So I went into Chinatown Express recently and decided to venture away from my veggie noodle bowl and try the duck. Verdict? Awesome if you enjoy breaking your teeth on duck bones. The duck was bone-in, and there were possibly two, maybe three, chunks of edible meat. The noodles were as always delicious and the broth was good, but that was all there was really to it since there were absolutely no vegetables, unless you count the abundance of scallions that was thrown on top.Granted, this dish costs $6.95 if I remember correctly. You get what you pay for and I am not expecting a $20 meal. But the reason I am whining about this dish is that when I was walking out of the restaurant, I noticed a poster hanging citing that this exact same dish was listed on Washington Post's 2013 "40 dishes every Washingtonian must try" list. I take everything the Washington Post says with a grain of salt... but I beg to disagree, unless the food that came to my table was a fluke. From what I tried, in addition to a few other recent lackluster visits, I'm gonna have to knock my rating down.

Chinatown Express is my go-to place for Chinese BBQ Pork (I have not had mastered a recipe at home yet, so I must continue getting it from professionals) or taking home some roast duck. Can't make gourmet fried rice at home without some BBQ pork! I almost always take out a pound because it's so good (astronomically priced at $10/lb, but still cheaper than Full Kee down the street), and the service is fast. The old guy behind the counter even gave me an extra pound of duck wings at some point because I came quite often in a two week time period. Or maybe he just needed to get rid of them. I digress.Although Chinatown Express is known for its authentic dumpling making in the window, the dumplings are actually a little too thick skinned and nothing remarkable. Also, on the rare occasion that I have eaten in here, it's been inconsistent, greasy, and not super tasty. It's usually fine Americanized Chinese food during lunch and dinner rush, but DO NOT come here super late at night or off hours. Trust.3.5 stars

It's a no-nonsense place for those of us who are searching for the Chinatown sleaze of Polanski and living on the budget of a young Bukowski. The seafood dumplings and soup are probably some of the best food you can get in the city for less than ten bucks, and you'll be incredibly full from it. It's also extremely fast, you can be in and out in less than thirty if you stick with the "special" menu (a selection of dumplings, buns and the famous noodles - fried or in soup).Gonna be honest, I've never even eaten anything off of the "real" menu and I don't need to. A bowl full of noodles with stream octopus and salt-fish is really all a man needs to feel alive after a night of being a ruffian.Is it "authentic"? I don't know. I'm a white guy from the Midwest, neither a man from Asia nor a connoisseur of its cuisine. And I'm certainly not bougie enough to start commenting on whether or not the guy stringing noodles and roasted duck up in the window is doing it wrong.Stick with the specials, stay for the odd selection of customers. It's got a great pulpy atmosphere, and the waitresses will act like they've never seen you before, even if you were just in there. It's a good place to write your screenplay or talk about dealing guns and cocaine - that's Chinatown, baby.

Winter Storm Saturn!!!!I was "asked" to stay at work yesterday so if the impending doom covered the the DC area, I would already be here. What to eat..... On a side road there was a hole in the wall place that always had one or two people making noodles and dumplings.. Lets see!I walked in to a split level restaurant with a murky tank of , Lobsters and Dungeness Crab and random fish. I think I will pass on the Tank-O-Death. I noticed a stairway to the upper dining area but I chose to stay downstairs. To the right they had Freaking Roasted Pork, beside the Roasted Pork was that double cooked pork with the radioactive red glaze, roasted ducks, chickens and the squid that nobody ever eats!I am a pig for pork and i grabbed some.... A pound! The cashier called to the back and an old guy jumped behind the counter and wacked off a slab of pork.. He eyeballed it to the ounce! After sizing it up, he placed in on what appeared to be a tree stump like cutting board... Really! It Was A Tree Stump! he proceeded to cut it into manageable slices and then he heated it up..... in a microwave..... It was served with a few condiments: soy chili sauce, parsley garlic chimichurri like sauce (my favorite) thin sliced garlic in oil and a mystery sauce... I had to balance out the pork with Szechuan-green beans... Major fail.. I could see tons of over cooked garlic and chili flakes but I could not taste it. The green beans were cooked in batches and it appears that I got quite a few beans from different cooking stage...What was weird to me was the selection of booze behind the cashier.. Just Johnny Walker Black and Hennessey XO.. Maybe that is all that the old guy who wacks up the pork drinks!

