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    The Wok - Chinese Express

    4.0 (44 reviews)
    InexpensiveChinese
    Open 11:00 am - 8:00 pm

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    The Chinese menu. Do not be afraid.
    Irene H.

    The Wok owners used to own Mandarin Wok on Green St in Champaign. I'm not the only one who was deeply saddened when they sold their business. The food just didn't taste the same anymore. Fast forward a few years. I was in town for the career fair and a friend told me that the former MW owners set up shop in Mahomet. I heard that they signed a non-compete clause when they sold MW, which barred them from selling anything on the MW menu (which is almost everything) within 7 miles or something of MW. The owner told me they missed the restaurant business and after a lukewarm Japanese bento business in Champaign, they moved to Mahomet where they sold Chinese American food. Eventually a loyal customer found them and convinced them to cook Taiwanese again. Word of mouth keeps them busy today. They also make Chinese-American food for the locals... I made a reservation (tough because they don't always pick up their phone) for a weeknight. We didn't really need a reservation but I wanted to be safe. My girlfriend went on a Sunday night and it was really busy. So, I would definitely recommend reservations for the weekend. The owner remembered me after all these years. She was nice enough to comp a dish because she knew it'd be a while before I'm in 'town' again. Between the four of us, we had: - crispy tofu. A classic MW dish. - eggplant with fish sauce. - chicken rolls (awesome!!) - basil chicken balls - greens with shrimp - beef noodle soup - salty chicken (Taiwanese nightmarket style) Yes, the menu is confusing and in Chinese but the owner's daughter can help you if you know what you're looking for. True, I live in NYC and have access to Chinatown and Flushing, but the Wok's cooking is more authentic than most places I've tried here. It's yummy, homestyle cooking which is hard to find at most restaurants. I'm jealous of anyone who can come here often... it will be a stop for any future trip to Champaign. Note: They are closed on Mondays.

    Hunan beef and fried rice
    DS H.

    The food is delicious, the owners and staff are friendly. They care about your order, entrees are always tasty, hot and made correctly. We eat there frequently and the food is freshly prepared and they will modify if you have dietary issues. We have never had anything we didn't like. The food is authentic, sauces are not sugary or salty, the vegetables are never mushy. We no longer live in Mahomet but will drive the extra 15mins to get dinner from The Wok rather than anywhere in CU. We recommend this jewel of a restaurant. They have dine-in service and carry-out.

    a plate of rice and vegetables

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    3 months ago

    Since when is Lo Mein made with spaghetti noodles? Wonton soup was broth & 2 wontons. Very disappointed. They lost a customer today!

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    3 months ago

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    8 months ago

    We frequent this restaurant. Staff is always fantastic and punctual. The Crab ragoon and Pot Stickers are some of the best I have ever had.

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    17 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Delicious food that always fresh since it's made to order. I have only good things to say.

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    6 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Great food, and quick service! Highly recommend for quick lunches, and if you are craving Chinese food!

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    5 years ago

    When we don't feel like cooking at home, the wok is one of the first places we think of. Good food, close to home.

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    17 years ago

    Best Chinese food in the area. Make sure you bring someone who can read Chinese or else you'll be eating American food.

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    Northern Cuisine - B1 Crispy Pork in Sweet & Sour Glaze 锅包肉 ($19.95)

    Northern Cuisine

    4.3(27 reviews)
    10.5 mi

    This beautiful dining experience nestles into Campustown and delivers great food, excellent service…read moreand a gentle welcoming atmosphere that pulls it all together into a delightful time. The food is the finest Asian fare around and avoids the common error of over spicing the food. The Mapo Tofu is remarkable and each of the items we shared in our group excelled in its taste and presentation. The decor is simple and elegant amplifying the peaceful mood that surrounds the diners. Each server was polite, gracious and accommodating without hovering or intruding. Do yourself a favor and set aside a day to visit Northern Cuisine and you will not regret it.

    Like we stepping into a mini China, with top chart new c-pop playing and foods served beautifully…read more Flavors are all pretty good. The two dishes we ordered were a bit on the sweet side, which isn't atypical for the dishes themselves, so kind of an error on our part. They had celtuce so we had to order it, it was tender and light and flavorful. The dumplings is good but a bit meat heavy than I would've preferred. Skin is very thin, like wonton skin. The scallions pancakes are perfectly panfried. The Beijing yogurt is not at all correct, it's stickier than I'm used to and not as smooth and flavor is a bit flat than the actual ones. Coconut pudding was unremarkable, doesn't stand out. Overall, the foods were good. We probably could've ordered better.

