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    Lai Lai Express

    3.7 (73 reviews)
    InexpensiveChinese
    Open • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
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    LAI LAI EXPRESS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Lai Lai Express

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    Mike S.

    There's something timeless and comforting about traditional American Chinese cuisine. From the fortune cookies, to the duck and soy sauce packets, to the instantly recognizable boxes for rice and noodles, it's a cultural mainstay that we grew up eating. I remember as a kid being so excited when my parents decided to order some Chinese take out and the feeling of opening up the bag when they got home. Everyone needs to have their go to spot for take out, and I have found mine just a short walk from where I live. Lai Lai is a small and cozy spot located on Montford Drive. There are a few tables but it is definitely primarily a take out spot. The prices are reasonable, and the food I've had is very good. My particular favorites are the bourbon chicken and the boneless spare ribs. I love knowing that they are right down the road from me so if I'm ever craving Chinese, I won't have to look far!

    Crab Rangoon
    Terrius H.

    I'm visiting a friend who lives close to this restaurant. Consequently, I ordered takeout from here for lunch today, and it was a pleasant experience. Although I was disappointed that they didn't serve 'Honey Walnut Shrimp,' I decided to try something new. I was bit hesitant after reading the mixed reviews, but, the food was actually pretty good. I ordered the Shrimp & Broccoli lunch combination and some Crab Rangoons. The main meal was good. The Crab Rangoons, however, were a bit lackluster, but still enjoyable enough that I finished all of them. Overall, the food was not only tasty but also reasonably priced. If you're close by and looking for a quick and affordable lunch, this place is worth a try.

    Wonton soup
    Hannah M.

    Small little Chinese place, with ample parking. Extensive menu - there truly is something for everyone. You can dine in, carry out or I believe delivery. I did a to-go order on Sunday. Food came out quick even though they were very busy with to-go orders. I got the chicken & mixed vegetables (spicy) with wonton soup. I think the soup got packaged up first so by the time I got it home it was just warm not hot - not the biggest deal. The chicken with mixed veggies was good and flavorful. I don't think it was spicy at all though. All in all I would definitely come back. I think this will be my go to Chinese by my house.

    Christina B.

    Ordered delivery tonight and about half way into my meal I found this bug in the rice. Safe to say I won't eat here again

    Chicken and shrimp with broccoli
    Yush H.

    Very delicious Chinese food. Theyve got a separate authentic chinese dish menu as well. The roast duck was quite good. Skin was crisp and the meat tender and fresh. Sauce was flavorful. Great chinese food.

    Soup
    Bruce K.

    Charlotte has got something special that I'm now jealous of. Yes, this review is a little late. Well, let's say I've been here multiple times and just well, haven't gotten to writing this review due to my laziness. But, alas, my thoughts on Lai Lai. I was turned onto this place by my parents who, well, said that this place was better than the Chinese restaurant that I frequented to in Knoxville, TN. After the first time I ate here, I was sort of hooked. So now, instead of them coming to Tennessee to see me and eat and order take out from the restaurant, the tables have turned and it's me going to Charlotte to bring some take out home from here. This place is a hole in the wall, fast food take out joint. If you don't take a second look on the menu, you might just miss out on the delicious dishes that they have here. I had a plethora of dishes, as you can probably see through my photos. But let's just say... these dishes are authentic. And that's really rare to come by nowadays, with sugar added Chinese restaurant dishes that float around the place. By the way, the Lobster isn't in the menu and the lobster had to be brought in, in order of getting it cooked that way. I will be forever coming back this place, and I would definitely suggest that if you're looking for some authentic Chinese food in Charlotte, to check out this place. My favorite dish has to be the Singapore Noodles. I have not tasted something this great in a long long time. This dish is especially hard to make it correctly because of the way the noodles are cooked. It usually comes out wet and sloppy, but Lai Lai makes it the best. I would suggest to order it 30 minutes before to get it correct because it takes time to get the noodles prepped for the dish.

    Sha Cha Chicken and Pineapple Fried Rice

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    11 days ago

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    4 months ago

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    17 days ago

    Best takeout in Charlotte! Cant miss spot. Free Spring rolls are a great touch. Quick service as well!

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    9 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    so good so yummy I took a bite out of the Singapore noodles instantly loved it food service is so good. Good price.

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Tasty and inexpensive food. Always hot, fresh and on time. We love their lunch combos!

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    4 years ago

    Not good Chinese food. Never seen red sesame chicken before and the fried rice was tasteless.

