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    Mama's Taste

    4.4 (175 reviews)
    ModerateChinese
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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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.

    Orange chicken
    Dickson L.

    Lovely little Chinese takeaway right on the sidelines of the Old Fairfax town center. Lots of "classic" dishes and they're all bangers. The place itself is quite small for dine in, but I'm pretty sure that's not their target so we were able to get a seat for 2 pretty easily on a Friday evening. We got mostly "ABC" comfort foods - orange chicken, Yangzhou fried rice, Singapore rice noodles - and an order of their dumplings in spicy sauce (a bit surprising as it's a more northern China style compared to the rest of menu). It was definitely a bit much for just 2 of us but we intended to take home leftovers. All of it was delicious, cooked to spec, but what really makes them stand out is their superior "wok-hei"; it is the soul of wok-style dishes and compliments to the chef(s) - they absolutely know their craft and it shines in the flavor. This craftsmanship is lost in the new generation and it's a real treat to see it preserved here out of all places. Dumplings were splendid. Juicy and handmade, definitely hits that nostalgic nook from the back of your head. tldr; charming Chinese takeout spot with superb wok-hei in their dishes

    Hot and sour soup
    Hina M.

    New year, light dinner and my new go-to soup spot for 2026! I called in an order for the Pick 2 hot and sour soups along with steamed chicken dumplings, and everything exceeded my expectations. The restaurant is located in a strip plaza alongside other mom-and-pop shops at Courthouse Plaza Center, with plenty of convenient parking available. The service was excellent. When I called to place my order, the person at the front desk listened attentively, clearly explained the menu options, and let me know they were busy and would need a bit of extra time, which I truly appreciated. And the food? Incredible. The hot and sour soup was even better than my previous favorite spot perfectly balanced seasoning, fresh vegetables, and rich flavor. The steamed chicken dumplings were delicious and tasted freshly made. I really appreciated the polite service and the fresh, well-seasoned food. I'll definitely be back for more! Please continue treating your customers with kindness, it truly makes a difference.

    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).

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    1 month ago

    Always great. we get sweet and sour chicken and pan fried dummplings. Always fresh and large portions.

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    9 months ago

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

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    7 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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    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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    Mama Chang

    Mama Chang

    3.9
    (996 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    Overall great food, would come back again! We ordered these:…read more Hot Chili oil flounder and tofu: surprisingly very tasty. we only ordered this because this was a very popular item. I'm not a big fan of tofu but this was delicious. The fish was so soft and the sauce really worked well. Ganghood chicken: our favorite thing on the menu, when it comes to fried chicken I'm a harsh critic. With that being said this was REALLY good fried chicken. Combination Fried rice: it had a mix of shrimp, chicken, beef and egg. It was simple yet flavorful. Shrimp dumplings: A bit bland, would not order again.

    Mama Chang is the perfect place for a group dinner. Come hungry, order a bunch of dishes to share,…read moreand you'll still leave with plenty of leftovers. Our group of five sampled a great variety from the menu, including the Hot & Numbing Tofu Skin, Crab Roe Soup Dumplings, Cucumber Salad, Lettuce Wraps, Cumin Fish, Stir-Fried Beef Tenderloin, Crispy Pork Ribs with Scallion Crisps and Mixed Grain & Purple Rice, Stir-Fried Beef with Chilies, and Kung Pao Chicken with white rice. The standout for me was the cumin fish. It was fried perfectly--crispy without being greasy--and the cumin added great flavor without overpowering the dish. The crispy pork ribs lived up to their name and had a nice kick of spice. The cucumber salad packed a serious garlic punch, which I really enjoyed. The Hot & Numbing Tofu Skin was something completely different from what I expected. It's sliced into long ribbons that resemble noodles or pasta. The flavor was excellent, although the texture took some getting used to. The only dish that fell a little short was the stir-fried beef tenderloin, which could have used a bit more seasoning. Everything else was delicious. The portions are enormous. At first the prices seemed a little high, but once the food arrived it made perfect sense. Every entrée was easily enough for two meals. One thing to keep in mind is that rice is ordered separately and isn't included with the entrées. Service was excellent throughout our meal. We arrived for lunch and didn't realize they close between lunch and dinner (lunch is served from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.). We ended up staying until about 2:45, and the staff never made us feel rushed even though they had technically closed. They greeted us promptly, took our drink orders, and gave us plenty of time to look over the menu without hovering. The restaurant is tucked away on the ground floor of an office building, so it's easy to drive right past if you aren't looking for it. Parking was plentiful, and the oversized booths comfortably fit all five of us without feeling cramped. If you're dining with a group and want to sample a variety of authentic dishes, Mama Chang is definitely worth the visit.

    Photos
    Indoor seating
    Indoor seating
    Peking Duck
    Peking Duck
    Mala Hot Pot

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    Mala Hot Pot
    Yu Noodles

    Yu Noodles

    4.2
    (680 reviews)
    1.7 mi
    $$

    THEY HAVE THIS BEEF NOODLE SOUP THAT IS OUT OF THIS WORLD AMAZING. (Sorry for all caps but that's…read morehow I feel about it.) The menu is in Chinese (and that's how you know it's authentic.) Anyway, about this beef soup: it had the most amazing broth, even better than pho. The beef pieces were excellent and the portion size was good too. The service was great and I thought the prices were VERY reasonable too.

    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

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    N9. Hot & Sour Foon
    N9. Hot & Sour Foon
    | PORK + SHRIMP SOUP DUMPLINGS |

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    | PORK + SHRIMP SOUP DUMPLINGS |
    Chef Yan

    Chef Yan

    3.4
    (412 reviews)
    1.6 mi
    $$

    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.

    Walked in easily with plenty of seating to spare. The floors were strangely slippery but otherwise…read morethe rest of the restaurant was fine. Food was delicious though! Perfect level of Szechuan flavour, savouriness, and fullness! Service was kind and fast too. Definitely want to try this spot again if I'm in the area.

    Photos
    Chef Yan
    Crabmeat soup dumplings
    Crabmeat soup dumplings
    Shredded Pork wDried Tofu

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    Shredded Pork wDried Tofu

    Mama's Taste - chinese - Updated July 2026

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