I am a NYC Chinatown gal and I should've known that it was too good to be true. Hand-made noodles and xiaolongbao? NOPE!! Came here with a cousin while I was visiting DC. It was a cold day and I really wanted a nice bowl of noodles. Their selling point is hand-made so I assumed it would be good. I've had good hand-made noodles in NYC Chinatown, like Tasty Hand-Pulled Noodles on Doyer Street. Go there!I ordered the chicken noodles or something, but it was bland and did not taste hand-made to me. The xiaolongbao had been steamed and sitting there for who knows how long. I know this because they were deflated and tasted like they had been in the freezer even. I should've returned them, but did not feel like getting new spit-covered ones. They were not hot and steamy, but room temperature. It's unbelievable how they could even serve this to customers. I was actually really disappointed and had been meaning to write this and here it is. DO NOT EAT HERE!!

I am a HUGE fan of one thing, and one thing only. I've never eaten anything else there, so my review is limited. Veggie noodle soup, made with vegetable broth, and then loaded with that amazing green onion ginger condiment and a little garlic-chili. Honestly, I could eat this stuff every single day and NEVER get tired of it. The "risk" factor seems fairly low (noodles, scalding hot soup, some vegetables) and I refuse to agonize about the health impact of noodles or fried tofu. Got a hangover? It is the BEST, if you are a vegetarian and don't eat beef Pho. I would love to hear suggestions others have for similar things, if they are better. I don't have any issues with service, I come so often that they know me and grab the order immediately. I am aware of other people's issues with this place. The acquariums, when you come in, absolutely smell wretched. Those poor fish... Ick. I've seen my share of roaches (it's DC...) and you will always be cold or hot and cramped. This isn't a high end place. But for my oh-so-satisfying veggie noodle soup... I'm an addict.

We ate here for dinner one night in DC and wouldn't come back. The food wasn't bad but it was expensive for what we got and the service was awful. The restaurant was very cramped and our table kept getting bumped every time someone walked by. Ive had better Chinese food in FL than there in Chinatown. I was expecting better. Next time we'll try someplace different with a higher review.

Peking duck in the window got me in the door.I should have known the food would be mediocre as there were no Asian diners.Their noodles are homemade but their noodle soup was flavorless.The wrap around the pork dumpling was too thick and chewy.The Singapore noodles were so-so.Service was fast.I'd skip this one.

I tried noodles here. I could not believe it was recommended as " a taste of Washington DC " in the New York Times of 2003. The handed vegetable soup noodles was the worst one I had in my life.

I've lived in Shaw/Logan for the last 7 years and been to Chinatown Express about 15 times since moving into town, equally as many times for take-out.My first couple of reviews starting back in 2006 would have been 4 stars... but they seem to have fallen off quite a bit. Our most recent experience was on Christmas Day. My wife and I almost left because of the stench in the entry area. Pretty sure it's coming from the fish tanks. It was nauseating but we pressed on.I've been very happy every time I've ordered the noodle soup or dumplings. Although this time I ordered the vegetable dumplings and couldn't finish them because it tasted like the vegetables that were inside were rotten.If you try stuff other than the noodle soup, it's going to be hit or miss. I had the soya chicken and I had about 4 mouthfuls of food out of it, the rest was bone and cartilage. My wife had the lo-mein and it was something I would expect from a Rustlers Steak house buffet.I don't know what happened to this place but they've really gone downhill. I don't anticipate going back to this place unless I get a craving for cheap soup.

