Cathay Inn has been a family favorite for over 43 years. They offer excellent food, consistently high-quality service and choice, and superlative value. A wonderful restaurant in every way. read more

The food is terrible and not worth it, especially for the price. I've been here three times and will not come again, I wish I hadn't gone back after the first time. The last straw was the vegetable chow mein, which was appallingly bad.... 80% of the veggies on the plate were flavorless bean sprouts and onions, and it was served on a very small amount of dry noodles and pooled in a bland greasy sauce. It was disgusting and not at all worth $12.50. The servers are very nice and they're all great at their jobs, but there is always so little care put into the food. I wanted to give this place a chance as I am a big fan of chinese food but I wish I hadn't come back after the first time. read more

Small portions and over-priced! Too many others Chinese restaurants on north Division that are better!

I have loved the Cathay Inn for years...I don't really understand any bad reviews. My guess is that those reviewers do not know how to order. I love the kung pao, or General's chicken, and add an order of American fried noodles...a nice dish of noodles, crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. I have eaten at many Chinese restaurants around the world, and this is still one of my favorites. Let me add that they have the best Virgin Pina Coladas around too! read more

i came here just for some chinese food. it was pretty satisfactory. The service was fine. I enjoyed the food even though some of it wasn't authentic chinese food. The decor is a tiny bit outdated. The bar is okay, the drinks are reasonably priced. Overall, it was a pretty good meal. I liked the service, the waiters were attentive. I will come back when I am in the area. read more

Wow people...i just dont under stand u all....me and my family have been eating at the cathay inn for years and we have had maybe 2 times of not so good food...but when we talked to them they made it right with us,,,KEEP UP THE GREAT JOB all of u at the cathay inn....u guys ROCK and we love ur food...Thanks for all the great years and many more to come and eat there...As im writing this my son is driving about 40 miles one way just to get ur food ...Thanks... read more

Glad we found our way here. My husband and I celebrated our for 28th year anniversary dinner here and we both were beyond pleased. We ordered him #1 me forgot the # but it was beef and broccoli and almond chicken. We both agreed it kept tasting better the more we ate. I was excited for the food to arrive after eating the super fresh, delicious egg flour soup. No disappointments here and can't wait to eat there again! read more

The service is superb. Food is delicious and reasonable price. Huge parking lot so it's so easy to go in and out. Dining area is big and open meaning not to crowds with displays. Bathroom is clean and stocked. If you're looking for a delicious affordable clean Chinese restaurant, then this is the place for you. You will be greeted with a warm smile. read more

Every time we come through Spokane, we always stop at the Cathay Inn. The food is excellent and the service is always attentive. We have been coming to the Cathay for 45 years! It is the best Asian food. Where we live we cannot find a place comparable to the Cathay Inn! read more

If we could give this restaurant 10 stars we would. We have been eating here since it opened-years. Not often but at least once or twice a year. Every single time the food is perfect. The waitstaff is pleasant, the restaurant itself very clean. A very good sized platter of food for a fair price. For two about $30.00-$35.00. Comparing to other oriental style food restaurants in Spokane they are the Number 1 best. A happy place to eat. Thanks again Cecile and Michael. read more

Not a fan, food horrible, but wait staff beyond sweet. Much prefer New Harbour fresh tasting food,!!

Great Chinese food, good service and friendly staff. I've came here for years and have never had a problem. The soup rocks!

I have just added another restaurant to the places we may never visit again. Mr. and I first met in your lounge on a blind date in November 2002. We have remained loyal customers until tonight. The menu seems to have some changes. The recipe for the chow mein has changed. It was awful. The plates were changed to a smaller plate (more the lunch size) perhaps so they could fill it up and you wouldn't notice that you were getting less at the new increased dinner prices. As if that wasn't enough, I made the mistake of stopping in the restroom on my way out. The janitorial crew has not been doing their job well. There was at least an inch build up of grimy dust along the walls. This is totally unacceptable for the restaurant that formerly had a great reputation. Perhaps it has something to do with the owners attempting to turn the business over to their son. He seems more interested in making money than making a good impression. read more

We eat at Cathay Inn every time we come to Spokane. If you are looking for American-style Chinese food, this is your spot. The portions are huge and the service is great. We've never been disappointed. read more

Food is usually hot. However we have been served with a mid afternoon lunch that was not typical of what we usually have there. Certainly not bad enough not to go back. This is a place we will go when wanting chinese food read more

This was the first resturaunt that i dined at when i arrived in spokane and needless to say it was a let down. The staff and the resturaunt itself was very nice but the food was not sooo good. I myself found that nothing i ordered tasted like anything i had had before. read more

food is really really bad... like i reordered it thinking it was a mistake, it came back the same... really really bad.

