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    MaMa Ji's

    3.8 (943 reviews)
    ModerateDim Sum, Szechuan
    Closed 11:30 am - 2:00 pm, 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order MaMa Ji's Takeout or Delivery

    MaMa Ji's Photos

    MAMA JI'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - MaMa Ji's

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    Reviews With Photos

    Triple C Tofu
    Binh P.

    I like strong flavors, and this place definitely packs the punch. Got dry fried beef, Chongqing chicken, and triple c tofu. The dry fried beef tastes more like a normal stir fried beef. But that's because we thought it would be breaded and sauce fried like the chicken wings at San Tung. Chonqing chicken has a very strong numbing spice to it, but can get rather salty and dry. The favorite of the table was the triple c tofu. Large pieces of soft tofu fried and coated in a sweet, spicy, and garlicky sauce. It was what we assumed the dry fried beef would be like. It was also not salty like the chicken. So highly suggest this dish if you come.

    Jessie H.

    Some of the best crispy,spicy, saucy, soft center tofu I have ever had. But the rest of the food fell flat. Not special and textures were off. Noodles soggy and no bite, kung pow tofu slimy and thick sauce. No veggie dumpling options besides egg roll. I honestly think we just choose the wrong items. I wanted to love this spot and its so cute. Not any special decore but homely and authentic feeling. If ai lived near by it would be bomb for take out.

    Triple "C" Tofu
    Janani K.

    MaMa Ji's is one of the best Chinese restaurants I've been to- and one of my go to spots in the city. They always nail the tofu! It's crispy and silky and melt in your mouth on the inside. Also loved their corn cups with pan fried tofu filling!

    Alex L.

    Our waiter Andrew had great food recs and was awesome. We got the hot and sour soup, fried rice, tofu, and pork. Delicious. Large portions in a relaxed environment. We are coming back!

    Chow mein combination
    Angelica S.

    FAVORITE PLACE!! Can I give this place more than 5 stars?? Whenever people visit me in SF, I take them here!!! I come here at least every other week. The service here is great, very homey and welcoming. The staff is so friendly and inviting, and the food comes out quickly. THE FOOD!!! I always get the Triple C tofu, chicken and eggplant dish, and the green beans. The tofu is amazing: how do they get it so crispy on the outside and still soft on the inside? And the glaze is to die for! My sister is vegetarian and she said this is her favorite tofu dish possibly ever.

    Chongquing Chicken, white rice and a glass of Jamn Cellars Chardonnay.
    Justin K.

    Taste change, but not the taste of tastelessness. Mama Ji's in the Castro, oh how the mighty have fallen? Condé Nast. Miss Jackson if you're nasty? The Chongquing Chicken was not quite. In all honesty ordering out for delivery from Doordash or any other, is problematic. Be diplomatic. Don't blame the restaurant or the delivery guy, it's nothing personal sh%t happens, sometimes in transit. Insincerity is the sincerest form of sincerity? Not quite. I'm not quoting Oscar Wilde to be wild. The rice that I ordered was made to order, and with a glass of Butter Chardonnay, from JaM Cellars it was nice. With some hot chili it was filling. I'm not kidding or my name isn't Phyllis Diller? Not quite.

    Wo wo tou Read the picture for the rich flavors of culture and history.
    Nicholas O.

    Absolutely Spectacular! Where do I begin? Right away the simple aesthetic just made me smile. The staff were absolutely amazing. Andrew is pure delight. Food. Let's get real the pictures sell it better than words. On my Nintendo 2ds xl I just couldn't stop eating it all with a wonderful friend. Absolutely earned the 5 out of 5! Go here now! Thank you for reading!

    String Beans, Garlic Ribs, Fried Eggplant
    Celine T.

    Love this spot!! Wish this was next to my home so I can feel like I have Chinese home cooked meals all the time. Came by on an early Friday evening and got seated right away. The server let us know Mama Ji had some new dishes from her trip to China and we got almost all of them to try! The Garlic Ribs did NOT disappoint. It was so tender and full of flavor. Must try if the server recommends this to you!

