Overall: 4/5 - A good Chinese place to satisfy any craving. Quality: 4/5 - The lunch buffet is great, but a bit on the pricier side. This is made up for in the deliciousness of the food, however. The curries are quite good, along with many of the noodle dishes, but some of the meat dishes lack inspiration. Cleanliness: 4/5 - Generally pretty clean, but the tables are sometimes dirty. Environment: 4/5 - Some interesting, but nice decor with plenty of seating. Can get quite loud at times, but is a nice group spot. Service: 4/5 - Typically the service is on point, but there have been drinks forgotten. read more

Visiting out of town on Friday before President's Day. It's a Chinese/Thai buffet served cafeteria style, but was not slow. Salad, fruit & dessert are self-serve. Everything looked & tasted nice. The chicken dishes (green Thai curry, orange, and fried) stood out. Even one plate is enough. They have (rite-aid quality) ice cream & yogurt you can buy. Servers are noticeably more helpful/courteous than in most Chinese food buffets. Parking is a little tight, so pack into one car. Keep up the great work. read more

Great Chinese food and the price is not that bad if you go during lunch. It is always fresh. Their service is quick and friendly. Their portions are always more than what I can eat in one seating so I save some for dinner and again it still taste fresh even after I reheat it. Their yogurt/ice cream is not bad either. Great tasting flavors and a fan favorite with my family. :) read more

Love this place as stated in my other review, but was very surprised to see they DON'T Deliver anymore. Like what the heck. Honestly, very poor choice on their part. Less money and im sure they'll loose alot of buisness. Out of all the restaurants here in rc, very little deliver. We would choose China express on busy week nights or the weekend when having alot going on and now they are no longer a place we can call for delivery. You can call and do takout however or dine in, if thats something you choose to want. read more

This is my favorite Thai/Chinese Buffet anywhere. The reason the price may be considered high is that one can take out their uneaten food, as long as the buffet line was only gone through one time, regardless of how much food was piled on the plate. They will even add small bowls of additional food if there is no more room on your plate. So instead of hassling you for taking too much, they encourage you, and then allow you to take home the leftovers. Do you know of any other buffet that does that? My favorite is the Thai chicken with basil, the curries, and the shrimp. read more

Amazing food. Always tasty. And they deliver. Also have a lunch buffet. Always a good place to order when craving Chinese food.

Me and a co-worker are staying in Ridgecrest doing construction, china express is down the street from where we're staying. The food is great! We've ordered here for the past week. The pepper basil with beef is awesome! If you like spicy ask for your meal very spicy, but be warned, it is extremely spicy. They don't mess around. I love spicy food and even this was an experience of spice level midnight. read more

This is my favorite Asian restaurant in town. I love the Pad Kee Mao and all of the curries. Really nice inside if you want to sit inside but also does takeout. read more

Thainese--winning! In a place where there are not too many options, China Express is a solid establishment for take out. These guys sell decent Chinese food, Better Thai food, and even have a nice little ice cream shop! I recommend their curries over their Chinese, but that is just me. Oh and get the cream cheese wontons :) read more

I should've probably asked but I was in a party of 3 for the lunch buffet a few weeks ago and they charged us $10.25 pp (drinks not included). I've been to A LOT of lunch buffets in my life but this was by far the most expensive price tag for a chinese lunch buffet given that dinner is usually $12-13 pp. The decor is much nicer inside than some of the other restaurants in the area. The arrangement is really strange (something I've never seen before) where you walk up to the counter- very cafeteria style and tell the person behind there what you want. Sanitation wise it is definitely cleaner but I like buffets b/c I can pick EXACTLY how little or big I want my portions to be. The food itself wasn't bad, some things were dry as expected from most buffets. I liked the variety of options although it was still smaller than others I've been to. For the price and odd set up, I probably won't be back but it seemed like a really popular place with constant customers coming in and out. Btw, parking is very minimal in the front. read more

I enjoy this place for its convenient business hours. Enjoy their spicy dishes, but its not spicy enouh sometimes. Regardless, they are one of the few chinese food joints in the city, so i give them a definite recommendation. 8/10 would come again. I actually come here too much to be honest. read more

Its a combination of Chinese and Thai Food. We had the beef fried rice and Kung Pao Chicken and Thai tea with boba . It hit the spot... not bad for a Chinese Place. Can't wait to try their Thai food next time. The only thing is they serve the steam rice right away when they brought the drinks making it cold when the meal finally came. Good think we ordered fried which we end up sharing since the steam rice got cold. I will be back. read more

