DON'T EAT HERE. My kid and I love soup dumplings (xiaolong bao) and seek them out wherever we go. Even in the greasiest spoons. THEY DO NOT SERVE SOUP DUMPLINGS HERE. We specifically asked for "xiaolong bao" and the lady was like "Yes. We have it." THEY DON'T. What we were served was low-quality microwaved regular dumpling with dry mystery meat and no soup inside. Criminally disgusting. I also had the roast duck rice. It tasted days old and was not crispy at all. The rice didn't even taste fresh. The only reason I ate any of it was because I was quite hungry. We got hot tea for the table and it tasted like they'd just stuffed paper bags in hot water. I doubt any tea was there. That night I was so sick and I am certain it was because of this place and this shockingly foul food. Someone should put this restaurant out of its misery. read more

A DC friend recommended this place, and being the noodle lover I am, I had to try it. So I put on my bike helmet and made the trek out to Chinatown on a Tuesday for lunch. It was my first time in DC Chinatown, and nostalgia for SF Chinatown came creeping in quickly. These days, you will place your order at a small window on the left side of the building. You might find yourself waiting for eight minutes at a table on 6th street (if it's busy). It's a simple operation, but highly effective for patrons looking to grab and go. Through a window, a woman handed me a plastic bag of the Fresh Noodle Soup; the soup contents and noodles/duck are separated into their own plastic containers. The meal also comes with four sauces for duck dipping (the ginger-garlic oil sauce is an all-time favorite of mine, though it is usually reserved for hainan chicken). Overall, I enjoyed my meal. The duck was soft and seasoned and the skin was chewy and salty. I wished there was more meat instead of bone, but they were generous otherwise with the servings. I'd come back here for a picnic lunch and to try some of their other specials. Thank you Chinatown Express! read more

Chinatown Express - Duck Noodle Soup - Cantonese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Although its name and appearance call to mind the standard Chinese takeout joint in Anywhere-Chinatown, USA.....Chinatown Express, is anything but. What you get when you come here is authentic Asian fare and similar American style Asian eats all under one umbrella. This joint is especially popular among DC locals and tourist for its homemade dumplings and noodles, which are hand-made within view of the storefront window-entrance of the restaurant. The menu, which does includes standard fare such as General Tso's chicken and fried rice, but also includes more in-depth menu eats like cuddle fish, lobster, congee, and additional vegetarian/healthier options served family style, such as stir-fried vegetables, tofu, and Yu Choy (Asian Greens aka Comfort Food). Dining-in, feels just like most of of the great Asian dining spots I've been to in NYC, San Francisco and Hong Kong....small, very tight but welcoming. The food is inexpensive, the portions are plenty, and the flavor is definitely there. My favorite, of course, is the Spicy Beef Noodle soup....and the *STAR* of the entire menu imo....the Roasted Duck! It's one of the best duck renditions in the area when seeking Peking Duck or another popular menu item...the Duck Noodle Soup. Tender, juicy, crispy skin and not too salty...is middle name and highlight of this item. Although passersby are frequently lured into Chinatown Express by the noodles being pulled by hand in the window, trust me....the Roasted Duck and the Steamed Pork Buns on display in the same window.....Doesn't play second fiddle that's for sure. As with the duck, you should try the Steamed Pork Buns for starters. Each order of eight fluffy dumplings, stuffed with spiced pork, arrives atop a bed of cabbage leaves in a simple presentation. This dish is a must try with a mix between the soy sauce and the jars of pickled ginger and vinegar at each table. Mix the two together as a dip for the Steamed Buns....and, thank me later!! One word....DELICIOUS!! During my last visit, Chinatown Express saved the day. After a long day at work, the last thing I had time for was cooking dinner. I ordered Peking Duck, Hot n' Sour Soup, Shrimp Fried Rice & General Tso's Chicken as a take-out order. Everything was on point! Huge servings and the shrimp fried rice was boiling over with shrimp! lol. The service was fast and efficient too. And, most of all...all of this food to feed a family for less than $30 bucks! Take-out is a great option and my preferred choice when needing something fast, quick and/or even healthy here. In the ever-changing sector of Chinatown DC, where most of the original authentic Asian restaurants are now gone or overshadowed by the likes of American chains like Hooters, Chipotle, Fuddruckers, Nandos, and Starbucks......Chinatown Express remains a big contender for finding good Asian eats in DC...without having to drive miles to VA (Eden Center) or MD. read more

