MaMa Ji's

Pretty good chinese food for the area!

Been here three times: twice for dinner, once for dim sum. The wait for dim sum is dismally long at about 20 minutes. The quality of their dim sum is average. The quality of their sichuan dinner is quite good. It's a little pricey for chinese food for both their dim sum brunch and their sichuan dinner, but frankly this is the only authentic Chinese restaurant in the area. Considering you dont have to venture into the Sunset or Richmond, good place to satisfy real Chinese food cravings.

SERVICE
- located in the Castro district between houses slightly away from other restaurants and bars
- street parking available nearby
- plenty of indoor seating and a few outdoor tables
- good for large or small groups
- servers explain menu specials thoroughly
- food served quickly
- ambiance good for semi casual dinner

MENU
- sichuan food
- vegan options available
- average price ($17 per entree)

FOOD
- mother chen's bean curd (6/10): silken tofu in sichuan peppercorn heavy sauce with peas and onions. This dish is marked with three chilis on the menu for good reason. Between two of us, we could barely finish it before our tongues turned numb. Make sure to order it with a side of rice to help balance the flavors.
- wo wo tou (8/10): six corn cake pockets with a smoked tofu, bell pepper, and green bean stir fry. This was one of the specials that the chef had just added to the menu. It was unlike any dish I had seen in a Chinese restaurant. I really liked the flavor of the tofu mixture as it was quite spicy but also very umami from the firm tofu. On its own the corn cake was bland but served as a good vehicle for the filling.

WOULD I GO BACK?
Yes! There were a lot of unique vegetarian options and the flavors lived up to my expectations

This review is for Mama Ji's as take out / delivery. I have found Mama Ji's to be more consistent in person and dining in.

We ordered cumin lamb, and what was delivered did not taste like lamb or cumin. The portion size for price also feels like it's too expensive. This is not the first time this has happened. Also, many of our favorites are not available for take out either, which is somewhat understandable.

So, to add, I would suggest if dining at Mama Ji's, go in person. The take out experience is simply not the same.

I went to Mama Ji's for dinner yesterday after spending the day at Dolores Park. It's a charming mom-and-pop shop. The owner was very nice, greeting us warmly and telling us about the specialty/off-menu items. These dishes were inspired by her recent trip to China, and her passion for them was evident in her descriptions.

We decided to try one of the specialty items, a spare ribs dish, along with Szechuan fish in chili oil and dumplings. All the dishes were delicious, but I was most impressed with the spare ribs specialty.

I definitely plan to come back, as the food was really good and the prices were very reasonable. Mama Ji's is truly a hidden gem, especially since it's not located in an area typically known for Chinese food.

Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Value: 4/5
Ambiance: casual

Ordered the hot and numbing fish, triple C tofu (spicy carmelized tofu), fish with chiles and Sichuan pepper.
My favorite dish was actually the caramelized tofu as that homemade sauce was unique. The numbing fish is a specialty and while I enjoyed it, I thought it was a bit "too crispy". The Sichuan fish was decent but isn't the best I've had in the area. It's a little light on the fish. Portions are good so it justifies the cost. Service is standard, nothing missing but nothing above and beyond.
I'd come again but wouldn't say it's one of my favorites.

Wandered in here after work and was incredibly impressed by the high-quality food. The menu is diverse , with many more options than most Chinese places. The tofu I got was savory, slightly spicy and had plenty of delicious Szechuan peppercorn.

The service was scarily fast! I had hardly sat down and my food was out. You's think this is a red flag, but the food tasted very fresh and you can tell the staff is working efficiently.

The place is pretty. Lots of nice artwork on the walls and a spacious dining room.

I nearly had a heart-stopping moment when MaMa Ji's closed temporarily, fearing it might be gone for good. But lo and behold, they reopened and the improvement in flavor and consistency was immediately noticeable, great job team!

Let's start with the crown jewel: the Har Gow shrimp dumplings, they're my go-to and the hot and sour soup is the city's best.

Now, brace yourself for the Hot & Numbing fish. This dish stole my heart. The fish, unbelievably tender and moist, retains an impeccable balance of crispy exterior and succulent meat. The Szechuan pepper's magic is woven throughout, making it a culinary masterpiece. I've never tried it anywhere else but I can guarantee no one does it better than MaMa Ji's.

Let me share a little secret with you--order the fried rice and chow mein, and then top those dishes with the boiled beef slices and their fiery sauce. It's a flavor bomb that keeps on giving. Plus, the leftover broth from the beef makes a killer homemade ramen the next day!

Trust me, whether you're seated within the cozy confines of MaMa Ji's or indulging in the comfort of their delivered delights, this place is a flavor haven you won't want to miss. Without a doubt, this culinary sanctuary holds the top spot as my favorite restaurant in the city!

Vegan review:
Dunno how this spot came up on my google search for "Cheap Eats in SF"??
(my $18 tofu says different) NOTE!: The menu photos on yelp are extremely outdated.

Service (take-out): Very attentive, kind folks.

House Chili Oil: Easily a favorite (subtle hint of anise & peppercorn, unique)

Veggie Potstickers: Only 3 for about $8? If i were on a date, I def wouldn't wanna split a dumpling. Happy they had thin wrappers, not clumpy. Nice filling & liked that there were mushrooms.

Triple C Tofu: Sure the tofu dish was a standout (distinct sauce) but the $18 price tag is a bit of a reach. Dunno how I overlooked the cost on that when ordering. Yes, it was good. But I'd expect that price from a place a bit more upscale & think there may have been MSG since I don't feel rejuvenated but rather sluggish post-meal-- so perhaps not the cleanest ingredients I'd expect for the price.

We stopped here for an early Sunday dinner and were graciously welcomed in although we arrived a few minutes before they officially opened at 5:30 pm. We ordered the country style shrimp, chongqing chicken and beef chow fun. The Szechuan peppercorns in the chicken were intense and did numb our mouths a bit, but we expected that. My favorite was the chow fun. We enjoyed all the dishes, however, I wish they were slightly less salty. Our food came out quickly and the restaurant was packed by the time we finished our meal.

Interesting Chinese with decent food on a quiet street close to Castro. The servers were nice and I'd defintely come back but this place is pricey, I recommend you pass on the xioa long bao (only 3 came in the order) but go for the spicy stuff if you can handle it, I think that's what they are known for.

We come here only for one out of this world item: Ma Po Tofu. It's perfection and we haven't been able to find any others that come close to this version. It has a great numbing heat, silken tofu, ground meat, and over rice - it's just to die for!
I don't live in SF anymore, but we still daydream about this wonderful dish.