Back when I was unemployed, I used to spend a lot of time in Chinatown. Don't ask why. I'm still not sure. Regardless of my jobless depression-driven tourist neighborhood whims, however, this place used to be my go to for lunch.See, it's perfect for people for people who find themselves sans vocation in the middle of the day. Their lunch specials, presented on a plastic card that looks straight out of the 1970s - the whole place has a slightly run-down, seen better days feel, especially the bathroom - can't be beat. For around $5.00, a customer can order a giant plate of palatable fried rice and drink unlimited free hot tea in a low pressure, chatty environment.But what really kept me coming back were their simple veggie dumplings. Depending on the mood of the chef, six to eight puffy, chewy pastries filled with tasty green things would be presented for prices so low that I can't even mention them online (or I just forgot the price). And they come with a mystery green sauce with a tangy kick that's perfect for smearing all over the top of them. I know I'm being vague about their contents, but they're so good that I can never stop eating them to examine what's actually in them.Recently, for the first time since I've been employed again, I came here for dinner. And their dinner prices are pretty high. I tried two of their noodle dishes - the Lo Mein and the Foon Main - with my lady. They were mediocre at best, oversauced and pretty bland. But we split an order of the dumplings. And they were as good as I remember.Seriously. They were still the best dumplings I've ever had. Destination for tourist-worthy dumplings. I'd still eat them all the time for lunch if I could. Not that I'd want to lose my job and hang out in Chinatown to enable myself to do that.

Is this place terrible? Is it amazing? The reviews sure are all over the place. I think 3 stars is about right.Look, is it a little gross? Yes, but any "Chinatown" hole in the wall in North America usually inhabits that space between charmingly authentic and unsanitary. The service - express is in the name - is brisk and occasionally quite surly, but they thrive on volume and getting you in and out. But if you want a quick, quality meal on the cheap, Chinatown Express won't let you down. I've seen a cockroach on the floor here and a centipede on the wall (this is twice in perhaps 25 visits). That kind of thing doesn't bother me, but if you can't handle that, this is not your place. But I've seen less sanitary in places serving excellent, cheap Chinese food in the Chinatowns of San Francisco and Toronto, and DC's meager Chinatown is clean enough to eat off when compared to the truly vile smelling one in Manhattan.I digress. Should you, interested yelper, go to this place, perhaps before a night out in the Chinatown bars or after an afternoon Hoyas or Capitals game? My answer is yes. 6 bucks for a delicious dinner of fried noodles - that's all you need to know. I'm a noodle addict, and man, I keep coming back to these. As far as the texture of actual noodles - yes, they're made in the window, blah blah blah - I can't say I've had better. There are plenty of sauces at the table with which you can heat up your noodle dish. I've always enjoyed their pork buns and dumplings as well - delicious and a great value. I've had other dishes here; some were excellent, some were boring and saucy Chinese-American stuff. Salt-Chicken was delicious, anything with duck was pretty solid.I'm not sure I understand why everyone on yelp has decided to pick this place apart. Maybe because it's a DC institution. Maybe because out of towners don't realize our Chinatown is horribly inadequate, and that the places to get the best stuff are out in the VA and MD suburbs. But I'm an ardent supporter, even though I realize there's much to complain about. As for the decor, I like it. This basement joint has real character, and they put up "press" on the walls without, apparently, reading it or thinking about what images are on said press. There's one laminated review with several bad things to say about the restaurant. Another laminated and reproduced piece of press has a City Paper cover from 2007 that features a "nice ass!" and says that even DC's grandmas aren't safe from street harassment.I mainly recommend this place for the excellent fried noodles/lo mein. For the price, you really can't eat much better in Chinatown.

I was looking for some authentic Chinese food and they had some pretty legit fried noodles (lo mien?) here. The flavor was a little bland but they give you some of every type of dipping sauce which added plenty of flavor.Their dumplings were great. The wrappers were home made and tasted very similar to those my mom used to make. With the various dipping sauces, including some home made spicy garlic and ginger and garlic, there was plenty of flavor to spare. For just over ten dollars, I ended up with a packed order of noodles and a large order of fried dumplings (my favorite style). The place seemed like a hole in the wall but the best Chinese places are.If I ever eat here again, I definitely want to try something with their BBQ'd/roast meats which looked amazing.

Bland, Americanized Chinese food. Dumplings felt frozen and microwaved, even if they weren't. Really put the dump in dumpling.Skip it, please.