See all

Was terrible. Soup dumpling were miniature and probably from freezer. I believe they forgot to put in our order until we asked why it was taking so long. Do not recommend this place. read more

The best part of this place was the ice water and the hot tea. Other than that there was nothing in this store worth visiting for. They rave about 3 things: hand-pulled noodles, soup dumplings, and pan fried dumplings (feels like it was from a dump). I had an order of each of those items and I wish I had read some of the Yelp reviews earlier. Echoing some of the reviews, the soup for the hand pulled noodles was bland and not tasty at all. It didn't even feel like authentic hand pulled noodles. The soup dumplings had a thick shell (that was probably from them steaming it all day long), no soup in them at all, so there was nothing to slurp up, and the pork didn't even taste like pork. The pan fried dumplings were advertised as big and when they arrived it look like that of a squirrel's acorn. Again, the meat inside of that didn't even taste like meat. This was one of the worst food experiences I've ever had at a Chinese restaurant. I hope people consider this before trying to go there. read more

I saw this place on some article I read about good food in Chinatown, this place gets the hype bc of the fresh noodles made "on the spot" as they call it. I ordered the fresh on the spot noodles with roast duck. The noodles really were good in texture and the duck was unbelievable so savory and tasty. The broth was very bland, like water. That's the only miss, if the broth had matched the flavor in the duck or at least even a little flavorful this dish would've been perfect. I loved the seating and bustle and how all the staff barely spoke English. It makes the experience so much more cool that way. read more

Chinatown Express - Cantonese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Hole in the wall but so authentic. Very nice people, great fresh dumplings. Don't expect much decor. It's all about the food. read more

Restaurant has a window front view of the chef's making freshly hand-pulled noodles, xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and many more. Seating is available on two levels (main level and upstairs). (Don't believe the sign that says "[left arrow] upstairs seating" as it'll lead you to a second dining area with a dead end. Instead, go all the way to the back near the kitchen and you'll see the stairs). As for the food, I came here w/ family for dinner. The hand pulled noodle soups were the highlight of dinner and a must try. The soup dumplings were dry, no soup inside. Fried Squid was over salted, pork butt dish was majority fatty pieces (no meat on the ends), and kingdom style pork chop was okay. (Veggies were good). I would come back here for the noodle soups, and if I want a sit-down family style dinner, I would go to New Big Wong around the corner. read more

Chinatown Express - Xiao Long Bao (Soup dumplings - no soup inside) - Cantonese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Noodles were great "duck" was not - all I got were big pieces of bone with no meat. Egg rolls were all right but kinda bland.

The food was delicious. I had the steamed pork buns, they were on the small side, but the filling was flavorful. I also had the chicken lo mein. It was phenomenal and I loved that my noodles looked uneven it speaks to the claim that the noodles are hand pulled. I am deducting a star because the customer service was ehh. My server didn't even really talk to me and wasn't very friendly. If I ever come back to DC I'd like to actually try the duck. read more

Chinatown Express - Chicken Lo Mein, Wonton Soup,Steamed Pork Bun () (6 pcs) - Cantonese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I ordered the roast duck with wonton egg noodle soup. Noodles were al dente, which is good, but soup was bland and tasteless. I was driven to come here because there was what seemed like a large amount of people eating outside. This is probably how they get you, along with posting a bunch of articles/ awards about their restaurant outside. I mean, they got me! The articles are all outdated. So I guess it worked! They lured me in. The fresh noodles were okay. It just didn't go well with the noodle soups. As someone whose dad was a chef at a Chinese restaurant, I'm used to eating egg noodles with me bbq meat soups so it was weird. It was like eating udon with your wonton or roast pork soup. If my dad was here on this trip with me, he would probably refuse to finish this meal as the food here would make him feel shameful hah. In addition, the dumpling skin on the xao long bao and the pork/leek dumpling was too thick for my liking. The meat inside wasn't flavorful either. If you're craving Chinese food, this is not where you can satisfy your craving. Go somewhere else! read more

