My husband and I love the chongqing chicken and hot and numbing fish. The spices are super fragrant and delicious. The fish has a pleasant light crunch. I'm a short woman and the chicken is about 2 meals for me while the fish is 3. So while the price might seem high, it's a lot of food. You can tell how much I love the flavors by the fact that I propose ordering from Mama Ji's like once a week. read more

My partner and I had such a lovely evening at Mama Ji's. The staff were so warm and welcoming from the moment we walked in, the kind of genuine kindness that's hard to fake and even harder to forget. As an LGBTQ+ couple, we felt completely at ease and embraced the whole night. The clay pot mushroom chicken was absolutely incredible. Tender, rich, and deeply flavorful, with mushrooms that soaked up every bit of that gorgeous sauce. We cleared the pot. read more

MaMa Ji's - Clay Pot Chicken with Mushrooms - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Best tofu I've ever had! It was so crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The spices and sauce on it was incredible. I recommend eating it as your first dish for it to not lose its crispiness. I also had the Chongqing Chicken. It was tasty and crispy as well. It wasn't as spicy as I was expecting - I wish it had more numbing flavors. The chili oil on the table is incredible. Coupling it with the fried rice is good combination. Overall very satisfying meal! The restaurant is on the smaller side - perfect for party size of 2. There seemed to be a bit longer of a wait for larger groups. The staff were really nice and accommodating - they spent time answering questions and talking about the specials. read more

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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. read more

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My go to for Szechuan takeout. I'm basically addicted to their steamed fish with tofu in hunan chili sauce and their claypot. What I don't like is their white rice. Omg, it's so "al dente" that sometimes I literally want to recook it by myself. But I'm not chinese so maybe it's the way the Chinese enjoys their rice. read more

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. read more

MaMa Ji's - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Triple c tofu. Killer chow mein. Anything fried there is top tier. Amazing beers. Underrated spot. Easy, delicious, and some of the best food in a neighborhood that focuses more on drinks. read more

I've been here many times with friends. It's a great spot to have a cozy casual meal. The staff is always sweet to me, specially the lady waitress (maybe she is the mama ji?!). They specialize in northern style chinese cooking. Many of the dishes carry a lot of heat with the chillies and spices. My favorite dish here is the cumin lamb. The cumin lamb is superb! The lamb is tender and juicy. The entire dish is very fragrant because of the cumin and chillies. Other dishes I enjoy here include the eggplant, dry fried green beans, and the bang bang chicken appetizer. Give this place a shot if you're craving spicy Chinese food! read more

As of now this is my favorite place for Chinese in SF. The triple C tofu and the eggplant here are really solid!! The triple C tofu hasn't been consistent across my visits but it is fantastic!!! Hopefully you come on a day they make it great. read more

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! read more

MaMa Ji's - Triple "C" Tofu - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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! read more

MaMa Ji's - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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. read more

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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. read more

MaMa Ji's - Chongquing Chicken, white rice and a glass of Jamn Cellars Chardonnay. - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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

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! read more

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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! read more

MaMa Ji's - String Beans, Garlic Ribs, Fried Eggplant - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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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 read more

MaMa Ji's - Wo wo tou with tofu - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The garlic spare ribs is a waste of money. It tasted old, stale, and dry. Not freshly cooked. Because you can tell by the texture that the spare ribs are precooked already. It was nasty . They need to rethink about cooking this dish from fresh pork ribs, not precooked it and then cook it again to order. read more

I was in the neighborhood and the place looked attractive. The Yelp menu looked good. I ordered and the brought it out fast. Enjoyed every minute of it. I had the beef chow fun which was perfect with some chili oil house sauce read more

