Asian Cafe Express

Richard Kwok 4 weeks ago

A Mesa Asian District Gem Worth Seeking Out Asian Cafe Express is a lovely strip mall gem near H-Mart in Mesa’s Asian District, and after 21 years in business, it clearly has a loyal following for good reason. We brought in a fresh lobster from H-Mart to try their “bring your own seafood” cooking option and chose the garlic onion stir fry preparation. It’s $14.99 for anything under 2 lbs and $7.50/lbs for anything over. It came out excellent, served over crispy egg noodles with classic Asian flavors and plenty of wok-fired goodness. We also enjoyed the Peking pork ribs, which were deboned, tasty, and slightly sweet; the stir-fried green beans, which were fresh and well prepared; and the garlic spicy chicken wings, which were especially flavorful and highly recommended. The red bean drinks were traditional and satisfying, with soft, nicely soaked mung beans and no milk. Service was friendly, efficient, and personal, handled by a couple of ladies who clearly know the restaurant and their customers well. While we were there, plenty of regulars came in for takeout and several tables were happily dining in. Overall, we really enjoyed Asian Cafe Express and were surprised we had not stopped in sooner. Highly recommend, especially for the “bring your own seafood” cooking option and the garlic spicy wings. We will definitely be back.

Josh Allen 5 months ago

It's very easy to give Asian Cafe Express 2 stars. Walking inside, it is extremely humid, and it's barely February. The dining room is large and can fit 40+ people, but I can't imagine being in there for longer than 5 minutes. The only "good" thing about this restaurant, is the portion size. And by good, I mean good; not great. The large teriyaki chicken bowl comes with a good size portion of poorly cooked, and flavored, chicken. And the cuts of chicken used is so mysterious, it looks like pieces from every part of the chicken is in each piece. The rice is also just normal, long grain white rice similar to Panda Express. The large teriyaki chicken bowl and the sweet and sour chicken bowl was $28. Honestly, I'd ask for a refund, as the sweet and sour chicken was just unpleasant to eat. Very little flavor, weird consistency, and the breading was soggy (this was when I recieved it, not 15+ minutes later. Honestly, just save your money, or go somewhere else that has reliable results, like Panda Express.

Mark Baca III 2 years ago

Asian Cafe Express is conveniently located in the same plaza as H Mart. The food here is phenomenal! The staff were really friendly. The prices were surprisingly affordable. The menu is very large and can be overwhelming, so plan accordingly. I had the Chinese broccoli beef and it was really good. They also have an American version with different cuts of broccoli. Egg drop soup was pretty good. Overall, I recommend this restaurant and will be returning the future. 5/5 stars!

Summer Smith 10 months ago

This restaurant has been my go to dine in and take out Chinese food since moving into garden grove neighborhood, 2017. Prices have maintained over the years and the value is amazing. Today I had the sweet and sour chicken lunch and crab puffs. Also recommend garlic chili oil chicken, steamed dumplings, chicken chow mein, and any of the coffee or teas. Kitchen is fast and efficient. Also the ladies that work here have a great memory for customers and treat everyone so well. For such a modest place the service is far beyond what’s expected. At the end of service the staff happily packs up your leftovers. Great job!!! Thank you for feeding me & my family all these years.

Nicholas Popovac 8 months ago

Went with my family of 4, ordered the small family dinner. Did not disappoint. 3 or 5 dish options, rice and lo mein. More than enough food. We took about a full dish worth home and added fresh rice to go. Money value and options for menu are great. Rice bowls, soups, plate style meals/lunch specials, family dinner sizes and up. Service is great! Food came out in five minutes. Barely had time to go through social media for a few laughs. Don’t be afraid to ask what comes in the dishes as they were very helpful with explaining to make sure you know what you got.