My mom and I were excited to have some good Chinese food in Chinatown, but made the mistake of not checking on Yelp before going into this restaurant. The place is known for their handmade noodles, so we got an order of noodles in with roast duck and two different types of dumplings. The noodles weren't great, but it was the most tolerable dish. The soup was bland, but there were sauces and sides to add flavor, the roast duck was the best part. The dumplings here are horrendous. Should have read the reviews beforehand that said they had very thick skin, but that wouldn't explain why the shao long pao was hard on the top and mushy on the bottom, with no soup left inside, or why the vegetables inside the fried dumplings smelled and tasted old. My mom made a complaint about the vegetable dumplings, and they were soon changed to seafood dumplings, which didn't have the old smell, but wasn't great. We ended up trying to eat just the insides and leaving the skins, but just gave up halfway though and quickly got the check. read more

See all

My go to Chinese spot in D.C. The food is always fresh, staff is always friendly, and service is super quick. This place always has a decent crowd without being overly packed. Also, everything is fairly priced. There are group options, but I always leave with a to-go bag with ordering a regular meal. I definitely recommend if you're looking for authentic dishes. read more

See all

Duck Meat Noodles & Mustard Greens Soup. Tasty, good portion, fresh! Keep up the good work. Continue serving the Duck Soup with Mustard Greens! Yummy! read more

I walked pass it but decided to go in because of the crowd. It is such a small and crowded joint but the food was surprisingly close to what I had in Hong Kong. I was very amazed that the food came really really fast. (Same as check). Anyhow, this place is decent. I would go back again. read more

Chinatown Express - Shrimp Wonton Noodle Soup and combination bbq - Cantonese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place... I will never set foot in here ever again. First off, our server, a middle aged Chinese lady, was rude and dismissive. Then we had to send back one of every type of utensil and cup because they were unclean. Food was bad. I can't even sugar coat it. I don't understand why this place gets this much business. The buns and dumpling skins were wayyyyy too thick. Noodles taste like just dough with no infusion of flavor from the broth or ingredients, which is weird because the pickled cabbage is the saltiest I've ever had in my life. The pork also had a funky smell. I guess the only redeeming quality is that the broth isn't too oily like a lot of other places nearby. The gentleman to the table next to us asked for the check after literally two bites of his food. So we are not alone in our disappointment in this place. All in all, a horrible experience. read more

See all

I'm a sucker for hole in the wall Asian places and this place was a gem. From the roast pork and ducks hanging in the window to the plethora of choices on the menu, it was a great find. You come here for awesome food not ambiance and that's ok. The duck was amazing... read more

Chinatown Express - Half Roasted Duck - Cantonese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I visited this restaurant a few years ago and was very happy with my food and experience. Not sure if something changed but the duck soup had almost no duck meat and the egg rolls and fried dumplings were only fair. The pork fried rice was very good though. Service was also very good. I will revisit and give it another shot in the near future since I just moved back to DV. This restaurant is one of the last originals and that is worth a lot. read more

Chinatown Express - Duck Soup, fried rice and fried dumplings - Cantonese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

I love this place. Sure, it's not the newest, shiniest place in the city, but the food is delicious. The owner has always been courteous to me, and the prices are great. It's temporarily closed, but it looks like they'll be reopening soon. I can't wait to go back and get the fried noodles and dumplings with their delicious sauces. read more

Chinatown Express can be best summed up in a few words: tasty, cheap, filling, fast. For about $10 for each entree you get a ton of food. When I come to Chinatown Express, I always order the noodle soup - either duck or roast pork. It is their signature item on the menu. To be honest, I've found that none of their other entrees are good except the noodle soup. The noodles are freshly prepared (you can even see the guy make them from the storefront) and have a great chewy consistency. The broth hits you with an amazingly well balanced blend of saltiness, oiliness, and umami. The duck is tender and savory - it's just annoying to take apart the bones especially with chopsticks. The pork is rich and has a slight smokey flavor. Occasionally I'll also order an appetizer of dumplings or steamed pork buns, which are also tasty and authentic. It's not the cleanest or most modern of restaurants, so take that as a warning. The tables are old, walls and floors definitely need an update, and the bathroom is disgusting. However those factors add to the charm of the restaurant somewhat. In an ever gentrifying city, Chinatown Express stays true to its roots. read more