I'm giving this restaurant 2 stars because I have eaten here many times in the last 10+ years (this location and the old one on the corner of Balsam and Ridgecrest). But never again. I have never been treated like an imposition to waitstaff as I was today. From the beginning, it felt as if the waitress was reluctant to seat us. She sort of motioned to a table and we sat. She asked us what we wanted to drink and we all asked for water to start. 10 min later, a waiter came over to ask for our drink orders. We told him that we had ordered water. He returned fairly quickly with the waters, telling us that she had forgotten them. I thought that was strange because we didn't tell him we had been sitting waiting for very long. At any rate, we did not want the buffet so we asked him for menus, and he brought them right away. Ten minutes later, our waitress returned to take the order but she seemed annoyed that we weren't just going to get the buffet. She actually tried to talk us out of ordering warning us that it would take at least 20 minutes for our food. There are two reasons why we never get the buffet at this restaurant: 1) the food on the buffet is not terribly fresh (as we, and others, have learned the hard way); 2) we have an anaphylactic food allergy and food has to be prepared and kept separate. We also know, from past experience that my daughter's shellfish prevents her from eating/ordering any fried items. In spite of the resistance from the waitress, I ordered several appetizers and I ordered my entree. Then my daughter mentioned her shellfish allergy but then ordered an entree that was not fried. The waitress said she could not have it because of an ingredient. Okay, fine, my daughter ordered something entirely different. Again, the waitress said she could not have it because of an ingredient. I sensed even more resistance from this waitress, almost as if she was deliberately throwing up road blocks. I asked what entree my daughter could order given that she has a shellfish allergy and was told, "nothing." Well, that's fine--better to know this up front--but we obviously cannot eat at this restaurant now. I said as much and the waitress got nervous, realizing we were going to leave. She said that she guessed the cook could leave one ingredient off but she warned us that the food would not taste the same. Um, no, thank you. Proper hygiene when it comes to allergen contamination should not be couched in terms of "I guess" nor is it enough to just leave something out of a dish when it is repeatedly prepared using the same pots and pans. If this waitress is correct, then this restaurant has zero protocol for dealing with anaphylactic allergy. So, yeah, we're not going back. read more

Best Chinese food in town. The service is usually good. The menu is somewhat ectlectic in a good way between Thai and Chinese. Their curries (especially yellow) are good. read more

Always a solid choice for Chinese food in RC. They have a Buffet on Fridays and Saturday nights!! They also have the best Boba Thai Tea in town! read more

From a local: Typical fare... Highly recommend. Food is VERY good; best Chinese in Ridgecrest, a small community in the High Desert of Southern CA. Service is friendly and professional, but can be slow at times, but only due to staffing and popularity. Rest rooms and dining area very clean and sanitary. Wait times for a table/booth range from 2-15 minutes, depending on volume. Ice cream buffet is a very nice treat, especially in the middle of the Mojave Desert. Biggest drawback is that they're CLOSED ON SUNDAY. Which is too bad because where I'm from, that's the ONE day of the week we really enjoyed Chinese food, especially while watching football. read more

Did a great job catering an order for me. The girl on the phone was patient taking a larger order and made good recommendations to accommodate everyone. The staff even came in early to prep and meet an 11am delivery deadline. And the food was very good. read more

Very rude and unprofessional staff/service. My personal waitress was nice but I got dirty looks from the rest of the waitress staff when I tried to fix a technicality about my bill. I really did not want to come to this place to begin with but it was the only thing open on that end of N. China Lake Blvd. When I asked if the restaurant was still open my hostess told me "for another 10 minutes." I ate my food as fast as I could so that I didn't overstay my welcome. The food was definitely greasy. Not sure why I have to feel humiliated and angry for while I was trying to pay for my bill. When I went back to my table my water had been snatched away. I just left. Such a DRASTIC difference in comparison to the super friendly waiter that I had at Casey's Barbeque 2 nights ago!!!!!!!! read more

Absolutely fantastic Thai-Chinese fusion. The fried shrimp are classic and delicious. I would drive 2.5 hours just for the shrimp. I come her for a girl I know and love but the shrimp are one neck of a bonus! read more

This place was actually a lot better than I expected. The food was fresh and delicious. The waitress serves the buffet for you so you never have to worry about other customers messing up the area or contaminating the food. There was a really great variety of food. read more

Food was ok, nothing outstanding. The fried rice wasn't great. The order was rather expensive for what we got ($35 for 2 dinners and cheese wontons, takeout). The service was friendly but overall the food is not worth the price. read more

This is definitely the best Chinese food in town. I probably won't frequent much any more due to poor service the last two times we've been there. There doesn't seem to be any set job responsibility for any of the workers. Having to ask for refills or anything else seems to take away from the experience. One of the more senior waitresses was quite rude upon paying (had to tell her what we ate because we had no check). They did not, nor will not, get a good tip for this service. I start at 20% and take off from there. read more

The only negative I can find with this place is that I've been in town for a year and am just now trying it... 3 weeks before leaving. I've tried most of the other Chinese or Thai places in town and this is hands down the best of all of them. I had the buffet on a Friday night and it was absolutely worth the money. They serve the plate for you, so everyone isn't hovering over the food. Also, they don't seem to overstock the items, so the food seems fresher than what I'm used to getting on a buffet. I didn't try anything that I didn't like. I drink a lot of water when I'm eating and usually just tell my server to bring a pitcher or a few extra glasses. I never even had to do that here, my glass never set empty. The place was clean and staff was very courteous. I'm only in town for 3 more weeks but will definitely be back before leaving!!! read more

