Mama Lu is amazing! The food is fresh, flavorful, and comes out quickly. The dumplings are a must-try--so good. Great portions for the price and friendly service. Definitely a go-to spot! read more

I grew up eating @mamalusdumplinghouse from the 626 and I'm so happy they have locations all over now! My must orders is their deep fried seaweed fish. It's so crispy and tender and pro tip, ask for some sweet and sour sauce on the side for dipping. You can't go wrong with xlb dumplings or their Shanghai fried rice cake. Both classic flavors that I grew up eating. read more

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super yummy & family friendly spot for larger families! we had a family of 8. all the dishes were super shareable and delicious. their shrimp fried rice and honey walnut shrimp with yummy. one thing I really liked about this place was the service! no matter what, someone was always checking in & making sure we had what we need. definitely would come back! read more

We did not intend to dine here but ended up getting a table. At first, it looked like the restaurant is located inside a supermarket, so I was a little iffy at first. But we were surprised to find that the restaurant is actually a separate unit next to the market; and it actually looked nice. I've been wanting to get Singaporean noodle for a while now for some reason. So I got that and it was pretty decent. It comes with shrimp and barbecue pork. I wish it came with more seafood options. I was also craving some hot and sour soup. Luckily they had a smaller size for one person so that was cool. The Kung Pao chicken was surprisingly good. It wasn't too sweet and the spice level was perfect. I'm not big on Chinese food when dining out, but this was a good overall choice for dinner. read more

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Great to see the familiar name of Mama Lu's out here, a staple of dumpling and wontonery back in SGV. A large group of us stopped by for a quick dinner at around 5pm on Saturday, and just to be on the safe side we had tables reserved. Luckily there was a lull around that time anyways, so we got seated quickly and flipped through the menu. The waitstaff was respectful as we went through multiple rounds of orders due to some of us arriving late and the usual indecision. I've had my fair share of dumplings of all sorts, so today I went with their Shanghai Fried Rice Cake, chewy and slippery bites that were as fun to eat as they were delicious. Mixed with cabbage, onions, pork, and a savory sauce and you've got yourself a hearty portion. The others at the table enjoyed perennial favorites such as steamed chive and pork dumplings, siu mai, mapo tofu, beef chow fun, and of course, mango ade. As we finished up, the restaurant was lively as can be with most tables occupied. read more

Mama Lu's Dumpling House - Shanghai fried rice cake - Dim Sum Near Me - Tustin, California

I would give Mama Lou's a ten+ star!!! Service was excellent Food was delicious. Prices were right on servings were large. Lovely restaurant with blue chairs - with seating for large groups. It's located next to a Asian market - everything is fresh. We ordered Hot & Sour soup, which was the Best I've ever eaten!!! Then we had beef wraps which was like a burrito but better -with fresh veggies and a wonderful sauce. For dessert we had deep fried donuts - tasted just like New Orleans beignets - I told the manager, Juan, he needed to put powdered sugar on them...he went to the kitchen came back with powdered sugar & condensed milk!!! Both were yummy!!! I highly recommend this place - I just typed in great dumplings on YELP, while in Tustin and it came up & it was only a five minutes from where we were!!! We hit the jackpot ‼ read more

Mama Lu's Dumpling House - Dim Sum Near Me - Tustin, California

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I've been to Mama Lu's a few times, mostly the Rowland Heights location, and recently tried the one in Orange. Overall, it was okay -- but I definitely prefer the Rowland Heights spot. Or even the one in SGV if you are willing to wait! :)) This location is in a plaza with plenty of parking. we arrived at 11:30 and was immediately seated -- barely any crowd. I did notice the crowds started to build up after 1PM. This location still has all the standard Chinese comfort dishes and dumplings you'd expect from Mama Lu's. We ordered some classic dishes - my mapo tofu along with soup dumplings and pan-fried dumplings. We also got my personal favorite - pan fried radish cakes! It's very good -- should had ordered two!!! The dumplings flavors were decent and everything tasted fine, but it didn't quite hit the same as the Monterey Park or Rowland Heights location. Service was fine and the restaurant was clean. If you're in the area and craving dumplings, it'll satisfy the craving. read more