Chinatown Express - Roast duck soup - Cantonese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This place was incredible... they were helpful with answering questions about the menu and offering suggestions. Food was brought to out tables in the right order and about the right time. The Peking duck was awesome! Loved eating here with the family. read more

While in DC I was on a mission to find some good hand pulled noodles, enter this place. I read that It was great so I wanted to give it a try. Well...it was...ok. I order the duck noodle soup and dumplings. The noodles were great, thick and chewy. The duck was ok, nothing special. That's were the good ended. The broth was boring, I'd go the route of stir fried noodles. The dumplings were a massive disappointment. They were small, barely stuffed and just bland. Def don't waste your time. The service wasn't great. Placed my order and didn't see anyone again until I asked for my check. Plastic flimsy utensils and cheap wooden chop sticks. They also don't serve water so you have to at least buy a water bottle. IDK just was a big let down. Maybe if you order some noodles for take out it would work. Just don't expect any magic noodle moment life changer. read more

This place is located at the basement, and there were quite a bit of people there. I was attracted to the Chinese rotisserie, and they seem to look pretty legit. Their specialty is handmade noodles and dumplings, so I ordered some bbq pork loin noodle and chive dumplings. The service was efficient, and there were an abundance of servers. Food, however, was in the bland side. The dumpling and noodles were too doughy (will definitely fill you up if you are very hungry). There was a bottle of chili oil and scallion garlic oil. Those condiments also lack some salt. All in all, this is a good place for cheap eats. However, you may want to add some soy sauce, which I have never done so in my life except this time! read more

Chinatown Express - Cantonese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I have been to this restaurant twice before pre-covid. I enjoyed the environment and food much more in that visit than when I went again this past week. They were faster in service and had better tasting food before this visit. The service was quite slow, but to be fair, they had a lot of orders going out whether for pick up or for delivery services (i.e. UberEats, Grubhub, etc.). I was able to get seated quickly because I had a small party of 3. It took about 10 minutes to order and the waitress taking my order was not fully paying attention to me. The dishes I ordered all came out 3-4 minutes one batch after another. They did not come out all at once, which is fine because it was all hot and fresh. I ordered the roast pig, half duck, pork bun dumplings, bok choy, white rice, and pork fried rice. The roast pork had nice crispy, crunchy skin but a lot of bones and fat. The duck was good. The pork bun dumplings were way too salty and the flavor did not come together well. I definitely would not order those again. The bok choy was flavorless; I thought they would at least have it in oyster sauce or something. The pork fried rice was good; I liked that it included bean sprouts in it. Also, there were 4 dipping sauces that was given to us at the very beginning: garlic in oil(?), oyster sauce, hot chili oil, and ginger and scallion sauce. The ginger and scallion sauce is always best for roast pig. This place WAS a great hole-in-the-wall, but not so much anymore. I think either covid has done a number to it or the time it has taken it to age. read more

Something has changed. This used to be one of my favorite Chinese restaurant in town. I remember their XLB from just about a decade ago being so good, I really wanted to make sure I stop here during my recent visit to DC. When they get busy, they ask for shared table, commonly done here and other places. Always feel awkward as I never am sure if I should carry a conversation or not. I also felt bad when my food arrived before someone else who arrived and ordered before me. I just hoped she doesn't think I was getting a special treatment just because I look like Asian. XLB was a disappointment. Good XLB should have hot juice flowing out as I eat but it was on a tad dry side than juicy. I ate as quickly as possible as juice will dry up quick. I ordered fresh noodle soup too and they were served at the same time. I really debated which one to eat first. I wished they would have served XLB first. Noodle soup was still what I remembered to be from the first time I visited. Very reasonably priced with freshly made noodle and good broth, I always enjoyed my noodle soup here. read more

Chinatown Express - Fresh noodle soup. Noodles are made here - Cantonese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

