Fortune Cookie Express

This will be a new Go-To! It is a buffet, so there is a chance they will be low on your favorite item, but I found they were consistently restocking with fresh food. The employees worked quickly but were willing to answer all my questions. I am so pleased!

Standard "chinese food" fare, BUT prices are still acceptable, portions are large (one 2-item lasts me at least 2 meals), flavor is good, and the Hot-and-Sour soup is worthy of epic poetry and song. Seriously, I wake up thinking about the soup some days.

Why would anyone in their right mind spend money at Panda Express with this place so close by off Balboa? Please, why?! Huge portions. Super friendly service. Great options. Might not be the most fresh Chinese food, you should already know that. FCE is a must-visit for those looking for affordable Chinese fast food to take out.

Food is always great. Good variety. Love their Kung Pao Chicken! Only place in San Diego I’ve found that actually makes it authentic by using Sichuan peppercorn oil. Mouth-numbing deliciousness.

Amazing takeout and outstanding customer service!

After our shopping trip we decided to get something to eat rather than cooking. Combo items ready pick are all meat. The only vegetarian item was tofu w/ vegetables (a la carte) and it took only few minutes to cook. The veggies were cooked to perfection, they melt in your mouth. White sauce was just enough, and it seasons the food enough (not too salty). The only thing was a piece of hair in the food. Maybe people in the kitchen should wear hair caps. The food was enough for family of 3.

We've been buying from them since 1995, When they were called The Great Wall, for 99 cents per item. All the food is always great -- especially the fried chicken wings.

Came at 3pm and the food was so dry and stale..my kids said it wasn’t even “mid” they said they don’t want to eat from there ever again. So I had to try their food and it was so gross. Tossed the food. Took the loss and ordered something else from another Chinese food restaurant.

Excellent Chinese takeout restaurant, with consistently good food and fine service. Highly recommended.

I've been coming here for years. The food is buffet style so no ordering then cooking, so it's typically fast and convenient. But when there is a line the wait can be a bit long sometimes. I saw that they recently hired another helping hand to cut the wait time which does help allot. The portion sizes are always generous and I always leave feeling fat and happy lol. The only issue I have is that the food will sit out sometimes and be stale when I order it, specifically the orange chicken.

Hadn't been here in a long time, but really had a taste for Chinese tonight. I got the three item combo with fried rice, bbq pork, cashew chicken and orange chicken. My friend got hers with lo mein, orange chicken, king pao chicken and egg rolls. The only thing even slightly edible was the orange chicken, but it wasn't anything I would call good. Everything was cold, tasted like it had been on the line for days! Vegetables were soggy, without texture, meat was dried out, pork was big pieces of pure fat, sauces were disgusting, the cashews in the chicken were soft! How does that even happen?? Even the freshly made lo mein we had to wait for tasted old. This was by far the WORST meal I've ever had and all of it went into the trash. Don't waste your time!!

For Chinese take-out, this place is great. They also have a good list of entrees you can order fresh. I've been trying to eat healthier but I was craving their lo mein! I just went heavy on the protein with bbq pork and teriyaki chicken. I usually order the orange chicken. The staff is always very nice and the place always seems clean.

No restroom service for table service. Only thing is food is good but expensive for take 16.00 to 20.00 a person. A lot for no restroom use. Only gave 4 star cause no restroom use

Very solid take out Chinese. Think Panda Express-esque but more mom and pop shop. I tried the orange chicken, bbq pork, beef & broccoli and kung pao chicken. I would definitely recommend the orange chicken and bbq pork. Both were delicious. The sauce and broccoli for the beef and broccoli were good but I don't love the beef. It seemed steamed. The kung pao chicken seemed to have majority vegetables and not a lot of chicken so I'd probably skip this too. The fried rice and lo mein were both great and the crab rangoons are also a hit. The portions are huge! Definitely recommend this spot for a quick lunch or dinner. Honestly with the portion sizes, it'll probably be 2 meal anyways.

Ordered the family meal for four. Most of it was tasteless and we didn't receive the four egg rolls. The pork was smothered in some red sauce that was nasty. Really disappointed.