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Two words. Fast and efficient!!! Food came out super quick. Service went great. Drinks refilled and table cleared promptly. Everything tasted so good! My favorite was their Peking porkchops! Saucy and not heavily drenched with flour. Savory and delicious! read more

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Mama Lu's Dumpling House is one of those spots that works for almost any kind of meal. I came in solo for lunch this time, but I've also been here with groups ranging from 2 to 8 people, and it really fits everything from a casual lunch or dinner date to a bigger celebration with family or friends. It's located in a shared space with an Asian grocery store and another small restaurant, but Mama Lu's itself is surprisingly spacious inside. Parking is also widely available, which makes it an easy choice when you don't want to deal with circling a busy lot. Service here has always been friendly and prompt. The staff really seems to work as a team, and that always makes the experience feel smooth even when it gets busy. There's a huge variety of food to choose from, plus lunch specials if you're stopping by during the day. One of my personal favorites here is the siu mai. This visit I also ordered the sesame balls and spicy wontons, both worth getting again. And of course, you really have to explore their dumpling selection since that's the star of the show. Little order hack: if you get the Thai tea, they do complimentary refills, which is always a nice bonus. Mama Lu's stays in the rotation for me because it's spacious, dependable, and has plenty of solid options whether you're dining alone or rolling in with a full table. read more

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My neighbor suggested we go out for Chinese food for Lunar New Year and specifically asked for Yikoufu. Looks like our foreign friends really approve of this place! Must-order list when hosting non-Chinese friends -- you can't go wrong with these: Pan-Fried Soup Dumplings (Sheng Jian Bao) - They smell amazing the moment they hit the table! The bottoms are crispy and golden with sesame seeds, and when you bite in, they're juicy and full of flavorful pork. It was my neighbor's first time trying them and she kept saying "Amazing!" Orange Chicken (Chenpi Chicken) - Definitely a North American Chinese food favorite. Each piece is coated in a sweet and tangy sauce. My friend practically finished half the plate herself. House Special Stir-Fry - A great mix of meat and vegetables with that perfect wok hei (smoky wok flavor). Savory and perfect with rice. Beef with Broccoli - The beef is tender and well-seasoned, and the broccoli adds a nice color contrast. A true crowd-pleaser that works for both Eastern and Western tastes. Signature King Prawns - Plump and bouncy shrimp coated in a rich, flavorful sauce. Every bite is super satisfying. My friend said this was her absolute favorite dish. Wonton Soup - Thin wrappers, generous filling, and a light but flavorful broth. After some richer dishes, this soup is so comforting and refreshing. I could easily have two bowls! Tips for hosting non-Chinese friends: The menu has photos and both Chinese and English descriptions, so ordering is stress-free. Portions are very generous and great value for the price. The flavors are more mild than spicy, so it's very approachable for those who aren't used to strong heat or numbing spice. Highly recommend if you're looking for a spot to celebrate with friends who are new to Chinese food! read more

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Came here on a weekday night and it wasn't packed! Very spacious place for being right next?in? a supermarket! Definitely come here with family because the portions are huge! We got: Juicy Pork Dumplings, Century Egg and Pork Congee, Shanghai Ricecakes, and Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings. All delicious but my favorite had to be the Conges and Ricecakes! Packed with flavor read more

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Pretty good tbh. I liked the flavors and the price. Service pretty good. Keep it up! Liked the chill ambiance too! read more

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The food and service has improved significantly since they first opened. During our visits, the pork soup dumplings, honey walnut shrimp, beef wrap, orange chicken, spicy cucumbers, Yang Chow fried rice, garlic pea shoots, and sautéed green beans are usually the staples in our rotation. Everything comes out hot, fresh, and the portion sizes are great for the price. The workers are also a lot more attentive, and each plate of food comes out quickly. We will definitely keep coming back for our family dinners! read more

