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China Express

3.2 (247 reviews)
InexpensiveChinese
Open • 11:00 am - 8:30 pm

China Express Photos

Business Info

CHINA EXPRESS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - China Express

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Reviews With Photos

Shrimp W.lobster Sa
Alethea A.

Very fast service, tasty shrimp in lobster sauce, came with rice and more than 1 shrimp per $! (I don't know if that's typical). Fed 2 people for ~$18. And I didn't break out in hives which happens occasionally when shrimp aren't fresh/cleaned properly. Definitely a takeout kinda spot though (there are only 4 tables, 2 in and 2 out). Do the business a favor and pay cash.

Kung Pao Three Flavored
Kendra P.

How have I lived in Pasadena all these years and never even heard of this place is beyond me. My husband drove by it one day and thought that we should try it, so we got takeout one night. I would say best affordable, quick Chinese food in the area. Huge portions and everything was made to order, not sitting under a heat lamp. The food was so hot it still was too hot to eat once we got it home. They pack the to go containers to the brim, we had serval meals for leftovers. The people there, I would have to assume are the owners are very nice people. The place is small and I would mostly think people come for the takeout. I will definitely be going back again when I have that craving for Chinese food.

Menu September 2023
Thomas K.

Got the Mongolian beef during their lunch special. It was just ok. You get a heavy container with a lot of food. But the rice and onions are filler. Not too much meat. Very oily. Each onion piece was coated in oil. The flavor was just ok. Not terrible but not great. I want to like and support this place. It has a small business mom and pop feel to it. The food however was not worth making my way here again for. It would be like a no name chinese stand at the food court of a mall. I didnt hate it but didnt love it. Solid 3 stars

China Express Chicken Broccoli .

Went for a bike ride in El Prieto , was really hungry for Chinese food I googled and read a few reviews . Five minutes later I was ordering Chicken Broccolli. Not in the menu, but I heard the lady before me order it. The broccolli was perfectly cooked (not soft nor mushy nor hard) just the right soft crunch moist with egg drop soup flavor . The chicken was sliced in a way that I thought it was fish, but as my mouth encapsulated it , it was indeed a delicious soft chicken with the light sauce (like an egg drop soup flavor) from the broccoli that mixed to the chicken. The Side of fried rice had just enough light saltiness to pop out tha complemented the veggie and chicken. There was also in in a small bag a spring roll delightfully light and didn't seem greasy plus a crunchy wonton . A garlic pepper sauce was included but I would have preferred a slightly , crunchy toasted chile oil or toasted garlic sesame oil. No Diet Coke in cans only in bottle. BUT for $13 this was something I would drive from West Hollywood to Altadena! I pinned China Express in my map!

Shrimp with China peas lunch speacial. (Egg roll not shown)

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5 months ago

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3 months ago

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11 days ago

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23 days ago

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3 months ago

I've been here 3 days in a row the food has not missed and it's cooked fresh at the spot I recommend teriyaki chicken

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1 year ago

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8 months ago

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2 years ago

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1 year ago

Good quality food for a good price. Quick and friendly service. I get the food to go, but there are tables there if you choose to eat in.

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7 months ago

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1 year ago

Fast and ready in less than 15 minutes and delicious big portions. Prices were decent and not stingy on the meat products in our choices.

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3 years ago

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

Good food specials they have great service and the lunch specials are 7days a week, not just weekdays

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

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5 years ago

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

Great food. Bad Customer Service. The lady taking orders gives you attitude when you ask for extra hot sauce!

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3 years ago

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5 years ago

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2 years ago

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4 years ago

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4 years ago

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2 years ago

Love it here, I will definitely come here again and again. The food is nice and the service is quick.

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Ask the Community - China Express

Are they open now?

Yes. 11:30-8:30pm

Is China Express closed? I've been trying to go for the last week!

Why is it closed

Do they use MSG?

Probably but it's good! Just drink lots of water after

View All 4 Questions

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Noodle St

Noodle St

(1k reviews)

$$

After a long day of walking around, we decided to warm up at Noodle St. Being able to check-in with…read moreYelp was super helpful and gave us a good idea on wait time. Once we were seated, we were met with a friendly server who offered recommendations to our party depending on spice levels. I tried their beef fried rice and the portions were huge for the price! I had to get a braised egg and it made for such a great combo. I also tried their chili oil and loved how spicy it was. I wish there was a Noodle St. close to my city!

We were served two small bowls of cucumber at the start of our meal and assumed it was a…read morecomplimentary side (similar to what a lot of Korean restaurants do). We didn't question it and started eating. Midway through our meal, the manager came over and said it was actually a mistake - that the cucumbers were a paid item. He gave us two options: keep eating and get charged, or have it taken away and not be charged. At that point, we had already eaten about half. Of course, we declined the extra charge since we genuinely thought it came with our order. What happened next is what lost me as a customer. The manager took the dish and immediately dumped it in the trash right behind me, where I could hear it. It felt unnecessary and honestly a bit disrespectful. A better way to handle it would've been to acknowledge the mistake and just comp the dish this time. Instead, it turned into an awkward moment over what couldn't have been more than a few dollars' worth of cucumbers. Not a great experience, and not a place I'd return to based on how this was handled.