The food is good and the portions are large and the price is nice. Definitely will be returning to eat here again

What a great little gem for Chinese food!! Small mom n pop shop, family business.. always a big supporter!! Small little shop, you can take to go or sit and eat. We ate inside, tables and chairs could be a little cleaner, wiped down. Only star I knocked off here. Food is delicious, fresh and hot!! It's a buffet style where you order your items. Plentiful in servings and portions. Reasonable prices and enough for leftovers Everyone has different tastes with Chinese food and can hold their own opinions when you give this place a try. We definitely recommend and will be adding this place to our gem collection of places to hold onto. Time to eat! Cheers

Got here at 11:30. Began to order my two item combo. Was told it would take an hour before it was ready. This is suppose to be a Chinese buffet style take out eatery. One of those old school spots where you could literally point and order. But now they only favor catering, online orders, and phone orders. They no longer have the capacity to serve the Balboa/Clairemont/Mesa College areas. Perhaps it's the economy, perhaps there's something going on behind closed doors. Perhaps they've run into immigration issues. It's a sad case of understaffed, overhead out of control, price for everything is going up. Literally they can't even affectively serve walk-in customers during lunch hours. Even the pre-orders are backed up. Their dining area is empty and it's noon...

Friendly people and delicious food. Orange chicken is great. Actual thick noodles. About 16-17 for a generous 3 item combo.

Came here again after years. Lo Mien 4/5: Great texture, thick, large portion. A little salty but great flavor! Orange chicken 4/5: Great flavor but something is missing. Maybe too sweet. But spicy oil helps! Kung Pao Chicken 4/5: Amazing flavors but not enough chicken. Overall better than average food. Definitely coming back and plenty of seating. Service is great, they are attentive and quick.

Today I visited Fortune Cookie Express for my Chinese New Years dinner, and to honor the memory of a friend who died way too young, who used to have lunch with me there on Wednesdays. Today I had some delicious sweet pork, chicken zucconi and mushrooms with fried rice and noodles as a 2 item combo. It came with a small fountain drink. This set me back about $15 then I added a egg drop soup for an additional 2 bucks. About what one would pay for an AYCE Chinese Buffet, but I got to keep my leftovers. My food was warm, the soup hot. The pork had hints of fat and a nice sweet sauce. It was fairly tender, with a few tough pieces. The chicken zucconi and mushrooms were well prepared and also had a pleasant sauce. The fried rice and the noodles were both good. Not the Best I ever had in my lifetime, but then I have been around for 70 years now. The young man that waited on me today was friendly and generous with the portions he scooped on my tray. I had pleanty leftover for a midnight snack. The one thing that deprived Fortune Cookie Express from a 4 star review was the fact that they had no restroom for customers. Seems to me if I recall correctly that fact and the fact they no longer give the Yelp check in eggrolls. I think I'll only return for takeout from now on.

Wow. This place is the epitome of fast food Chinese food. Where do I start? The service from the owners is emaculate every time. Consistent. The food is delicious and fresh. And in my opinion, they may have the best salted fried wings in San Diego! Definitely try it out if you are in town.

Wonderful little buffet style Chinese restaurant. I've been coming here for years. The portion sizes are generous and very flavor full. I love that they offer a cup of chili oil at every table I put that stuff on everything! Their garlic jalapeno chicken wings are amazing when they are freshly made. The only draw back is that when there is a line of people waiting to order, the wait times can be a little excessive. But honestly, it is worth the wait sometimes. Whenever we are craving Chinese food this is definitely one of our go to spots here in Claremont.

We come here for dinner once a week. It is a buffet style restaurant. The portion sizes are generous. The quality is usually pretty good, although from time to time sometimes it's a little off because when it's slow the food usually sits out for awhile a gets a little stale. The only other con is that when it gets busy and there is a line you can expect to wait awhile to be served. But regardless I'd thise 2 cons we still come back!

Great for catering. Salt and pepper chicken wings were amazing, flavorful, and a crowd pleaser. Would definitely recommend!

The food here was pretty good. I would say about standard for similar concepts however love that it is locally owned and not a chain. The teriyaki wasn't the most flavorful but I LOVED the orange chicken. The service is great, super friendly and generous with portions. For the rising price of everything these days it was a pretty good deal $14 for a 2-combo with a drink. Casual atmosphere but definitely roomy enough to eat there if you please.

What I absolutely like about this place is their Chinese BBQ pork. They are so tender! I just kept coming back for more! Their hot and sour soup is a bit spicy but I liked it! Can't go wrong with the orange chicken! Family run and they are just very friendly!

