We got seated quickly but it was packed! Both boiled dumplings and pot stickers were delicious. One of the higher-rated dumpling places in the CBD, and we definitely saw why. read more

See all

Really great Chinese food at a tiny shop tucked away in one of the many hidden corners in the city. Never would have found this without following some Melbourne food bloggers online. Great basics (pot stickers, hot and sour soup) and so much else. It's tiny and a bit cramped but you will leave satisfied. We will be back. read more

Every chance I get to eat some Dumplings I do. ShanDong mama is in this little shopping hallway. I read it about on a food blog and was interested in the variety of dumplings they serve up. I ordered the mackerel dumplings, 1/2 pan fried and the other 1/2 steamed. The dumplings were filled with ginger, chives, cilantro, and mackerel, They were delicious but way over priced. For 10 Dumplings I paid $22!! The extra $4 I paid was because I asked for 1/2 and 1/2. Service was ehh and ambiance was ehh. Glad I tried them because they were tasty and unique. read more

See all

My buddy had wanted to check out Shandong Mama a few days earlier but we couldn't make it work. So after a long day of tennis, we dropped in for a late dinner. It's inside of a Mid City Mall (shop #7 on the ground floor). We came on a Friday evening (around 8:45pm) and the place was packed. At least we didn't have to wait but they sat us at a communal table. Service isn't half bad here. You go up to pay at the counter when you're done. The menu is ridiculously huge. The pages seemed to go on and on. We kept it simple and focused on what they do best: dumplings. There's some soy sauce, vinegar and chili oil on the tables. The chili oil mixture was pretty subdued. Sad. - 2x tea ($0.80 AUD each) - they give you a mug. Pretty watered down but at least it's hot. - Noodle soup with braised beef brisket (N5) ($12.80 AUD) - the broth was sweet and reminded me of what you get when you order wonton soups. Pretty standard bowl of noodles but would have liked more noodles for the price. - Mackerel fish fried dumplings (FD2) ($16.80 AUD) - fresh mackerel fillet with coriander, ginger and chives. The filling was great! I wasn't expecting such a good texture to the inside. We would have liked the outside to be crispier. - DILL-icious pork boiled dumplings (D3) ($14.80 AUD for 12) - finely chopped pork mince and fresh dill, spring onions, ginger and sesame oil. These were merely decent. I liked the medium thick skins but the filling was dry. The dill didn't taste as fresh as I'm accustomed too. Decent but I'm a bit puzzled by all the hype on Shandong Mama. Cash only. read more

See all

2/26/16 Dumplings and more dumplings. Fried mackerel $14.80 and Melbourne fried dumplings $16.80 were the picks for lunch. Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside with added soy sauce for more savoriness. These dumplings are uniquely wrapped in what seems like the quick way of wrapping wonton wraps. Between both Melbourne fried dumplings was the front runner up. Expect a 20-30 minute wait and even share a table. Space is really tight. Be ready to hear side bar conversations from your table mates because of the close proximity. A definite place to come back for more dumplings. read more

Shandong Mama holds a good reputation as having one of the best home-made Chinese dumplings in the city. But despite the word of mouth, I honestly don't see any spark of magic. Well, the boiled dumpling was something different, with the skin being ultra thin (almost translucent) but the meat filling was extremely watery and bland. The spicy crispy chicken was also another disappointment. It was super dry and flavorless, the only flavor we picked up was from the dried chili. Sad. The pan fried dumpling, on the other hand, was quite satisfactory. It was simple pork+prawn meat wrapped in a semi-open crispy dumpling skin. This was probably the only single dish we enjoyed that night. The prices were on the higher side, with each plate of (10 pieces) dumplings cost between $14-$18. Service-wise, don't expect tender loving care, you'll be disappointed. Short to say, this place is worth trying, but not revisiting. read more

See all

Food was great service is horrible and they make sure to tell you you only have an hour to eat. The establishment has no ice and water is self serve. read more

One of the best places for dumplings in Chinatown Melbourne! The pastry or skin of the steamed dumplings are silky, light, soft and melts in you mouth. The meat stuffing is tasty and fresh. Well seasoned and marinated. The pan fried mackerel dumplings were excellent and yummy too! Loved the traditional pie, crunchy and fresh! One of the best places for this traditional pie! A very busy place! read more