Mama Lu’s Dumpling House - spicy wontons pork & shrimp(10)

Mama Lu’s Dumpling House

(407 reviews)

$$

Came here after seeing it all over social media, and honestly... it lived up to the hype. Be…read moreprepared for a wait, especially during peak hours, but the turnover is pretty quick. We ordered the pork soup dumplings, pan-fried dumplings, and beef roll. The soup dumplings were the highlight -- thin skin, super juicy, and packed with rich broth. Just be careful because they come out really hot. The pan-fried dumplings had a crispy bottom with a juicy, flavorful filling, which I loved for the texture contrast. The beef roll was also really good -- flaky on the outside with tender beef inside, and a nice savory sauce that ties everything together. Portions are generous and prices are pretty reasonable for the quality. It definitely has that busy, no-frills SGV dumpling house vibe, but the food is what you're here for. Overall, I'd come back when I'm craving comfort food and dumplings done right.

I love Mama Lu's so much. It's my go-to comfort spot. I came here with my friends who live in the…read morearea and I've never been to the Pasadena location before. We ordered some of my favorites: -Crispy pan fried noodles with seafood -Beef Chow fun -yang chow fried rice -seaweed fish -ha gow -sauteed green beans You can never go wrong with the crispy fried noodles. They're so flavorful and crispy at the same time. and it comes with so much seafood and bok choy so you're getting your veggies in. The beef chow fun was addicting I couldn't stop eating the noodles. The flavor was just too good. I also was very surprised at their yang chow fried rice. The pork meat was so good and the rice was perfectly cooked. If you haven't tried the seaweed fish it's a very unique dish I recommend if you like fried fish, this is a very tasty fish. It's green but it tastes so good. I love ha gow, you can never go wrong with a shrimp ball steamed in rice paper. And always gotta get the green beans in for that veggie dish. The green beans are flavorful and crunchy in the right places. I had a really great time. It's honestly really fun to come here with a big group of people to enjoy a really delicious family style Chinese meal. They also give free peanuts for appetizer and serve jasmine hot tea which gave me so much energy for my dinner! The service here is also really nice the waiters and waitressses are so friendly and helpful. You can always get a refill on your waters and tea. There are also a selection of drinks to choose from. I'm on a no sugar diet because I've been having too much sugar lately or else i would have ordered more! ALSO park across the street! There is a lot for $1 for 2 hours and addition $2 for another hour I think. I ended up only paying $3 for 2 hours and 15 min. Had too much fun at my dinner.

Yang Chow - M-F lunch specials

Yang Chow

(711 reviews)

$$

Upon recommendation, I decided to visit this restaurant with a friend. We really enjoyed the…read moreslippery shrimp ($24.50) and Szechuan (orange) chicken ($22.50). Bowls of steamed rice cost $2.50, and we each got one. Portions are generously large and worth the cost; we took leftovers home. The tea offered to us tasted good. The slippery shrimp had a nice crisp with a pleasant blend of sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors. There's a slight spice from the red chili that felt mild on my tongue. This was our first time trying out the dish, and we liked it the most. The orange chicken tasted solid, and it had a slightly crispy texture. For some reason, the rice had an aftertaste I wasn't familiar with, but it was still fresh. There was a fortune cookie at the end of our meal. I'd come back for the slippery shrimp and order something other than the orange chicken. The restaurant opened at 11:30 am, and we were one of the first customers to dine in. The ambience was quiet and relaxed, but they got busier as many more people arrived. Service was good as the staff packed our leftovers in containers for us. Our server asked us where we were from as he was used to seeing regulars during the time we visited. Before we exited, we took some time to see framed photos of celebrities who visited Yang Chow before, including Conan O'Brien and Magic Johnson.

I've been coming to this and the Chinatown location for the last 30 years. The Chinatown location…read moreused to be better; but, over the last couple of years it seems to have reversed. For whatever reason, the quality of the food in Chinatown has deteriorated very badly while Pasadena has improved. The slippery shrimp is always the attraction. The braised string bean is one of the best in town. Fish fillet with wine sauce is always one of my gotos. My only complain about this place is they should use much better quality rice.

Lunasia Dim Sum House

Lunasia Dim Sum House

(2.5k reviews)

$$

Perfect family dim sum experience for us…read more We took out my parents and in-laws for dim sum: my parents' very first time ever. We did wait about an hour, but honestly I didn't mind at all because it gave us a chance to relax, talk, and catch up as a family. Once we were seated, my parents were immediately impressed with the decor: elegant and cultural without feeling overly modern or cold. And can we talk about the tea kettles? They looked like literal pieces of art being poured at the table. Ordering was super easy with the QR code system, so my husband handled the whole spread: shumai dumplings, chicken feet, sesame balls, and more. Everything came out hot, fresh, and beautifully plated. The ENTIRE table agreed on one thing: the chili oil condiment deserves to be sold in bottles to take home. It was that good. Smoky, just the right amount of spicy, and addictive. Now for the real test: my in-laws. They've been to *many* dim sum places and are not easily impressed. They declared this place to have the best chicken feet that they've ever had: meat easily sucked off the bone, melt-in-your-mouth tender, and perfectly seasoned. High praise coming from dim sum veterans. Most importantly, my parents' first dim sum experience couldn't have been better. They loved everything from the ambiance to the food to the overall experience. My husband and I want to come back to explore more of the menu because there's clearly so much more to try