I've had good times at Chinatown Express and especially love bringing someone who has never been. Had a less than stellar experience this past Saturday night when we decided to get some noodles after seeing a show at Sixth&I. We got in a little after 10pm and were seated on the first level. The place was empty as far as we knew. We were brought tea and ordered our soup which arrived quickly. While we were eating, but not long after we arrived, other parties walked in and were told that they could no longer sit but could still order take out. It became clear that we were the last table seated.Our check was brought to us well before our bowls were empty. Then there was a waitress walking around eating her dinner out of a tupperware. That could all be forgiven until they started mopping the floor while we ate. I joked to my boyfriend that he would have to lift his feet in a few minutes when she got to our table. And the bleach smell really left me with a bad taste in my mouth (literally).If they were going to push us out the door without enough time to enjoy our meal, they shouldn't have given us a table.

Walking by the front window, watching the chef make homemade noodles and dumplings I desperately wanted to enjoy Chinatown Express -- in the end it was just a little too express for my taste.This make shift Chinese restaurant in the heart of Washington DC's Chinatown is bland from decore to "featured dumpling". While the price is great for the wallet its not so great for your tastebuds. Our group ordered their featured dumplings and crab rangoon ( a personal favorite of mine) both tasted like they came from Safeway's frozen food section -- after watching the chef make them in the front window! My chicken curry as dull and uninspiring. The patrons sitting next to use clearly order Sweet n Sour Chicken which was drenched in sauce to mask any flavor of minced chicken that was underneath it. To top off the express microwaved meal the waitress treated us like express customers, pushing us through our service like we were in a drive thru.Warning: Don't be doped like I was! Try one of the other two dozen Chinese restaurants in Chinatown, its bound to be better than Chinatown Express.

I went to Chinatown Express specifically to try their hand pulled noodles and fresh dumplings. I'm had hand pulled noodles in Singapore and New York, so I have a pretty good idea of what tastes good and what doesn't.I had the noodle soup with beef and the steamed dumplings. The soup didn't taste like anything special. I thought the broth had no taste at all. Think - tinted water? There were some condiments on the table, so I threw a bunch of that in to try to add flavor to the soup. I wasn't amazed by the noodles either. Maybe it was the texture. The noodles might have been better as a lo mein dish or just something other than in a soup dish. If I didn't know the noodles were freshly made, I would have thought they were store-bought noodles.I was able to tell that the dumplings were freshly made. The only thing is that I don't like how Chinese Restaurants in the DC/MD area make dumplings. They make the dumpling shell soooo thick. I don't understand why. When I order dumplings in New York or California, they are completely different in texture from the ones I get in DC. Maybe they are coming from different regions in China.Anyway, bottom line is that I wasn't impressed by this place. I was really hoping this would be that fabulous go-to hole in the wall place in DC, but it wasn't!

Ugh, fooled by the dude making dumplings by the window. These dumplings were pretty damn crappy. They came in irregular sizes - some were incredibly small and some were average sized. We were also swayed by the random news articles taped on the window. Should have trusted yelp and not gone into this place. I'm sorry I doubted you!!!We got soup dumplings. Or should I call them soup-less dumplings. Because I found not even a drop of soup in my xiao long bao :(We also ordered some chow mein which was surprisingly the best part of our meal? Everything tasted kind of bland which I guess was a blessing in disguise so we wouldn't be crazy dehydrated later.The non-asian family seated next to us tried ordering "steam fried rice" and "kung fu chicken." *shakes head*At least the food was cheap...

Are you looking for:1. Unsanitary food conditions? bugs? roaches?2. Hardened overcooked dry dumplings?3. Blaming and discourteous waitstaff?4. Sticky floors and worn dishes?Then Chinatown Express is the place for you! If you have low standards for mediocre Chinese food and few other options, then this restaurant can fit all your needs.The best that I can say is their storefront of a woman in a chef hat making dumplings is a great way to lure people in... and cheap lunch specials looked convenient as a mall stand. The only redeeming dish was the basic garlic peashoots-- which isn't too difficult to prepare one hopes. The dumplings were disconcertingly dry and sparse in stuffing (both vegetarian and pork ones) and the beef noodle soup was very mediocre and not well-balanced.The staff spilled beef noodle soup while trying to seat other guests and then in Chinese (as if we couldn't understand) muttered "it's the customer's own fault." Did we get dry cleaning $ or any reconciliation for this? Nope. good luck!