See all

I love Shandong Mama!!! They have out of this world boiled dumplings. For those of you that are less familiar with boiled dumplings, they have a thicker skin, and are more juicy on the inside. They are quite different to DTF (Din Tia Fung) style dumpling which are steamed thin skin dumplings. Note: you need to fill your bowl with a generous mix of the black vinegar and burnt chili oil for dipping your dumplings. This is an essential component to the consumption of a good boiled dumpling. The thing that makes the Shandong mama boiled dumplings especially good are the creative fillings. The mackerel mouse is amazing! The prawn and black wood ears is also astounding. Another must have is the black squid ink dumplings. read more

We were walking in chinatown and wanted to try HuTong dumpling bar city (seen many reviews in travel books). But the place was already full on reservations. I googled another dumpling place in the area and found Shandong Mama. Our misfortune turned into luck!! Found this little gem hidden in a mall. The menu pricing was affordable and the food tasted really good. We ordered 2 plates of dumplings (fried pork and steamed lamb) and a sweet/sour fish with rice to share with 4. It was just enough. We could later grab dessert on the go. The fried dumplings were crispy and the steamed ones were nice with some broth in it. Service was pretty quick as I can recall. Looked like a family run restaurant. Children friendly place. read more

See all

Serves me right for following the Time Out guide to dumplings in Melbourne. I was feeling positive on the hunt for dumplings and was so keen to come here. Such a disappointment. Service from the moment we walked in was brisk and efficient, but definitely not friendly. We were quickly seated and ordered the pan-fried beef dumplings, boiled pork and cabbage dumplings and fried chicken wings. All underseasoned and tasteless. The beef dumplings were too thick and served without care. They were still stuck together and just sad looking. The pork and cabbage dumplings literally tasted like nothing. Even with the addition of chilli oil and soy sauce there was nothing there. The wings were crispy and served hot, but again a miss. A complete lack of seasoning meant the side of mayonnaise with the wings was the winner of the whole meal. With two drinks included the total came to $48 which I think was a total rip off. Completely overrated and underwhelming. Given there are so many other options for dumplings all over Melbourne I will definitely not be coming back here. read more

See all

Solid place for some Chinese food that is a good price for big portion sizes. I'm from California and we get a lot of genuine-enough asain food here, and I would consider this same. We got the crab roe tofu dish, shrimp cucumber stir fry, and cumin lamb (apologies that these dish names are not exact). They were all pretty good and came out quickly within ten minutes. My favorite was the cumin lamb- it was flavorful and the onions were yummy. Rice does not come with man dishes so make sure to order them on the side. One con is thst because the place is small, it's quite echo-y, making the restaurant super loud indoors. read more

Shandong Mama - Cumin lamb, Crab roe tofu - Chinese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

See all

Plenty of tables available when I arrived just before midday on a Saturday. Service is a little lacking, with the waiter forgetting to give me a menu for 5 minutes, though the place was pretty empty. I had to get my own water and glasses. The food is reasonable. I had the mapo tofu, which was a reasonable size. Though no mince in it. The tea with green jelly was super sweet. read more

Shandong Mama - Chinese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

TL:DR - I don't get the love for the mackerel dumplings, they didn't have much flavor and had way to weird of a texture to be enjoyable. The pork and cabbage dumplings were ok but could easily be better. Man, I do NOT get all this love for the mackerel dumplings. But I came here based on a friend's recommendation. Seeing their menu, and the "signature" mackerel dumplings, my partner and I got an order of fried mackerel dumplings and the traditional pork and cabbage. Both dumplings had great skin that's folded more like a taco, in that the meat is put in the middle and then the sides are just folded up and cinched in the middle while the ends are exposed. I tried both dumplings on their own before dipping them in my dumpling sauce mixture, and the mackerel dumplings honestly, didn't have that much flavor to me, especially in comparison to the pork and cabbage. Like it just tasted like dumpling skin was a soft semi-resistant interior. Not the biggest fan. The pork and dumpling was pretty solid, but I've definitely had better. I feel like the exposed ends let out the juices that are usually sealed in. Outside of that, this place is located in the basement of some shopping mall. Our server was super talkative which was sometimes annoying sometimes endearing. All in all, it was a forgettable trip with ok dumplings. read more