    Wo wo tou with tofu
    Ashwini A.

    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

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    27 days ago

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    4 months ago

    Good neighborhood Chinese good. Classic Chinese food and dim sum. Seating is limited so get there early.

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    5 months ago

    Best food and friendliest service ever. Just love this place. Try the fish with chiles and pepper. (But you better like spicy! :)

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    MaMa Ji's Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - MaMa Ji's

    Any estimate on a reopening date?

    We’re hoping to be open in 2-3 weeks.

    Are they temporarily closed for take out? I've been trying to order for a few weeks and always seem to be closed, even during listed open hours.

    We have reopened

    Do they have dry dan dan noodles? or any other dry sichuan noodles?

    Does Mama Ji's have outdoor seating?

    Yes, two small bistro tables at the front.

    Do you have outdoor dining yet?

    Do you serve Dim Sum all day?

    Dim sum is served during morning service only.

    View All 7 Questions

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    Szechuan Cuisine

    Szechuan Cuisine

    4.2(522 reviews)
    2.2 miOuter Sunset
    $$

    Treated myself to a meal here and ordered Dan Dan noodles, pickled cucumbers and dry fried string…read morebeans. Though the food's nice and light, it was also a bit bland. The cucumber was not spicy at all and the string beans didn't have the oomph in the sauce. The noodles took a long time to come out and I couldn't finish when it did, so had to pack them for lunch the next day. The Dan Dan noodles sauce was poured on top, so it needs a good stir and was delicious! Decent service and portions in a homey atmosphere.

    Szechuan Cuisine seems like another spot in the inner sunset, but wow it really blew me away! We…read morecame in for a late dinner (bonus points for being open a little later for SF standards). The space was clean and there's plenty of indoor tables. We got the pork boiled dumplings with red chili oil, dry flat fried rice noodle with beef, the crispy fried chicken, and a veg combo. The food was the perfect level spice, there was a kick for sure, but I wanted to keep eating. It was incredibly good! The food came out as it was ready so it was nice to get the dishes back to back while they came out hot and fresh. The pork dumplings and the noodles were my favorite. Everything was so flavorful and satisfying. I can't wait to go back! This place is known for their Dan Dan noodles, so I have to come back for those!

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    San Tung

    San Tung

    4.1(8.8k reviews)
    1.7 miInner Sunset
    $$

    The Wings. There's two kinds, but I think it's the original braised chicken wings. Get them, have…read moreyour life changed.

    So we finally got here! The line was long, but honestly the wait wasn't bad at all -- probably only…read morearound 30 minutes considering how far down we were on the waitlist. Once they started calling tables, it moved really fast. When we were seated, we ended up sharing a table with two other groups of two. I actually didn't mind it at all because there was still enough space between everyone to have privacy. It also made the experience feel more social -- I ended up chatting with the people to my right and left about the food. Everything we ordered was really good. Their popular dry fried chicken absolutely lived up to the hype and was probably my favorite thing on the menu... besides the cherry pork. I feel like nobody talks about the cherry pork enough! It was SO good -- kind of like a sweet-and-sour pork without the sour. I dipped it in soy sauce because I loved the sweet and salty combo together. The dumplings were also really good. The wrapper was thin and delicious, but my boyfriend said he wished they had a little more protein filling and less leek. The green beans are always a hit. The only thing I probably wouldn't order again was the black bean sauce noodles. Maybe I just expected a different flavor, but to me they honestly tasted like regular lo mein. I'm also not a huge noodle person in general, so I'd probably skip them next time and order something else instead. Forgot to mention their prices are on point! Definitely recommend to any of the tourists. I think the weight is definitely worth it and I love being able to take home my leftovers and eating them for lunch and dinner the next day.

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    San Tung - Inside

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    Little Szechuan - Based Fries w red chili oil

    Little Szechuan

    3.6(706 reviews)
    3.1 miChinatown, North Beach/Telegraph Hill
    $$

    Highly recommend this place! They have a variety of food options from dumplings to noodles. Their…read morechow mien is to die for! The ambiance adds a nice touch to the place, as well.

