Oh man, I can't believe I haven't wrote a review about this place. I've been coming here for yearssssss! Always super cheap, good food, bang for your buck! They hook it up too & they're huge portions. Limited parking but there is street parking available. They accept cash or cards. Booths, tables and chairs for dining and a patio area. Customer service is always great here. Super friendly staff. They have Party packages available for a great price! read more

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Great Wall Express is one of those spots I randomly crave every so often Their jalapeño chicken is FIREEE and honestly one of my favorite things to order from there. I usually get trays for parties and everyone always tear it up. Service isn't always the friendliest but for the price and portions it's kinda expected tbh. Parking isn't the best either but definitely recommend asking for your food fresh though makes a big difference. read more

They have a set up kind of like panda express where the food is already cooked, and it waits for you to order it. I got the 1. orange chicken 2. the sweet-and-sour chicken and 3. Lo mein noodles. Everything tasted like it had been sitting for a long time. I ate most of chicken except for the parts that were too hard to chew. I didn't eat any of the noodles because they tasted old, hard, and dry - They charge $.30 extra if you use a credit card. - no crab Rangoon or Wong tongs I wanted the teriyaki chicken, but didn't get it since they didn't have teriyaki sauce to go on it. The inside looks kind of rundown, there is limited seating. Sometimes the hole-in-the-wall feel is cool, but that wasn't what I was looking for. I cannot recommend, if you are choosing between panda express and Great Wall, go to panda express read more

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This to-go box is packed. Picked up a couple of three item combo plates to bring back. * Half fried rice-Half lo mein noodles, with Orange Chicken and BBQ ribs * Half fried rice-Half lo mein noodles, with Kung Pao Chicken and Broccoli Beef. Using the Panda Express to Great Wall Express conversion table, the rice/noodle side counts as one item ;) The tiny parking lot and available curbside spots during daytime business hours would rival any Convoy St eatery. Very chill, quiet atmosphere as we were the only patrons during the early weekday lunch visit. Service was quick and friendly. Decent value whether your loading up on intake, fine with leftovers, and/or stretching out meals on a budget read more

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My go to spot for party trays! I always get their jalapeño chicken party trays for events as they are delicious and well priced ($35.99 a tray is a steal!). Service is always accommodating and they accept preorders, just give them a call to place your orders. read more

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I came here a few times years ago but then I was out of town for a few years. Happened to be in the neighborhood and ready to eat so I decided to stop by. Still very good! The ladies are very nice, it was clean and I saw them cleaning up after people as soon as they left. They kept the food stocked and I like being able to just point to the food and receive it right away. I've been here about three times in the past couple of months and everything I've had has been very good. As of June 2025 the prices are $3.99 per item and if you get a three item plate it is $10.99. That's the way to go. I always have leftovers too. read more

Great Wall Express - Orange chicken, lo mein, and pork. Three item plate is $10.99 so it came to about $12 with tax. - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

Good inexpensive Chinese food, if you arrive at 10:15am they are putting out piping hot freshly cooked dishes. East coast style Chinese food with 2015 prices. Generous portions. read more

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I love coming here right after my workout or when I get my nails done. The Chinese food is decent and the lady that helps me here is always nice. I love hot and sour soup and I always get that here. I'm a soup girly and it hits the spot every time. The small 12oz soup is $3.99 which is a steal! I'm literally here on a weekly basis! read more

Great Wall Express - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

Food wasn't seasoned well at all. Also, it wasn't very warm. The broccoli beef needed to be cooked longer, the broccoli was too raw. Lo mein needed more veggies in it, it was just spaghetti noodles in a little sauce. read more

Love this place for Chinese comfort food. Staff are always kind and efficient. We like the orange chicken, lo mein, and green beans when we're craving affordable and quick Chinese food :) read more

This was my first time going to Great Wall Express and it was a good takeout Chinese restaurant. I went about 20 minutes before closing, so there were not many options left, but I was happy with the Chow Mein, Orange Chicken, and 2 egg rolls. The deal they had was 3 for $11.99. The orange chicken was good, but I did find it to be too sweet for my liking. The vegetable egg role was perfectly cooked and seasoned. With me being one of the last customers, the worker gave me all of the left over chow mein and it was so much that my container had to be rubber banded together! Overall, the Great Wall Express is a good place to go to get a quick bite for a great deal. read more

Food wasn't great and poor customer service. I barely ate and gave the rest to my husband. Sign said 3 items combo with a drink. We wanted Jalapeño chicken, bbq ribs and broccoli beef. I asked if chicken can be put aside because of allergy. She said it has to be in the same box. We will get charge for a separate box. I still wanted the chicken of course (my girl just can't eat any of the food). She then ask if we want rice or chow-mein first. She put in the beef broccoli and bbq rib but no chicken because chow mein was one of the item. Most places like this come with rice or noodle when u order ur food item. Like, we were the only customer and u stand there watching us. You didn't explain nothing or try to help us. I give up at this point and walked out. She didn't give us a drink because she only charged us for the food. Apparently we took too long she said as she gives my husband an attitude. I'm done! Now coming back ever. read more

Food is amazing still have not lost their touch my go to place if you haven't been you need to come get the chicken on the stick.

