La Mein Natural Noodles

For the longest time, I had been passing this spot although never went inside. I told myself I would return when craving some Americanized Chinese food. Well, today my chance arrived. I came in to get chow mein and orange chicken for lunch. I felt like I needed veggies, so I got those. The veggies were just boiled vegetables in oil. Nothing special. In fact, they tasted kind of bland. But they did the trick anyway, and I got full when I ate them before everything else. Prior to actually dining here, I'd heard that the orange chicken can be too sweet. It was, although when compared with others I'd had I didn't think so. Seemed on par. Chow mein was really light... I don't know what they put in it. I am a noodle person. Therefore, I enjoyed this. I got the feeling that the Chinese food they serve is a lot healthier and lighter than other competitors. I'd come back when craving Americanized Chinese in the area.

Wonderful fast place to grab lo mein and orange chicken for $8!! Not too salty or greasy and fresh tasting. They take cards and the owners are super sweet!

This is a great little “cheapy-chinese food” restaurant. The old man is friendly and his food is pretty dam Good! And you get a ton of food! What’s not to like!?

Okay Chinese-American takeout. They've been at this location for a long time so they're doing things right. Being a heat-lamps place, he food tastes at its best between 11:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. If you go later you're better off paying extra just go with a la carte cooked to order. Lady owner can come across as detached and rude at times, but she means well, just some cultural dissonance. I'm glad they were able to stay open through Covid.

This place is the BEST! I've been coming here since high school and now I'm in residency for a doctorate's program. They care, and the orange chicken is the best, it's crunchy and not wet and soggy like other places. All the bad reviews are from people with no culture so don't believe them! This place is fire and the servings are huge!

I was initially hesitant to eat here based on the reviews and the look of the restaurant but I’m glad I tried it. I had the potato and orange chicken along with rice and chow mein. It was tasty, energizing and I had no stomach pain afterward. Portions were generous as well. The dining room needs cleaning attention, however. I recommend this place if you’re in the area and don’t want to spend an arm and a leg for a simple and filling meal.

A friend referred me to this place I tried the chicken fried rice which is one of my favorite dishes I got plenty of white meat chicken in the rice and it was topped off, filled the whole container I'd give this place six stars if I could. Also Tina is a real sweetheart! A week later I got chicken chow mein, and again it was packed in the container. Chicken fried rice twice and chicken chow mein once so far it is always been consistently great! I always tip her $3 to $5 dollars because of her generosity in filling the containers.

I was there today Oct 8 me and my family are fro Orange County we were so hungry I got a plate and everything on it was hard and tasted as it sat there all day or 2 days old digusting didn’t like the place at all . I’ve eaten better from mc Donald’s than this place . I wouldn’t recommend this place ever

Traffic in Los Angeles is only for the brave at heart. Having said that we crawled across town being hangry. The other night I had seen La Mein and made a mental note on it. It is a small place with a few tables and chairs. You can order a la carte or get one, two or three entrées. We saw that the helpings were good sized and opted to share a two entree meal. The food is already prepared so we asked staff what some of the dishes were. She explained them all being very friendly and nice. We decided on potato chicken and eggplant with tofu. Now I do believe potato chicken is an invented chef dish. It was ok, more potatoes than chicken. The eggplant was good and somewhat greasy. The meal came with fried rice and chow mein noodles. The rice and noodles with soy sauce were probably the best part. It reminded me of a Panda meal only less chicken. The meal sufficiently stuffed us. Free shared or street parking and inconsistent WiFi in the area.

Small family run takeout Chinese food. We buy their chicken wings and noodles by the trayful whenever we have parties or if we have guests from out of town. Just call ahead of time so they can prep for you. Plenty of free parking, two lots, one on Fair Oaks the other one on Hope.

I love eating at these fast food ready made mom & pop Chinese restaurants rather than going to the mega giant Panda Express. I picked out a two item combo meal with chow mien and fried rice. My two mains were spicy chicken something and orange chicken both were decent but nothing over the top. If I'm ever in the mood for fast food I would stop by again.

I have been coming here since high school (over 20 years). The food is always consistent. They will make things fresh for you if there isn't a lot of food left. Good customer service!