My friend recommended this place and I have to say I fell in love with the triple c tofu. Omg it was quite literally the best tofu I ever had. I wanted to go again the next day just for the tofu. We went in a Monday night so it was pretty empty. Our sever was very good and explained our choices to us as you can make some substitutions if you want. We had cucumber salad, triple c tofu and the chow mein (it says it's beef but we got it with no meat). Everything was so tasty I will be back. I recommended going for the tofu alone, I think even if you're someone who doesn't love tofu you would like the triple c. Nice chill spot. read more

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. read more

MaMa Ji's - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Based on a recommendation, I ordered takeout from MaMa Ji's. I ordered the triple c tofu, chow mein, and pea shoots. I made it to the restaurant a bit early and the host gave me a place to sit and some water while I waited for my order. The place was busy with many people eating and many people picking up orders to go. The food was piping hot when I got home. The tofu was sweet, salty, crunchy and delicious! The chow mein and pea shoots were good but needed some more seasoning. All in all would definitely get the tofu again! read more

Wonderful service and solid Szechuan in SF. We tried an array of items, from the crispy chicken to spicy cumin lamb and soup dumplings. Would definitely order most items again. The lo mein was a miss for me so I'd skip that. Easy to walk in and get a table for a table of 5 on a Friday night - we stopped by about an hour before closing. We'll definitely be back when we're in the mood for Szechuan! read more

I am SO happy I found this place. I was looking for a good sichuan restaurant and this happened to be walking distance. The food here is freaking DIVINE! It's a little hole in the wall, no frills but very lively and you can tell people are really enjoying the food. I ordered the Sichuan fish, chili paste noodles, cumin lamb, and chongqing chicken. Everything had the level of spice that I was seeking and tasted so good! The cumin lamb didn't really taste like cumin but it was cooked very well. My favorites were the chicken and the fish. The portions are huge and you'll have plenty leftover! Check it out read more

MaMa Ji's - Sichuan fish, chongqing chicken, cumin lamb, chili bean paste noodles - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

Recommended by locals, Mam Ji's is a great choice for casual chinese delicious food. We had the garlic spareribs and the wowotou (steamed corn buns with pork and veggies) very tasty! Friendly, good energy service that will make you go back! read more

MaMa Ji's - Garlic Spareribs - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I thought this place was just ok. I went with a group of people so we did family style. We ordered the Szechuan chicken, the shrimp, chow mein, cucumber salad, pork fried rice, potstickers, and soup dumplings. They are known for their Szechuan so I would recommend ordering those items. The chicken was probably my favorite. Everything else I felt lacked flavor and spice. The servers were all very friendly. Not sure I would go back here tho. read more

MaMa Ji's - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Every dish was amazing!! Easy to pick up take out and was ready quick. good portions per serving. The triple C tofu, ants climbing trees, and sweet and sour pork were highlights! Comes with some hot sauce and soy sauce for take out. read more

MaMa Ji's - Triple "C" Tofu, Ants Climbing Trees and Dry Fried Green Beans - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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

I placed an order for the combination lo mien and the chicken, beef & shrimp all tasted unseasoned. Not one bit of seasoning on the proteins. Skip this dish. read more

I've been eating at Mama J for years, and the quality of the food just keeps getting better and better. Their Sizzling Fish is truly one of the best meals I've ever had--perfectly cooked, full of flavor, and served hot and fresh every time. The dumplings are also a must-try. I've had several varieties, but the chocolate dumplings are my personal favorite--rich, warm, and absolutely delicious. Mama J never disappoints. Highly recommended. read more

This is a very cute, tasty neighborhood spot. We came for lunch on a chilly rainy day. The inside was pretty chilly. Didn't seem to have much heat but it was dry! The waitress was lovely but it did take a good while for my food to come out. We ordered the shrimp stuffed eggplant, the sticky rice with shrimp, and the cumin lamb. Hubby really enjoyed the eggplant. His sticky rice was described to me as " interesting." The cumin lamb was very good. It came with lots of crunchy onions and peppers. This dish was supposed to be spicy since it had three stars. I'd describe it as medium. It benefited from soy sauce which was readily available at the table. They do have their dinner menu available all day long which was good since i did not want anything on the dim sum menu. Overall this place was very good. If i'm in the area craving chinese food i'd come back. read more