Always an easy GO TO chinese fast food, favorite item is the jalepeno chicken! Every thing is pretty fresh as there are always customers in line! read more

Poop Poop Poop... look up bad Chinese food in the dictionary and you will see the Great Wall Express logo. Lack of flavor in the Beef fried rice though it looked good, bland salty Poop. There were no fresh seasonings, and the beef could gag a salt alcoholic . Sweet and Sour Chicken, red gloopy sweet, mushy, Poop, so sweet seemed like candy. Soup the same. Poop! We were really disappointed, this is not worth ordering in our experience, still hungry here, does that tell the story? We wish I could say better but, need to be honest and let them step up the mission! Order with warning! Poop may prevail! read more

The portions have gotten WAY smaller. They no longer use the big styrofoam containers that they had to double rubber band shut. They now use a much smaller food container in the same style/shape but it's about 1/3 to almost 1/2 smaller. A lot less food! We will be going down the street to another place that still uses the larger containers. read more

Not what is useful to be. Been coming here for years. Raw ribs and no hot sauce. Disappointed today. Will not return read more

Great Wall Express - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

Update 8/03 Tried this place 2-3 more times and found it to be pretty inconsistent. The noodles tasted different every time and was no longer flavorful, the second time I ordered, they literally even changed the noodles to something similar to spaghetti? Depending on when you go, the orange chicken can be hard/taste like it's been left out for awhile. read more

Great Wall Express - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

There was hair in my food ...If I could give it 0 I would .. the ladies are plain rude when I told them about it . Food is way too greasy as well ... never coming here again 0 out of 5 read more

Pros and Cons I've been getting Chinese fast food from Great Wall Express for at least ten years. Don't expect high end food and you'll enjoy it. Pros -Good Chinese fast food -Dependable recipes that tastes the same -Variety of food options -It's popular enough that the food is mostly freshly cooked when you go in -Nice staff, but certainly not chatty -Fast and convenient. Even if there's a line, it's not a bad wait. Cons -I haven't had success ordering ahead of time and picking up (no drive through) -No ambiance at all. I've always gotten to-go. -They used to offer a free can of soda with a 3 entree meal. They took that away. Then they later raised the price. Now, as of May 2023, they raised the price again, by $2.00, and bought smaller containers to put the food in. More money and less food. It's still a better value than most other Chinese fast food (thinking of to-go chain restaurants), but this last 20% price increase plus significant food decrease sucked. read more

They LOVE to close before their stated closing times. This is the 3rd time I've come bye and had them be closed despite being open until 9pm on every app that states hours. Update your hours if you are not open until when you say you are. I have really enjoyed this place but they're going to lose a customer if this keeps up read more

Very rude lady at the register. I don't expect a smile or small talk. But I do expect the cashier to NOT be actively frowning and giving a tone and attitude that says why are you here/go away. If you hate your job that much quit. I wanted to get out ASAP. The vibe was not welcoming at all and made me so uncomfortable. I'm pretty sure she over charged me too. The 3 item special is 8.99 but I was charged 11.83? Honestly this experience was very off putting. I was the only customer then so they weren't busy and I was not rude or weird. I've been a cashier before and I'm a decent person so I know how to act. I am very understanding and have been in a customer service role before. I'm not entitled or anything like that. But this experience left a bad impression. read more

First time at this location, food was not that great and customer service was horrible. Definitely not returning.

Food was hot and ready vice nice and honest customer service food was also had grate taste

Hidden gem! CASH ONLY! Owner is a lovely lady named Kim. She understands that Chinese food take out should be piled on high. Never eaten there, but the option is there. They have the hot dishes to choose from at the counter or you can order dishes (salt pepper shrimp, friend fish, etc) Love this place! read more

Great Wall Express - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

Great food at great prices, the container has to be rubber banded closed, get a chicken kabob.

Thanks for being open! Went with the 3 item combo. This was enough food for 2 or maybe 3. The rice was flavorful. Orange chicken was crispy! That to me means that even during C19 they are busy and constantly cooking up food, otherwise orange chicken gets soggy if it sits. Good sign! Beef broccoli is always a favorite, beef flavored nicely and broccoli was crunchy. Great meal. Will go back for my Chinese fix! Instagram @planefoodies read more

Great Wall Express - Orange chicken and beef broccoli with vegetable rice - Chinese Near Me - San Diego, California

I was just here with my last 4 dollers to get orange chicken I usually love but this time it was hard and not chewable so I took it back and they wouldn't even offer me a fresh set.told me it's not old it's fresh it has to sit awhile before it's soft and they were totally rude about it. Won't go there ever again read more

