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    Mama's Taste

    4.4 (173 reviews)
    ModerateChinese
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    Sesame chicken
    Jessica D.

    So delicious!! I think we may have found our new go-to Chinese takeout spot. It can be really difficult to find a good solid place, so it's taken a while. Decided to give mamas taste a try and no regrets!! Everything was fresh and hot. The pan fried pork dumplings (which I didn't get a pic of) were amazing. We got way too much food for two people but we wanted to try a lot of different options, now we will just have leftovers for a couple days :) their portions were also generous and packed to the brim. The sweet and sour chicken were perfect and the lo mein had a great flavor - not bland at all. The sesame chicken was also good. Can't wait to try more menu options next time.

    Biang biang noodles with beef (spicy)
    Julie H.

    The best fast food Chinese restaurant and my go to spot for orange flavored beef. Deep fried and sauced to perfection! It's best eaten fresh as soon as it comes out, but it is super hot so gotta be very careful biting into it!! All of their dishes we have tried have been really good and consistently good! And of course since we love spicy food, most of our dishes we get from Mama's taste are spicy dishes. A few that we always get are spicy mapo tofu, eggplant in hot garlic sauce, spicy oil noodles and combination chowfun noodle dish. Amongst other dishes we have tried, those are our favorite. Friendly customer service, food comes out fairly quickly (you do wait if you go at their busy hours), and orange flavored beef does take a little more time to come out. Restaurant isn't big inside and only has about 7-8 big/small tables. Casual dining and water is self serve, just ask for a cup.

    Mapo Tofu
    Andy Y.

    Tasty, delicious, and spicy! A very clean place with an easy kiosk order system. If you are not sure, there are pictures to help you choose. The service was fast and the food was prepared fresh. The dishes were prepared fresh with a lot of spice. Parking was plentiful as it is shared with the businesses within the center. We will be back. Enjoy!

    General tso (front) and pepper steak (back)
    MR H.

    Food: 10/10 recommend. I've been trying to take my friends and family there because it's hard for me to explain. It's not your typical chinese-american style food; everything tasted so fresh and unprocessed. There is so much variety on menu that I'll need to keep coming back with my friends and family so I can try everything on the menu. Pepper steak (white rice included)- I don't even like peppers that much but they were so perfectly cooked-- just firm enough to bite into or pick up without them falling apart but still so soft. The pepper flavor doesn't overpower the sauce flavor or the steak. The steak looked like actual pieces of meat and were so tender that we didn't need to cut it up at all. General tso (white rice included)- omg sooo crispy like it was tossed in the sauce just before serving. We got 3/4 spicy level and it was perfect sweet tang in combination with the biang biang noodles' Szechuan-type spicy. The chicken so juicy and lean. Biang biang noodles (shrimp)- noodles met in your mouth, theyre so good and the sauce wasn't just mouth-tingly, it had a very nice flavor. ordered with shrimp despite not really liking shrimp, but I like trying a variety of proteins to get a good feel for cooking style. These little shrimps were not chewy at all, not fishy, and there were so many of them! Nobody asked, but I liked that they used short grain rice. It wasn't overcooked or over-starchy. The portions were surprisingly generous making it even more worth the price. After dividing the leftovers, I had lunch for work the next 2 days. The leftovers tasted so good, too. Service: fast and polite. The food came out at the same time and there were text message updates on the status of our food. When it got to us, the food was still freshly hot, not reheated. We came in not realizing that they closed in like 45min but they still welcomed us very warmly and made effort to thank us despite more customers straggling in as we left. Ambiance: very calm and extremely casual. Simple disposable plates and utensils. It was perfect for a Tuesday night spontaneous outing with my sister.

    Chicken w/Black Bean Sauce; extra beef and pork.
    Cornelius G.

    I don't believe I have ever craved Chinese food while visiting Fairfax, but I found myself here, having observed this small restaurant over the years. I ordered chicken with black bean sauce with added beef and pork. (Yes, it was a lot of protein). I requested they only use a small amount of black bean sauce and they went a little overboard or the chef didn't get the memo. Nonetheless, it was wonderful. I wouldn't think twice about returning. It's a small place with tables, but nothing remarkable. Big parking lot. There's a small beer spot next door that is always full of guest, although limited business hours. And, Layered just opened, which is within a two minute walk.

    The Handmade noodle was quite tasty. Could use more chili oil but I appreciated the flavor and the bok choy
    Neil W.

    I stumbled upon this place after the Asian Festival on Main in Fairfax. The inside resembles any fast casual strip mall restaurant, although the lady at the counter was quick to welcome us as we walked in. We could either order with her, or with the touchscreen machine. The food came out fairly quickly, although I was warned that the jumbo soup dumplings would take 25 minutes. I loved the handmade noodles, and I recommend anything handmade. I can't attest to the standard Chinese takeout food, such as the orange chicken, general tso, etc. but I love that there's handmade items here, and it's a big differentiating factor between them and other Chinese takeout places. The noodles were very chewy, though they could have used more chili oil, and the dumplings were quite large. I'll have to try the normal dumplings next time

    Combination lo mein
    Rebecca A.

