there was a…read morebit of a line to order but we were able to be seated right away. You order and pay at the front, then get seated. I love the decor and ambiance as well! The items we tried: - Mama Fong's five spice chicken wings - these were definitely the standout for me - they came out piping hot, super fresh, and perfectly seasoned and garlicky - Cold sesame noodles (we added chicken) - chewy and thick noodles with a delicious marinated tofu, pickled cucumber, and a flavorful seasoning and sesame sauce! Such a yummy and satisfying comfort dish - Milk tea French toast - with milk bread, black tea custard, and black tea maple syrup. Loved the custard part - just a heads up it is a large portion size and comes with 2 slices. We honestly wish there was the option to just get one slice since we were so full by the end of our meal! There's a parking lot next to/behind the restaurant, or street parking in the area.

    My friend and I went for dinner last night!…read more Food: Chicken wings- I loved the flavor and crispiness. Didn't feel too greasy either. Chinese broccoli- too salty/ not refreshing. I would skip. Fried beef noodles- good texture of noodles, flavor, portion is just kind of small. We also got the royal milk tea ice cream. I liked the ice cream itself but the topping (meringue) crumbles didn't really work well together and made it too sweet? Service was okay, not super above and beyond but friendly and fast enough. Loved the ambiance though, very casual yet intimate and a lot of seats. Mostly self service.

    Photos
    Woon - Our table

    Our table

    Woon - Pickled Chinese cabbage, don't like it

    Pickled Chinese cabbage, don't like it

    Woon - Bacon fried rice

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    Bacon fried rice

    Noodle St

    Noodle St

    4.4(1k reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$
    Women-owned & operated
    Kid friendly

    After a long day of walking around, we decided to warm up at Noodle St. Being able to check-in with…read moreYelp was super helpful and gave us a good idea on wait time. Once we were seated, we were met with a friendly server who offered recommendations to our party depending on spice levels. I tried their beef fried rice and the portions were huge for the price! I had to get a braised egg and it made for such a great combo. I also tried their chili oil and loved how spicy it was. I wish there was a Noodle St. close to my city!

    My friends and I decided to try this place out after reading the wonderful reviews & seeing the…read morepictures of their dishes. I was also craving soup so this was the perfect option! We ordered their chicken wings, garlic string beans, spicy beef noodle soup, scallion pancakes, & beef scallion roll. The food came out within 10 minutes of ordering, which I appreciated since I was starving. The soup was packed with so much flavor & had a generous amount of knife cut noodles. The beef rolls had a nice light flavor to it & wasn't dry at all. The garlic string beans were PACKED with garlic, which was delicious. The chicken wings were a bit dry but nonetheless still pretty good. My friends really liked their scallion pancakes & devoured them all. Overall, I would definitely come back if I was ever in the area again. It definitely satisfied my cravings for Chinese food.

    Photos
    Noodle St - Stir Fry Noodles with Tofu ($15.80) - onions, spinach, bell peppers and carrots. With triangle noodles.

    Stir Fry Noodles with Tofu ($15.80) - onions, spinach, bell peppers and carrots. With triangle noodles.

    Noodle St - Dining room

    Dining room

    Noodle St - Beef Stir-Fry Noodles

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    Beef Stir-Fry Noodles

    Mama Lu’s Dumpling House - spicy wontons pork & shrimp(10)

    Mama Lu’s Dumpling House

    3.8(418 reviews)
    2.2 mi
    $$

    My eldest daugther and I were heading to the Jackaloupe Arts Fair held at Central Park in Pasadena…read more We parked at Schoolhouse Parking Garage. On our way out of the parking garage, we saw Mama Lu's Dumpling House. They have relocated to another space where 85 Degrees Bakery used to be at the corner of Fair Oaks Ave and Green St. I feel they made a very good decision in the move. We ordered to-go via self-ordering kiosk and got an order of Green Onion Pancake. It was simple and easy to manuever through the screens. Inside space is very comfortable and airy. Lots of room for more capacity. Staff was nice and attentive. Once order was ready, they brought it to us. It didn't take them very long to make the item. Thank you Miss! Green Onion Pancake was flavorfully good. Not too oily with the perfect amount of crispiness. Definitely a keeper! I haven't dined in at this new location. I will need to come back and dine-in once again. Hopefully, they have elevated their flavors since the last time I ate here. Thanks Mama Lu's!

    The experience was a bit odd…read more The customer service needs some work I would give that 0/10 honestly, they weren't mean but it gave robotic and there was a lot of confusion. Also as I was eating one of the waiters knocked over my purse, looked at it, then looked at me, looked at my purse again and kept walking. It took me a minute to grab my purse that SHE knocked over cause my hands were all sticky but my lord in all my years eating in many places I've never had that happen, it was so odd. customer service or not, human decency maybe???? we had to grab someone's attention for basically everything it was so annoying. food was average, nothing to brag about but it wasn't nasty either. food I give 6/10 Honestly wouldn't return cause I've had better food and better customer service