So I went to this place after visiting the Spy Museum and exploring DC's Chinatown. A friend of mine recommended it and it had received some local hype. With a lot of ads and a noodle-making pro our in front, I thought the place would be okay.As a native of the Bay Area, California, these types of Chinese places do not impress me or surprise me. Linoleum floors, small tables, and the specials written with black sharpie on colored paper seemed almost exactly like San Francisco. However, while aesthetically authentic, the restaurant did not come close when it came to food. (Note, do not expect anything special from a Chinese place when it comes to service or any of the extras, you get what you get when you go to a Chinese place and this place did not have ridiculously bad service anyways.)Our party of four order all of the specials. We had an order of the water dumplings, the soup dumplings(xiao long bao), and a couple of noodle orders( I got the beef, two other members of my party got seafood).Water Dumplings- almost all garlic chives, very little meat, I think I could have bought these in some chinese supermarket.- Would not order again.Xiaolongbao- little to no broth/soup, didn't seem rich enough. Better than the water dumplings, but not by much.Noodles- Cheap/filling. Decent, but I don't think I would ever go out of my way to get these. Lacking flavor and did not seem to impress me.All in all, I would not recommend someone to go here. The food isn't very flavorful and it's nothing special.

on May 6, 2004 This is the best value in DC. The $4.50 homemade noodle dishes are scrumptious and ample. First spend some time outside watching in the window as the chef makes the noodles and dumplings ...?

on August 3, 2007 The buns and dumplings here are excellent and, from what I have read, a truer taste of China than most Chinese food. They come with pork or vegetables. The noodles are handrolled in the windows, and they're great, ...?

What a nice find. China Town Express is a hole in the wall that has found a very dedicated audience. The restaurant is very clearly a family affair and you can see many of the dishes being prepared in the front window. It's tiny. It's noisy. ...?

Washington's China Town should really be called China Street. The restaurants along H Street between 7th Street and 5th Street are all that make up China Town. I work near China Town and have eaten at almost all of the restaurants. ...?

There aren't many places that I know of in the area where you can get "streched" noodles. The menu's a little confusing. I ordered the fried noodles, which were a little to greasy for me. The texture was great though and I would probably ...?

for "What is your favorite Chinese restaurant in DC". I usually answer, "somewhere in Rockville". But if I really have to choose a place in the district, there is only one answer Chinatown Express. But please, do me a favor, and be sure to order the ...?

are partly for show; the rest is real. At Chinatown Express, a man stands in a window next to the front door, where everyone on the street can see, and makes noodles. Walk by and he'll probably be there, gathering up the long dough, twisting it in front of you, and stretching ...?

I have been to this restaurant many times, and ordered different dishes, but you can not beat the noodles! They are dirt cheap and delicious. You can actually see the guy at the entrance making fresh noodles in front of the passer-bys ...?

Total wow! This is a magnificent restaurant. I really cannot say how good my visits are. I take the metro straight to there usually once every 1 or 2 months. I also love the man who creates the noodles. All is magnificent. ...?

This fabulous noodle-and-meat shop is one of the last and finest remains of the rapidly developing Chinatown in Washington, DC Extraordinary roast meats (pork, chicken, and duck among the highlights), fresh and tantalizingly prepared ...?

rave reviews. I was excited to try it: a dive that sells cheap, delicous eats is the way it's always described. Starting off the tea was served lukewarm, and wasn't very strong. Yuck. We ordered the juicy buns as every reviewer suggests. ...?

spots when I am in the mood for a cheap noodles or rice dish. It's easy to leave stuffed for under $10, but fresh fish will cost you market rate. The food is fresh and tasty, and does not suffer the heavy-handed treatment of "brown" or "white ...?

as they look in the window. It's a dive, but a charming one. You feel transported to Hong Kong...crowded, loud, but every dish prepared with care and attention to taste. Just the best. ...?

I have loved this restaurant from the first time I stepped foot in it. In full disclosure, I have only ever had the fresh noodles either in soup or fried, and their veggie dumplings. My husband once strayed from our favorite meal to get Gen ...?

and, from what I have read, a truer taste of China than most Chinese food. They come with pork or vegetables. The noodles are handrolled in the windows, and they're great, but the oily sauce they're cooked in overpowers them. With many dishes experimenting with the ...?