We had our pre-Mother's Day celebration at this restaurant in Tustin... Great food, service, and affordable pricing too! it's a triple threat for a sumptuous Chinese food. Come check this place out!! read more

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Good Chinese food, lots of variety, service is friendly. My favorite is the crab roe dumplings as they are really juicy. Other food is also yummy. There's also unique dishes such as fish with seaweed, fried clam with basil, red bean pancake. read more

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We ordered 11 dishes for five people. Some might consider that overkill. We considered it stimulating the economy and supporting local businesses, LMAO. In total, we got the pork XLB, chicken XLB, century egg congee, two orders or spicy wontons, sauteed string beans, hot & sour soup, salt & pepper squid, cucumber salad, beef roll, Sichuan shrimp, and also a small bowl of rice (because what kind of monster eats a meal without soup and rice???). Their hot & sour soup and sauteed string beans are my favorite. I could definitely see myself throwing back multiple rounds of each dish if I had the stomach space, but I am a mere mortal. They also have a convenient Yelp wait list and ample parking, so my family generally opts for this place over other popular dumpling houses. read more

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food is always good. This is their newest Restaurant in OC. Their mapo tofu is really good, ( my husband's favorite) the service is fast and the servers are attentive. They have lots of seating, we went on a Tuesday for lunch and there lots of costumers but we didn't wait at all, we were seated right away. We usually order their XLB but not this time. They are popular for their dimsum. We ordered the lunch special which include a bowl of soup and rice.1 order can be shared by 4( humongous servings) . read more

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Premade everything. We had a very Bad experience with this restaurant today. Every dishes we ordered were either premade or not fresh. The fried pork bun is barely have any meet filling. The worst 100 dollar we ever spent at any restaurant. Will never go back again. read more

Mama Lu's Dumpling House - Dim Sum Near Me - Tustin, California

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Food is always excellent and the service is outstanding. I love their shu mai and dumplings read more

Stopped by with coworkers after a long day of work, and it was exactly what we needed. We ordered a spread of cucumber salad, sautéed string beans, orange chicken, honey walnut shrimp, beef fried rice, chicken soup dumplings, and spicy wontons. Every dish was super flavorful and the portions were very generous. We were especially impressed by the string beans--it's a simple dish, but it was executed perfectly. Everything came out of the kitchen incredibly fast, making it a great spot for a group dinner. read more

Mama Lu's Dumpling House - Beef fried rice, spicy wontons, orange chicken, sautéed string beans, cucumber salad, honey walnut shrimp - Dim Sum Near Me - Tustin, California

Updating my review. Three of my coworkers all share a birthday in the same week. It was decided to celebrate their birthday family style at Mama Lu's. We got to sit at a table with a round turntable in the center. This made it a lot easier to share the dishes. We decided to try the Peking pork instead of the usual fried pork chops that we've always ordered in the past. Everyone was pleased with the different pork chop dish. The slices of pork were tender and flavorful. I felt like having soup so I ordered the wor wonton soup. The wontons were decent as well as the other ingredients, including shrimp and fish. However, there was an overwhelming amount of cabbage which was bitter. And normally I love cabbage. I will probably just get the regular wonton soup next time. All of the staff were attentive and worked really hard to make sure that we had a nice experience. They anticipated our needs and provided service which we did not even have to request. Amazing! We were so surprised and pleased when they brought out a dessert of ice cream and waffles with candles for our birthday people. What a thoughtful and kind gesture of the staff. We will return for many more work lunches! read more

Mama Lu's Dumpling House - 45. Wor WONTON SOUP, Kung Pao Chicken, Garlic green beans, beef wrap, 1. JUICY PORK DUMPLINGS (10), Peking Pork chop - Dim Sum Near Me - Tustin, California

