Shanghai Express Chinese Take Away in Southend-on-Sea

Visited this takeaway restaurant for cheap but delicious food with a big portion of food. Always my choice when I did not want to cook. I strongly recommend Singapore noodles

I ordered from Just Eat a meal from Shanghai Express, Southend, and it failed to arrive after over an hour and a quarter, well over the revised delivery time. I cancelled, but the restaurant told me it wouldn't refund me my money as it hadn't got it yet. I used the contact space on Just Eat's website but they have ignored me. I will recover my money via the bank.

Great portions and lovely food

Order took 2 hours and food was not at all what the reviews lead you to believe. Would definitely not recommend

Always make sure you ask for a receipt as I was over charged on my order and could not be refunded. I have been going to this Chinese over a few years now and would of thought they would refund as I am a regular customer. Also chicken curry was not nice this time had quite a bit of fat on chicken.

OMG I’ve lived in southend for 30+ years and this is the first time I’ve been here, it will definitely NOT be the last. The food was awesome, hot freshly cooked and a decent price too. The lady on the counter was lovely and welcoming. Very big menu and plenty of options for everyone.

Really nice Chinese place, would definitely recommend this place, I don’t usually do reviews but I in my opinion it’s hard to find a good Chinese around this area without it begin greasy. This place has amazing tasty dishes without the extra grease, good portions and also do like the Fortune cookie they always provide on small or big orders. Every order has been perfect. Also I have a large order and they gave us a free drink and spring rolls which I thought was nice x

Delivery only for me. Food was fantastic, used Imperial Westcliff For 20 years got sick of them poor service, food quality. Shanghai is my new takeaway. 100% recommended!

It's ok but it can be very good.

Just paid and received prawn crackers that were out of date and stale!!

Came to Southend for the beach but I must say this takeaway shop may have been better! The food was not only delicious but it was also very price friendly too. Would definitely recommend this takeaway if anybody is in Southend and fancies a Chinese takeaway!

Staff and food was EXCELLENT with top notch taste and flavour. Chinese will be always in my head because of Shanghai Express!!

Food awful. Special fried rice is the darkest brown ever and so unappetising. Even the prawn crackers were thick and chewy. Beef curry or whatever they call it, between 2 of us, I had one bit of chewy beef with lots of onions. The dark brown of the chow mein mingled with the dreadful rice. The only nice thing was the prawn toast. Given this place many a chance but it was a wasted £20 tonight and I don’t care how hungry I am, I will never eat from there again.

The best Chinese around Southend, food is always lovely & fast delivery. Wouldn’t go anywhere else

By far one of the best Chinese Takeaway’s in Southend. Their egg fried rice is full of flavour, one of the best I’ve had!

Worst Chinese takeaway I've ever had. Chicken was tough & dry. Rice & beansprouts not cooked thoroughly. Food ended up in my bin.

We ordered some Vegetarian smoked "no duck" for nearly £9, but it looked like crispy beef in batter and tasted so sweet... far too sweet... I couldn't taste anything else. Nothing smoked about it. Awful! We also ordered the stir fried vegetables, but the sauce smelt just off! LIke fishy drains... (i'd actually just cleared out my drain earlier that day and no word of a lie, the smell of the veggies reminded me of the drain!) So not only were we cautious that it has been cooked in some fish sauce, it just smelt disgusting.... even meat eaters wouldn't have eaten it!. The rest of the dishes were 'ok'... but nothing special. SO... I understand that sometimes this could be a one off, so I called up the restaurant and explained this, and the customer service was TERRIBLE! They reluctantly offered a refund for just the 'mock duck' and "fishy veg" which to be honest whilst I accepted that at the time (and even suggested it), they were the main dishes (the rest were prawn crackers and rice!). So our whole meal was ruined. He then said he could only offer a refund via the Just Eat app (we ordered direct from their website so they don't pay the middle man - local business and all). The only way to refund the two disgusting dishes was to have his delivery driver drive back to us and give me partial cash.... with..wait for it... a delivery charge that I would have to pay for him to come back!!! At that point I said forget it... We have just moved to the area and were trying out local takeaways. Clearly we will never go back that.

