Food was just horrible. I don't get the glowing reviews. Maybe we ordered the wrong things, but doesn't excuse how bad it was. Orange Beef. Very dry and stiff meat drowning in thick goopy sauce. I couldn't eat it. Spicy Salty Pork Chop. Again the meat was just so dry and hard but at least it tasted a little better than the orange beef. Pan fried bun thing. So horrible, thick wrapper and little filling. Beef Flat Noodle. Quite possibly the saving grace if not for...dry and hard meat. Seeing a trend? The noodle is actually great howeve and I can believe it's freshly made. Very unhappy. Maybe I should've stuck with noodle dishes but I won't be back. Go to Tony Cheng instead. read more

I tried the vegetable dumplings here. The dumpling flavor was actually very good: they had egg, cabbage, & rice noodles on the inside. However, the dumplings were served room temperature. They were not warm, which was what I was expecting, and that really detracted from their flavor. The meal easily could have been 4 stars if it was just served warm. The complimentary tea tasted similar to oolong tea to me and I thought it was pretty good and refreshing. The ambiance of the restaurant reminded me of New York's Chinatown: no frills here's the food vibes. The food also came out extremely quickly and I think this is a good place for lunch. Overall: would I go back? Yes. Would I recommend to a friend? For a quick bite during a lunch break, yes. I would not say go out of your way to try to eat here. read more

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My go-to Chinese restaurant in DC. A no frills what you see is what you get establishment. I like that they have ducks hanging in the sidewalk window, and you see the chef making the dumplings in real time. I'm a fan of the duck noodle soup. read more

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Chinatown Express is our favorite Chinese restaurant in DC. We have been coming here for over 40 years. It is not a fancy place, but they serve up authentic Chinese food as evidenced by who eats here. We wanted to introduce our friends to this restaurant. We enjoyed Wonton Soup, Barbeque Roast Pork, Fried Rice, and a Roast Pork and Wonton Soup - all delicious and served piping hot. The portions are generous. You might find the staff not as chatty or as friendly as you might want them to be. I think this because they are not completely fluent in English. Don't be surprised when you get your bill and it is written in Chinese! read more

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Things have changed. It's too mediocre these days. I came at a busier time and was seated upstairs. The tables were more communal style, so a pair was seated at the table and then a family of four. I ordered the steam pork dumplings and duck noodles. It was a fail. The standard with rice would have been a better option. The dumplings arrived and we're sad looking. Dry, overcooked, sitting out and recooked we're all things that came to mind. It tasted dense. Sad. The noodles arrived and drenched in sauce. Pouring a lot soy sauce on things isn't wise. The duck didn't have much meat, just the ends with bones. It wasn't good. I left very disappointed. The poor family who sat with us had their order dropped off at another table. That table poked at it and said it wasn't theirs. The server took it back and gave it to the family, who commented that it was touched. read more

Chinatown Express - Steam pork buns. Dry... - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Must experience in DC Fresh noodles made in the window. With 4 sauces to spice it up. read more

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This place is pretty divey The food is below average but it's cheap comparing to the surrounding restaurants and sometimes quick it's a hit or miss don't quote me Last time I went there I ordered the Singapore noodles and the curry was still stuck to the noodles as powder they did not even bother to make them properly it was OK edible but definitely made below the standard. The service on the other hand is pretty sucky they take forever and unfortunately they do not speak English so it doesn't matter how hard you try to ask for something chances are you're not gonna get it and it takes forever to get the payment made to the point I had to get up leave my table and try to go and pay read more

Chinatown Express - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

2.5 stars! Please take heed! I'm being a bit generous here with my rating. I really wanted to like this place with their hand pulled noodles and mixed reviews, but sadly it was a let down. I should I have listen to the other 2 star reviews, cuz they were on point. Sadly, the food was bland... ugh! We ordered the hand made seafood dumplings, house special lo mein, and the noodle duck soup. Everything was under seasoned, except for the roasted duck, but the soup and noodles were bland. The dumpling wrappers were too thick, and the filling was sparse. The noodles did have good chewy texture, but that was the only highlight. Definitely a tourist trap due to their Washington newspaper review from several years ago. I would have given only 2 stars, but the service was above average for a Chinese restaurant. So beware if you want to chance it here :/ read more