Mama Lu's definitely has some pretty good and homey food with decent portion size! I really enjoyed the rice cakes, soup dumplings, and honey walnut shrimp they had so much variety from dim sum to different types of rice and noodles dishes to seafood and stir fried goods and more. great for a nice gathering with family or friends read more

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Mama Lu's never disappoints! I've always been a fan of this place and frequented the Monetary Park location before they opened this one in Tustin. This restaurant is right down the street and I always take my family here for lunch. My mom usually doesn't like going out for lunch, but she loves the pork chop with spicy salt. Some classic dishes I would highly recommend would be the juicy soup dumplings, spicy wontons, orange chicken, sautéed string beans, scallion pancake, and the house special chow mein. We've been here on multiple occasions on Sunday around 11am with a group of around 10 people and we never have to wait. They don't take reservations, but there's plenty of tables and it's very spacious. It's located right inside the grocery store and there's plenty of parking in the lot in front! I'll definitely be back again soon. read more

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Hidden gem. Food and service are exceptional. I had been looking for a Chinese restaurant in this area. I'm so happy I found Mama Lu's

This Dumpling House has multiple locations, and today I am at Mama Lu's Dumpling House in Tustin. Mama Lu is a highly regarded for its authentic, affordable Northern Chinese cuisine. They are famously known for their top tier juicy pork soup dumplings. The crispy pork chop is juicy and tender. The Crystal dumpling is chewy and stuffed with meat and shrimp. If you love pork dumplings, then Sui Mai is a must try. These dumplings are juicy and comforting. Complete your meal with steamed buns dipped in condensed milk. I like their generous portions and casual atmosphere. This spot has great value for your money with shareable portions. This restaurant is like Din Tai Fung without the wait. read more

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Absolutely terrible. I'm sorry but we ended up not finishing anything. Definitely recommend J.zhou since it's close by if you're looking for good dimsum place. The interior looks clean even though it's connected to a grocery store. This is why we tried the place in the first place. They have a super small dim sum menu selection but better dinner menu items. Their spare ribs tasted like fake meat. Their chicken feet was marinated in an artificial tasting sauce. Their cucumber salad had way too much black vinegar and was way tooo sour. The deep fried squid was decent and the only thing we were willing to eat. Their siu mai was ok also. Their service however was very fast because we were one of the 3 groups that were there. read more

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After hearing friends rave about the other locations in LA, I was excited to finally try the one closer to me in OC, but I have to say I left a bit underwhelmed. The restaurant is tucked next to a grocery supply store, which you can actually see into while eating. Since it shares a neighboring stall with Meet Fresh, it felt more like eating in a cafeteria than a dine-in restaurant. We arrived before 8 PM on a Friday and only had to wait a few minutes for them to set up our table, which was nice. As for the food, we definitely overordered! The beef rolls were generously sauced and packed with meat, and the massive bowl of hot and sour soup was pretty flavorful. The house chow mein came loaded with seafood and chicken, and while the noodles had a great texture, the dish didn't have a cohesive taste. I was most disappointed about the juicy pork dumplings. Although they were large, they were over-steamed and fell apart at the lightest touch of a chopstick. It didn't help that they were already stuck together from being too close in the steamer. The pork filling and broth were also quite bland. As for the spicy wontons, I appreciated the whole shrimp inside, the meat was tough and a bit dry that even the very mild spicy sauce couldn't save it. Overall, the dishes could've been prepared better and lacked flavor comparatively to other Chinese restaurants in the area. I'm not sure if I'll be back to try more at this location. read more

Mama Lu's Dumpling House - Massive portions | HOT & SOUR SOUP, 1. JUICY PORK DUMPLINGS (10) - Dim Sum Near Me - Tustin, California

