This restaurant looks like a typical college eatery but is surprisingly good. It is hidden on the top floor of the restaurants that line University Blvd. near Main Gate at the UA. Head up the stairs not far from the SW corner of University/Park. What has impressed me is that the vegetarian possibilities are extensive. Almost any beef or chicken dish can be made with tofu and/or veggies upon request. Any questions about the dishes can be answered knowledgeably. For vegetarians, the Monogolian tofu, Hunan tofu, and Szechuan tofu are outstanding. Every dish that I've had is flavorful and satisfying. Oriental Express has become my favorite Chinese restaurant in town. read more

Words can't even describe this place. If this place didn't exist, I think I would have starved my way through college. This is one of the best Asian foods here in Tucson since it's good and cheap -- so it appeals to the college student. Everytime I come back to Tucson, this place is on my places to go to for lunch or dinner. If you're going to pay with card, make sure your meal is over $6 or else there is an extra 50 cents added to your email. If you are under $6 and need to use credit, I recommend an order of the crab puffs or a small hot&sour soup and that'll set you over $6. Crab puffs are delicious. I love it. There are always lunch specials for $4.25 I believe, but they used to be cheaper. Oh well, still good food. My favorite dishes I always order are, L7 (Beef & Broccoli), Chicken or Shrimp Lo Mein, BBQ Pork Fried Rice, Crab Puffs, Hot & Sour Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup, and others I can't remember...so they must not be my favorites. There is a huge TV in there and you can always ask the boss to change the channels to something you would want to watch -- she's real nice. Also keep in mind that this place isn't the prettiest restaurant on earth, but the food makes up for its lack to wow customers with it's environment. read more

My favorite is the barbecue pork egg foo young. Egg and bean sprout patties with a barbecue pork, mushroom, carrot, and pea gravy on top with a side of white rice. This is the ultimate "home cooking" style dish and will not disappoint. You might even dream about it. This place is great, and I hold it near and dear to my heart. It will keep you afloat if a) you are Asian and used to eating rice everyday b) in Tucson for school and away from home c) you are too culturally snobby to eat at Panda Express. The owner and her kids are extremely nice and good people, too. Tip well :) read more

Cheap, quick lunch. Large portions of good food served on styrofoam plates. When I want something fried I get the Sesame Chicken. In need of veggies, then I get Hunan Chicken or Moo Goo Gai Pan. Then I load up on sriracha hot sauce, which is conveniently available in the dining area. Egg rolls are wrapped in the thin, crispy wrapper, which are pretty decent. read more

I was blown away by my experience this evening! We walked up just as they had closed and the wonderful woman who works the front reopened to serve us. I will certainly come back to support this establishment. read more

Came in and the lady at the front was super nice and friendly! Food came in less than 5 minutes and was super hot!! Very cheap and affordable. Will be coming back! read more

Definitely my favorite spot at Main Gate Square. Tui is such a sweetheart, and everything offered is delicious and affordable! My favorite is the Cashew Chicken, and I cover it with the chili oil that's available at every table read more

it's the closest "traditional" Chinese place near me (Pei Wei is too modern fusion-y for my tastes). The food takes FOREVER and the interior is kind of gross. However, the food is pretty good-better than average but no quite great. The workers are usually friendly too. If the wait time wasn't so long it would be a four star place. read more

I've been a frequent customer for about 5 years. It's a bit of a hole in the wall hidden upstairs, but it has some of the tastiest Chinese food in town, and the folks who run it are wonderful and friendly. Highly recommended! read more

I am a Bay Area native transplanted in Tucson, and I have to say that Oriental express is some of the best Chinese food I've found around the southwest. Affordable and fast, it's the perfect place for students to grab a good bite between classes. The combination plates come with fried rice and an egg roll on the side of your main item. I've become a regular and tried quite a few choices on what is a pretty big menu and nothing has disappointed. read more

Pretty good value, very good menu. Fresh, tasty food.

A family owned Asian concept that serves freshly made, delicious Chinese and Vietnamese inspired cuisine. It is located at the SW corner at Park and University upstairs walking distance from UofA. The won ton soup, egg rolls, pork dumplings, Mongolian beef, shrimp chow fun, and sweet and sour chicken are all delicious. The orange chicken, lo mein, curry and Pho are also amazing. We tried the boba drinks, snow style, and they were delish! A must try if you are in Tucson! read more

The food is ok But the price is very good Cashier is pretty cool. It is a little bit hard to find (It is hidden) read more

Being a Pei Wei junkie, it took me some time to warm up to this place. Now I'm hooked. Cozy little nook above University. Owner is awesome, always a familiar face. Specials are good, prices are good, food is great. Been all over the menu and have never been disappointed. read more

I am in Tucson for business and had limited time for lunch. I trusted Yelp, and it didn't let me down!! This place is awesome. The owner is very friendly, the Fun noodles were excellent and I got them spicy. The boba tea, I had taro, was also exquisite. Great food for a great price. read more

Love this place. Great food and great service. I almost go here once a week and it's always the same nice lady working that owns the place. She's very friendly and always asks me and my about our classes. Lunch specials are a great price and you leave feeling full. Place gets busy but not to loud so you can have a conversation here and get some work done if you wanted to. Overall oriental express is a must on university. read more

Tried it for the first time today- ordered the Sweet and Sour chicken combo. It was okay, rather plain though, the chicken was a bit soggy. The rice had no flavor. The egg roll was very good. I'm guessing I didn't order the right thing. Environment is very casual, a bit too warm when I was there. Decent value, but overall I was not impressed. read more