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    Northern Cuisine
    Northern Cuisine - A3. Cucumber & Bean Curd in Chili Vinaigrette 东北拌花菜 (part of $21.95 Lunch Special Combo 2) - spicier than expected. Has tofu skin and peanut

    A3. Cucumber & Bean Curd in Chili Vinaigrette 东北拌花菜 (part of $21.95 Lunch Special Combo 2) - spicier than expected. Has tofu skin and peanut

    Northern Cuisine - A1 Soft Tofu & Scallion Salad 小葱拌豆腐 ($7.95) - good!

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    A1 Soft Tofu & Scallion Salad 小葱拌豆腐 ($7.95) - good!

    First Wok - Steamed tofu and vegetables with a side of white rice in a takeout container.

    First Wok

    4.1(56 reviews)
    12.9 mi
    $

    I wasn't sure what to expect since First Wok is tucked next to a small grocery store with a few…read moreempty buildings around, but it turned out to be a really pleasant surprise. Their website was very easy to order from and pickup was quick. I tried the steamed tofu with vegetables and rice, with the sauce on the side. The veggies were fresh and cooked just right, and it's a great option for anyone trying to eat whole food plant based or vegan. The portion was generous and very satisfying. Friendly service, simple menu, and a spot that's worth supporting if you're looking for something wholesome and tasty. I'll definitely be back.

    Really good food! Kind of a small place, but excellent for phone-ahead carry-outs. It may not…read morelook like it, but the chef here is an old-style chef, and sees to all the food preparation details himself. The kitchen area is visible to visitors, so you can see what great care and quality is involved in the preparation of your meal if you like. I recommend calling ahead, because this restaurant is very popular for carry-outs in the neighborhood, and on busy nights, a short backlog can grow. But my experience has been if I phone-in my order even 5 minutes ahead, it is already waiting for me when I get there. I can't say enough about how good the menu is. They have a wide selection, and it is genuine Chinese cuisine. E.g. the hot-and-sour soup is excellent, and it is really as hot and as sour as I have often eaten in Taiwan. Usually I have to add at least vinegar and hot chili oil at home to make other restaurants' soup legitimately as sour and hot as if I bought it in China. This place does not "dumb-down" their cuisine for round-eye bai gwei Americans. In general, the cuisine tastes to this ben dan most like Haka food. I think. I can't say enough about the rest of the menu. But perhaps I have.

    Photos
    First Wok - Steamed tofu with broccoli, baby corn, mushrooms, bell peppers, and other fresh vegetables.

    Steamed tofu with broccoli, baby corn, mushrooms, bell peppers, and other fresh vegetables.

    First Wok - Char siu lao-mein.

    Char siu lao-mein.

    First Wok - Near Salts&Light.

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    Near Salts&Light.

    Mid-Summer Lounge - B4 Tomato & Scrambled Egg Dry Noodle 番茄炒蛋面 ($12) - tomato and egg are sweetened more than I prefer, but otherwise good

    Mid-Summer Lounge

    4.2(118 reviews)
    10.7 mi
    $$

    Great fast-casual noodles for lunch near campus…read more The food is simply prepared and delicious. I ordered the first item on the menu: Bok Choy in Chili Oil Noodle. The hearty noodles were chewy with a slight taste of rice -- neither too refined nor over cooked. The beef broth brought the dish's rich taste and gave it some depth, while the bok choy and green onions in the soup were fresh and crispy. Even though the chili oil was a treat, it overpowered the broth and veggies so that I'd consider omitting it from the order. The restaurant was crowded with lunch-goers when I stopped in, but the turnaround on my order was fast. If you need a bite and want something simple and well made, his could be your spot.

    We ordered: 1. Pork & Egg w/ Bean Sauce Dry Noodle…read more2. Szechuan style Beef Noodle Soup Very pleased that UIUC now has meal access to a Chinese noodle specialty shop. Flavor of the fermented bean sauce was good and I liked the chewiness of the noodles. Friends liked the Szechuan beef broth flavor and the beef chunks were tender. This will be very nice in the cold winters. No issues with service and there's a good amount of seating for small to medium size groups.