    Photos
    Mama Lu’s Dumpling House - Interior

    Interior

    Mama Lu’s Dumpling House - French beef stir fry

    French beef stir fry

    Mama Lu’s Dumpling House - Green Onion Pancake

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    Green Onion Pancake

    Yang Chow - M-F lunch specials

    Yang Chow

    3.8(713 reviews)
    3.9 mi
    $$

    Upon recommendation, I decided to visit this restaurant with a friend. We really enjoyed the…read moreslippery shrimp ($24.50) and Szechuan (orange) chicken ($22.50). Bowls of steamed rice cost $2.50, and we each got one. Portions are generously large and worth the cost; we took leftovers home. The tea offered to us tasted good. The slippery shrimp had a nice crisp with a pleasant blend of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors. There's a slight spice from the red chili that felt mild on my tongue. This was our first time trying out the dish, and we liked it the most. The orange chicken tasted solid, and it had a slightly crispy texture. For some reason, the rice had an aftertaste I wasn't familiar with, but it was still fresh. There was a fortune cookie at the end of our meal. I'd come back for the slippery shrimp and order something other than the orange chicken. The restaurant opened at 11:30 am, and we were one of the first customers to dine in. The ambience was quiet and relaxed, but they got busier as many more people arrived. Service was good as the staff packed our leftovers in containers for us. Our server asked us where we were from as he was used to seeing regulars during the time we visited. Before we exited, we took some time to see framed photos of celebrities who visited Yang Chow before, including Conan O'Brien and Magic Johnson.

    We have not only dined in the restaurant we have also ordered take out and delivery…read more While we haven't had problems dining in the big problems happen when the orders are delivered. They don't seem to be able to get it right as far as giving you all necessary things you need to complete you meal. Missing sauces, condiments and utensils are their favorites. Diners Beware

    Photos
    Yang Chow - Entrance

    Entrance

    Yang Chow - Shrimp with lobster sauce

    Shrimp with lobster sauce

    Yang Chow - Our spread

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    Our spread

    Lunasia Dim Sum House

    Lunasia Dim Sum House

    3.8(2.5k reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    Perfect family dim sum experience for us…read more We took out my parents and in-laws for dim sum: my parents' very first time ever. We did wait about an hour, but honestly I didn't mind at all because it gave us a chance to relax, talk, and catch up as a family. Once we were seated, my parents were immediately impressed with the decor: elegant and cultural without feeling overly modern or cold. And can we talk about the tea kettles? They looked like literal pieces of art being poured at the table. Ordering was super easy with the QR code system, so my husband handled the whole spread: shumai dumplings, chicken feet, sesame balls, and more. Everything came out hot, fresh, and beautifully plated. The ENTIRE table agreed on one thing: the chili oil condiment deserves to be sold in bottles to take home. It was that good. Smoky, just the right amount of spicy, and addictive. Now for the real test: my in-laws. They've been to *many* dim sum places and are not easily impressed. They declared this place to have the best chicken feet that they've ever had: meat easily sucked off the bone, melt-in-your-mouth tender, and perfectly seasoned. High praise coming from dim sum veterans. Most importantly, my parents' first dim sum experience couldn't have been better. They loved everything from the ambiance to the food to the overall experience. My husband and I want to come back to explore more of the menu because there's clearly so much more to try

    Hubby wanted to get dim sum for new year and luckily we live close to Lunasia. Like most locations,…read morethe food is pretty consistent and the servers are pretty attentive. This location is pretty spacious and even has a second floor for dining. Though we were seated inside, a lot of people were coming in and out for take out. They have a QR code to scan the menu and send your order to the kitchen. Unfortunately, they forgot our order of shumai. We had already finished eating before it even came. The waitress was kind but apparently had to bring the receipt back because the staff was claiming we already received it.

    Photos
    Lunasia Dim Sum House - The outside of the restaurant.

    The outside of the restaurant.

    Lunasia Dim Sum House - Back of the restaurant with plenty of parking.

    Back of the restaurant with plenty of parking.

    Lunasia Dim Sum House - Nice, modern look and feel

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    Nice, modern look and feel

    Sichuan Street Food - stir fried celtuce

    Sichuan Street Food

    4.5(101 reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    I've been coming here at least once a week for the past five months, and this place continues to…read moreimpress every single time. The service is consistently great... attentive, efficient, and genuinely welcoming. Fair warning for anyone new to Sichuan cuisine, the dominant flavor is "spicy". That said, the dishes are not just about heat... they're layered, aromatic, and incredibly well-balanced. Every dish I've tried has been outstanding, both in flavor and presentation. If you're a fan of bold, authentic flavors and reliable service, this spot is definitely worth visiting. Tip - If you're new to the cuisine, I strongly recommend getting everything MILD spicy. I've been told by some of my colleagues that MILD spicy is still pretty spicy, so be warned. With that said, strongly recommend the dishes below. Lamb with Cumin 11/10 - My favorite dish here by far. Aromatic, flavorful, and the spices are just on point. Dan Dan Noodles 9/10 - Solid and consistently good. The sauce is properly seasoned and truly compliments the perfectly cooked noodles. Shredded Cabbage with Pork 9/10 - Not to be confused with twice cooked pork. This dish is so simple and bland looking, but it's packed with flavor... so good! Garlic Pork Belly 8/10 - This is a cold dish. The meat was perfectly cooked and properly coated in chili oil. Solid and consistently good. Kung Pao Chicken 8/10 - In my opinion, it's an elevated Kung Pao Chicken. Solid and consistently good.

    This place is crazy good. When you think of Szechuan food you're probably thinking SPICE, but you…read morecan adjust the heat of most of the dishes here so you're not frying your tongue off. It can get really busy, though, so expect to wait or just call in your order and take your food to go. I recommend the soy sauce tofu with beef dish. It's fire. Massive W. Gen Z words. Good.

    Photos
    Sichuan Street Food
    Sichuan Street Food - Orange Chicken

    Orange Chicken

    Sichuan Street Food - Rice- comes with the dish

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    Rice- comes with the dish

    China Express - chinese - Updated June 2026

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