FOOD INEDIBLE! CUSTOMER SERVICE NON EXISTENT! We ordered some Vegetarian smoked "no duck" for nearly £9, but it looked like crispy beef in batter and tasted so sweet... far too sweet... I couldn't taste anything else. Nothing smoked about it. Awful! We also ordered the stir fried vegetables, but the sauce smelt just off! LIke fishy drains... (i'd actually just cleared out my drain earlier that day and no word of a lie, the smell of the veggies reminded me of the drain!) So not only were we cautious that it has been cooked in some fish sauce, it just smelt disgusting.... even meat eaters wouldn't have eaten it!. The rest of the dishes were 'ok'... but nothing special. SO... I understand that sometimes this could be a one off, so I called up the restaurant and explained this, and the customer service was TERRIBLE! They reluctantly offered a refund for just the 'mock duck' and "fishy veg" which to be honest whilst I accepted that at the time (and even suggested it), they were the main dishes (the rest were prawn crackers and rice!). So our whole meal was ruined. He then said he could only offer a refund via the Just Eat app (we ordered direct from their website so they don't pay the middle man - local business and all). The only way to refund the two disgusting dishes was to have his delivery driver drive back to us and give me partial cash.... with..wait for it... a delivery charge that I would have to pay for him to come back!!! At that point I said forget it... We have just moved to the area and were trying out local takeaways. Clearly we will never go back that.

One of the best Chinese takeaways I've ever had, and very good value for the money spent.

Food good, prices average but friendly service.

I gave this Chinese takeaway a try during lockdown and the food is fine. Prices are very reasonable and the menu very extensive. I chose it because it had a Malaysian curry on the menu and Malaysian food is impossible to find in Southend - the nearest is at South Benfleet. Anyway, said Malaysian chicken curry wasn’t a Malaysian curry as I know it - thick with coconut and potato - but was pleasant and a lot better than the standard curries in Chinese takeaways which just have sharp heat and no flavour. Egg-fried rice was good. And duck in black pepper sauce was fine - the duck was plentiful and tender though the sauce was a bit gloopy.

The food was lovely all hot fast delivery generous portions and even a freebie which we were not expecting will definitely be using them again .

Love this place. Nice quality food great service and amazing prices. Delivery always fast. I always seems to get bonus free food with it which you can't argue with.

For how much we paid we ordered half shredded duck not sure I Even received 1/4, asked for crispy and was slimy . Over priced awful food will definitely not be going back.

Took my money and never delivered my food while never picking up the phone when i called pathetic

Do not use this place. Waited 2 hours for my food to be delivered. No answer from restaurant. Then says delivered with nothing arrived. Deliveroo then advise they cant get hold of restaurant and cancel my order. So no food or contact or money back for 72 hours!!! Disgraceful

I waited 1 hour over the scheduled time before cancelling for a refund. Absolutely useless and definitely would not recommend!

Hands down the best chinese I've ever had. Just moved to Southend and left my Chinese takeout of 30 years behind, but finding Shanghai express has filled a void. Portions are huge, food is amazing.

Best Chinese in Southend a little overpriced excellent food and not oily

Ordered food which arrived without the sauces. No help on the 0hone just told to wait for it to arrive. Took over another 30mins to arrive so had to reheat food which ruined it! Wont be ordering again!