Located in a small strip mall with parking. Called in our order which was ready in 10 minutes however plenty of food is already prepared to purchase at the store front. Prices are very reasonable for the food quality! Wings - great flavor with jalapenos and garlic. Chicken was perfectly cooked with a crispy exterior and moist interior. No dry or over fried chicken here!! Perfectly seasoned and not greasy. Will definitely be getting these again. Chow mein- we got it with chicken, beef and shrimp. Noodles were chewy and had great flavor! Service was friendly and food was great, will definitely be returning to try more items!

Even trying to get food here when they open but they don't open at 11am like it states. I've been there at 11:30 before and still no food set out to order. They should just change their time to 12

Been coming here since i can remember best Chinese food better than Panda Express or any other Chinese take out highly recommend food is always fresh and made with love I drive 30 mins each time to come eat it well worth it.

We get the garlic wings often for classroom parties! Yum! We do wish we could get a pickup order earlier than 11:00am but it's delicious!

Service is SUPER slow, and they don't care. The line was only 3 deep (me #3), and it 15 -20 minutes waiting in a very short line. They are known for their wings -- the last 3 times I have gone in, specifically looking for wings, they have been out or down to scraps. "They'll be ready in 20- 25 minutes," I've been already waiting for 20 minutes! Wake up people! The BBQ pork: Tasty but over 50% pure fat.

If you are seeking authentic Chinese cuisine then this may not be for you. Fortune Cookie Express is wonderful at serving comforting, well priced plates to go with fair prices. The employees are very friendly and this is the type of place that Panda Express et al have copied. Love this place!

The food here is so delicious! The garlic wings are a must try! Good prices on the food as well. This place is a hidden gem. The service was so friendly and the ambiance of the place was good, we were the only ones sitting down to eat in the restaurant, everyone else took to go. Overall, it's a must try! Get the combo plates!

You guys need to update your hours on google drove 30 mins for it to just be closed on a Sunday such an inconvenience!!

Super yummy, great service, and greaaat portions! I think it was enough for two meals for me haha Will be coming back soon!!!

This is definitely better than Panda Express. Quick, inexpensive, and tasty! They pile on the food also so you get your money's worth and more in my opinion. The lady who serves the food is polite.. nothing extra, just the right amount of customer service. We usually just get the beef and broccoli , bbq pork, noodles, and fried rice. Oh and the fried chicken wings! I haven't been disappointed. Been here a few times and I've always been happy with my decision to stop by :)

This food can be good and it can be bad. It is hit or miss. It is panda express style with food already prepared. Their salt and pepper wings are amazing regardless of other entrées that you ordered.

I'm from LA and wanted to try some new place in San Diego, I came to this place on Monday at 6:50pm supposedly open but was closed.

Place is great, it's like a Mom&Pop Panda Express with a bit more authentic flavors. They're always very friendly and the price point is solid. Sometimes they don't have their soup ready but all you have to do is call and they will make it ready by the time you get there. The wings are probable my favorite, super crunch and full of flavor. Don't forget to ask for the "crunchy's" from the wings to add onto your combo dish!! Great spot!

I needed a small catered order last minute for a potluck event. I saw the reviews and was encouraged that the process would be smooth and easy. I called the morning of my event and the lady on phone was super transparent about pricing, serving sizes, and options. She was also super accommodating about my pick-up time and ensured my order would be ready when I arrived at 4:30pm. Since the dish was super hot (I was encouraged it just came out of the kitchen), she made me a cardboard tray to transfer it out- super helpful! The food was good and not super oily like other Chinese places. I brought my friend here the next day for lunch and we loved the combination plate options- great price and great variety. The same lady had us wait just a couple extra minutes for fresh lo mein- so worth it! This is my new hidden gem; don't judge it by it's lowkey look- it's a winner!

This place was very fresh and tasty! We got the orange chicken and kung pao chicken and fried rice and it was all delicious. The kung pao chicken is known to be spicy and boy was it! I love spice but I'll probably pass next time because it was a little too spicy for me but the flavor was amazing!! Definitely recommend giving them a try If you haven't before- wish I would have taken a picture of the food but next time!

They charge tip without asking and prices have gone up with less amount in the order Use to be able to order sides now you have to place a regular order to get sides

This is a fan favorite for me when I bring their fried chicken wings to pot lucks. Nice lil mom and pop shop. Service is straightforward.