I didn't go in expecting amazing food or anything. This doesn't even qualify for decent. I suppose edible is the best I can say. The taste was awful, the food was soggy and overcooked and we ate about 10 bites before throwing it away. There are other more-than-edible places in the area to choose from. read more

This place has been a fixture across from the post office for over 20 years and has survived well. In an area with traffic, hard parking, and high leases, there's always a steady flow of customers. It is frequented by all walks of life and is one of the best values for Chinese food on a budget. When I first started coming, it was 99¢ an item. Now it's $2.25, still cheap. Is the food good? Well it's not bad.. Authentic? Sorta. Definitely not P.F. Chang's..Certain things are tasty, but some can be oily. Nothing is ever dry, flavorless or super salty here. Value is hard to beat. Let's just say you get a little more than what you pay for. What I mean is a lot of food for the amount you shell out. For around $6 you can choose 3 items and a beverage. They use the familiar square styrofoam container and every time they load it up, I'm thinking the tabs will snap. They can barely close it, with rice or lo mein popping out the sides! I can recall several times when I was a new broke ass homeowner ordering all meat dishes and making rice at home in the rice cooker- and being able to eat like 4 times! I occasionally go back usually out of convenience and time restraints for something quick. They are friendly, but all about business. Very tight with any extras, like napkins, utensils, etc. Overall best value in my area for a cheap Chinese fix. read more

Very cheap Chinese fast food for the students and locals. Make sure to come at the busy dinner hour to guarantee fresh food is put out. Orange chicken and sweet and sour are my two favorites!! I sometimes leave and come back to assure fresh batches are coming out of the kitchen! I've left when the focus looks sketchy. read more

I am not used to this kind of fast food Chinese takeout. It's like a small buffet I guess, but anyway, I like this place. It's cheap!!! Like someone else said they're not over the top with niceties, and they pile on the food. It will not be the best FF Chinese you've ever had, but it's usually what you want when you want it, for the price you can afford to pay. read more

Eh can you really complain for the price? Not really. But I would rather pay a little more or even get smaller portions in order to get better quality food. I got the pick 3. Lo mein tasted like oil, beef broccoli had an odd texture and the meat was cut too thick broccoli was okay, and the orange chicken pieces were all pretty large and had an odd oil flavor. The best way to explain it is it smelled/tasted like it's cooked in old oil and then sauced up. Overall almost good but again like for the price you could feed one to two people for 7.99 plus tax. read more

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New signage regarding use of debit / credit card. Use to be they charged a fee if purchase was less than $5. Now its use a card and a 3.99 % is added to your total owed. Signs that restaurants are struggling to make it anymore. When you buy something be sure and ask for the soy sauce, sweet n sour sauce or any thing your use to normally being asked if you want it. They make no mention of it, unless you do and forget the traditional fortune cookie they use to put in your to go bag. That went away sometime ago. read more

One of the better Chinese takeout restaurants on this stretch of El Cajon. I like saucier Chinese food, and this place has some proper greasy stir fry noodle and orange chicken. And they pack in the portion so much they have to rubber band the takeout tray. Maybe this is kind of weird, but I like that they don't overwhelm you with customer service niceties. I'm not buying customer service. "What can I get you?... that'll be $10.79... thank you come again!" Is all you really need to say. And ffs, ALWAYS tip, bro. Even if you aren't getting "waited on". These guys work hard. read more

Laughing at the people giving bad reviews because they expect some haute cuisine for $11. What this place is, is a take-out only, greasy spoon, cheap Chinese food place. It's a lot of bang for the buck and is solid Chinese food. Are you dining in to eat there? No. Is the owner greeting you with a kiss and a hug? No. Is it in a shady strip mall? Kinda. If you're looking for a greasy treat every now and again this place is for you. read more

Portions are huge! The lady at the counter is friendly. Beware, you will get severe food coma here. If you like cheap, large portions, greasy Chinese food, this hits the spot. This location beats the one on university. read more

Now I love this place or it would have gotten a lower rating. There won't tongs are great mushroom chicken is my favorite. But I ordered there garlic shrimp and I was beyond happy . It was awful they don't de shell the shrimp. Or take out the poop vein basically no prep at all. The shell staying on made it hard to eat and literally couldn't. Don't order Thai item Order from here just not this item read more

I love this place! Great Wall is my go to for whenever I'm craving some good Chinese takeout. Every time my boyfriend and I come we always tip because the food is tasty and staff is awesome! Pricing is perfect and serving size is just right to have 2 meals. 10/10 would recommend read more

One of my favorite Chinese food spots. Definitely not the healthiest food, but if you're okay with that they give huge portions that are so tasty. When I go it's always the same lady in the front who is very friendly. The lo mein, chicken kabob, and jalapeño chicken are my absolute favorite. I get those just about every time I go here as they have a 3 item combo. And I've tried the other options but they just aren't as good. It's near SDSU and I come here at least once every few weeks. There's always parking as well making it super easy to come in and out quickly. read more