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Met up with my sisters for dinner here tonight. We had tofu seafood soup, sautéed green beans, honey garlic pork chops, fried tofu, spicy Singaporean noodles with shrimp. Everything was good. Pork chops was very good and the meat was nice and tender and not tough and mostly lean and not a lot of fat like other restaurants. Great dish. Will order this dish again. Spicy Singaporean noodles were average. Seafood soup was good. Service was also good. Plenty of servers available and quick to bring what we need. Portions are large and prices are reasonable. read more

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Came to Mama Lu's Dumplings with my girlfriend's meetup group for lunch. We were a large group of 11. The food was fantastic, everything we ordered was delicious. We ate family style sharing the plates with each other. This gave us the opportunity to try several different dishes. Servers were attentive refilling drinks and bringing out plates of food as they were ready. Prices are very reasonable. I'm looking forward to coming back again soon. read more

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What happened to their dumplings? Adding the aluminum trays to their xiao long bao is a travesty, it overcooks the bottom and makes it soggy, and the top is undercooked. Honestly one of the only reason I come here is for that. Whom ever thought this was a good idea probably thought it holds the soup better. It ruins the entire thing! read more

Mama Lu's Dumpling House - The wrong way of steaming xiao long bao - Dim Sum Near Me - Tustin, California

Mama Lu's is one of our go-to places for good Chinese food. All of the dishes are delicious and the portions are generous. We usually get take-out and order a variety of different items to eat family style. Service is always quick and friendly. I always highly recommend this place to friends and family! read more

I have tried other Mama Lu's locations, I would give this location an overall 3.5 out of 5. Compared to other locations, they should work on their flavorings and dishes. SHRIMP WITH SCRAMBLED EGG: unlike other locations, they use smaller shrimps. You really can't go wrong with this dish, a safe choice if you're unsure about the restaurant. HANGHAI RICE CAKE: The portion is nice, rice cakes are nice and chewy. It does come with pork. The cabbage and onions add a great crunch to the dish. However, it was kind of oily. STEAMED VEGETARIAN DUMPLINGS: Not bad, but it tasted like those store bought ones. Also, these dumplings were not freshly made on that day because it was frozen and then steamed based on the dough on the top. JUICY PORK DUMPLINGS: This dish came out the fastest, after 10 minutes we made the order. They might have streamed for a while, and just have it warmed on the stovetop. The dumplings were just alright, not super juicy. AGED VINEGAR W/ CABBAGE: This dish was not seasoned correctly. It was kind of bland besides the sourness. I questioned if they even put enough salt in there. There were large chunks of cabbages sticking together. Some work needs to be done with this dish. The service was pretty good. The restaurant is located inside a supermarket. The design is simple and modern. This location is not my top choice for Mama Lu's. read more

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Really enjoyed the menu options and the staff. It was crowded (as expected on a Sunday). The staff was unfailingly polite and helpful. We didn't feel rushed even though it was obviously full. Dishes arrived quickly, all hot and steaming. Everything was tasty and good portion size. $175 (including tip) for 5 adults with plenty of leftovers. read more

It's been years since I've been back to the original location of Mama Lu's Dumpling House out in San Gabriel Valley. So I don't know how much it has changed or how it compares to this Tustin location. I recently visited this Tustin location for the first time and it's very different from what I've experienced in the past. From the style of the restaurant to the food, it seems like everything is more modern and updated. Even the taste seems a bit different - less traditional. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, just different from what I was used to. I came in during the weekday when lunch specials were offered. Lunch specials comes with rice, soup, and the entree is the same size as what they offer from their regular menu. Although it's $16, I still think it's a pretty good deal if you were going to order that dish during non-lunch hours anyway. I got the Lunch Special - Salt and Pepper Pork Chop ($15.98), Beef Wrap ($14.98), and Lunch Special - Salt and Pepper Squid ($15.98). The portions of the two lunch specials were huge. While I enjoyed both of those dishes, it didn't really have the salt and pepper taste that I'm used to. It had a lot of fried garlic and green chilies, which I was kind of bummed because I was hoping for that classic salt and pepper flavor. The Beef Wrap wasn't bad, but it had huge spears of cucumber in it, which was a bit odd. Our server was friendly and super helpful. The restaurant is open and clean. They share the same space with Meet Fresh and are located inside the Rivera Supermarket. Overall, I'd definitely come back for their regular menu as well as to try more items from the lunch special menu. read more