    Don't change a thing, the spice level is perfect!…read more Sincerely, I'd like to meet the people who think Little Szechuan goes easy on the heat because to me, it's a blast of mala spice and numbing sensation- and I have a high tolerance. The Spicy Garlic Pork with vegetables was HOT and there was no escape: Like an opponent's chess pieces trying to grab your king, one bite after the next puts you in jeopardy. It was a good kind of peril. The Chow Mein Select noodles with lots of fresh crunchy vegetables was nicely executed with firm, plump chow mein. It was a very generous helping. I thanked my stars for the relief of white rice. The quart of hot and sour soup will have to wait until tomorrow, so much delicious food. For vegetarians, lots of menu options for you as well as those looking for unique dumplings and lots of offal dishes for those who crave it. Ambience is fresh, polished, non-touristy yet in the very heart of Chinatown where this is not always guaranteed. Locals and visitors alike, bookmark this restaurant. Little Szechuan was another Too Good to Go find. We'll be back soon, before Chinese New Year. 新年快乐

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    Orange Chicken, J10. General Tso's Chicken, Chicken Chow Mein

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    Spicy House - 78. Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup

    Spicy House

    4.4(323 reviews)
    4.5 mi
    $$

    Spicy House is my go-to spot! I come here so often the servers recognize us and already know what…read morewe're going to order. I LOVE LOVE LOVEEEEE the dry fried chicken and the Szechuan spicy beef. The chicken is crispy, packed with flavor, and super addictive, while the spicy beef is rich, bold, and has that signature numbing kick from the Sichuan peppercorns. I usually also get the honey walnut shrimp when I want something a little sweeter to balance everything out, but if you're trying this place for the first time, you really can't go wrong with the dry fried chicken and Szechuan spicy beef. Just a heads up, it's not just spicy, it's that numbing heat, so definitely get some rice on the side.

    Spicy House is quickly becoming my new favorite Chinese restaurant. My husband and I stopped in…read morearound 2:00 in the afternoon, and even at that hour the place was pleasantly busy, which felt like a good sign right away. We both ordered lunch plates. He had the black bean spicy fish with white rice, and I chose the mapo tofu with fried rice. Each lunch came with tea, a cup of hot and sour soup, and an egg roll. The soup really stood out. It wasn't just a thin broth with a few scraps floating around. It was a genuine, comforting hot and sour soup with real ingredients in every spoonful. That alone made the meal feel thoughtful and complete. The portions were satisfying and well balanced, and everything arrived hot and fresh. My husband enjoyed his fish, which had good flavor and a nice texture. The mapo tofu was exactly how I like it. The tofu held its shape, which made a big difference. I do not enjoy overly soft tofu that falls apart, and this had a firmer bite that worked really well with the sauce. The dish was clean tasting, with a steady heat that was noticeable but not overwhelming. It had spice, but it did not overpower the dish or linger too aggressively. There was no pork, which I appreciated, and it still felt complete and satisfying without it. What made this meal especially meaningful for me is that I had just gotten out of the hospital a week ago after dealing with malnutrition, dehydration, and several health issues. I had not been eating well and had lost over 80 pounds in the past year. This was the first full, nourishing meal I have truly been able to enjoy in a long time. For the first time in months, I did not feel weak or fragile afterward. I felt full, steady, and strong. That kind of experience goes beyond just good food. It felt restorative. It felt like care. From what others often say, this place has built a strong reputation for bold Sichuan flavors that are still approachable. People tend to mention the generous portions, the consistent quality, and the fact that the spice levels are flavorful rather than overwhelming. It is the kind of spot that draws both regulars and first time visitors who are looking for something reliable and satisfying. Spicy House gave me more than just a meal. They gave me a moment of comfort and strength when I really needed it. We will absolutely be back.

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    Spicy House - Interior seating area

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    MaMa Ji's - dimsum - Updated May 2026

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