One of my favorite Chinese food places in town. Don't forget to get the little brown bag of sauces. The roasted pork or duck are raised to another level. read more

Love this place! Stumbled upon this restaurant when I was showing my parents around Chinatown. We came in and were very pleased with the food. It's a small, relaxed place with very good food. Today is my second time coming here and I got the chicken noodle bowl. Very good. read more

Chinatown Express - Cantonese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Amazing! Ordered takeout (hunan chicken & seszuan chicken), which was SO quick and made to perfection! 10/10 food and service! After a 15min walk in the freezing cold weather back to our hotel, our food was still hot and oh so tasty read more

Not a great experience. Years ago my family used to come here when we were in DC. The food was flavorful and the restaurant was usually full in those days. This time however, things have gone significantly downhill. The food was flavorless. Ever heard of salt?! The dumplings tasted like they were frozen. The roasted duck didn't taste fresh and the wrappers it came with were dry. Very sad disappointment. The restaurant itself felt quite dirty and the food was served in to-go containers, despite being dine-in, instead of on diningware- this gave everything a cheap and oversteamed taste and texture. We tried to use the chili oil to heat/flavor things up, but to our dismay, it made little difference. On the walls, there are accolades posted from 2013. It would seem that there is good reason they haven't been recognized since then. Laziness and apathy sets in when you reach the top. read more

So I came to place on a hunch and itch for General Tsaos Chicken. The lady greeted me cheerfully and explained to me the difference between the lunch special and the regular. To my surprise the service was speedy and the General Tsaos was amazing. I definitely would recommend this place if you're in Chinatown. read more

Visiting from Massachusetts I wanted a REAL Chinatown experience. Criteria: people eating. Even better: Asians eating (both were happening). Hole in the wall, single bathroom (I swear this is what I wanted). And, I was right. We will be back before we leave to take food home with us. read more

My friend and I stopped by on Christmas morning and ordered the Hot & Sour Soup and Roasted Duck Rice Noodle Soup. Overall, I was extremely disappointed by the lack of flavor in their dishes. There was no sourness to the hot & sour soup (no joke, it just tasted like hot spicy water, no sourness nor saltiness) and the noodle soup was extremely bland. A server was loitering around our table and took my friend's chopsticks away, thinking he couldn't use it, so we had to ask for it back--my friend hadn't even taken a bite yet. Safe to say that I will not be coming back. read more

Chinatown Express is where I go when I need comfort food. Also, when I need soup. Often, these two needs are one and the same but not always. This is one of the few places that still hand pulls their noodles and makes them fresh. Did I mention they still make them in the window of their kitchen like they've been doing for years? It's also one of the very few places that have been here since Chinatown was actually a Chinatown. If you're getting real Chinese food or just in the mood for decent duck, roast pork or soup, this is the place for you! If you're looking for good American Chinese food, this is the place for you! If you're looking for traditional American service and being waited on hand and foot, well, did you notice you're in a Chinese food restaurant? By the way, have I raved about the noodle soup yet? read more

Chinatown Express - Fresh noodle soup with roast pork - Cantonese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This Chinese spot is renowned for its hand spun noodles, but I didn't partake in that. My sons had duck on the brain so we decided on a whole Peking duck for the 3 of us to share. The meal was delicious. The duck was plentiful and succulent. My sons really enjoyed their first taste of duck and I really enjoyed it as well. When I get back to DC I will make sure to stop here for at least one meal. Maybe next time I will try the noodles. Highly recommended read more

See all

Chef cooking in the front? Cramped dining quarters? Questionably clean environs? Divey Chinese doesn't always equal good eats, but Chinatown Express satisfied! Be prepared to wait unless you arrive early (11 AM), as there's usually a line. Inside, it was crazy crowded, but we luckily managed to cram our party at a table. How authentic is Chinatown Express's cooking? Real enough, with a few borderline mall-quality dishes: the lo mein noodles come to mind. At the end of the day, my stomach didn't care enough. Our duck was salty, greasy, but delish. Chicken was moist. Each table has a container of scallion sauce - divine. My friend raved about their "fresh dumplings, made on the spot" so we got the leek and pork ones ($5.50/10 pieces) but those we could have skipped. We cleaned off several plates of pork lo mein ($11.95/plate) and vegetables. We took no prisoners; we left without a doggy bag. Our orders came out wicked fast, and service was speedy, so much so that a busboy tried to clear my plate before I was done. I politely clutched at my precious, and continued to gorge. Hit up Chinatown Express for an affordable, tasty Chinese lunch. read more