I've only ever ordered two items off the menu: their beef noodle soup and their soy chicken rice plate. The noodle soup is great comfort food for a rough or rainy day. The rice plate is fantastic. ...?

in the city. A guy is usually up front in the window making those noodles by hand. You can't beat the price of a huge bowl of vegetables & noodles, at 4.95. Great and fast cheap eats. ...?

what's illegally rolled in the "gentrifying" Chinatown neighborhood; others get theirs by downing the delicious noodles hand-rolled in the windows at Chinatown Express. The fried version, with your choise of meat and/or vegetables is arguably just as addictive as ...?

when it comes to value for money. The colorful display of meats in the window where you can watch noodle-pulling by an expert cook, the dumplings... makes my mouth water just to think of it. If you don't mind a hole-in-the-wall feel for dining, this place is a must-see. ...?

Always been happy every time I go here (and I've been going for years). Food reminds me of food I had in China. I think the noodles are great. The dumplings aren't bad either. The other items I've had have always been good as well. ...?

the first thing you'll immediately be drawn to is the handmade noodles, which you can actually watch the chef make through the window. If you do order the noodles, you have your choice of having them in soup or fried. The soup was well flavored with a nice bit of spice, ...?

Looking forward to our visit to Chinatown and some great authentic Chinese cuisine, we came across Chinatown Express. With good reviews posted in the window and nearby signposts, we thought we had most definitely found a winner. ...?

They are famous for their handmade fried noodles (which are not crispy but more tender). Order for lunch and get double the amount for take-out that you get when you order and eat in. ...?

To be honest, I like noodles and I like Americanized Chinese food. When you look in the window of Chinatown Express you see a guy making noodles so, if you like noodles, you think this might be a good choice. We go inside and are waited ...?

Upon seeing a crowded dining room, a long line wrapping around the street, and a man preparing food in the window with showcased reviews who wouldn't want to sink their teeth into fresh, homemade dumplings and noodles?I should have asked ...?

While walking around the Penn Quarter area to find dinner, we asked a non-tourist family where they were going for dinner - which was to the Chinatown Express. Was interesting to see the gentleman in the window making the noodles. ...?

The food is great but the service is terrible. I asked for change to leave a tip and the waitress got mad because I was interrupting her from watching us eat. Still, the food is great. ...?

It's good if you are a tourist, and the specials are inexpensive. But it's generally too greasy as Chinese goes. My dad likes it though, so maybe the grease is more "authentic" asian than I think!! ...?

The people in the window making noodles and dim sum fresh throughout the day, as well as the Chinese people who regularly pack the place and eat noodles and dim sum, are good indicators that these dishes are the house specialties. They are on the $4.99 menu and are the dishes I order every time I eat here. I usually get the fried noodles, which come lightly seasoned-it's up to you to add chili oil, pickled garlic, and chopped garlic, ginger, and scallion. The leek scallions and pork buns are also excellent. Regarding the negative reviews of the place, all of the ones I've read about the food seem to be written by people who ordered the "Americanized" dishes on the regular menu. What did they expect? Virtually every restaurant in DC's Chinatown or in any mini-mall in suburbia serves the same bland ��Americanized' Chinese food. Stick to the noodles and dim sum on the $4.99 menu if you want the real deal. Trust me- I've been cooking Chinese and other Asian ...? More ?

No, it's not San Francisco - but it's pretty darned good. Great if you're a noodle fan, which I am. So five stars, based on the noodles. The decor is a little grungy, but I don't go for the scenery.?

standard Chinese fare! Other ingredients were standouts, too. The chicken in our dishes was perfectly cooked and delicious. Other ingredients were more authentic than most Chinese restaurants use. We will happily return. ...?

The dumplings and steamed buns here are very fresh, and the noodle soup with duck was very tasty. The sauces, ginger/scallion and thinly sliced garlic in oil, were very nice additions to the dishes. We were visiting from out of town and learned that their prices are very reasonable compared to other restaurants. I'm not giving it 5 stars because I saw that one of the chefs who was rolling the dough had flour on his butt. Makes you wonder...?