Stop by yesterday and I truly wish this place was great or at least goobut unfortunately it was not. Giving it a few stars only because the older lady was a delight of customer service. Tried their chow Mein and fried rice (half n half). Chow Mein was okay, the rice was decent. My two sides were pepper chicken and orange chicken, pepper chicken was so dry, the orange chicken had so much batter that I hardly tasted chicken. Also tried two egg rolls and they were awful, I think jack in the box egg rolls are better.

Foods were so-so because I was given foods from the bottom of the pans which were leftovers from lunch. It would have been nice if they offered freshly cooked foods. I would be willing to wait. I will give them another chance maybe in the near future.

best chicken wings ever they're so nice and crispy. I'm not a fan of jalapeño but they definitely add a nice kick to the wings.

I've been coming here since high school! I love the rice noodles, chicken wings, black pepper chicken and orange chicken! Super affordable, family owned and the owners are super nice! My go to fast food Chinese spot.

I have been coming here for years. This spot is a mom and pop shop. It is run by the friendliest woman you'll ever meet. A lot of people are hating on their orange chicken. I will say right now that it is different, but in my opinion, in a good way. Don't expect some orange chicken like Panda Express. Their orange chicken is like CANDIED orange chicken. It has a crunchy caramelized crunch on the outside that contains the chicken! If you don't like sweet, then you won't like their orange chicken. Their chow Mein is delicious, especially with a side of teriyaki sauce. My favorites are their orange chicken, wings, chow Mein, and stir fried veggies. Their drinks are so-so. I suggest not getting boba if you get a smoothie because this isn't a boba shop. I commend this place the most because they NEVER skimp out on you. If you ask for a box of food, they will fill it up so much that it will be almost impossible to shut. Although they are not thriving like those big chains, their generosity is what keeps people coming back.

Lady's very nice but the pork was very dry as well as orange chicken. Didn't have no flavor chowmaine was chopped up to small pieces don't recommend.

The only place where I can feed my 7 kids for a reasonable price. Their food is fresh out of the kitchen. It's a family owned business and they've managed to keep it open several years now. I'd definitely recommend trying this place on your next easy dinner night.

My favorite fast food for Chinese! My family and I have been coming here for over 2 decades. We love the chow main, beef and broccoli, salt and pepper shrimp and the ORANGE CHICKEN! OC is the best I've had, better than Panda Express lol. Everything is good here. I drive from the valley now just to have a plate

This has been a favorite spot of mine for quite some time, well over 15 years, closer to 20 years. This has been a hidden gem in South Pas, as someone with unique food allergies, it's nice to find a Chinese Restaurant where I can eat what I enjoy (without the worry of my allergies being triggered). I have since moved away, but still love this place and visit it whenever I come into town. Large Portions, Great Prices, Vast Selection. Don't ever change La Mein, and don't ever leave!

So this place is "fast food" Chinese. And yes, the food may sit there a bit, waiting for customers, like all establishment of this kind. But overall, it's not bad! I especially like getting food catered here. It's relatively inexpensive and the food doesn't sit around, so it's fresh off the wok. People who ate it, liked it. And the money I saved was my little secret. The owners/cooks are friendly and helpful. So I will keep coming back, especially for my casual catering needs :)

Orange chicken and chow mein is the best! Food is good. Also, feels nice to support a local business.

Good and super cheap ! Big portions, taste good and a little healthier than anything in this price range. Service is fast and owner is super nice :) It's fairly authentic too. 4/5 for cleanliness, and not crazy amount of choice. Not the best restaurant in the world but great when you're on a budget and/or need to feed lot of people :)

I love this place and have been going for many years. They are very generous with their food, their prices are great. The food is very tasty and fresh. The service is great!

Been coming here for years never thought to leave a review until now (: I definitely recommend, the owners are soo sweet and the food is delicious! They make every visit feel like home. If you're looking to support small businesses, this is a go to!

