The Imperial Express Chinese Takeaway in Gateshead

I’ve been ordering from them for several years, and the taste is always the same. The beef in black bean sauce, chow mein, or the beef in Cantonese sauce are all delicious. I highly recommend them. I always pick up my orders myself, and the food is fresh, well-prepared, and flavourful.

RANK food TASTED like a bag of salt egg foo yun noooo taste and beef curry looked like the dog spewed it up full of oil un eadable egg fried rice was like plastic as if been left in microwave to long and went hard the soft noodles well they were the killer half a bottle pop down as that was the saltiness and tainted the lot even the bairns curry and chips were like a bag of salt she couldn't eat hers used to be nice here they couldn't give a toss now rotten waste of 25.00 used to go every Sunday no fail but safe to say il not be returning sick of food being up and down from there should have learnt me lesson by now # lesson learnt the whole lot went in the bin

Had several take away meals from here and never been disappointed.

Can't say I've ever had a problem having read previous reviews. Staff are always pleasant and the food (when collected) is always fresh and piping hot.

Delivery was a joke as it took far too long. No flavour and I'm sure there are supposed to be bean shoots in a chow mein. Very poor won't be ordering again

Tonight will be the last time we order from here. The quality of the food and service is a lottery depending on who is working there on the night you order. We usually order special fried rice and duck dishes and on a good night the rice is fresh, plenty of meat etc. On a bad night the rice is clearly old, the duck dishes are basically skin and I've just had a special fried rice with 2 pieces of chicken, 1 beef and 1 prawn. Order was supposed to arrive at 6:15 according to their emails but at 6:45 we rang to ask where our food was, because their emails to us said it had been delivered. This is a regular occurrence on a bad night. I am allergic to a chemical called fructan. So we always ask for no onions. On a good night there are no onions, on a bad night there are more onions than anything else. This russian roulette experience means we will not be ordering anymore. 2 stars not 1 because on the odd occasion when they get it right it is great.

Ordered an hour ago... is it going to arrive?... not looking good.

Service was great but didn't really enjoy the food. Chowmein had barely any flavouring and it was dry. Shame cuz it's so close to home and I would have liked to come back, but will have to look elsewhere.

Average chicken chow mein, a bit over cooked.

AVOID!! Really poor quality for the price. Not even hot. £3.80 for chips with a couple of slices of bad quality onion and pepper thrown in and called salt and chili pepper chips is just one example. Not just once but consistently bad. In this cost of living crisis when a takeaway should be a treat its disgusting that you can pay £40 for a takeaway and it be lukewarm and barely edible. How they can put out this food at this price and not be ashamed is beyond me. Wont be ordering again. Waste of money.

Had to leave a review as I nearly didn't try here for all the bad ones! My usual place is closed on Mondays but this is nearby and open. Went in and ordered a main and egg fried rice. The place looked very clean and the food was ready really quickly. Back home and food was really, really good and very decent size portions. Will definitely be going back! Lots of the bad reviews seem to be about delivery - but walking in and picking up was spot on.

£41 for are order and Wish I could put no star, as the fact that the chicken balls tasted more like deep fried grease, the curry sauce looked more like gravy with a layer of grease and chips were dry as hell. We have came to this takeaway for years and sadly this is the second time we have been poorly let down yet again. I do wish we could enjoy a nice takeaway once in a while coz we don’t always get the chance to have a nice takeaway but when we ordered from yous Again we were actually looking forward to it and thought it be like it used to but it was an absolute let down and we’ll never ever order from yous again

Me and my partner took my dad there, we have ordered from there too a few times. I love their food, so fresh, hot and very delicious. Full of conversations while you wait, have a TV on if people want peace, your never just sat bored. Food done quick quite cheap too. Will recommend!!

Absolutely disgusting beef tuff as old boots

Food not good ,near on cold when delivered

The food is nice but too expensive as you don’t even get rice or chips with it anymore

Food was horrible and freezing won't be going back there

Spent a lot of money with this Chinese.. English staff no help at all.. take my business else were

Ordered a meal on Saturday night 12 nov Waited two hours for a meal which was told would be 45 mins when it arrived it was cold advised to microwave it food was terrible

Wouldn’t even give it a 1 star! Basically called me a liar when I said something wasn’t in bag that I ordered! Said he checked cctv in the 30 seconds it took me To ring back as someone was at door! So I paid for items that I never received. Been coming here Years now I won’t! Avoid I can’t stand the fact he called me A liar

Rude on phone when I asked where my food was after waiting nearly 2 hours. Food cold some of order missing and then when I ring back they say they’re not sending it out. Would not recommend

£35 for our order turned up and wouldn’t even give it to our dog looks like it’s not even cooked poured the gravy on chow mein ( if that’s what it’s called ) and it’s like I have just ran it under the tap the gravy is that watery prawns arnt even cooked and neither is the pork or chips safe to say they can have it all back when it opens absolutely disgusting 🤢 thanks imperial but we don’t want food poisoning

Got delivered a little bit to expensive

Ordered on just eat. Sausages were raw

Very nice staff, the food was okay but not great seasoning

Food was good quality and at good price.

Great takeaway but only thing is wait time

Arrived a bit later than expected, but was hot,good portions and driver polite and friendly, I will order again,and having read reviews actually rang restaurant to say thanks! Because I feel sometimes we are all guilty of complaining but not complimenting! Well done imperial express!! Saved my cooking :0)

Went for the one person banquet. It was awful. Ribs were chewy & grisly. Rice was overcooked, chicken curry tasted odd. Only thing nice were the deep fried King prawns with sweet & sour sauce. Wouldn't go back. Simply awful

Love Food... Lovely & Hot Definitely Be Going Back..

