Wa Ha Ha Express in Oklahoma City: Fast Cantonese and Northern Chinese in Midtown

Wa Ha Ha Express is a counter-service Chinese restaurant on Northwest 23rd Street specializing in Cantonese dim sum, hand-pulled noodles, and roasted meats that are prepared fresh throughout the day rather than held in warming bins. The operation is built for quick lunch and dinner runs, not lingering, and serves both the city's growing Asian population and home cooks seeking ingredients and prepared dishes they cannot find elsewhere in Oklahoma City.

What Wa Ha Ha Express actually is

The restaurant occupies a compact storefront and operates as a hybrid: part casual dining counter, part Asian grocery and prepared-food shop. Customers order at the counter, take a number, and eat at small tables while a kitchen visible through an open pass turns out orders in 10 to 15 minutes. The menu centers on a short, rotating selection of dim sum items (har gow, siu mai, barbecue pork buns), hand-pulled and knife-cut noodle dishes, roasted chicken and pork sold by weight, and congee. Unlike dim sum carts that wheel offerings tableside at larger venues, this operation presents a fixed daily menu posted on the wall. The attached retail section stocks fresh and frozen Asian vegetables, rice, dried seafood, and condiments that reflect the kitchen's sourcing.

Menu and pricing

Dim sum items run $3 to $4 per order; a typical lunch combining two or three items with rice or noodles totals $10 to $14. Hand-pulled noodle soups with roasted meat run $8 to $11. Roasted chicken by the pound is $6 to $7; roasted pork slightly more. Congee bowls with toppings cost $6 to $8. Prices are stable but reflect commodity costs for fresh proteins; call ahead to confirm current rates on roasted meats, which shift with supplier availability.

How it compares to other Chinese restaurants in Oklahoma City

Wa Ha Ha Express differs sharply from the Americanized Szechuan and Cantonese takeout that dominates Oklahoma City's Chinese restaurant landscape. Places like New Saigon (primarily Vietnamese but with Chinese crossover dishes) and chain-adjacent spots focus on chicken fried rice, General Tso's, and lo mein aimed at the American palate. Wa Ha Ha's hand-pulled noodles, dim sum made throughout service, and roasted-meat pricing by weight signal a kitchen oriented toward cooks who already know what they want and diners from Cantonese-speaking communities. The atmosphere and speed also differ: this is grab-and-go or quick lunch, not a full-service sit-down experience. Choose Wa Ha Ha when you want fresh dim sum or a proper noodle soup made from scratch; choose a larger Cantonese restaurant like Mandarin Grill if you want table service and a fuller menu.

Who it suits and who it does not suit

This restaurant works well for Cantonese speakers, experienced dim sum diners, and anyone comfortable ordering at a counter without extensive explanation. Lunch rushes move quickly but can involve brief waits. The seating is minimal and informal. It does not suit diners seeking leisurely table service, those with no experience reading dim sum by sight, or anyone wanting a broad Americanized Chinese menu. Parents with very young children may find the cramped quarters and quick-turnover pace stressful.

What the first visit involves

Walk in and scan the dim sum menu posted behind the counter. Items vary by day but typically include har gow (shrimp dumpling), siu mai (pork dumpling), char siu bao (barbecue pork bun), chicken feet in black bean sauce, and taro or shrimp croquettes. Point to what you want, specify quantities, and indicate whether you want rice, noodle soup, or both. If ordering roasted meats, ask what is available that day and specify the weight (typically sold in quarter or half-pound increments). The order goes to the kitchen, and you receive a numbered token. Sit, wait 10 to 15 minutes, and collect your food when called. Cash and card both accepted. Condiments (soy, chili oil, vinegar) are self-serve at the counter.

Hours, location, and parking

Wa Ha Ha Express operates on Northwest 23rd Street near the Midtown commercial corridor. Verify current hours before visiting, as casual operations occasionally shift service windows. Street parking is available but often full during lunch; nearby pay lots offer overflow. The location sits a few blocks from other Asian grocers and restaurants, making a broader food outing feasible.

Wa Ha Ha Express fills a gap in Oklahoma City's casual food landscape by delivering straightforward Cantonese dim sum and noodles without pretense or markup. The speed, price, and ingredient quality make it the obvious choice for weekday lunch if you know what dim sum is.