This restaurant has been a family favorite for years! Now that I live out of town it's a must visit for anytime I'm home. They are always so friendly and accommodating. The food portions are very generous and food always comes out quickly and piping hot! We've had the same waitress for years. Her name is Newt and she's the best! She recognizes us and always goes above and beyond for us! I've never seen her without a smile! I highly recommend the restaurant and the waitress Newt! read more

Whenever we are in Spokane and hungry for Chinese this is our go to spot all ways great service and the type of food we want way more than we can eat at a good price read more

Worse restaurant ever ... The owner just wants to get the money .. That is all she cares about ... Do not ever have a banquet here .. We had our party here .. Lobster was not fully cooked .. Same for the fish dish .. Everyone couldn't eat at all but we had to pay OVER $1000.00 BUCKS for 4 tables ... Really bad services too .. Were those really considered food for people to eat??? Strongly not recommended ... read more

My wife and I ate here way back in Jan. '08 and we still talk about how utterly horrible the food was. We've both lived in Hawaii and make regular trips to the Bay Area, so I'd like to think that we have a good idea what Chinese food should taste and look like (not to mention that my wife is half Asian). Anyway, here goes..... My father wanted to take us out to eat before we left town after a visit, and recommended the Cathay Inn. It looks like a nice place from the outside. The place has a cool fish tank in the entrance which I enjoyed and the interior of the restaurant is clean. This is where the good part ends. My wife had the almond chicken, fried shrimp, and chow mein plate. The shrimp tasted like a bad version of Long john Silver; greasy breading with a very ketchup-like dipping sauce. The almond chicken was chicken fried in the same greasy breading and swimming in a disgusting sauce of some sort with crushed almonds sprinkled on top. The chow mein was sub-par at best. My meal was much the same, however the exact order escapes my memory.(sorry) One standout moment was when I asked for chili oil or paste to jazz up the flavor. The server looked at me as if I was crazy, then promptly returned from the kitchen and plunked down a small bowl with a clear liquid inside. "Chili oil." she said, and then walked away. I stared in disbelief for a second, then just couldn't resist a small taste of this "chili oil". In went the pinky, and a second later my suspicions were confirmed... plain vegetable oil!?!? WTF? Well to wrap this up, DON'T EAT HERE EVER!!! No seriously...don't. P.S. The folks thought it was fine. Maybe it's cause they don't get out much. Sorry Dad! read more

If you're looking for a wonderful family-run establishment, look no further. Long term friendly staff are eager to help those that walk in the door. They have delicious Americanized Chinese food, and can accommodate many dietary restrictions upon request. Worth visiting multiple times for enhanced experiences, and simply to get to know the team. I've always ordered things I like off the menu and am never disappointed. I am however, also someone who has no qualms about being open to and trying new foods and flavors. Nothing will be the same wherever you go! I love when the hot plates come out and the gravy is poured on. The sizzling sound and fabulous smoky smell are difficult to pass up. Nothing tastier than crispy prawns, crispy chow mein, moist BBQ pork and sweet crispy Pecan Shrimp (a favorite). One of my favorite items are their pan fried handmade dumplings. So crispy and flavorful. The dipping sauce is tasty as well. A must try! Their tea is really flavorful as well. They serve a Chinese Oolong, and it's a wonderful popular and tradition tea from China. If you don't regularly drink tea with your meal, now is a great time to try! Oolong actually helps burn fat and has many health benefits :) As with any place, if you're not sure on something, ask before you order! I hope to see you there sometime! read more