    This is a perfect spot for those desiring a quick takeout spot. While there are tables in the restaurant, it seems few dine in. Dine in is served on flimsy styrofoam plates which adds little to the ambiance. All of the dishes we ordered tasted fine but as a Chinese person, the dishes seemed to be catered to an Americanized palate. The stream of customers coming to pick up orders was steady so the restaurant is clearly popular. However, please note that this is not quite authentic.

    Exterior of Mama's Taste (Feb 2024).
    Gilbert G.

    My wife and I stopped by here to try a couple dishes in early February 2024 before a show at the GMU Center for the Arts. It was crowded on Lunar New Year - a promising sign. The restaurant has a busy takeout service, but the interior is pleasant and has 8 tables. However, expect to wait at least 10 to 15 minutes (at least for dinner). Based on other Yelp reviews, we decided to order the biang bang noodles. After a 10 minute wait and getting water from the DIY dispense (in front of the Pepsi refrigerated cabinet) we quickly inhaled the homemade noodles, bok-choy, and chili oil. I was practically licking my fingers. Needless to say, I cannot wait to order this dish again on a future visit. For the other dishes, we enjoyed a plate of steamed chicken dumplings and a plate of steamed pork & shrimp dumplings. Personally, I enjoyed the chicken a lot. However, I was not a big fan of the combination of shrimp and pork. But to each, their own. I cannot speak about the American-style Chinese dishes - but the specialty items are outstanding! Can't wait to return.

    Orange chicken, crispy beef, and dumplings

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    5 months ago

    This was a welcome surprise. A Chinese food restaurant with excellent food in an old strip mall. Crispy beef is the best in the area.

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    7 months ago

    Very tasty food and dumplings! I think it was made from scratch. Will definitely be visiting again.

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    Ask the Community - Mama's Taste

    Is this cafeteria style or you have to tip a server?

    Cafeteria style, but you should still tip at least a small amount if you're dining in.

    Is this a sit down restaurant or carry out only?

    Both sit down and carry out.

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    Yu Noodles - Soup dumplings

    Yu Noodles

    4.2(677 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    Cozy noodle shop in one of the many plazas out here in Fairfax. We came in as a party of two in a…read morevery cold Saturday evening and was able to get a seat quickly. The place was filling up and the ambiance reminds me of a traditional bustling noodle house - perfect for the cold snap we were experiencing at the time. We got hot and sour noodle soup, sichuan beef noodle soup, and an order of their pork soup dumplings. Portions are generous and prices are fair, it's easy to become a regular here if you live nearby. The hot and sour noodle soup is as advertised - just enough spice to complement the sour, but not overwhelm to make it feel like mala. It's served, as expected, with glass noodles, some bak choi, and some pork slices. Nothing spectacular but par for the course. The sichuan beef noodle foon soup was slight notch better. The broth gives really warm vibe and you can tell it's been brothing for a long time. Again just the right amount of spicy to make you keep slurping for more. The noodles were average, chewy, but not bouncy. Also comes with a healthy amount beef slices and bak choi. Again - a great noodle soup bowl but nothing jaw dropping. Soup dumplings were fantastic, however. The pork definitely has its own marinade and the soup is flavorful. The dumpling skin is well constructed and complemented well with the noodle soups - especially in cold weather. tldr; solid noodle soup spot, they seem to be consistent and really hits the mark when you're in a for your noodle fix. Soup dumplings are probably a must get side dish with whatever your main is

    What a good and affordable place for Chinese food! Came on a weekday night and it was pretty empty…read moreand clean. Staff were pretty fast and attentive with the orders and food. I had the szechuan beef noodle soup - the beef was tender alongside its tasty noodles and savoury broth. The scallion pancakes were solid and crunchy. Loved their soup dumplings too with the sauce and ginger. I did except more soup in the dumplings but was still great. Need to come again if I'm craving Chinese food.

    Photos
    Yu Noodles - Interior

    Interior

    Yu Noodles - N9. Hot & Sour Foon

    N9. Hot & Sour Foon

    Yu Noodles - | PORK + SHRIMP SOUP DUMPLINGS |

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    | PORK + SHRIMP SOUP DUMPLINGS |

    Chef Yan - Beef Stir-Fried with Wild Pepper

    Chef Yan

    3.4(410 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    This place is seriously so good. If you're looking for szechuan chinese food, this is the place!…read moreSome of my favorite dishes are the Sichuan-style cold chicken and the stir fried cabbage. They're super nice and super fast. Definitely coming back.