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Such an underrated spot! Located inside of a grocery store but lots of seating. Very affordable prices, will be coming back for sure. We ordered: - juicy pork dumplings: arguably better than din tai fung soup dumplings and a lot cheaper too. Lots of juice inside each dumpling, best if eaten hot! - shrimp har gow: very delicious and affordable. Every dimsum menu has the same price of $6.98. Skin was seasoned and shrimp filling was pretty large. My personal favorite dish we ordered. - sticky rice in lotus leaf: super good. Rice is well seasoned and the meat filling is pretty satisfying. read more

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Great Chinese restaurant for family and big party. I came back and still like it. I had: 1. Beef wrap 2. Spicy wontons 3. Juicy pork dunking 4. Onion pancake 5. Fried pork bun 6. Yang chow fried rice 7. Salt and pepper chicken wing 8. Walnut shrimp 9. Sesame balls read more

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Thanks to Yelp and my new Yelp friend for putting Mama Lu's on my radar -- as I would not have known about this restaurant on my own. Customer service is professional and friendly; the staff working the floor was always bustling about with set-up, clean-up, delivery, or assisting customers. Among the first things that impressed us was the actual glass glassware (yay, not plastic!) and large clear, plastic pitcher of water left at our table (we're big water drinkers especially with this cuisine!). I appreciate the visuals on the menu, with corresponding numbered item! We've enjoyed the food so much that we've returned 3 times within 1 week, wanting to experience something new. To date, we've tried the following: -Beef Chow Fun, $17.98; -Fish Fillet with Black Bean Sauce, $17.98 (a favorite, with generous planks of fish coated with a very flavorful sauce); -French Style Steak, $22.98 (flavorful and tender beef); -Shanghai Rice Cake, $16.98 (a first having rice cakes for us; love the marriage of flavors of the savory sauce, and chewy texture of the rice cakes); -String Bean w/ Pickled Vegetable & Chinese Sausage, $16.98 (wonderfully cooked crisp-tender beans within a delicious sauce); -Shanghai Style Chow Mein, $16.98 (love the texture of the noodles); -Juicy Pork Dumplings (10), $13.98 (tasty and tender) The staff was friendly & welcoming, professional, extremely efficient in fulfilling our order, and comfortably attentive. The room has an attractive, modern and minimalist style; nice open area with many tables capable of seating larger groups; and comfortable booths and chairs. While no one else appears to exhibit feeling cold, I've learned to bring a light layer due to their A/C. My thoughts are that the loud music genre playing on the radio -- as well as the advertisement-filled placemats -- doesn't seem to align with the restaurant's style. Nonetheless, we'll be back to experience more off of their menu! Fabulous find! We've determined this is our favorite place, to date, for this cuisine! read more

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Everything we tried was delicious, definitely coming back. The service was fast and friendly. The atmosphere is casual and clean. Give this place a try! read more

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Delicious and no wait and located with dessert from meet fresh and shopping next door. XLB are my favorite so juicy and meaty. Pot stickers are also good. I guess just all the dumplings are winners. read more

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Mama Lu in Tustin hits the spot if you're craving traditional Chinese family-style dishes with a Taiwanese twist. We ordered the spicy wontons, beef wrap, egg flower soup, and Mongolian beef, and everything was solid and great for sharing. I was genuinely surprised (and excited) to see Mama Lu open locations closer to Irvine -- I used to go to the original in Monterey Park, so this definitely brought back memories. The Tustin location has plenty of parking, which is a huge plus, and the service and the ambiance was decent overall. I'd happily recommend if you're looking for comforting, no-frills Chinese food with that classic Mama Lu flavor. read more