I hate to even give this place one star, but will because the decor was nice at least. I really wish I read the reviews before I wasted over $30. First off, I usually don't like spicy food and like stuff plain and simple. Not overfried or oversauced. I ordered a cup of egg drop soup. I should have left right then and there. The soup tasted like water with an egg and a bunch of peas in it. That many peas in egg drop soup was wierd, but whatever. The lack of flavor was more the issue. Ok, so I get an order of spring rolls. They were so greasy that I had to wipe my hands several times. The insides were cold and the sauce they served with it tasted like vinegar. Did I mention they were $8.95 for 4? A bit pricey, but worth it IF the quality is there. Onto my main course..yeah it gets worse. I ordered shrimp with lobster sauce. What I was served looked more like the after effects of dinner. I was served a large platter full of onions and green peppers smothered in some brownish sauce with I think was scrambled egg and 5 shrimp..yeah I counted 5 shrimp all for the lovely price of $14.95. I ate my 5 shrimp because I was too annoyed and tired to cause a scene in sending back the order. It was also as flavorless as everything else I had that evening. I didn't bother taking the left overs home nor did I wish to waste any more money to get a to-go order for my husband (who was at home babysitting). I drove to Noodle Express and got take out and was much more satisfied with the taste, price and shrimp amount. The service was friendly, but that was about the only good thing I can say about this place. The fact that it's way over-priced makes my horrible meal even that much horrible. KEEP DRIVING PAST THIS PLACE!!!!!! read more

As your driving down Division, you see this Chinese restaurant looks attractive from the outside and you say to yourself it must good, they look successful. And you would be so far from the actual truth. For the love of god please read the yelp reviews before ever setting foot in here. If we can just save one more person from a frozen Eggroll that's still frozen in the middle when served, life would be just a little bit better. If it's any consolation, they were still WAY better then the Ethiopian restaurant, at least I actually received food. read more

Talk about slow service! My son and I arrived@11:30am, and was finally served@12:15, people that came in after us was was served before we were! We ordered 2 "specials" no substitutions or anything out of the ordinary. I could only hope that the food would be worth the wait, I was sadly disappointed. There wasn't even a lunch rush at this time. When we left, I felt like warning people that were coming in about the tasteless food, and lengthy wait. read more

Had dinner on July 26, 2015 around 6 PM, and the service was horrendous. Waited 30 minutes to get the appetizer, which came with the meal. It's an appetizer, you know.... Waitress had an attitude every time we asked about our food. What a disappointment. We used to come here a lot, but no more until we hear the service has improved. It's a shame that a long-term great restaurant has fallen - time to get some new help. read more

My family and I have been coming to this restaurant for many years so it's time that I finally take the time to write a review our first server that we ever had the experience to dine with her name was so young she was absolutely amazing and we loved her company and we ate there at least twice a week when she retired we met a gal named not little tiny bitty thing she is absolutely amazing and goes above and beyond the expectations of any server my family and I were celebrating my moms birthday and we called for days prior to a large reservation of 32 people we were told we could not be waited on by her because she did not work till 4 o'clock in the afternoon to our surprise as we came in the door she was there to greet us all take fantastic care of me and my family I made it so special for all of us thank you for everything you do for family noot read more

In my opinion the Cathay Inn is very special. My Grandfather liked to go their a lot. Years ago. They still have good quality service and food. I still like to go their when I can. read more

I notice that there are a number of negative reviews especially from out of town people. I find that interesting because I live in Spokane and I had several family members from out of town here for the Regional Volleyball Tournament last week. We were looking for a restaurant that could seat us together so we went to the Cathay Inn. We were greeted in a friendly manner and they went out of their way to arrange tables so we could all sit together. The service was fast & efficient and the food was very good! Which makes me wonder about the negative reviews I'm seeing. They don't match with our very enjoyable experience my family and I had at The Cathay Inn. We recommend it highly! read more