Hubby wanted to get dim sum for new year and luckily we live close to Lunasia. Like most locations,…read morethe food is pretty consistent and the servers are pretty attentive. This location is pretty spacious and even has a second floor for dining. Though we were seated inside, a lot of people were coming in and out for take out. They have a QR code to scan the menu and send your order to the kitchen. Unfortunately, they forgot our order of shumai. We had already finished eating before it even came. The waitress was kind but apparently had to bring the receipt back because the staff was claiming we already received it.

Sichuan Street Food - stir fried celtuce

Sichuan Street Food

(101 reviews)

$$

I've been coming here at least once a week for the past five months, and this place continues to…read moreimpress every single time. The service is consistently great... attentive, efficient, and genuinely welcoming. Fair warning for anyone new to Sichuan cuisine, the dominant flavor is "spicy". That said, the dishes are not just about heat... they're layered, aromatic, and incredibly well-balanced. Every dish I've tried has been outstanding, both in flavor and presentation. If you're a fan of bold, authentic flavors and reliable service, this spot is definitely worth visiting. Tip - If you're new to the cuisine, I strongly recommend getting everything MILD spicy. I've been told by some of my colleagues that MILD spicy is still pretty spicy, so be warned. With that said, strongly recommend the dishes below. Lamb with Cumin 11/10 - My favorite dish here by far. Aromatic, flavorful, and the spices are just on point. Dan Dan Noodles 9/10 - Solid and consistently good. The sauce is properly seasoned and truly compliments the perfectly cooked noodles. Shredded Cabbage with Pork 9/10 - Not to be confused with twice cooked pork. This dish is so simple and bland looking, but it's packed with flavor... so good! Garlic Pork Belly 8/10 - This is a cold dish. The meat was perfectly cooked and properly coated in chili oil. Solid and consistently good. Kung Pao Chicken 8/10 - In my opinion, it's an elevated Kung Pao Chicken. Solid and consistently good.

This place is crazy good. When you think of Szechuan food you're probably thinking SPICE, but you…read morecan adjust the heat of most of the dishes here so you're not frying your tongue off. It can get really busy, though, so expect to wait or just call in your order and take your food to go. I recommend the soy sauce tofu with beef dish. It's fire. Massive W. Gen Z words. Good.

Colette

Colette

(1k reviews)

$$

I dine semi-frequently at Colette, as I live nearby. I lately have been ordering the same…read morefavourite dishes each time. I was surprised to read here on Yelp that the original famed chef left for a few years and recently returned, because I did not notice any major changes in the quality of the dishes I usually order. The current manager was my waiter this time, and he said that staffing has been a challenge; he himself also worked here, left , and returned. Colette offers a somewhat non-traditional, somewhat elevated menu, not as varied as other Chinese places, although they do offer dim sum and lunch specials. Note the menu on the website is old and kind of obsolete; the newer menu, which is laminated and has photos, is more extensive. The dish I always order is their fabulous chayote minced pork. I've also ordered their live lobster when I have a hankering. They have the lobsters and crabs in tanks on view, priced per pound. They can prepare it in several ways; I always choose stir-fried with ginger and scallions and add noodles. They also have some specialty dishes like winter melon soup that you must order in advance. I ordered 3 other dishes, only one for the first time. That was honey-glazed beef cubes. Slices of beef covered in sliced almonds on a bed of asparagus with an orange sauce that was similar to orange marmalade. Tasty and unique. The other 2 dishes that I've had before were the golden yolk luffa and the goo-loo pork (aka sweet and sour pork). Luffa is a gourd (like a cucumber) that is edible when young, but turns into the fibrous sponges we bathe with when mature. It's slighty bitter, here stir-fried with salted egg yolk. The pork was pretty traditional, slightly elevated with the addition of strawberries. For me, a reliable neighbourhood spot for Chinese. I hope they can keep it together.

We used to come here with anticipation of a great meal. But no more. I ordered the chicken feet -…read moretruly normally very special here due to the abalone sauce - and they said they did not have it today. First time that ever had happened. Then ordered their flagship dish - shrimp paste and crispy chicken skin - and this time it was three times as think, gummy, gelatinous, and tasteless. Never again. Then the tofu with mushrooms used to be the only tofu I ordered out - but it was no longer freshly prepared! Instead the tofu must have come out of a box of pre-prepared breaded and fried bricks that were hard to cut! Awful! One redeeming quality was the honey walnut shrimp but the melon was missing. Then we heard that there was an ownership change! And the chef had left! I could not confirm anything because the sweet waitress did not know English very well. Just another mediocre Chinese restaurant to skip. SO SAD!!!

China Express - chinese - Updated May 2026

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