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Cathay House

3.5 (141 reviews)
ModerateChinese
Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Order Cathay House Takeout or Delivery

Cathay House Chinese Restaurant Photos

Business Info

CATHAY HOUSE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Quiet
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Cathay House

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Reviews With Photos

76. Lo Mein
Camarra B.

I've been eyeing this place for awhile. I seen a few pictures that convinced me and the food smells really good. However, I was deceived in my opinion. I ordered the Lo Mein with shrimp and it was okay, I didn't really enjoy it like I thought I would. The shrimp could've been seasoned just a bit more. The noodles weren't that bad, but it could've been better. It all had a strange taste, especially afterwards. But that's my personal opinion, I recommend you try it for yourself if it looks interesting to you.

Egg Drop Dark and funky, Soup.  Nasty with a back taste of something that smelled like stinky feet!  I've NEVER had e soup like this! Awful!

When the old owners sold out the business, they were probably laughing all the way to the bank! These "new" owners don't know how to properly prepare any of the dishes they offer. My husband ordered Moo Goo Gai Pan...or was it Chow Mein?? Guaranteed, awful! Half was cold...I'm talking, cold! The "fried" rice was nothing like the traditional recipe...Just a plain dark gooey brown rice...no flavor, no veggies...nothing. I ordered Lemon Chicken...and Egg Drop soup. Greasy chicken...the soup was a dark yellow and stunk like nasty feet! I swear I've never seen anything like it! We REALLY tried to find something good about it all but couldn't. We just said nothing...paid the $37.11 + $5.00 tip (wasn't the waitresses' fault) and we left...NEVER going back. We have tried it TWICE now... Second time around, still awful. We've been coming to Cathay House since the 1960's, so we KNOW how it Should be! This "ain't" it...sadly.

COMBINATION LO MEIN Delicious! Contained considerably more li mein than meat.

1st time guest @ CATHAY HOUSE. The food was very very good! Lo Mein Servings abundant! Will Definitely be repeat customer. Thanks

Pineapple fried rice

Cathay House has amazing service and the food is delicious! We had the orange chicken which was sweet and spicy with a citrus kick, one of the best I have ever had. We also had the pineapple fried rice. It came out in a half of a pineapple. It was sweet and yet had lots of umami. There were three types of protein and lots of pineapple. It was balanced really well and just delicious! It's a hidden gem and local favorite in Waco. Do not miss it!!!

Pu Pu Tray, that includes with 2 eggrolls
Michelle S.

Food is good Except egg drops is greasy and tasteless.. Thanks to Pu Pu tray I enjoyed and the Happy House (Gulf shrimp, scallops, beef, chicken breast and roast pork blended with broccoli, napa cabbage, mushroom bamboo shoot water chestnuts, baby corn and carrots in a brown sauce) Tender and the seafood in it is not overcook.

Menu
Warner Kimo S.

Not your best. Better in desert small towns with authentic. The dishes are salty as they must use a lot of soy not oyster sauce. Server was clueless. We ordered small though and had a lot. Noodles fair but meat and veggies way salty. Taking the Pork noodles home to mix with more upgrade.

Which I got a picture of all the food but I don't usually leave reviews!
Samantha H.

Best Chinese food I've had in Waco so far. I'm from Chicago and moving to Waco has been difficult as far as the food scene goes. I've tried a few other places and am always disappointed. Cathay house was a nice surprise! The reviews stopped me from coming here for a long time but this place deserves way more than 3.5 stars. Went during the lunch special (Tuesday-Saturday 11am-3pm) and the amount of food you get for less than $8.00 is insane. Szechuan chicken came with fried rice, egg roll and soup for $7.95! General tso's chicken came with all the same extras for $7.35! They also put some fried dough type deal and dipping sauce on the table for free before you order. We added a bubble tea to the Oder and it was great as well ($4.25). The food has good flavor and is cooked properly. Seems fresh and came out hot. The ambiance could use an upgrade but the service was very good, prompt, and kind. My go to from now on when I'm craving Chinese. P.s. egg drop and wonton soup were great. P.s. p.s. As we were walking out we noticed this sign. I support it!! This is a small business, the owner was our server. For the amount of food they provide you at that price you can afford to leave them a tip. If you don't want to, don't go! Nobody wants to work for free.

Shrimp Lo Mein

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4 years ago

Food is wonderful and portions are HUGE!! Easy to order and pick up. Eating in is great, too. Service is fast and accurate.

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3 years ago

We've ordered from here a few times while in town. The combination rice is so good & the hot sour soup is the best I've ever had.

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6 years ago

Not only was the food absolutely amazing, the service was incredible. Such a sweet family ran restaurant. Definitely will be back!

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4 years ago

If you order from the special Szhehuan menu you will get authentic Chinese dishes that are amazing.

