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    Oriental Express Cafe

    3.9 (139 reviews)
    InexpensiveChinese, Coffee & Tea
    Closed 10:00 am - 7:30 pm

    Oriental Express Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    ORIENTAL EXPRESS CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Oriental Express Cafe

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    Prepared food
    Jenn J.

    Authentic take-out prepared Chinese food. Giant servings. Efficient service. Free milk tea with each order. I stop by here whenever I am in the area.

    3 item combo (fried fish, stir fried cabbage, and tofu with pickled radish)
    Kristy H.

    I've been coming here since I was a kid, and the quality and quantity has always been consistent. For $11, you get 3 items heaped to the brim, rice, a soup, and a milk tea. These prices are pretty unheard of these days! If you want classic and good Chinese cooking, I'd definitely recommend trying here. Service goes quickly, but the workers can be a little rushed and blunt because they're trying to move the line along. Also, bring cash because it's cash only!

    Aaron O.

    Unbeatable prices (11 dollars for a 3-item combo with rice, a small soup, and a milk tea?), helpful service, and a great spot to fill up - and I mean fill up! My wife and I came through here recently because we heard from a local that this was the spot to go to try authentic take-away dishes over in San Gabriel. We were in the area and gave it a try. The place is really unassuming and is definitely a family labor of love. No frills, but tons to try, and many are the types of dishes you don't see in typical American-style Chinese food. There are probably 25-30 food options, all laid out cafeteria-style. There aren't any labels to tell you what everything is, but they're happy to help you along the way. I got some ribs, a chicken dish, and some noodles, along with rice and some soup. The ribs were great - good flavor, the sauce was sweet and savory and the meat was tender. The chicken had a little spice to it and worked really well with the white rice on the side. There were about 8 tables or so in there, and they did a good job of bussing them quickly. Loved the deal. Make sure to bring cash though - it's an all cash joint. We'll be back!

    3 item combos
    Stephanie C.

    Epitome of quick economy dining. All food is precooked for selection to make 1,2,3 or 4 item combos. Meals come with rice, soup and a milk tea. The restaurant is no frills and seems to cater to regulars in the neighborhoods and subcontractors. Small parking lot out front and seating available for dining. Many meat entree options.

    An idea of hot food selection.
    Cindy S.

    My kid wanted Panda Express. I brought her here instead. :) Oriental Express serves up home style cooked food. Steamed table line-up choose your entrees and sides. Regional dishes from Shanghai and Taiwanese fare. Am no expert, but that was what was described to me by the sweet staff young lady. The food here is delicious and affordable. A combo plus hot soup and free milk tea was something like $11! Cheap eats!! A steal. Service is so friendly and welcoming. -CASH ONLY

    Brian C.

    If you're looking for a bang for your buck that is cheap and authentic this is the spot to go to. Food may not be the best quality but if you're in a hurry and also like selection, This spot is to go to. You cannot beat a drink, soup and combo plate for about 10 bucks. People here are very nice and helpful. There is not many people here since many people just bring it home but they have a ton of seats to sit at. I would recommend.

    3 item combo
    Siao Z.

    I ordered 3 item combo so rice comes separately. They also have soup and milk tea provided. The milk tea is not the best but when will I ever say no to free/included stuff? I would definitely not order the mapo tofu again, the sauce is not as expected and they used the firmer tofu rather than soft tofu. The chicken and bean sprout was good though! I want to try their fried pork chops and other dishes now! Can't wait to go back. It was cash only and it was $11 for my 3 item combo! Affordable pricing, big portion!

    Nicole G.

    Chinese item combo plates are my undisputed guilty pleasure. I've found a few favorites in various cities i've frequented, and after living in SGV my entire life, i've finally found my favorite close to home. I've had this place in my bookmarks since COVID but recently stumbled across it again when driving past it and my mom inquired about what type of restaurant it is. Being as my family loves deals, I excitedly told her about the insane value of their food and how homemade and fresh it looks. The very next day we ordered a few 4-item combo plates to share and try a multitude of their entrees. Each plate comes with rice (or noodles for an up charge), an iced milk tea, and a soup - this is an incredible steal for $12. Can confirm Asian-parent approved! The rice and noodles are both cooked well. But moving onto the entrees - flavor was there in all the dishes without being too much.. not too salty and not too greasy.. iykyk. There's a really comforting home cooked taste and feel to the dishes. We got the meatballs, steamed pork egg loaf, salt pepper fish fillets, pork chop, fried chicken, gizzard, and stir fried liver. While I genuinely liked all of them, the fried fish fillets/fried chicken/pork chop were my favorites of the day. My family will definitely be back :)

    Interior of the shop

    I've been coming here for years and their food is always delicious. The portions are generous and there is always leftovers for another meal. Its a nice little hidden shop to buy a lunch for here or to-go. The combos come with rice, a milk tea, and a soup. I highly recommend their curry chicken and seaweed, but everything they offer is just as good. A heads up, you pay in cash.

    2-entre combo meal. Soup + (watered down) milk tea included - TOTAL $8.50. So cheap.
    智林

    I don't know how this place keeps running. Very good food for HUGE portions at extremely cheap prices. Cheaper and way more authentic to Chinese home cooking than Panda Express. Reminds me of 大食堂-style public cafeterias that are common in Mainland China. 10/10 affordable and amazing.