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    Mid-Summer Lounge - E4 Stewed Pork Belly in Toasted Bun 腊汁肉夹馍 ($7) - different pork belly filling from that of the 卤肉饭

    E4 Stewed Pork Belly in Toasted Bun 腊汁肉夹馍 ($7) - different pork belly filling from that of the 卤肉饭

    Mid-Summer Lounge - B4 Tomato & Scrambled Egg Dry Noodle 番茄炒蛋面 ($12) - tomato and egg are sweetened more than I prefer, but otherwise good

    B4 Tomato & Scrambled Egg Dry Noodle 番茄炒蛋面 ($12) - tomato and egg are sweetened more than I prefer, but otherwise good

    Mid-Summer Lounge - D1 Spicy Shredded Potato

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    D1 Spicy Shredded Potato

    Golden Wheat - Jiajang noodles, aka Beijing noodles

    Golden Wheat

    4.5(15 reviews)
    10.7 mi

    I was really pumped to try Golden Wheat because my friends raved that this is the #1 noodle place…read morein Champaign. The restaurant is operated by super friendly and nice Chinese owners. It appeared that they do not speak the best English, but we didn't have any trouble ordering as there was an English/Chinese menu printed out, which we used to point to the item that we wanted to order. What we got: Beijing style JaJangmyeon: I had Korean-styled jjajangmyeon, so I didn't know what to expect at first. The portion size is beyond generous and the amount of topping on the noodles was more than enough. The noodles were soft and chewy. The dish tasted like peanut noodles which I am not the greatest fan of, but my friend loved it! Spicy fatty beef slices noodles: this was really good! I am a big meat lover and the amount of meat that came with this dish made me really happy! The dish was not too spicy and well-balanced. I wish there was a bit more soup because it was just a lot of noodles, but I think this is supposed to be more noodles than soup because it was one of their 'mixed noodles' dish. Overall, it was a very hearty meal. The owners were super kind enough to give us a free bok choy+fish cake side dish which we enjoyed as well. Despite the communication barrier, the service was great and the owners are super sweet people. I will definitely be coming back!

    Stopped by after a few friends recommended this place! The noodle soups are amazing. Here are a few…read moretips for non Chinese speaking customers like me. It took a little effort to order due to language BUT it was totally worth it! ORDERING The owner who was originally taking my order was so friendly but only spoke Chinese, so someone else had to step in and help me translate. I asked for the most popular noodle soups and he pointed to "dry beef noodle soup" and "pork shoulder noodle soup" so we ordered both. After you pick your dish he asks if you want spicy or non spicy. We got one of each. I personally liked the "spicy" version and thought it wasn't spicy at all! FOOD I ran into a friend there who knows the owner. He told me everything is made from scratch! Including the noodles. The broth was perfection. So fragrant, flavorful, well seasoned, and clean tasting. Meat was super tender (both beef and pork) and pretty much melted in our mouths. The "dry beef" in the name is totally misleading because there is nothing dry about the meat. ATMOSPHERE It seems like the restaurant kept most of the interior decor from PvP bakery so the aesthetic is pretty nice. Simple, clean, modern, minimal. It's sort of a self serve style in here so you have to get your own water. Just like most Asian restaurants. PACKAGING I ordered our meal to go but the restaurant IS also open for indoor seating. Our food was packed with care! The noodles and soup were packed in separate containers. I will add a note of caution while carrying the food. The hot soup warped the plastic container quite a bit so by the time I got home I noticed that the lid was just barely hanging on and on the brink of busting open. As long as it's held upright though it should not be an issue. Overall, if you're looking for a non frills place with good authentic Chinese food, this is the place to go! Price was pretty good too especially for how good the fooAbout $11 per noodle soup which is much cheaper than mid summer and golden harbor. We will definitely be back!

    Photos
    Golden Wheat - Chicken and mushrooms

    Chicken and mushrooms

    Golden Wheat - Beef noodle soup. Classic.

    Beef noodle soup. Classic.

    Golden Wheat - Sour spicy beef

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    Sour spicy beef

    The Wok - Chinese Express - chinese - Updated July 2026

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