The hot and sour soup calls to me, at all times of the day and night. I ate it the first time I visited and now can't not order it every time I visit Mama. On cold days I crave a steaming hot bowl of this protein-packed flavour broth and find myself trying to line up a meeting in the area so I can pop in for a serving. People rave about the mackerel dumplings. Yes, they're good and you should most definitely try them but expect a not-so-very dumpling like shape when they hit your table. All the other dumplings I've tried are excellent, except for the egg and spinach ones that come out fried, massive (like a quesadilla) and not at all what I'm used to. They were disappointing. My strategy when dining with a group of friends - just point like a mad woman at a bunch of things and then delight in what arrives. read more

Shandong Mama - Hot and sour soup. Loaded with protein and veggies. - Chinese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

I found this place on Facebook and decided to give it a try. We weren't used to eating seafood dumplings, so it wasn't that great. Not bad, but not great. read more

See all

Got along to Shandong Mama for a quick, cheap dumpling feeding frenzy. A must try are the mackerel dumplings, like no dumpling that has ever come before it! The table also ordered the Melbourne dumplings, pork and cabbage and prawn. Fav varieties were the pork, and the Melbourne. With one vegetarian dumpling option available, the vegan dumplings were delicious, but it would be great to see another option on the menu. The table also agreed a juicy prawn dumpling sans the pork would be a winner... I have to make mention of the great music Neil young, the Shins and Massive Attack to name but a few of the great tracks spinning. FYI Shangong Mama is cash only, and once they have approvals (happening soon I believe) they will be BYO. read more

Shandong Mama - Chinese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

I've now visited ShanDong Mama twice and was pleased both times with the freshness and quality of dumplings. The menu is relatively small compared to some in Chinatown, but it does cater for vegetarians and vegans, which is nice! It's a pretty busy and noisy place though, so not recommended for intimate occasion or long lunch. Staff were efficient and friendly on both occasions and I would definitely go again. Make sure you don't turn up starving though, as you may end up waiting for 15min or so to get a table. Pro Tip: send someone else from your party around to Maxims Bakery to grab a couple egg tarts to tide you over! read more

Shandong Mama - Prawn, Fungus and Chive boiled dumpling. Yum! - Chinese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

It's been quite a few months since I last visited Shandong Mama. I used to go every 2nd week when it first opened but once the joint got a bit popular, their quality started to slide. However my buddies from Brisvegas are visiting and they wanted somewhere with good dumplings. With 4 kids in tow I didn't want to chance the famous DTF at the Emporium so we decided to go for Shandong Mama. We got there way before the lunch crowd and we got a pretty gruff welcome from the waitress. No smiles & it felt as if I have intrude their shop and inconvenienced them. Not a great way to greet their first customers of the day. I went a bit cray cray and ordered a variety of boiled and fried dumplings including the Melbourne dumplings, DILL-licious pork, Mackeral dumplings, beef and chicken dumplings, as well as two noodle dishes for the kids. It all came to $95 bucks and it was certainly filling. The quality of the dumplings has also gone back up quite a notch and perhaps it's because of all these dumplings places opening up nearby. So yes, they don't have the XLB like DTF but f you want your dumpling fix with a variety, Shandong Mama is still the place to go. read more

See all

Believe the hype - this place serves up delicious parcels of nom. Definitely go for the prawn and black fungus boiled dumpling! Also got the fried chicken dumplings and although they come out not looking like your usual pan fried dumpling (it looks more like little fried burritos) they are fried to perfection and deeeelicious. Small place, jammed packed, but we didn't have to wait for long. And when you do they give a raffle ticket paper thing and will call you out when the table is ready. Remember you're here for the food, not the service or the looks. One tip though - if you come as a pair and you get seated in between a table of 2 other couples, be prepared to be the sauce taxi cos you'll be moving the sauce tray back and forth either end of the table when they need it! read more