Food is marginal with much better to be had in town. We came here because one member of my family likes orange chicken without pepper flakes. They cannot seem to get takeout right. Said 25 minutes for a pickup order...get there and it is going to be another 25 minutes. No notice and no apologies. Seriously unsatisfactory. read more

Best place for Chinese food in town, but can be hit or miss depending on how busy they are. They also have phone trouble more than normal so ordering delivery can be hard at times . Prices are a little high for what you get, the buffet is the way to go . read more

The food here is awesome. I think its the best Chinese food in ridgecrest. Service is always good and delivery is always fast and friendly. I would suggest anyone visiting or even living in ridgecrest to try there food its awesome! read more

One of the best restaurants in Ridgecrest. Admittedly that's not saying a lot, but they do have good Chinese food and even better Thai. I love their curry. The service can be a bit slow at times; although, the people are friendly. When ordering takeout on a Friday or Saturday night, plan for it to take about 45 minutes. Overall, it's one of my favorite restaurants in Ridgecrest. read more

Had to give a 1 star just because the stuff and management didn't say sorry ...:( so story is took my family for the first time because a friend recommended liked the buffet but not the bug in my wife salad yeah:( seriously so showed to one of the workers and she said -yeah those black bugs are everywhere... Not what I wanted to here then another worker came and drop the check off very classy.......... read more

I'm from the East Coast and I have to say this Restaurant comes the closest to the Chinese Food I remember. This is the only place I'll get Chinese take out from. read more

Everything on their menu is amazing! I try to eat something new everytime I go there, but it's hard not to order the ones I'm already craving. Best chinese/oriental food in town! And they deliver :) read more

We ate here during our first week in ridgecrest. It looks small on the outside, but as soon as we walked in we were impressed by how clean and nice the inside of the restaurant was. Even the bathroom was clean. We got the buffet and it was good! They have a nice selection of Chinese food and a few thai items. It was a little different because it's not a self serve buffet. You stand in line and point out which items you want and the server behind the counter makes your plate for you. There is also fruit and salad which you can serve yourself. The frozen yogurt is not included with the buffet, but we were too full afterwards to try any. The food was tasty & my kids loved it too. They keep asking if we can go back, but I think there's no buffet during the week. If you are ever in ridgecrest, you should stop by and eat at this place. I recommend it! read more

Don't let the Chinese Buffet in the title, scare you away. The food they serve here is REALLY GOOD! No kidding!!! I just got the buffet so I could try everything. What surprise! I will eat here again next mont when I pass through. read more

The food is pretty tastey and the buffet is pretty good as well. But you always get the Hershey squirts after

I want to like this place, but I can't. The food seems to dry every time I get it. Like it has been sitting around or it has been cooked ahead of time and reheated. There is better Chinese food in town but it is not cheap sadly. Our town needs a Panda Express stat! read more

This restaurant is just ok. I try to stay away from their bland Chinese dishes, because most of the Thai ones are decent, although usually pretty greasy. I tried the Home Pan Fried Noodles tonight, and wow, it tastes like salt and MSG and sugar and corn starch and nothing else. The vegetables are not overcooked and have a palatable texture, but I only could eat a few bites because the sauce just tasted like salty bland gravy. Shockingly bad food for a dish that costs $11.99. I would expect it at a mall food court where the entrees cost $6. On the "plus" side, it was a huge portion. Maybe another family member with lower standards for flavor will get like 3 meals out of the leftovers. read more

Pretty good asian food. In a town with shrinking options I find myself going here more......

I've eaten here too many times to count and have never been disappointed. Whenever I have friends from out of town visit, this is there favorite place to eat at. read more

Pretty dang good. Stopped in for lunch after visiting a construction site. The have an all you can eat buffet for 8 bucks. I tried the orange chicken and the Mongolian beef. Both were excellent, friendly waitresses. Would defiantly stop in here again. They also have a full ice cream and dessert section. read more

Worst Chinese food I've ever had. Ordered beef and broccoli and chow mein. 80 percent of both my dishes were vegetables/broccoli. Also, food was tasteless. Had to add 5 packets of soy sauce to just my chow mein to have any flavor. Would have rather had Taco Bell for a third of the price. Probably never go here again. read more

In 2007 before I moved away from Ridgecrest, this place was THE BEST. The broccoli chicken was my favorite, but I hadn't had anything bad. I've been back 4 times in the last 12 years and witnessed its slow decline. Now it's the most disgusting, pathetic excuse for Chinese food I've ever had. The broccoli chicken is swimming in a watery sauce of slightly thickened, low-sodium chicken broth with literally no flavor. The soy sauce packets they give you in your to-go order is also low sodium and has zero flavor. Not even busting out the regular Kikkoman (that I bought knowing full well their to-go soy is trash) helped. It's sad that 12 years and a change of location has had such an impact. Might try to come back for the lunch buffet and give more items a shot, but that broccoli chicken is not worth a try again. read more