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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. read more

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What the F happened to my favorite place in the Castro????? The food I got on a few Mondays ago was terrible. I always order the sweet and sour pork which has always been excellent but today it was so bad. The pork tasted like it was left over from the weekend and then recooked. Horrible! the dim sum is almost non-exist on the menu and what I ordered was dry, gummy and just plain bad. I will not go back as this is the second time this has happened. Mama was not there so maybe the reason for the bad food coming out of the kitchen. SO DISAPPOINTED. read more

A bit overrated and overpriced. Ordered the chongqing chicken, Chinese broccoli, and a bottle of the cheapest wine on the menu (gerwurtztraminer). Pro: - buying a bottle of wine is cheap compared to most places. - Lots of chicken compared to most Chongqing chicken orders - milder usage of spices (good if you prefer those) Cons - The chongqing chicken wasn't typical to what you see of a Chongqing chicken order. Didn't have a lot of mala - you have to pay for rice - milder usage of spices (bad if you want more spice) read more

MaMa Ji's - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Good veggie-friendly Chinese food for the Castro! The wait on a Sunday afternoon confirmed it :) Ambiance - classic fast casual restaurant, tile flooring and tables with regular dining chairs. Service - like dim sum restaurants, you circle what you want and they bring it to you. A little hard to flag down the waiters to order something off the regular menu not on the dim sum menu, but very helpful and fast once ordered. Food: We got the steamed vegetarian buns, veggie noodles with chili bean paste, the clay pot vegetables, and the Triple C tofu (we never did find out what each C meant ....) Noodles: well cooked noodles, very heavy (too heavy?) on sauce, rich in flavor, but wish it had more veggies/spice coming through. Hot Pot: similar profiles as the sauce on the noodles, veggies/tofu cooked nicely and the mushrooms added a nice texture too Triple C Tofu: HIGHLY recommend - tofu was super nicely cooked, the outside was sweet/saucy/crispy, and the portion was a great size. Overall, everything we ordered was saucy / sweeter / heavier that it all blended a bit in my head, but still yummy - steamed veggie buns were a nice palette cleanser! Def recommend finding other dishes on the menu if you're veggie / vegan than just the dim sum. On the pricier side as well! read more

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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. read more

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Visited Mama Ji's with my son during a trip to San Francisco--his favorite spot, and now I know why! We ordered the Fish with Preserved Mustard, Spicy Cucumber Salad, Triple C Tofu, and a new dish: Sautéed Tofu with Sliced Pork and Chives. That last one was my favorite--fresh, not too salty, and full of amazing textures and flavors. My son loved the Triple C Tofu, though it was a bit too saucy for me. The fish dish was flavorful with a nice kick from Sichuan peppercorns. The cucumber salad was refreshing but could use a bit more flavor. Dessert was sesame seed balls--tasty, but the texture surprised me. Loved meeting the owner--her passion for cooking shines through. It truly felt like a taste of home. The staff are super helpful and friendly. Service is outstanding and the place is clean. read more

MaMa Ji's - fish with reserved mustard, sauté sliced pork with fried tofu and chives - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California

Amazing service, clean and nice ambiance, and food was so spot on! Will be coming back read more

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Updating my review from 5 stars to 2 stars. Sorry but you guys should do better. I came in at 2:11 today, I know the place closes at 2:30 for lunch so I timed it. It takes me 15 minutes to get here. I came in, "sorry, we're closed. No customers" the guy says. "Who am I then?", I ask. He says "kitchen is closed". "But you close at 2:30, right?", I ask. "Yes" Please tell me why I should return? It's very hard to build a reputation and so easy to ruin it read more

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. read more

MaMa Ji's - Mama Chen's Bean Curd (Wonderful!) - Dim Sum Near Me - San Francisco, California