Chinatown Express - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Leave it to the pretentious AHole's of DC to hate on a place like this. Something I've noticed about a large portion of the residents here - they love "Culture" until they ACTUALLY experience another one! This place is as authentic as it gets. Dumplings and pork buns reminded me of the ones that my Chinese teacher and her mother used to bring in back for class back in my high school days. The place was packed with Mandarin being spoken all around us. But leave it to the Better than Thou morons of DC to say it's "not good enough" for them. If they wrapped the place up in modern decor, stuck it in Georgetown, and charged $50 a plate they'd be hailed across the city with 5 star reviews read more

Duck, duck, noodles! This place is known for two things - roast duck and handmade noodles. You'll see the ducks hanging in the window and you'll often see the noodles being pulled. You can get your duck and noodles fried or served in soup. You won't go wrong with either. Don't neglect the spice rack on the table! Fun no frills spot that hasn't changed much in decades. read more

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I have been to this restaurant twice now and I am pretty impressed with the quality of the food. The restaurant looks like a little hole in the wall , so naturally I had to try it. The curb appeal is not much but you will definitely notice the ducks hanging on the window. If you are lucky, you will get to see the master dough maker inside the display windows doing his thing. He makes some of the best noodles I have ever tried. The first time I was there , we ordered a ton of food and everything we tried was delicious. We were super hungry and I hesitated to write a review in case my hunger had clouded my judgment. Today, I went back in there. Again the dumplings were delicious. The meat was out of this world. Best duck I have ever had!!@ read more

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The restaurant is a JOKE. Waitress was impatient even to offer us ice water. We noticed their southern accent so we ordered steamed soup dumplings and beef noodles. Look at what we got! The skin of the dumpling was more hard and thick than a wall, almost choked eating it. And the noodles they claimed to be freshly hand made was clearly did by machine, not chewy at all, taste like jelly. read more

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I was on a trip in DC and while i was walking on Chinatown I found this place we didn't have food we only had some dumplings I didn't like them that much but my daughter liked them a lot that's why I'm given them a 3 stars. I wish we could have tried some food but we were full. read more

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So disappointing! We we looking forward to having a good meal here! We stumbled across this place 15 years or so ago and we're delighted to see it again!! Lin Han wasn't making noodles at the time but a lady skillfully and rapidly made dumplings. I chose the leek and pork dumplings. The fried side was great but the non fried size was good and not pleasing. The hot and sour soup is as asexual! All vinegar. So sad. I couldn't even doctor it up to make it edible. We'll, that's what we get for not ordering anything with noodles!! read more

I also walk by this store and now realize why. The food was absolutely horrible. I ordered double cooked pork and it was the most bland dish I've ever had from a carryout. the curry shrimp and eggroll were slightly better but still awful. I will NEVER return read more

This place was delicious! We went here on a whim and were impressed by the food. The service was slightly intimidating but it was ok because the food was great. read more

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Was excited to eat here due to reviews but this was nothing to write home about and was surprisingly expensive! It really looks better than it tasted, was just bland and needed a lot more flavor. Ordered takeout and went after the time we were given yet the food was not ready. It wasn't bad but def better places in the area I would rather get Chinese takeout from. Also the spring rolls have shrimp and egg rolls have pork. Just something that wasn't on the menu--we assumed they were both vegetarian. read more

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I wanted to give Chinatown Express a higher review but when you forget the order and don't seem to be apologetic about it, then it puts a bad taste in my mouth. I decided to come here after watching Wreck It Ralph 2, and decided to go non-keto with a nice cheat meal. I ordered the chow fun, which are thick rice noodles with beef, along with sweet and sour pork and my s/o wanted to get himself some hot and sour soup. The noodles never came out which was such a shame, because sweet and sour pork should accompany something more savory since that dish is tangy! We wanted to wait a bit longer and eventually asked for our check because we were getting impatient. Turns out, they never got the order ready, and asked if we still wanted it. I wasn't going to pay for them to make a forgotten order, so we declined and went home. The service is quick for the most part but forgetting our order was such a pain. read more