I've been coming here for years and am never disappointed in the food or service. I highly recommend the chicken wings! So good

Dropped by one lunch because I was starved and wanted cheap Chinese. Usually when I get this craving it's off I go to Panda Express, but I thought I'd throw a wrench into this day. When I saw that generic [Chinese Food] sign, I made a flying left turn through traffic. The small parking lot in this mall would probably be a nightmare in the peak hours. Heck, there's not even a good place to street park around here. This was my first meal of today at 4 o clock so good thing I didn't have parking troubles at all. -=-2 item combo!-=- At a hair above $6, it's still cheaper than other places. Surprisingly I thought my noodles was the weakest dish. It did not have the soy sauce flavor infused in it like most other places, so most bites ended up bland. Rice was a bit better but not by much. BBQ Pork, no way to screw this up really. Orange Chicken...god lemme tell you about that. It's super crispy which is usually kool, but barely any chicken in there. It's also too sweet with no tang at all. In the back of my mind it was like a chicken donut. Hard to explain this anomaly, but it was different. One salvaging factor is the shear amount of mass that they pile on your plate, and you can't argue with quantity.

I've been coming here for years. I'm not a huge Chinese food eater, but whenever I am in the mood for it, I always come here. Seriously, don't even bother going to panda(they suck). For what you pay here, they really pile on the portions and the food tastes fresh. One combo is easily enough for two people. Also, the lady that is normally working the front is very nice. So to sum it up.. good food, big portions, great prices, and friendly service. Btw, cash only!

This is my go-to spot for Chinese take out. You can't beat the prices, portions, service, and taste! The owner is extremely friendly and always fills the container to the point of overflowing. She also has a chili she mixes herself that is awesome! I like their chow mein noodles and pepper chicken. My mom usually gets curry and bee hoon noodles. Pretty much everything here is delicious and I have no complaints. If you're going to Panda in South Pasadena you're making a mistake by not coming here.

Omg the most gross place ever just ate there got the 2 item combo with teriyaki chicken and orange chicken bith were so dry and hard that my fork broke on the orange chicken I had to stab with to eat and the teriyaki chicken Was like a beef Jerky hard and super chewy it's like they took the food they didn't sell from day before and recooked it I was so disappointed that I threw it all away and didn't even eat it took about 4 bites omg it looked busy too wow I wonder if I just got two bad items or they all like that ? Wish I coulld if taken a pic of the food but was soo grossed out just left . I'm never coming back !

First of all this family owned business is always a priority to support. Having the option to order fun noodles vs the regular chow mein noodles is a plus! Great favors on the chow fun - chicken got to love the chicken, mushrooms, squash and carrots . "Tina" her american name is one of the owners. Tina is awesome, friendly & honest. Great to get suggestions, especially for party trays. Just keep in mind they observe holidays and will be closed. But for parties, please allow time to place your orders. This way they make sure they have everything fresh & in stock for your trays. The food is authentic home cooked, with a bit of a twist to cater to their customers. Yes, of course their A, B , C combo plates offers great selection. LUNCH Time is probably their busiest time, but for us mom's getting out late & not wanting to cook. This is my secret spot, I don't have to drive to San Gabriel or Chinatown LA when La Mein is right here in South Pasadena... stop by & try them out. Today I tried the strawberry/peach smoothie that was yummy for only $2.75

I love this place! They have the best chicken wings! They are crispy, a little spicy (jalapeño), and the meat on the inside is nice and juicy. The owners are really sweet and amazing people. This is one of my regular lunch spots and I always get the orange chicken, beef and broccoli and half chow mein/half fried rice. The portions are huge and the prices are very reasonable. You can also order party trays! We've ordered from them for my son's first birthday and my husband's birthday as well.

I've been going here for over a decade, and it is by far one of my favorite local eats of all time. The family that owns it is very friendly, and the food is an incredible value for the price. PLEASE try the wings, they're one of the best things I've ever eaten.

Keyna is the lady the often is behind the front counter greeting customers. She always helps me out and can serve up some of the best spicy jalapeno fried chicken wings around.

