China West Express

Reviews

• KL

  Kelly Lasko

  1 day ago
  5.0
  This place in Tustin is such a hidden gem! 🥢 Their lunch specials are amazing. only $12 and you get soup, fried rice, chow mein, an egg roll, and a drink! Everything was fresh, flavorful, and such a great deal. Definitely my new go to spot for a tasty and satisfying lunch! 🍜🥡
• GS

  Guillermo Sanchez

  2 days ago
  5.0
  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Came in for the first time and honestly, I’m glad I did. The food was delicious — authentic flavors and everything tasted fresh. It’s a small spot with just a few tables, but cozy enough to sit and enjoy your meal. What really stood out was the service — the girl who helped me had such a great smile and super friendly energy. You can tell she loves what she does and it makes the whole place feel welcoming. Definitely recommend this spot if you’re looking for real Chinese food and good vibes. I’ll definitely be back soon!
• SV

  Stebenson VICE

  Oct 16, 2025
  4.0
  Very nice people 🫡🫡 One of my coworkers unfortunately got fired so I was really sad. That’s why I came here and decided to get some chow mein. Definitely did not disappoint. I love that you can feel that the people making the food know what they’re doing.
• CS

  Colin S

  Oct 5, 2025
  5.0
  There’s something beautifully unpretentious about a good strip-mall Chinese joint. The kind of place where the menu photos have been sun-faded by the California sun, where the aroma hits you before the automatic doors do — garlic, soy, a whisper of oil, and something sizzling behind the counter. China West Express is one of those places. The kind of spot you don’t find because you’re looking for it — you find it because you’re hungry and a little tired of the world’s pretensions. The Hot and Sour Soup is the soul of the place — dark, fragrant, and unapologetically rich. It’s got that perfect alchemy of vinegar bite and peppery heat that clears your sinuses and makes you feel alive again. Each spoonful tastes like someone in the kitchen actually cares — a rare thing these days. The tofu is tender, the mushrooms deep and earthy, and it all comes together like jazz — structured chaos that somehow just works. Then there’s the Orange Chicken, that American-Chinese masterpiece of sweet, sticky rebellion. Too often it’s a sugar bomb masquerading as food — but here? The balance is there. Crisp on the outside, juicy within, the sauce walks that fine line between citrus brightness and caramelized depth. It’s comfort food done right — the kind of dish that makes you remember why “fusion” became a thing in the first place. The Chicken Chow Mein is a humble triumph — noodles slicked with soy and sesame, wok-charred just enough to whisper “we’ve been doing this a long time.” It’s got that perfect chew, the vegetables still with a hint of snap, and the chicken mingling through it all like it belongs there — which it does. And the Shrimp Chow Mein? That’s the quiet showstopper. The shrimp are plump, perfectly cooked, kissed by the wok but never drowned in oil. There’s a briny sweetness to them that cuts through the richness of the noodles. You take a bite, pause, and nod to yourself — yeah, they know what they’re doing. China West Express isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel. It’s not chasing Michelin stars or Instagram fame. It’s just good, honest food cooked by people who seem to understand something deeper — that great food isn’t about perfection; it’s about heart, flavor, and a little bit of fire. If you’re lucky enough to have a place like this near you, don’t overlook it. Pull up a chair, order the soup, the orange chicken, maybe both chow meins if you’re smart. Sit down, breathe, and eat. Because for a few moments, with a bowl of hot and sour in front of you, the world makes perfect sense.
• RR

  Rui

  Sep 25, 2025
  1.0
  Do not go here. And all of my entirety of life, I have never experienced something so incredibly flavorless. The only thing with flavor in this meal with the black pepper that I had to add myself. Nothing in this meal had any flavor at all. The meat tasted like nothing. Literally the entire meal tasted like I was eating water. Everything tasted like it was cooked by someone who had never tasted anything in their entire life. It's as if they had a machine to mechanically remove all flavor from this meal. The only benefit that you can gain from this meal is the fact that all of the ingredients are in fact real ingredients. That's it. But ingredients mean nothing if you cannot add proper flavor. Without flavor the meal is meaningless, this is something that you would cook at home if you could not afford salt. If you are looking for a pleasurable experience go literally anywhere else except for this place.