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Mad that it's taken me so long to get in here and try it, after having walked past the window watching them roll noodles and fill dumplings for years. Stopped in for lunch. They have a good selection of lunch options for $6.95 which is pretty unreal for the area. But I came for the noodles. I had the noodle soup with roast pork, an order of pan-fried pork and leek dumplings, an egg roll and spring roll. The rolls were good. Large and crispy. Spring roll is the winner here but both were good with the hot mustard and sweet chili sauces. Dumplings were amazing. Thicker wrapper than others, so you can appreciate the texture of the handmade wrap that was chewy and delicious. Add some soy and chili oil and these are amazing. The noodle soup was also amazing. Roast pork was delicious, noodles had great texture - thicker round noodles, almost udon-like but more chewy. The broth is good, but once you add some garlic and chili oil it's great. Super filling bowl of soup. I'll be back for more noodles and dumplings, as well as the roast duck. read more

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Come here for the typical basic dishes and you will not be disappointed. During the spring and summer months, I prefer to sit outside. Maybe this could be the reason why I haven't received bad service. It's always been prompt and great customer service. You're not just assigned one waitress, but there might be 2 to 3 different people working your table. I never had to raise my hand to request anything. It could be also due to the outside seating being small with only six tables. My go to items is the Chicken and Shrimp Fried Rice. Either one you cannot go wrong. The size is large and they do not use the typical cheap peas/carrot vegetables like most Chinese restaurants. Tasty and I never had to add salt or soy sauce because it's seasoned just right. The Dumplings are delicious too! They offer free unlimited tea. Pros - Tasty Shrimp/Chicken Fried Rices - Dumplings - Unlimited Tea - Fast/Prompt service when sitting outside - Reasonable prices read more

Chinatown Express - Chicken Fried Rice - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

It's a cozy spot but the food needs improvement. Xiao long bao (soup dumplings) were mediocre, one ripped open on arrival. I've had a lot of beef chow funs in my life but this was not a good one. Greasy and taste was off, might need a new wok. Also had the seafood noodles.. the sauce was thickened with too much corn starch which made it thick like jelly that was unfortunately unsavory. I get that this is a no frills type of spot but I didn't think I got my moneys worth (~$55 for 2 mediocre noodle dishes and appetizer). Would be a great place if the food quality was better. read more

"There was an attempt." - the gentleman at the table right next to me We were reluctant coming into the restaurant because of the 3.0 review on here. Walking inside, however, it looked pretty promising with the food up front and the amount of people inside. The service isn't as mean as some of these reviews make it out to be. At most, they're indifferent. I never got any overly mean vibes. Wait time was also average. We ordered their "made to order" fried pork and leek dumplings. The wrapper was kinda thick and the flavor of the pork was barely noticeable. I'm not sure if it just wasn't fresh or just straight up wasn't seasoned well. We also had their claim to fame fresh noodles and we chose beef. I could only really taste garlic (as per the large chunks of fried garlic) and some salt, if either at all. The beef was fine. The texture wasn't good enough or bad enough to comment on. I don't really know how to describe how it tasted, but I do have this comment: if your average, run of the mill, mall food court Chinese restaurant makes better fried noodles than your claim to fame, something has gone wrong. Also, I included a picture of the Sichuan Beef we ordered. It was probably the most decent item out of everything. Beef texture was actually kinda soft, but overall, flavor and ingredient wise? That. Was. Not. Sichuan. If you've had hot-pot or literally any Sichuan flavored menu item, you know just from looking at that jawn that that was not Sichuan. Biggest red flag right there. For a short summary for my other young folks, mid. "THE FOOD WAS SO BLAND" - my mom read more

Chinatown Express - Fried Noodle with Beef - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Definitely worth trying. Service is quick. Plenty of food options, bbq pork is my go to dish here. Dumplings were subpar, too much dough not enough filling. read more

Chinatown Express - Bbq pork - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Walked into this place and immediately felt like I was in China it was a family restaurant, you could tell, with old man in the window making noodles, the young kids at a table shucking some kind of vegetable- peas I think, the mom and her cousins waiting on tables the whole place felt good to me - and the food: nothing to complain about, top notch dishes. I spent 20 minutes looking at the menu - totally in awww of the amount of dishes and pondering what I was going to choose. it finally dawned on me - duck Ramen soup....then I started noticing everyone around me was ordering the exact same thing I told my wife they must be copying me and that i had unknown power to influence people and make friends. then at the end of the meal I looked up and saw the resturant had a giant news article on the wall saying that that is the best dish in the entire restaurant they are known for this dish !!! ooops, no one was copying me - i was not influencing anyone, they were reading the article on the wall either way, great experience. we would definitely do it again #duckSoupForLife read more