Pancake roll was awful, fried rice was tasteless not a good meal

Very tasty and value for money. Highly recommend

absolutely vile . i ordered the duck pancakes and the image I have attached is what we got , the rest was very dry. sweet and sour was watery , the ribs smelt gone off and even the prawn crackers tasted soft ?! never ever again , shanghai u should b ashamed x

Have ordered from here a few times and has always been good, this evening absolutely awlful the chicken chow mein was burnt and not edible, has left an burnt taste in my mouth

It's nice staff are lovely and friendly the food is amazing big portions to 😊

FIRST TIME ORDERED HERE, FOOD CAME HOT AND WAS DELICOUS WILL BE ORDERING AGAIN FOR SURE

First time order from here through deliveroo lovely hot food enjoyed it . Will order from here again.

Love this Chinese!! Amazing food and friendly service!

ordered via just eat, a bit pricey, but assumed the free delivery was factored in. the steamed dumplings were slippery and bland, and just larger dumplings cut in half, so liquid had leaked in. the salt and pepper squid was average, a little chewy and the batter was very floury, rather than crispy. as for the Thai style noodles? yuk. a mixture of flavours all of fighting each other, a weird sweetness, and chilli, the noodles were so overcooked they were almost liquid. Just a mess. the Pancake roll was actually ok, despite being cooked from frozen would not recommend, and won't be using again.

Nice clean food, lovely friends staff

Lovely takeaway plenty veggie options decent portions friendly staff.

Great food. Recommend the Garlic and chilli chicken

Just excellent! A very extensive menu and your order arrives extremely quickly.

Amazing food as always. Wish they took card.

We went specially to Shanghai Express. Made it a must go too because went there many years ago when visited Southend on sea Drove 30 minutes from where were staying on our Holiday.They even stayed open for us as we had been in London and running late. The staff are lovely and The food is great and well priced. Look forward to our next visit.

My local Chinese can be good can be bad this time very good!!!

This place did lose its mojo for awhile but it's back up there again. Friends from quite a distance will order from here as it's that good. Def one of the best Chinese takeaways in the whole of Southend area

Very simple and very very good cannot fault it all...food is always delicious....

Lovely food, great portion sizes. Very friendly and polite owners.

👌 best of the best chines food .

Terrible service-Ordered at 7.50, food turned up at 9.30 blaming a new driver over 1 hour 40 for delivery, I rang twice to get an ETA and when it did turn up the food was cold 🥶 on arrival. We did not accept the order and we wanted a refund we was told it would take a while from just eat. The manager Li said they would recook and we could collect. Demanded a refund which my husband went to collect. Unacceptable service won’t be ordering again.🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

Great food!!! Delicious and big portion!

The food is delicious here ，especially smoked shredded chicken is the best one ，definitely order again.

half an hour late and cold! threw it all away... avoid at ALL costs!!!

Not very nice chicken balls was over cooked and sweet and sour was like water. Ribs had a funny taste.. chicken curry was ok but rice wasnt very fresh tasting ... shame our normal place was closed

I've never been there but according to Google I have, sounds like a Chinese restaurant. Do they serve cat?

Had the singapore chow mein. It was really good.

Ordered for the first time and was very pleased with the food. The meat was soft the meal was delicious! Will be coming again deffinatelly.

omg this is so good!!! I'm a veggie and the options are great. love it, best in southend thanks xx

Would give no stars but there is not an option, food was freezing, driver insisted otherwise and touched my food. Called to ask for the situation to be rectified and by coincidence there was no manager or staff member available to give refund or replace tepid food. Will not receive my custom again would advise others to avoid this takeaway unless you want cold food and poor customer service.

First time my boyfriend and I ordered from here, and we are so so pleased! Our food arrived 15 minutes after we made our order which was exceptional and the food was piping hot and delicious. Only criticism from me would be I felt the chicken in peanut satay sauce dish wasn't SO satayish. The sauce was a bit watery and not very peanutty. I love my peanuty satay sauce so hope this can be improved. Will definitely order again!

Lovely woman served us, food is delicious :)

New Management Since 2016 of Shanghai Express Chinese Take Away Very Good Food Quality , Very Tasty.

Every dish iv had is 10/10 .Best Chinese in town .