My mom and brother went here and ordered take out, they finished most of their meal before my mom began eating her wonton soup. And in this wonton soup that she was so excited for she found a mothafuckin roach!!! A roach! So foul lmao and if it couldn't get worse, she went back for her money and the lady refused to refund her for her full meal To be honest this place is super nast and idk why they went there in the first place but this sealed the deal for me lmao Don't eat here hahahha

3.5 stars Long story short: A little surprisingly good. Cheap alternative to stuff like Panda Express without having to drive to San Gabriel or Temple City. Long story long: I was craving greasy, take out Chinese food. I was at home and didn't want to go to Panda Express, nor did I feel like driving all the way down to San Gabriel or whatever to go to a place there. I have known about this place for years because I go to the Subway next door quite often, so I figure I'd give it a try. I actually was originally planning on going to the Hawaiian BBQ place that is in this same strip mall, but once I saw this place I decided to give it a try. This is your atypical, run of the mill, mom and pop take out restaurant. All of the food is laid out in warming trays just like at Sam Woo Express, and they have 1 item, 2 item, and 3 item combos. I decided to get a 2 item combo, which is $4.85. That's cheaper than Panda Express, which I believe charges upwards of $7something for the same thing. I know a place in San Gabriel near my dad's office that has a 2 item combo for $4.25, but again, I didn't feel like driving down there. You have a choice between chow mein, fried rice, or rice noodles. I got chow mein. As for my entrees, I got the pork ribs and the fried chicken wings. The lady helping me was nice. I paid and took it home. I dug in and the chow mein was pretty good. Didn't have a lot going on in terms of veggies or whatever, but it was solid. I started on the pork ribs and the chicken wings and those were both good as well. The chicken wings were meaty and had a good crisp to them. I was defnitely satisfied and to my surprise, I was not hungry 30 minutes later nor did I suffer from major food coma. I think I just found my new "I want cheap, greasy take out Chinese food" place

I tasted the orange chicken. I didn't like it. The server said it was the most popular item. I found it to be overly sweet. I tried the chicken wings, and decided to get that. It was close to $6. She gave me a heaping portion. I had a few pieces because I was famished. The food had been sitting on the tray for hours so it was inconsistent in temperature.

I took a step into La Mien, I immediately took a step out. (Express Chinese Fast Food is soooo not my thing) I head to Patakan Thai next door (see review). But Wife proceeds w/ La Mien. As we wait for my Patakan Pad Thai, we try my wife's Orange Chicken. WTF. Our little forks fray as we unsuccessfully attempt to pierce a piece of chicken. It's like the chicken is armored. When we finally taste the chicken, we realize its not just coated w/ sugar - it's literally buried under multiple layers of solidified fructose. We feel the sugar crack and then coat our molars. It's like the chicken is the condiment for the sugar. Yuck.

Best spicy chicken wings ever! Crispy spicy goodness. No MSG in their food. Best of all, they are Diu Chieu!

Everything Panda Express is not: Big portions Personable service Hot food (not lukewarm) Food with soul No long lines A varied menu Extremely reasonable prices (which seem from a different era)

The steamed vegetables were perfectly done and perfectly "sauced" and the fried rice was delicious. The service was exceptional with the wonderful woman at the counter who was very attentive and helpful and communicated very well. I felt very much included on the whole process, start to finish. Thank you!

Great food for a great price! I've been coming here for a few years and the food is always piping hot and fresh. The owner is so nice and values all her customers. The portions are also very generous and filling. There's always leftovers for your next meal!

They are still our go to Chinese fast food! Have the best chicken wings! I have ordered the catering tray size wings several times and they have always been a hit! Cost about $37 for a tray and super crispy and tasty!

This is by far my favorite fast food Chinese. I have been coming here for years, and after you read this review I think it will be quite clear why... The food is great. They have the typical thicker chow mein noodles but I go for the rice noodles. The rice noodles are lighter, have lots of crunchy veggies, and with a sprinkle of soy sauce are heavenly. I love the spicy chicken (and when they say spicy, they mean it!). I like the bbq pork because it has good flavor and its not very fatty as other places leave on. They have great little chicken wings that are seasoned with black pepper and jalapenos, and if you ask for a to-go carton of them, they stuff that carton so much it won't close! They have the usual items like orange chicken, beef and broccoli and chicken and mushrooms, which are all good in their own right, One thing I must say...the portions are HUGE! I am a big eater, but I can't finish a two-item combo in one sitting, which means awesome leftovers. A two-item combo is really enough for two people. Even though this place is hard to find in the little strip mall that it's in, it is easy to spot at lunch time during the week because there is always a long line. The good thing is that the line moves quickly, and it is definitely worth it!