Shandong Mama - Fried chicken dumplings - Chinese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

See all

The dumplings here are definitely of higher quality compared to the many other dumplings places around Chinatown. The fillings are fresh and tasty, plus they come in some unconventional varieties such as mackerel (yummy). Unfortunately, I always leave this place hungry because the servings are too small. Especially the noodles; they should really offer an up-size option. Lost one star rating from me for this shortcoming. read more

See all

Very unique place. The lamb dumplings were pan fried and excellent. The squid ink dumplings were unique and yummy. Highly recommend a visit for quick cheap eats while in Melbourne Chinatown read more

There are many dumpling places in Melbourne that I have tried, but this is the first one I have felt like it was a gourmet cafe, focusing on quality and the experience rather than the quantity. I was pleased to the extent of making the unusual move of writing a review... The video displayed at the shop front (which attracted my attention in the first place) whets your appetite and shows how the dumplings are made - by hand and with love (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-5x2fdLVmE). You can also take a peek through the glass wall into the kitchen. The fish dumplings are huge: the friendly hostess explained to me that they had to be this size to provide the right proportion of the filling and the translucent skin. When a piece landed in my mouth, the light and airy fish mousse with coriander and other secret ingredients, melted slowly and took me on a trip to a picturesque fishing village in Shandong province, where fresh catch had apparently been made into dumplings like this for generations. My imagination was clearly inspired by the exquisite taste. Another highlight of my visit were the Radish dumplings: different plant ingredients and herbs created a harmonious final chord after each of them unfolded on my palate over time in a fugue of tastes. I enjoyed the prompt service and my chat with the hostess - obviously very knowledgeable and passionate about Chinese cuisine and happy to share her insights. The clean, quality modern interior and cute logo added to the experience. Can't wait to try the fried dumplings! read more

Shandong Mama - The ultra delicious fish dumplings at the newly opened Shandong Mama - Chinese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

See all

We followed the Yelp reviews like a trail of breadcrumbs when we found ourselves in need of dumplings on a Friday night, but lacking a booking. ShanDong MaMa did not disappoint. We ordered four dumpling dishes between the three of us and left with our bellies full and our wallets intact. The zucchini dumplings were my favourite - don't be afraid of the 'vegan' label! Unsurprisingly, the mackerel were my friends' favourite. The money you pay goes into the tasty food, not the decor. (Think bright overhead lighting in a shopping centre location.) I'd recommend this as a great place to go with friends and share a variety of plates. While delicious, eating 10 of the same dumpling flavour can be a bit much. read more

Whenever one of my friends have a dumpling craving, it means business. We trooped into Shandong Mama and ordered a million dumplings for a legitimate sample size and here are our favourites.: Mackerel Dumplings (Fried): Probably the most mind-blowing thing ever. Is this a fish ball? Or is it a dumpling? Is it fish paste wrapped in dumpling skin? Yes I think it is. OMG whatever it is, this is the star of the menu. Don't go home without ordering this or you and the next 3 generations of your lineage will live to regret your follies of youth. Pork and Dill Dumplings (Fried): Interesting flavour. Dill is not an ingredient typically used in traditional Chinese cooking, but this dish is not repulsive. In fact, it is a mishmash / east meats west (pun intended). When I was in college, I used to look forward to these dumpling parties that the Chinese Department organised. Now, I can come here and buy my own dumplings whenever I want. Cash Only! read more

ShanDong Mama is a refreshing change to the typical Chinese dumpling restaurant, with a much more vegetable orientated selection of dumplings and dishes that scream flavour. My personal favourites are the prawn and black fungus dumplings, zucchini dumplings and the zucchini and egg pancakes. All of which are so tasty that I wonder if I could ever go back to a boring pork dumpling again. ShanDong is a personal favourite and it is guaranteed i'll be returning on a regular basis for quite some time. read more

An excellent place to go to get dumplings with a difference. Their menu is small (no sprawling pages of random things to gamble your tastebuds on) but their dumplings are quality with some interesting flavours. We adored the fried broccoli with garlic so much that I've been attempting to make it at home. The restaurant itself is smaller than other dumpling places, so I'm not sure it'd be good for large groups. read more