My coworkers and I call this place "Upstairs Chinese" as a reminder for any newbie who hasn't yet come here as religiously as many of us. So head up the flight of stairs off of University Blvd and don't miss it! Always consistently good and inexpensive food. The lunch specials are great - try the cashew chicken spicy, it's great that way. Also good fresh brewed iced tea. read more

This is some of my favorite chinese food in Tucson. It's inexpensive and delicious! The location is great, right on University Blvd. It's especially convenient for UA students. The owner is a really nice lady, and always remembers me and my friends. It's a great local business to support! read more

Decent lunch for a cheap price. I had the Szechuan Chicken combo. Comes with a fried rice and egg roll. Not a fancy ambience but it is pretty good for what you pay. The lady at the front desk seemed very friendly and helpful. read more

The food was good and cheap. The place had a "homey" feel. The only thing I can comment is that the person taking the order wasn't in the front desk and I had to wait a couple of minutes before I got attended to. Overall the food was typical in the price range. read more

Probably the most underrated eatery in Main Gate Square. They have excellent lunch specials, my personal favorite is the curry chicken. They also serve boba tea if you're into that. An excellent alternative to Pei Wei down the street if you don't want to spend 9+ dollars on a meal. read more

It is hard to find Oriental Express if you don't know what you are looking for at first. It is on a second floor. You walk in and it is sort of dim. I definitely recommend buying noodles. They have pho too. I recommend the Chow Fun. I know it's not that difficult to make Chow Fun - sauce, rice noodles, and some onions and sprouts. But, sometimes at other places, it can be super oily or super sparse of a portion. The portions at Oriental Express are fair, and yes, you do have to pay an extra 50 cents if you pay by card. I would recommend Oriental Express if you need some quick grub; they are quick here, and you just want a little hole in the wall Chinese fix. Don't expect a dim sum or a Pei Wei experience here. read more

I did not know about this place for the longest time but it is a hidden gem and nice lunch spot on University Blvd. It is a quiet, private getaway that looks out over the entire campus and University. Everyone who works here is very nice and the food is very flavorful. read more

I actually really like this place. It's nothing fancy, the prices aren't extraordinarily low, and the menu isn't exactly bursting with a ton of different choices, but everything I order here seems to turn out really good. The food isn't too greasy or too salty, which are usually my main complaints with Chinese takeout, and the ingredients are typically cooked to the appropriate level of doneness -- pretty much unheard-of in this industry! Highlights include the Chow Fun and the Singapore noodles, along with a really wonderful dish of beef tendon that is super tender and flavorful. The owner claims that her pho is better than that at Miss Saigon (even though it features only beef slices, not meatballs, tendon, or tripe) -- I'll have to post an update when I get a chance to test that claim. But all things considered, I'd say this is definitely a worthwhile place to eat, especially if you're trapped on campus and in need of some good food on the go. read more

I found this place on accident on the way to Vila Thai. I didn't realize that they weren't open on Sunday and Monday. So, I was left standing there starving. I yelped restaurants in the area. This place had pretty good reviews and was right next door. I ordered the Three Spice Noodle and two egg rolls. Altogether, everything was a little less than $10. The food was okay. The chicken was kinda fatty and had skin on it. The portions were kinda small and after eating, I was still hungry . For being called the "Three Spice Noodle", I would have expected this dish to actually be spicy. read more

I've been here a total of twice. The atmosphere of the place is shady. Tacky decor, sticky floors and tables, poorly lit menu boards. But don't let that fool you they have the best orange chicken I've had in Tucson thus far. It's not breaded and fried like so many other places, all it is is succulent chicken tossed in a lovely orange glaze served with a side of steamed rice. I will definitely be back again to pursue their other menu item. read more

Great food, and awesome service! The cashier always remembered my name. It is hidden away, which I like about it, it keeps the visiting parents and tourists out. There is never a crowd, and it real chinese food. It is very good, and I went there quite often when I lived on campus. Try it out, you'll be hooked. read more

I've gone to this place on multiple occasions & it took one bad experience to make me change my mind. When I first walked in no one was at the register, I waited for about 5 minutes. When someone did come to the register I ordered chicken fried rice & the original sized portion, not the lunch special. He told me the portion would be a great size & would fill me up (a 102 lbs) because it filled him up (much bigger than 102 lbs). I paid $8 & received a portion that wasn't filled to the top of their a la carte size!! When I usually get the a la carte lunch special it's almost over flowing! I thought they'd atleast have a bigger size paying $3 extra, but nope. One of the worst experiences I've had ordering food from them. But never again read more

I came to this restaurant for the first time ever today. It was during the lunch rush hour and I ordered the cashew chicken. Wonderful, and inexpensive. The staff is extraordinarily friendly and quick. The place is a bit small, but that adds to the cozy atmosphere inside. I will be returning. read more

Having tried local Chinese restaurants in several major US cities, I can safely say that no other orange chicken comes anywhere NEAR the amazing pieces of heaven that are the orange chicken at Oriental Express. I've been away from Tucson for almost 3 years now and miss this place most of all. Best part, when I'm there for a visit the owner always remembers me and asks how I've been doing. What a great place, I hope it's there for a long time. read more

meh. its okay. food is nothing amazing, but its not the worst I've had (that's saved for you, China Combo). Their "bubble teas" are awful. Not even worth selling. If Im in the mood for this kind of Chinese food and Im on campus, Ill probably hit this place up...maybe. read more