See all

I was craving for some good BBQ duck in DC and Chinatown Express delivered. I biked for a good half hour to get here in a chilly late morning at the end of April, and it was worth it. Parking would have been tough to find otherwise. I got their Roast Duck Express Meal (lunch special, $6.95) and a small hot and sour soup ($1.95). It was pretty good actually. Service was quick and efficient. Was it because of my bike there or the affordable prices or both? I don't know, but I'd go there again and would recommend it for a hole-in-the-wall chinese restaurant option in Chinatown. read more

Chinatown Express - Cantonese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Three and a half stars. Noodlemaker on display in the window. Run by Asians, manned by Latinos in the kitchen, but training obviously went well. Service was brusque. Pretty plain cafeteria style setup, mirrors to make the space look larger. Women's bathroom is downstairs (fairly clean), men's bathroom is upstairs. They sorely need "Caution: Floor is Wet" signs, I nearly cracked my skull open. This is not the beef noodle soup of my childhood. But they admirably exceeded the standard on the noodles element! The plush chewy texture of the fresh pulled noodles made me think of gnocchi. There was a high volume of them in my conservative looking bowl, about 2-3 times in volume compared to the other ingredients. I ate about half before I keeled over with a full belly and it looked like I'd hardly made a dent in them. Thickness tended to vary, proving the authenticity of their display. Mixed beef cuts ranged from slightly tender to somewhat tough; typical of stew meat. Fresh choy veg cooked through, and garnish of coarsely chopped scallion. Most disappointing was the broth: too light in color and flavor, bordering on bland. I'll probably come back to try the other items on the menu though. read more

Chinatown Express - Fresh noodle soup w/beef. - Cantonese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

It was Big Trouble in Little China. Guy in table near me ordered egg fu yung. It has been years since I heard that dish, didn't know it still existed. They made up for a lack of filling in the dumplings by making the skin so thick. Hand pulled noodles were good, but the broth it came in needed help. Lots of help. When the most memorable experience was the toilet cut into the wall, http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/QQnMCpPJTqDjeTIHK1TFzw?select=2CQEM2zwmcu-UsLlHc_uTA#2CQEM2zwmcu-UsLlHc_uTA, then there was nothing else to talk about. Oh yeah...the roast pork was the best on the menu. At least they were open on Sunday. read more

Chinatown Express - Cantonese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I made a mistake coming here again! This place is not good. The actual dumplings are much smaller than the menu photo, and the seafood soup noodle's main seafood is the fish cakes with tasteless soup! The only perk here is the low price. read more

Sorry to burst all your bubble . . this is not good Chinese food folks. Calling it mediocre would be generous. Don't get fooled by the newspaper and magazine reviews adorning the wall, whatever merit this place had at one-time is long gone. The dumpling are supposed to be hand made to order. Well, the dumplings you get from Costco are way better. We had the steamed XLB and the potstickers. The XLB should be made with thin skin and fragrant soup should flow out of the dumpling when you break the skin. Well as our son pointed out the only liquid coming out was a little grease and the skin was very thick. It's probably the same as the one's used for the potsticker. As for the potsticker, it was greasy and tasteless. Yes there was a lady making dumplings at the window but I have a sneaky suspicion it's window dressing. She was so slow there was no way she was making the dumplings for a busy restaurant. We also ordered a half order of roast duck. Well if you like your duck all fatty, greasy and salty, this is your place. The stir fried watercress looked way past its prime. Totally unappetizing. The deep fried squid was equally pathetic. All batter with thin slivers of squid. Perhaps we're spoiled from the world class Chinese food back home but I'd say even Panda Express is better than this place by far. Sad!! read more

Chinatown Express - XLB - Cantonese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all