I've been here a few times and never been disappointed. The dumplings are pretty great, and the jewel of the dumpling crown has got to be the dill pork pan fried dumplings, which are hands down some of my favourites in the city. The standard pork dumplings are also very good (but not the best in the CBD), and the mushroom / prawn dumplings are excellent. Great place to come for lunch or dinner, but try to time it so that you miss the queue. read more

I was STARVING. I hadn't eaten all day. I hadn't had a carb for three weeks. I need dumplings. Stat. A few mates had mentioned this place a few days earlier. After checking on yelp and seeing Tresna, Terrence, Ben and Hugh had given it a big thumbs up, I was in. As I mentioned I was hungry and my usual method of ordering would be "one of everything". But I decided to show some restraint. So we ordered the fried pork and dill dumplings and of course the mackerel dumplings (steamed). This was shared by two. The pork came first. Struck me as weird that they weren't sealed. And by that I mean the meat wasn't sealed off by the wrapper. Maybe this is a thing, but I've never seen it before. Kind of gave the filling an oily taste and overpowered the delicate flavours. The mackerel dumplings were amazing. I'd defiantly recommend. The flavours ticked all the boxes. I had steamed but think the fried maybe a better option. The steamed felt a little over cooked making them fall apart easily (but maybe that's more a reflection of my chop stick usage than anything else). The place is clean, tidy and staff were helpful. And i was full after both dishes. I will be back and looking forward to try other options. read more

We saw a wave of positive reviews on Twitter and the blogosphere in the six weeks since Shandong Mama opened and felt we had to try it. Top of the list were their dumplings, even though the whole menu looks great - all the more reason to go back. We had Fried Beef , Fried Fish and the house special Melbourne Dumplings. You have to try the Melbourne Dumplings. Set to become an icon with a perfect fusion of Asian and western flavor. A combination of Chicken and Shrimp paste flavored with garlic and lemon, which never strays too far from Asian roots. The Fish dumplings were also delightful, made from fresh Mackerel daily, as were the beef. The decor is simple but still nice and clean. We're told by a sign on the door that the liquor license is in progress, till the it's BYO - or better yet try the yummy Asian beverages, juices and teas (especially the Eight Treasures tea). read more

Beautifully fresh boiled dumplings which feature goodies like chrysanthemum leaves and tofu or prawn and black fungi make Shandong unique. They also sell fried dumplings but I prefer the fluffy lightness of the boiled ones. The cucumber salad is loaded with garlic and will keep you the vamps away for days but tastes divine. There are heaps of other veggie-centric dishes and noodles. Cheap, cheerful, and totally delicious. read more

Tucked away in a little building thoroughfare my friend took me to Shandong Mama for lunch. She explained to me that they had opened only recently and at the time, only starting to become known amongst local dumpling fans. She had eaten here a number of times and was trying to visit as much as possible before they became too busy to always get a table. I was very impressed with the dumplings, some traditional flavours and some new (like the Melbourne dumpling). I think it has been created to represent multicultural Australia and contains seafood, chicken mince, lemon rind, olive oil and garlic. Even though that sounds like a strange combination, it really works, and are one of my favourite. Most dumplings are available both boiled and fried, it's up to you to work out how you prefer them. One of my other favourites were the radish and dry shrimp dumpling which has a nice texture as well as being delicious. I also noticed they have a vegan dumpling on the menu but haven't tried that one. I will most definitely make sure to visit again the next time I'm in Melbourne. read more

We had the beef brisket noodle soup and prawn with black truffle dumplings. The noodle soup was served first, and the flavour in this dish really packs a punch. Luckily for me I'm a big fan of a herbal broth but for some the heavy added aniseed might cause you to score this dish down. This might be my new favourite dumpling dish. As one of the feature dumplings this did not disappoint. A little dearer than other dishes on the market but we'll worth it. Cooked to perfection, the combination of prawn, mince and truffle was absolutely mouth watering. Service was excellent. The soy sauce, chilli and vinegar condiments were all there. My only regret tonight was that I wasn't able to try more dishes. read more