I have been going here since I was a little kid, and I have always been a regular customer. It's a nice alternative to Panda Express, and a lot cheaper too. I highly recommend this place if you've grown tired of how little food Panda gives. Major Plus: *Proportion sizes* They give absolutely enormous proportions (to the point where they can't close the container), and I always get their two entree plate (around $5.45 including tax) with Chow Mein, Orange Chicken, and Spicy Wings . If you enjoy more of a spicy Orange Chicken, this place isn't for you. The orange chicken is more crispy and sweeter than Panda's. I promise you they give you enough for two meals. *Cheap boba* I enjoy getting their boba every once in a while. For $3.25, you can get either a smoothie or slush with boba. I always grab the strawberry smoothie with boba, and for the price, it's well worth it. *Family run place* As a regular customer, these people have seen me grow up since I was only 5. I was quite flattered when one of the ladies noticed and said I had gotten skinnier. That's a compliment that makes anyone's day! Their service is nice and quick, and I am in full support of this small ma and pa business Minor problems: *Atmosphere* There is nothing wrong with eating at the place, but it's best just to get it to go.

3.5, really. Better to overrate a bit then under, however. And this place isn't bad. For fast chinese food this is good if so inclined. It's a cut above some others, and as other reviewers have mentioned the orange chicken is something of a favorite. Do not expect great and you should be ok. The orange chicken is indeed crunchy, and its sauce seems almost caramelized in some instances. I like it with a big side of noodles and bbq pork, which isn't so bad itself. Vegetables, you say? Forget it! And ruin a big heaping mess of greasy chicken 'n pig 'n starch? I wouldn't dream of it! I've also had some pretty good soup here, and the egg rolls are decent. If you frequent fast chinese places you know what to expect, but you can also expect a bit of flavor and texture here in some dishes. So its worth a change of pace if you otherwise go elsewhere for fast, cheap chinese. Parking can be a hassle as the lot serves a number of "come and go" customers for several busy shops, and street parking is 'nil, really. Come hungry, they serve you an abundance.

Surprisingly clean place and delicious food. They claim to have no MSG and with such great prices, it's hard not to like this place, especially since there's not too many Chinese restaurants in the area that don't use MSG. Got a lot for a 2-item combo. The broccoli was running low so the lady cooked up a brand new portion for me so it was all super fresh. The staff are nice and I would definitely come back. This is more of a take-out place but the food is on par with, if not better than the couple sit-down Chinese restaurants down the road.

Good customer service with a smile. Employee was friendly and polite- unlike most Chinese food restaurants. Food was pretty decent.

The food here is quite good for fast food. The flavors of the meats come together nicely but the rice and chow mein can use some more work. They do charge a fee of $0.50 when using a credit card so beware.

This Chinese food is straight out horrible nastiest Chinese food I've ever had these dirty Chinese food owners gave me really dry old BBQ pork it was old tasted bitter I ordered to go so no way to go back and return it. There rice was bad. Orange chicken was the worse these people need to improve there food and stop giving people the leftovers!

A classic example of you get what you pay for. Large portions of food for a cheap price. Don't expect a high class dinning experience and you'll leave there satisfied, very full and with a big smile. I'd certainly pick this place over other fast food chains like Panda Express.

Hey. Came here when place I'd planned to go in that mall was closed. Got the combo #1 (noodles and meat). Next time I'll just get the pepper chicken, which was good, as opposed to the mountain of noodles they gave me, which was meh.

Excited to try this place after hearing how cheaply priced it was. Unfortunately there was a giant hair in my food. I discovered this after I had already gotten home and I was too irritated to drive back. Do not go here unless you enjoy eating other people's disgusting hair!!

Everything wrong with Chinese fast food is written with this place. Orange chicken was crunchy as a rock, noodles and rice stale...even the sriracha was discolored. Threw out half the meal.

Disgusting food. Taste like it been sitting for hours. the old man need to stop picking his nose.

Been heading here every so often now and it's always been good service and very convenient location. The food always tasted fresh and the boba smoothies (tons of different favors: honeydew, taro, mango, pineapple) always hit the spot. Really so glad I found this spot!