Poor. Food arrived 1h20m late and was far from hot. Chips were stone cold. Food tasted okay once reheated but still a really poor experience all round.

over 1 hour late and definitely not worth the wait wont be recommending or using again

This place is a joke,my order took almost 2 hrs to arrive and it was incomplete,the chips were rock hard,the curry was just a splash therefore unedible we were waiting on prawn crackers and I was told 'well you eat them cold so...'well I might eat them cold but they were to accompany my meal and no driver so couldn't have them for 30 min,what a farce and not to be repeated

Disgusting my order when it came was cold. plus the chicken wasn't cooked if I get food poison I report it

just been 20 mins ago the freid rice was sticky and gooey nd stuck together in lumps absoutley disgusting t serve the rice like that the curry was OK

Not happy I ask for a chicken chow mein they got the order wrong plus I ordered my meal at 6.30 it 8o'clock very disappointed

40 mins late, wish it had of been later and I had went to bed, worst chinese I've had for years. No taste, bland. Waste of money

Prompt service & happy to adjust some set meals

Absolute trash. The noodles were rubbery. The prawns were uncooked Which is poisonous. And it was 3 hours late. Don’t order.

Do not order from here. I've been waiting over 2 hours and food still has not arrived. Even contacted the restaurant after 1 hour 20 mins and they assured me it won't be long. Don't waste your time!

Loved this place for years, gone down hill, too much processed chicken, never again👎

First time will not be the last

Nice food, friendly staff! Singapore chow mein dish is quality 👌🏻

Not happy ordered my food a six still waiting

Wow just wow . Second time . Av had an imperial express . Never let me or my wife down . Defo best Chinese in gateshead

Waited nearly 3 hours for food then the order was wrong and cold will never use again stay away would use 0 stars if i could £33 wasted

Would recommend very nice food, especially the House special chilli and garlic 😎 yumm

Ordered food over 2 hours ago. Food is now over an hour late. They’ve turned their phones off and have robbed us of £30. Will never be ordering here again. I expect them to get in touch with me asap.

Absolutely disgusting reheated chips and freezing cold in places mushrooms tasted off aswell then when complained tryed to say it’s just been made not a chance never again hoyed it away as scared to eat in case I am ill off it

Worst Chinese ever. I came in asking for a honey chilli and chips. I even pointed it out on menu to be sure. I go home and it’s a horrible mushroom meal. I ring them and the guy says he couldn’t understand me despite the fact I pointed it out twice on menu and I said I’m deaf. He then told me to bring food back then hung up! Awful food. Not disability aware. Never go back.

Ordered food at 18.30 was supposed to turn up at 19.44 still waiting phoned shop was told it was on it way worst takeaway in gateshead

Order meal deal 2 wait an hour 40 mins for food wish cost £30 we had barbecue sauce in with are meal and i never kown barbecue sauce to be spice it was to spice for me and my boyfriend to eat are meal with barbecue sauce on are meal i will not be going back to this takeaway and i would not recommend it to anyone who wants a nice Chinese takeaway

Not impressed at all. Placed an order over the website. Order was confirmed when placed. No food and no answer when calling to enquire where it was. Will be calling in in person for refund.

After normally ordering takeaway with no issue I was annoyed when tonights order didn't arrive... after an hour and a half with no food I rang the takeaway, with them saying they didn't get the order and was I sure I paid online? I've been a regular ordering from them, I had the email to confirm the order had been placed, I checked my bank and sure enough the money had been taken out... so they said they would rush my order through for me... It came an hour later... over 2 and a half hours after I had ordered... and I didn't even get an apology! The food is overall nice, but this really let it down.

How can we rate the food, when they never deliver it in the first place. We called after 1 1/2 hour and they just laughed in our faces. And told us it haddnt been even 10 minutes.

Our fave takeaway as rarely disappointed food is normally spot Delivery is generally good and like the fact that you can preorder on line

Always lovely food and fast delivery..best chinese in Gateshead without a doubt for both takeaway and sit in. Wouldn't go anywhere else now.. recommend the salt and chilli chips mmmmm

Moved to the area around 7 months ago and have tried a lot of Chinese takeaways in the area (some really not so good). The food here is always tasty and cooked perfectly. Always arrives on time if not early. We’re now regulars and won’t go anywhere else!

It's took 2 hours since we ordered it and it's still not here..won't be using these again😡

took ages to turn up parts of order missing and parts of order incorrect told just eat what's correct and we will bring rest when we can. When pointed out not much point in eating chips and fired rice without currys told put everything in bag and you will get refund. Owner turned up at door was very rude wanted to check everything before he gave refund will never use these again despite the food being nice owners attitude hes put me off giving him any more of my money

Friendly staff but food was just ok not sure if I will go again.

Food is always nice, Singapore Chow Mein is a favourite.

The food bland and a waste of money.

We rang them to place an order they cut us off, thought we were still on line, cost me a fortune on my phone, when I realized they had cut me off, placed the order and asked if they would reimburse me for the wasted call, they denied everything and then refused to deliver as they are " the boss" I would of happily took delivery if they had just been honest, they are not. Would not recommend this service to anyone, if it does not suit them they don't care even though you are the paying customer.