Great homemade noodles Try the duck I come here often now Service is fast Staff is nice read more

Chinatown Express - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I rarely leave reviews but this was bad. Restaurant is filthy, food was cold and flavorless. Staff was rude and unattractive. Don't go!!! read more

Chinatown Express - Thick cold undercooked dumpling - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Prices are affordable, but quality is lacking. My friend and I came on a Friday between lunch and dinner, and we were seated immediately. Their daily specials included house made noodles (fried or in a soup) with different options for protein- beef, roasted duck, chicken, seafood, vegetable, or roasted pork at 9.95. It's hard to find a restaurant meal entree at this price! However, the broth was bland and the noodles were overcooked. The noodles that were supposed to be the star of the dish had no chew on them and was overly soft. Wish the broth was seasoned. I did like the bok choy to get some greens for the day. The garlic chips and slices of green onions helped to put some pops of sharpness from the monotonous bowl of soup. We also tried the steamed pork dumplings that were just okay. The dumpling wrapper was on the thicker and chewier side, but the pork filling actually had flavor. read more

Chinatown Express - Beef Noodle Soup - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Overall, this place isn't too bad. The food is priced decently, but there are some minor problems. The pork buns, which are more like soup dumplings were dry and kinda lacking flavor. I would say, maybe if I went again, they could be better, but who knows. The fried noodles with roasted duck was really good. Also, for $8, I think it's probably one of the more worth it restaurants if you are a college student. Try this place out once and definitely try their duck! read more

Chinatown Express - steamed pork bun - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I saw this place on some article I read about good food in Chinatown, this place gets the hype bc of the fresh noodles made "on the spot" as they call it. I ordered the fresh on the spot noodles with roast duck. The noodles really were good in texture and the duck was unbelievable so savory and tasty. The broth was very bland, like water. That's the only miss, if the broth had matched the flavor in the duck or at least even a little flavorful this dish would've been perfect. I loved the seating and bustle and how all the staff barely spoke English. It makes the experience so much more cool that way. read more

Chinatown Express - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Duck Meat Noodles & Mustard Greens Soup. Tasty, good portion, fresh! Keep up the good work. Continue serving the Duck Soup with Mustard Greens! Yummy! read more

I wanted to try this place because the noodle are freshly made. When I got there, the noodle man was there in front of the restaurant. This place is a hole-in-the kind of place but there are many tables. The servers are nice and accommodating. As for the food, Xiao long bao was made with thicker wrap than what I'm used to. The duck noodle soup was okay considering it supposed to be handmade. read more

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I love this place. Sure, it's not the newest, shiniest place in the city, but the food is delicious. The owner has always been courteous to me, and the prices are great. It's temporarily closed, but it looks like they'll be reopening soon. I can't wait to go back and get the fried noodles and dumplings with their delicious sauces. read more

DON'T EAT HERE. My kid and I love soup dumplings (xiaolong bao) and seek them out wherever we go. Even in the greasiest spoons. THEY DO NOT SERVE SOUP DUMPLINGS HERE. We specifically asked for "xiaolong bao" and the lady was like "Yes. We have it." THEY DON'T. What we were served was low-quality microwaved regular dumpling with dry mystery meat and no soup inside. Criminally disgusting. I also had the roast duck rice. It tasted days old and was not crispy at all. The rice didn't even taste fresh. The only reason I ate any of it was because I was quite hungry. We got hot tea for the table and it tasted like they'd just stuffed paper bags in hot water. I doubt any tea was there. That night I was so sick and I am certain it was because of this place and this shockingly foul food. Someone should put this restaurant out of its misery. read more

A DC friend recommended this place, and being the noodle lover I am, I had to try it. So I put on my bike helmet and made the trek out to Chinatown on a Tuesday for lunch. It was my first time in DC Chinatown, and nostalgia for SF Chinatown came creeping in quickly. These days, you will place your order at a small window on the left side of the building. You might find yourself waiting for eight minutes at a table on 6th street (if it's busy). It's a simple operation, but highly effective for patrons looking to grab and go. Through a window, a woman handed me a plastic bag of the Fresh Noodle Soup; the soup contents and noodles/duck are separated into their own plastic containers. The meal also comes with four sauces for duck dipping (the ginger-garlic oil sauce is an all-time favorite of mine, though it is usually reserved for hainan chicken). Overall, I enjoyed my meal. The duck was soft and seasoned and the skin was chewy and salty. I wished there was more meat instead of bone, but they were generous otherwise with the servings. I'd come back here for a picnic lunch and to try some of their other specials. Thank you Chinatown Express! read more

Chinatown Express - Duck Noodle Soup - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Noodles were great "duck" was not - all I got were big pieces of bone with no meat. Egg rolls were all right but kinda bland.