    Micaela W.

    My favorite no frills Chinese take out -- and the first meal I get when I go home! This place is so nostalgic and the food hasn't changed at all. An amazing variety and for pretty affordable prices. Love the seaweed salad, tofu skin meatballs, bamboo shoots and salted cabbage

    Milk tea, soup (w/seaweed and egg), rice, 3-item: egg+minced meat, braised pork, pickled seaweed ($9.50)
    Kimberly P.

    :: Food :: I ordered the 3-item combo that comes with rice, soup, and a milk tea ($9.50) and everything was just okay. I found them via Thrillist in one of their YouTube videos. Food was decent, but I did not really like the drink, it was super diluted and kind of bland. :: Service :: The customer service was okay as well. :: Parking :: There's only a row of 7-8 parking in front of the store and there's street parking on the side. :: Tip :: Be prepared to pay with cash.

    Tofu, eggplant, and chicken  3 dish combo ($7.95)  Comes with milk tea, rice, and soup

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    14 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    12 years ago

    $5 for 3 item combo with boba. Similar taste to hsin hsin shaomei What's not to like?

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    13 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    11 years ago

    Good tasting food, lots of it. Great price. Combos come with rice and milk tea. Can't beat it. 4th star is mainly for the awesome value.

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    9 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    12 years ago

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    14 years ago

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    12 years ago

    Best value you'll ever find. 5 bucks for a ton of food.

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    11 years ago

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    Hạt Cafe - Nutty spice latte and Einspanner latte

    Hạt Cafe

    4.0(66 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    Parking: Same store as factory tea bar so parking is a small lot and some on the street. Usually…read morenot packed as the store is only open part of the day. Interior: Factory tea bar remodel quite a bit so it is a lot more modern and well light. Great studying spot. Wait Time: None as I ordered online. Drinks were ready when I got there. Also was empty mid day. Items Order: Larges 9/10 Egg coffee $7.5 - Coffee was very good, strong, sweet, authentic viet flavor. Egg foam was a solid addition but the egg flavor gets lost when mixed so could use more. 7.5/10 Matcha Einspanner $8 - sweetness was about 50% so could use more. the matcha itself was average, foam was solid and creamy. 8/10 Viet Coffee Einspanner $7.5 - solid viet coffee overall but the foam doesn't do much in my opinion 8/10 Nutty Spice Viet Coffee $7.5 - the pistachio milk added a different taste profile to the coffee which was a nice switch up. Pistachio flavor is definitely strong so get it only if that's what youre looking for.

    I heard there's a new coffee shop in the area. It's shared with Factory Tea Bar. I believe they…read moreonly sell coffee until 2pm then it's only boba. They remodeled inside and I like how bright it is compared to before. I tried their Egg Vietnamese Iced Coffee. Strong flavor and didn't taste much of the egg part. Overall I'm happy there's a new coffee shop nearby! Definitely check out their coffee menu. Parking lot available but I find it difficult to get in and out. I rather park on the street.

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    Einspanner latte (hot & iced)

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    Uncle Fung Coffee Stall - The Putu House coffee shot, pandan milk, palm sugar, coconut cream top

    Uncle Fung Coffee Stall

    4.5(470 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    Women-owned & operated

    We were looking for refreshing drinks after we had dinner. Uncle Fung Coffee Stall were within our…read morewalking distance. The place has cozy vibes. It was well lit. The menu includes variety of matcha drinks, tea, coffee, Artisanal kopi, seasonal, and desserts. We ordered two iced putu. Putu has pandan, palm sugar, espresso, milk of choice and coconut cream top. So, we ordered one with regular milk and the second with oat milk. The drink was very rich in flavor and refreshing. I really enjoyed the well balanced of pandan, espresso and the coconut cream foam. It was excellent! We also ordered Putu Ayu, Chiffon pandan and banana bread. The putu Ayu was outstanding. The chiffon pandan was very fluffy, fragrant and freshly baked. Banana bread was moist and rich in flavor. The staff were very nice. The service was fast. We enjoyed our drinks and desserts. We really had a great time.

    We visited Uncle Fung around 2 pm and our drinks came out within just a few minutes of ordering,…read moredespite there only seeming to be two or three people working at the time. We ordered the Putu and Dirty Milo. Both were really solid, but the Putu was easily the standout for me. The flavors worked so well together without being overly sweet, and the coffee itself was nice and strong. I also really liked the atmosphere inside. There's a good amount of seating, although most of it was occupied by people studying or chatting when we visited. The space is pretty dark, which adds to the cozy vibe, but it's something to keep in mind if you're planning to come here to study or read. There's parking in the structure behind the cafe, and you can easily walk through the back alley to get to the shop. Overall, I really enjoyed Uncle Fung. The drinks, especially the Putu, were memorable, and this is easily one of the best Indonesian coffee shops I've been to in California. I'd definitely come back!

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    Uncle Fung Coffee Stall - Risoles

    Risoles

    Uncle Fung Coffee Stall - "Dirty Milo"
Single origin espresso, milk of choice, Milo, salted cream top.

    "Dirty Milo" Single origin espresso, milk of choice, Milo, salted cream top.

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    Oriental Express Cafe - chinese - Updated September 2026

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