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    5 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Best place to get Chinese takeout delivery in clt , big portions, egg rolls are awesome too

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    8 years ago

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    10 years ago

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    16 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    15 years ago

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Lai Lai Express

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    An all time favorite place of mine that I've been a fan of since their first location! So happy to…read moresee how they've grown and created a beautiful space and resturant with their beautiful decoration, ambiance, and excellent service from the employees. Always my favorite place to go when I start to miss home and need some nostalgia and that home cooked meal feeling. My other favorite (not pictured) includes: Mango or watermelon jasmine tea, beef stew with rice, dan dan noodles, tornado potato, honestly any of the appetizer/street foods, home-made soy milk. Did I mention I loved this place?

    After many years, I revisited this place for lunch at its new South Boulevard location…read more.. The new place was casual, yet chic and modern...and runs on this touch screen ordering process. I actually loved the bright, comfy vibe of the place. Thought it could use a bit louder music to fill the space. I ordered the Dan Dan Noodles, Rainbow Dumplings and this Mango Jasmine Tea drink...and they were all pretty good. Still, I was surprised how my bill totaled about 35 bucks. Normally, I'm not too surprised by the pricing (even for lunch), but it felt a bit high...given that everything was served on paper and plastic wares. I did like how they have these DIY take-home plastic wares accessible and ready to go...so some points for that! Overall, it's just a casual eatery...not a full scale restaurant. I prefer full scale service, complete with nicely plated presentations, but this type of DIY eatery is just something that's becoming more common.

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    Taipei Express - Sesame chicken and orange beef

    Taipei Express

    4.0(258 reviews)
    2.4 mi•Elizabeth
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    Nice service and good food. Family vibes, casual and friendly. I would go back here. Ordered fried…read morerice and some dumplings. Fresh and delicious

    Hot day. Costco run complete. Charlotte traffic testing everyone's patience. That meant one thing:…read morecomfort food stop at Taipei Express. It was pushing 97 degrees outside, and after a long afternoon of computer work and errands, I finally stopped in for the crispy scallion chicken and pan-fried dumplings. Huge portions. Fair prices. Friendly people. Consistently solid food every single time. The best part today honestly might have been the air conditioning. They've got a cool, comfortable space to wait while your order is prepared, which felt amazing after baking outside all day. I forgot to take food photos because I was hungry and ready to get home, but trust me, they pack these takeout containers like a game of Jenga. Nothing spills. Nothing shifts. Everything is packed tight and thoughtfully. Only tiny downside: the dumpling sauce goes into the same container as the hot dumplings, so by the time I got home, it had softened the bottom a bit. Still, the dumpling wrappers are thick and crispy enough to survive the trip. Into the air fryer later they go. One warning: the parking lot can be chaotic since it sits right off busy Providence Road. Just be patient. Cars are constantly pulling in, backing out, blocking entrances, and today people were absolutely treating red lights like suggestions. Saw it multiple times, including a bus cutting across traffic when I had the right-of-way. Charlotte drivers... please relax a little. That said, the food made the trip worth it. Taipei Express is one of those dependable local spots that always comes through when you need a solid meal without spending a fortune. Life is too short to not eat well. Get out there and eat your way through Charlotte.

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    Baoding - Shrimp Chow Foon. So much noodle goodness.

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    The fried rice and stir-fried okra together are amazing. Food is always good!…read more The ambiance is outdated but the service is exceptional.

    Searching for Chinese in Charlotte, I found that this place had an intriguing menu. They are retro…read morein the sense that there is no online ordering, so I called in. It is busy enough that plenty of other people had also called in for takeout. The price was higher than I thought it would be by a significant margin; I thought something was off but then rechecking their menu I saw it was indeed $20 for a vegetable entree. On the upside, they did offer brown rice at no extra charge. Still, I'll get three meals out of it and as someone who eats a lot of takeout, this was not a great value. In terms of quality, I was thrilled to find that they offered a stir-fried okra dish. This is a ubiquitous Indian dish, and of course okra is common throughout the tropics globally, but I'd never seen this offered at a Chinese restaurant before. And the rapid cooking technique typical of the cuisine produced a delightfully crisp vegetable, which went great with a black bean sauce and some very hot dried chilis. On the other hand, their interpretation of ma po tofu had some fermented broad beans but minimal vegetables (sometimes you get mushrooms or peas or at least some leeks or something) and no numbing sensation. They had a bean curd roll dish that I enjoyed, and some quality dumplings. Overall, not huge portions and a mix of okay to great quality.

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    Lai Lai Express - chinese - Updated October 2026

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