I attended a family get together here a couple of days ago and was very disappointed. The food was below average and that is being generous. I had the "special shrimp" with "special" rice and "special"noodles. Now, when you see the word special, maybe you're thinking they must be uummm..... special? Needless to say there was nothing "special" about this meal. The 3 whole "jumbo" shrimp, that must have been the runts in the family, were heavily battered and ridiculously greasy. The rice and noodles were packed with pork, a point not mentioned on the menu, a meat I don't eat. When I asked the server for a meat free rice and noodles, she seemed annoyed but eventually brought over-cooked white rice and lo mein. I will say the lo mein was flavorful, thank goodness for soy sauce, hence the second star. I will also mention that it's insulting that the kids and "senior" menu are the same. What are they trying to insinuate? In a nutshell, if you want to enjoy amazing asian food....don't eat here. NOT recommended! read more

Our favorite place for Chinese food! Great service and great food, whether it a family dinner or appetizers and drinks in the bar for date night. Worth the drive from the south hill! read more

Ordered 3 #2s to go $56. We all ended up with stomach issues. Chicken seemed over cooked bit I'm thinking now that it was bad. I will never eat there again!! Over priced, bland, and improperly cooked. Take your money elsewhere. read more

Should have read the reviews before going here! The place was empty when we went at 5 pm, this should have been a tip-off. Despite the fact that there was only one other small group (less than 4 people), the service was very slow and not impressive altogether. The food was luke-warm and so bad that no one finished their dish. Also very expensive. read more

It is disappointing to see negative reviews of one of Spokane's iconic restaurants. I have been a fan of the Cathay Inn since I was a child. My parents and grand parents took us there many times. And it is a favorite place for my family. My children and grand children love it. The food and service are both great. The food is delicious, and the servings are large enough that you can always take come home. The servers have been there for many years and treat customers like family. Just writing this review makes me hungry for Chinese food so I am going to "Come on in to the Cathay Inn" tonight for dinner! read more

Great bar, great selection of pulltabs. Always good food and great service! Will be back often.

Terrible, never returning. My wife and I are vacationing from California, and I do have to admit we live in a food hub and have great Chinese food included in our area. But, our experience at Cathay Inn was terrible, I will never eat here again. To start with, it took 10 minites just to seat us, the place was all but empty mind you, and then another 20 before our waiter even appeared, and that's only because we finally got up and asked. The service from there was polite but mediocre. Then the food, absolutely terrible. The vegetables taste like frozen store bought, the chow mein is not chow mein but rather slimy vegetables with crunchy noodles, and so on. My apologies to the restaurant, but we tried. We frequent Spokane to visit lifelong friends, and neither them nor us will ever eat here again. Very disappointed. I encourage the management to revamp their menu. It seems to me that Spokane has a need for a really good, and authentic, Chinese restaurant. read more

Aweful. Never had worse Chinese food in my life. The waitress was nice and the soup was ok but aside from that it was one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had. The saltine crackers were stale. My wife ordered one dinner combo and I ordered another. Not one dish tasted good. Honestly the gas station around the corner could make better Chinese food. I will never be dining here again. read more

This is the worst Chinese food in all of Spokane or maybe the USA. Almond fried chicken sauce should not be dark brown. Fried rice should not have to choked down with water because it is so dry. I know that Spokane cannot make chinese food to save their lives but at I should be able to go to a resturant without being sick. Way to expensive it is garbage. Save the money and dont go there you will regret it!!! read more

Not good! A group of seven - our table only had three menus to look at, we waited too long for the order to be taken; the soup was luke warm and most of the meals were less than expected for the price. This has been a favorite of ours several years ago, but we have seen the quality decline. My husband and I had the same - the egg rolls were greasy, the prawns were soggy and too much breading and the sweet & sour pork tough. We have much better Chinese restaurants in Coeur d'Alene, ID. read more

Since the early 1970's, and until just the last couple of years, Cathay Inn was somewhere I truly enjoyed ordering Chicken SubGum Chow Mein. Delicate and unique flavored creamy sauce, crispy fresh vegetables and crisp chow mein noodles with delicate tender chunks of chicken. Apparently the restaurant has changed hands in the last few years because now their Chicken SubGum Chow Mein is nothing more than a soggy and watery sauced plate of overcooked vegetables (mostly corn) and tough chicken that allows no other flavor to be tasted and enjoyed other than that of strong garlic. Disgusting. I wish the chef that was there for all those years had shared his recipe with the new owners/management. I'll never eat there again. read more