A bit baffled at the 1-star reviews for this place, but upon viewing the profiles, it seems to come from people are just upset and don't use this platform other than to bash places because "they forgot my straw" or write weird reviews like "The orange chicken was bland and dry but coated with too much sauce" (How does that even make sense?. Anyways on to the review, this place is a solid, solid takeout joint. I love that they have Lo Mein instead of Chow Mein because I like a thiccy chewy nood with my food. I got a 3-item combo that comes with a drink and yes, they pack it pretty well for you. Orange chicken, kung pao chicken, and black pepper beef. Orange chicken was standard and delicious, satisfied my craving. Somehow it was super crunchy but still very saucy even though it was under the heat lamp. Kung Pao chicken was an amazing surprise. The sign said "spicy" which is sort of true, it's more of the fact that they use sichuan peppercorns in this dish so you get a bit of that mala numbing feeling which is awesome. The flavor profile was awesome and the first time I've had kung pao chicken cooked in the traditional way at a takeout joint. Black pepper beef was well velveted and the veggies were bomb, but I'd probably stay away from it next time just because the chicken dishes were so good. Server was really nice and overall a wonderful experience. Give it a try and don't listen to these bozos giving this place a 1-star.

the food is super good, very generous portions, and they are always very kind. they are the best

Will always be a favorite was for years & years still is great. Good stop when in the area.

Went there tonight, first time in a long time. Ordered a two item combo Beijing beef and string bean chicken breast. Freaking disgrace!!!!! String bean chicken had four tiny pieces of chicken in it and that was it freaking ridiculous!!!!!! First time in a long time, last time!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love. Long time family business. Love love love the hot n sour soup (our fave) with chicken breast and broccoli entree

The BEST salt and pepper chicken wings and at an excellent price! Great service and good portions!

How have I not come across Fortune Cookie Express until now?! I was craving Chinese Food Takeout or even Panda Express but I was too lazy to drive out for it but I saw that Fortune Cookie Express was pretty close to me. 1 item combo $6.99 2 item combo $7.99 3 item combo $8.99 (Garlic Fried Chicken is not included in the combo) I saw all the reviews and pictures talking about the garlic fried chicken so I just had to order it. It's $3 for 4 wings. It tasted pretty good too! I got a combo with orange chicken and I asked for the cream cheese wontons but they didn't have enough wontons left to complete an order so the guy working there just gave me the last two pieces for free, nice of him. Overall I enjoyed my meal. Good prices and I definitely got my Chinese food fix. I'll for sure be returning when the craving hits!

The food here is amazing! They give you good portions and good pricing. Here's a photo of what was left after I ate half. So delicious and filling!

My husband really likes this place. It has Chinese food (similar to Panda Express) but the meals are a few dollars cheaper. Also you can get a drink with your meal. The food is fresh and delicious. I got the orange chicken and beef and broccoli. The service is ok, they just do their job. The restaurant inside is ok not the prettiest thing you'll ever see. It is a little old looking but it's ok we come here usually just to get takeout. They are very fast at getting your food. They give you a fortune cookie with your meal. There are usually a few people eating inside. The vibe is pretty quiet.

This review is long overdue. I've been a customer of fortune cookie for years. The food is always delicious and their customer service is awesome.

Good, but not great. Prices went up with pandemic, making it less appealing to me. The spicy entrees, as well as the hot & sour soup, are way too hot; Kung Pao Chicken is one of my favorites, but I can't eat theirs. I like the orange chicken. The egg rolls are good, but they don't have homemade mustard and plum sauce to go with them.

very clean. very affordable. very friendly. similar to a panda setup with cooked to order options. kung pao chicken heavy on the POW, light on the chicken. Thai chicken has a good buttery flavor, but not too spicy. orange chicken was good but average for the area. solid 3.5* would be 4* if offered refills on fountain drinks, or a larger drink for the combo. y'all know some of your dishes are . Also.... you would think a place called Fortune Cookie Express would include a FORTUNE COOKIE!

If you want some bombass Chinese food, go here. Don't judge a book by its cover. It could use some updating or TLC on the furniture and decor. But it's not horrible. It's a mom and pop shop feel. And the food and service is amazing!! My boyfriend used to go here all the time when he lived in SD. Now that he's back living here he took me and I've asked to go back again and again. Friendly lady always serving the food. Highly recommend!