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Ask the Community - Cathay House

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3.9(71 reviews)
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I've been knowing about this place for years, but as of recent years I have started eating here…read more There's not many Thai places in Waco, but I would say that this is one of the best Thai places you'll find in Waco. I've been able to try a few of their dishes, like the Pad Kee Mao, and as of recently, their Pad Thai, which I had with shrimp. Every time I've had food from them I have been very impressed. There are foods that I would have been hesitant to try in the past because of unfamiliarity, but thanks to how they make everything taste, I'm eager to try everything. I really love their shrimp pad Thai. It was the best pad Thai that I've had so far! I'm not a huge dessert fan, but they have nice desserts such as the banoffee and fruit sando. If you are a banana pudding lover or a fruity dessert lover, I recommend you try that. They also have great appetizers as well!

I went to Curry Up & Wok This Way (cute name!) while I was visiting Waco. It's in one of the…read morecorners of the Union Food Hall. There are a few tables and chairs that are clean though a bit uncomfortable. Service was great - everyone working was really friendly! They had a dessert banoffee pie in a cup that was fantastic. As for my meal, I ordered the green curry with tofu and veggies. It was incredibly sweet. This is my go-to order, and I've never had one this sweet. It wasn't pleasant. It was also unclear if it was vegetarian or not (with fish sauce or not). My boyfriend got a noodle dish and really enjoyed it! I would say it's hit or miss - with the other options in the food court, I may try something different if I return!

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Cha Community

4.7(56 reviews)
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This is the boba shop that's our go-to when we're in town or passing through! It's rare to find a…read moreboba shop with amazing drinks as well as savory eats. There is something for everyone! I got the hojicha with oat milk, no sugar, regular ice and matcha strawberry (that was da bomb!). They were also able to accommodate my hubs who can't have dairy or sugar! He got a jasmine green tea iced and he was very happy. BUT what really made this trip so special was the yummy eats we got to go with our drinks. We got pan fried veg mandoo, bbq pork steamed bao, and green onion pancake. I grew up spending the weekends in Flushing, Queens eating these type of snacks and boy, eating these brought me back to those good times!

Drink: I ordered a large peach green tea with boba, no ice,…read moreand it was fantastic. The tea was brewed beautifully , fresh, balanced, and not syrupy sweet like some other boba spots. The boba itself was perfectly chewy and just sweet enough to complement the drink, not overpower it. I also really appreciated that, even with no ice, they filled my cup completely to the top. Simple, thoughtful detail and it makes all the difference. Service: The staff here was genuinely kind and patient. I asked a few questions about sweetness levels and tea bases (I'm mindful about sugar intake), and they answered every one with care, no judgment, no pressure, no upselling. They made the drink exactly how I ordered it and didn't try to push other menu options on me. That respect and attentiveness go such a long way. Ambiance: Cha Community has such a warm, creative vibe, red brick walls, cozy coffeehouse energy, indie music, local art, and stickers that make the space feel personal and loved. The whole café smelled amazing, and you can tell they've put heart into the details. It's the kind of place that feels like a little pocket of calm and connection in the middle of the day. Overall: Highly recommend stopping here if you're in Waco. The experience was night and day, proof that quality, care, and consistency matter more than anything else. Refer to my Poppa Bear review if you want the comparison, but honestly, just come to Cha Community first.

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Cha Community - Live plants are always good.

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Wei Tasty Asian is fine, but it's not necessarily anything special, especially now that they've…read moreraised prices. I'm a little confused about this because in store their prices remain the same with fried rice at $6.99, but online, fried rice costs $8.99, so I believe they're in the middle of a price change. Despite the 3-star rating, I do come here fairly often. I like their dumplings, both fried and steamed, and their fried rice is fine but often lacks flavor. I usually add several packets of soy sauce. I also like their egg drop soup. My friends have all enjoyed Wei Tasty. Something else of note is that I believe this isn't a local Waco business. Wei Tasty Asian has two more storefronts, one in Dallas and one in Carrollton. If you want to support local, I'd recommend Fortune Cookie, Yaki, Bangkok Royal, or The Blasian Asian, though I believe Wei Tasty is still the lowest priced of all of those, even if they're raising their prices. Ordering online gets you 10% off. When you try to order online, there is an option for curbside pickup, but I don't believe they do curbside. My friend said she tried to have her food brought to her curbside and she ended up just having to go inside the store to pick it up. I've always just gone inside. Ultimately Wei Tasty Asian is fine if you're in the mood for some run of the mill Chinese food, but I'd recommend trying one of the local places listed above instead!

Just really not good…read more Cashew chicken and black pepper beef...the meat did not give stir fry, it gave boiled. The sauce was super liquidy. Both of these were SOUP rather than a sauced stir fry. See attached video. The shrimp...shell STILL ON. Gross. The fried rice was tasted like boiled rice with soy sauce added. We've been craving some good Asian food, but sadly, this was just not it. Picked up to go. Husband said service at the counter was okay. We are not planning to return

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