Emperor’s Express

I don’t know what people are talking about, because the food is good. It’s definitely not my favorite, but for Chinese food in the Northshore area, it’s really not bad at all. Honestly, I’m normally skeptical of the Chinese food reviews in Lake County because all the places people here said were good Chinese food, turned out to be awful. Just don’t get the sweet and sour sauce, because it’s not good at all. The fried rice, mickey bihon noodles, egg rolls, lumpia (mini egg rolls) and egg drop soup are all pretty good. Plus, they’re open on Monday’s!

This is an old-​school Chinese take-​out, it reminds me a lot of what Asian takeouts were like when I was growing up. It strikes me as basic and somewhat on the drab side. Some better lighting and perhaps a bit of modern décor would probably do wonders for the interior.
Having said that, the service was quick and friendly. They have a regular menu and day of the week specials as well as pick 1−2−3 mix and match specials. Add an egg roll to your special for $ 1.10.
I ordered off of the regular menu; the meal that I ordered was put in a Styrofoam takeout container which kept it warm. Unfortunately the egg roll was just in a waxed paper bag inside the kraft paper bag so it didn’t stay piping hot.
I liked the egg roll which wasn’t as greasy as they make in some Chinese take outs. The hot mustard sauce was disappointing– it didn’t have much kick to it and was dark colored like it was old.
The side of white rice was well cooked– not too sticky or too dry; it definitely had a fresh texture and taste to it. Well prepared rice can make or break an Asian meal in my opinion.
I liked the sauce on the Kung Pao shrimp– it could have been spicier for my taste but for most people it probably will be fine. I was a bit confused that the shells were left on the tails of the shrimp. This made it a bit unwieldy to eat them without making a mess.
No fortune cookie which was a bit of a downer.
Note: Emperor’s Express shows catering and party trays on their take out menu. Prices seem reasonable.
Otherwise– a solid experience and I will be back.

General Tso’s Chicken was really good. Mongolian Beef, Egg drop soup and Crab Rangoons I would not get again. Egg drop soup had peas in it, totally changes the flavor. Vegetable fried rice was very good also.

I tried this because I was looking for a place with dinner specials. I got the beef chop suey. The fried rice was delicious, not greasy like other places tend to be. The chop suey is well made, lots of vegetables and a lot of beef. The portions were really good. My brother got the orange chicken dinner special and he said the orange chicken was crispy and not soggy like other places. Food was fast and well made. You must try out.

Food– GOOD! Was esp. delighted to see the lumpia and pancit, Philipino specialties. There’s pop and munchies for the non-​Chinese lover in every crowd as well.
HOWEVER, order in advance. Apparently, it takes some time, and no express is involved in the making of this food. As a walk-​in, it took me over an hour after paying to get my food. The order was not unusual for Chinese takeout: a dozen mini-​lumpia, 2 orders of crab rangoon, an order of pot stickers, a SMALL order of chicken lo mein, a SMALL order of fried rice, a SMALL order of empress chicken, and a SMALL order of kung bao beef. A half hour? Sure. An hour? Not great.
I wouldn’t bring kids in there after dark; in fact, think strongly about calling in your order, taking it out, and having somebody keeping the car running while you get your order. When I went there last, a couple who was obviously stoned had set up residence in the dining room. While the female person argued with the boyfriend with whom she resided, she tried to garner sympathy from other customers to help them open «her» car, in which she had locked her keys. Her paramour staggered around the room, coming up behind me twice. They insisted the staff get them a phone book, supply phone numbers for local motels, and were a problem to say the least. At one point, the male paramour asked my husband if we were in Waukegan or Winthrop Harbor… It was obviously Waukegan.
They do cater, and will take orders for party trays all seven days of the week.