    Chef Yan delivered the kind of meal that makes a celebration feel even more special. We started…read morewith the xiao long bao, which came out steaming hot with delicate wrappers and a rich, savory broth inside. Every bite had that perfect balance of soup, pork filling, and ginger-vinegar flavor that makes xlb so satisfying. The sizzling beef was easily one of the standouts of the night. It arrived still crackling on the plate, tender and packed with smoky, slightly sweet flavor. The tofu shrimp dish was another surprise favorite -- light but comforting, with silky tofu and perfectly cooked shrimp that paired really well together. For something more classic, the chicken and string beans hit the mark. The chicken was juicy, the string beans stayed crisp, and the garlic sauce tied everything together without overpowering the dish. To top it all off, the restaurant brought out dessert for my brother's birthday, which made the night feel extra thoughtful and memorable. Between the food, generous portions, and warm atmosphere, Chef Yan turned a simple dinner into a great celebration meal. Definitely a spot worth coming back to.

    Photos
    Chef Yan
    Chef Yan - Crabmeat soup dumplings

    Crabmeat soup dumplings

    Chef Yan - Shredded Pork wDried Tofu

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    Shredded Pork wDried Tofu

    Nanjing Bistro - Pig intestines

    Nanjing Bistro

    3.6(217 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    I'm not familiar with Nanjing cuisine, so it was interesting to try some of their signature dishes…read more The Nanjing salted duck is similar to roast duck, quite flavorful and tender meat, but without the crispy duck skin. The Nanjing dalu noodles is a noodle dish with thick gravy-like sauce and diced ingredients including veggies and tofu. My partner and I's favorites were probably the dishes that were closer to what you could find at your standard Chinese takeout spot in the area - the fish filet with tofu (which had a similar flavor to mapo tofu) and the pork in garlic sauce. That's not to say the other food wasn't good, I think we were not particularly used to the cuisine. The service is really nice and efficient. Everyone else dining there were Chinese groups of family or friends, speaking Mandarin.

    Three of us came to Nanjing Bistro for my birthday lunch. They have a great selection of…read moretraditional Chinese dishes you won't find at typical American Chinese restaurants. Our waitress was super friendly and spoke to us in Mandarin, which made the experience really warm and personal. We ordered Salty Duck, Chive Buns, Beef and Beef Tripe in Chili Sauce, Fish Filets in Pickled Broth, and Hot Pepper Stir-Fried Pork Intestine. Every dish was flavorful and authentically prepared. It was my first time trying the Salty Duck, and I liked that it wasn't too salty and had more meat than roast duck. Overall, we all enjoyed our meal. Highly recommend this spot for great food and friendly service!

    Photos
    Nanjing Bistro - Inside

    Inside

    Nanjing Bistro - Shredded tofu and House-made Triple Delight Dumping /  三鲜手工水饺

    Shredded tofu and House-made Triple Delight Dumping / 三鲜手工水饺

    Nanjing Bistro - Inside

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    Inside

    Cheng's Asian House - Plain Steamed Rice - perfectly steamed!

    Cheng's Asian House

    4.2(854 reviews)
    8.7 mi
    $$

    I came seeking something easy on the stomach, but good on the tastebuds. I landed a lightly…read moreseasoned tofu dish with a mouthwatering onion and pepper flavor, and a convincingly decadent chocolate cake. Plenty of other options were available for when I get my tolerance for spicy food back, as the place leans Szechuan. Takeout was an efficient process even though they did not take online payments; I just paid when I got there. The location is a bit past the airport, which is probably a better place to look for Chinese food than most of downtown DC.

    I've found Cheng's to be a reliable go-to when I am craving good Chinese food. Their portions are…read moregenerous, and many dishes are packed with bold flavor and freshness, whether you are in the mood for something spicy, savory, or mild. You get good food at reasonable prices. Some of my favorites include Crispy Shredded Beef in Spicy Sauce, Fried Chicken Nuggets with Basil (a Taiwanese native favorite), and Wrinkled String Beans. Crispy Shrimp with Honey Walnuts is also really good. They offer a wide variety from stir-fries and noodle dishes to seafood, pork, beef, and vegetarian/vegan-friendly options. The kitchen is very accommodating. If you want milder spice, less oil, or custom tweaks, they seem pretty open to it. Because it's not one of those fancy places, the vibe stays relaxed and unpretentious, which I personally like. It's nice for families, friends, or a simple meal out without fuss. I also like to order take-out. :)

    Photos
    Cheng's Asian House
    Cheng's Asian House - Sesame Chicken

    Sesame Chicken

    Cheng's Asian House - Banana Flambe - set up

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    Banana Flambe - set up

    Mama's Taste - chinese - Updated May 2026

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