Although its name and appearance call to mind the standard Chinese takeout joint in Anywhere-Chinatown, USA.....Chinatown Express, is anything but. What you get when you come here is authentic Asian fare and similar American style Asian eats all under one umbrella. This joint is especially popular among DC locals and tourist for its homemade dumplings and noodles, which are hand-made within view of the storefront window-entrance of the restaurant. The menu, which does includes standard fare such as General Tso's chicken and fried rice, but also includes more in-depth menu eats like cuddle fish, lobster, congee, and additional vegetarian/healthier options served family style, such as stir-fried vegetables, tofu, and Yu Choy (Asian Greens aka Comfort Food). Dining-in, feels just like most of of the great Asian dining spots I've been to in NYC, San Francisco and Hong Kong....small, very tight but welcoming. The food is inexpensive, the portions are plenty, and the flavor is definitely there. My favorite, of course, is the Spicy Beef Noodle soup....and the *STAR* of the entire menu imo....the Roasted Duck! It's one of the best duck renditions in the area when seeking Peking Duck or another popular menu item...the Duck Noodle Soup. Tender, juicy, crispy skin and not too salty...is middle name and highlight of this item. Although passersby are frequently lured into Chinatown Express by the noodles being pulled by hand in the window, trust me....the Roasted Duck and the Steamed Pork Buns on display in the same window.....Doesn't play second fiddle that's for sure. As with the duck, you should try the Steamed Pork Buns for starters. Each order of eight fluffy dumplings, stuffed with spiced pork, arrives atop a bed of cabbage leaves in a simple presentation. This dish is a must try with a mix between the soy sauce and the jars of pickled ginger and vinegar at each table. Mix the two together as a dip for the Steamed Buns....and, thank me later!! One word....DELICIOUS!! During my last visit, Chinatown Express saved the day. After a long day at work, the last thing I had time for was cooking dinner. I ordered Peking Duck, Hot n' Sour Soup, Shrimp Fried Rice & General Tso's Chicken as a take-out order. Everything was on point! Huge servings and the shrimp fried rice was boiling over with shrimp! lol. The service was fast and efficient too. And, most of all...all of this food to feed a family for less than $30 bucks! Take-out is a great option and my preferred choice when needing something fast, quick and/or even healthy here. In the ever-changing sector of Chinatown DC, where most of the original authentic Asian restaurants are now gone or overshadowed by the likes of American chains like Hooters, Chipotle, Fuddruckers, Nandos, and Starbucks......Chinatown Express remains a big contender for finding good Asian eats in DC...without having to drive miles to VA (Eden Center) or MD. read more

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Was terrible. Soup dumpling were miniature and probably from freezer. I believe they forgot to put in our order until we asked why it was taking so long. Do not recommend this place. read more

The best part of this place was the ice water and the hot tea. Other than that there was nothing in this store worth visiting for. They rave about 3 things: hand-pulled noodles, soup dumplings, and pan fried dumplings (feels like it was from a dump). I had an order of each of those items and I wish I had read some of the Yelp reviews earlier. Echoing some of the reviews, the soup for the hand pulled noodles was bland and not tasty at all. It didn't even feel like authentic hand pulled noodles. The soup dumplings had a thick shell (that was probably from them steaming it all day long), no soup in them at all, so there was nothing to slurp up, and the pork didn't even taste like pork. The pan fried dumplings were advertised as big and when they arrived it look like that of a squirrel's acorn. Again, the meat inside of that didn't even taste like meat. This was one of the worst food experiences I've ever had at a Chinese restaurant. I hope people consider this before trying to go there. read more

I have been going here for the past 20 years & the food has always been good. They have ducks & other meat varieties hanging in the window so you know the meat is fresh. This particular visit I got Pork Fried Rice & Egg Rolls. The Egg rolls were very tasty but a little too greasy but still edible. I will be going back. read more

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Hole in the wall but so authentic. Very nice people, great fresh dumplings. Don't expect much decor. It's all about the food. read more