We are getting a bit spoilt for choice in Melbourne when it comes to dumplings, and that's a good thing. New entrants into the market have to step up the game, and Shandong Mama has done just that. Friendly service, hand made dumplings, with some fillings that are not just the typical pork or xiao long bao. The fried mackerel dumplings are very tasty, as are the steamed vegan and Melbourne dumplings. They don't have a liquor licence yet, but they are working on one. Recommended for lunch, but they also have an "Arvo Tea" special from 3pm-6pm. read more

ShanDong Mama reminds me of the game Cooking Mama! She has just enough menu to keep you happy, keeping some favourites and offering new side dishes on rotation. And if you mess up ( by way of not having eaten home cooked style food because you've been too busy drinking/partying/working or just plain broke) , dont worry! Mama will fix it!!! Well that night I was tired hungry and broke. So as any self respecting adult would do, I went to Shandong Mama. We ordered the fried mackerel dumplings ( awesome), fried prawn and black fungus ( even better- table favourite), and boiled 'Rachel' - I gotta be careful here, Rachel is a baby whose inspired this combination of prawn, seafood, whatever else good and yummy in this dumpling. so i don't want to sound like we ate a baby, but thx Rachel cos this special is awesome! We ordered cabbage side (sweet and sour), and rice noodle with dried shrimp ( very garlicky), and fried prawns ( dont bother nothing special) It was cheap, casual, yummy, and everything taste homemade and I can see (most) what's in my dumplings. Yeah, we like Mama! read more

If dumplings are your game, then Shandong Mama is the place. Tucked away in a shopping plaza, it could be easily missed - if it wasn't so g-damn popular that is! Upsides: great dumplings. The mackerel ones are great, and I'm a big fan of the zucchini dumplings also (hellloooo vegan dumplings!). The serves are huge, and it's extremely well-priced, and the service is quick. Downsides: if good service is your shtick, then maybe don't try this place. While they're quick and the food is really good, the service is pretty terrible. Wait staff have legit run out of F's to give about you and your wait. NO there's no toilet! Yes, you're going to have to stand around outside and wait. Too bad! In short - maybe don't take your mum here if you love her. read more

Melbourne you do have a fondness for dumplings. However, most of the dumplings aren't so great. Like those times when you get some-aches from mystery stodge that isn't too far away from play dough really. These however, guilty of trying a few; beef and dill and pork. The dill and pork are quite tasty without being questionably interesting, which raises some eyebrows. Go for it, it's great. Its crispy and juicy and the same time (pan fried). Yes you get the sauce combination in which to mix it up. almost everything has shrimp paste in it. This place is a dumpling winner. Ben L, - Comedy central called and said they want you for a Saturday night live stand-up spot. read more

I think this place is overrated and forgettable. I ordered the fried fish dumplings and the Daryl noodle soup. It was okay at best. I was excited to try their fish dumplings, but the texture of the fish paste fell flat. It was mushy when you bite into it. It did not have the bouncy consistency you'd find in fish balls. The Daryl noodle soup was very gingery It tasted like egg drop flower soup loaded with potato cubes and over powering ginger flavor. I wanted to like this place, but don't think I'll be returning. read more

Shandong Mama - Chinese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

See all

There has always been a big rave about the dumplings here, so the new one opened up down degraves, and I thought i must try out. They only have the fried dumplings here due to such a small kitchen its quicker and easier for them. I ordered the pork dumplings and they were alright. I found it hard to eat them tho, as it didn't seem so much like dumplings but more of a wrap style. and trying to dunk them in the sauce and chill the middle just kind of fell out. Not totally liking this idea. The flavor was there and they were tasty, just annoying to eat. So id personally go elsewhere for dumplings than here. read more

Shandong Mama - Pan fried pork - Chinese Near Me - Melbourne, VIC

Shandong Mama reminds me of Asian mamas home cook! It does have that rich Chinese flavour in their food, but what's even better is that they have huge menu! You can choose your rice, noodle or dumplings! And they're all yummy! The service is very Chinese (not amazing), but it's tolerable tbh. The place is clean and quite comfy unless you don't sit in the sofa side. Price is pretty good as well, it's definitely a must try Chinese restaurant :) read more