This spot surprised me alot! Tucked into the Boulder Pearl Street Mall is this quaint restaurant. Walked-in and placed my order and sat down to open seating. I got the Roasted Duck Bao (home made buns and the duck was pretty meaty/great Hoisin Sauce paring) and the Za Jiang Mian (noodles were QQ/chewy, enjoyed the savory bean sauce and the ground pork). Also tried a little bit of the Lu Ro Fan (came with a good amount of the braised pork belly and bok choy), flavor was descent). If you need Chinese/Taiwanese food fix in Boulder, then this is a great go-to spot! read more

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Visited Zoe Ma Ma after an afternoon of shopping in Boulder. We were able to get a table easily around 5, but it got busy shortly after we ordered. Absolutely loved everything we ordered, but the Cold Sesame Noodle was hands down my favorite. Steamed Shrimp Dumpling Pork Belly Bao Roast Duck Bao Dan Dan Mian Cold Sesame Noodle read more

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Surprisingly close to authentic especially given Zoe Ma Ma is located where there aren't many East Asians. Our group ordered the dan dan mian and lu ro fan. Both dishes were very tasty. I only wish the meat were more minced in the lu ro mian. The dan dan mian was tasty, but I was hoping it would be more flavorful and aromatic. The service was friendly. There was no line when we were there for lunch. The ambiance is casual. Would defs be back! read more

Zoe Ma Ma - Chinese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

I really like this local Chinese restaurant . It's simple and casual inside and fairly busy on a random Tuesday in winter. A friend and I went in for lunch. It's order at counter and pick up own food utensils. Bus your own table, typical quick casual but nice and friendly. My friend had the duck bao also a fave of mine. I had the Za Jiang Mian, beautiful when it came out but I forgot to take the pic until I had already stirred the house made noodles and veggies together and my friend who had finished the first of her bao. Next time we will go back on a duck soup day which we both love. If you do too check which day of the week it will be on the n Menu. What is lice to see us for this place to have a holiday menu and celebration on Lunar New Year next month. Sadly I don't think a single place in Boulder does this. I have friends in bigger cities who celebrate that way annually. read more

Zoe Ma Ma - Za Jiang Mian - Chinese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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My husband and I shared: - Dan Dan Main - Cold Sesame Noodles - Pork Belly Bao - Roast Duck Bao - Pearl Meatball - Ma Ma's Potstickers - Vegan Dumplings - Goji Berry & Raisin Rice Cake I found this spot to be a little inconsistent. I absolutely loved the Goji Berry & Raisin Rice Cake, Pearl Meatball, both baos, and the potstickers. These could complete with the best Asian food I've had anywhere. The bigger dishes were a little disappointing to me. They weren't bad, but they weren't nearly as good as the smaller plates for me. I'd still happily come back to try the rest of the menu. read more

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It was a drizzly day and we stopped by after a hike looking for some comforting noodle soups. I had some ordering remorse after placing my order because I thought the only menu was on the wall above the cashier but turns out there was a whole handheld menu you could look at on the counter. Oops. My husband and I both got a beef noodle soup and some potstickers to share. The beef noodle soup was flavorful and warmed us right up. Potstickers were tasty. Our meal and experience at Zoe Ma Ma was good, nothing too special though. However, I will note, it does seem to be a solid Chinese food restaurant in Boulder. I would come back to try some of their rice dishes. read more

Zoe Ma Ma - Beef noodle soup and potstickers - Chinese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

honestly I need to give zoe mama its 5 stars because it is literally one of the only places that you could get this type of food in boulder. is it the best chinese food in the world? no, definitely not. is the flavor profile outstanding? no, but its decent. but what i'll say here is that it is really really good for what it is and where it is, and it does a lot of things (and they're all pretty good). highly recommend you get the buns and the CPR, they were unfortunately sold out of the lions head (狮子头) which looked pretty good but SAD! also take this with the caveat that I'm visiting from the bay where the chinese food is crazy and literally off the charts, but the service was great and the speed was also great. read more

Zoe Ma Ma - Chinese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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We stopped in for a quick bite to eat while discovering Pearl street. We saw a Michelin star rated pork and rice bowl on the menu so I decided to try it. The food was alright. The service was quick and friendly. The ambience was laid back and calm. read more

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Outstanding. So good. Really hit the spot!! Fast service, plenty of seating and delicious food read more

Food has always been great here, and the prices are reasonable. I got the two baos, which were tasty and enough for a meal. Service - food took a while to come out. On the plus side, I like that you can get your own water (preferable to waiting for someone or being interrupted in the middle of conversation). Ambiance - laid-back, and there are a bunch of tables inside, with the TVs showing food in Taiwan. read more

Zoe Ma Ma - Pork Belly Bao, Roast Duck Bao, Za Jiang Mian - Chinese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

I'm in Kansas City dreaming of the lunch I had at Zoe Ma Ma. I wish I lived closer to Boulder, Colorado, but I'll be back just for their food! Zoe Ma Ma is known for its affordable 'street food' and is even listed on the Michelin guide. They speak the truth. There's a lot of pricier food stops in Boulder, but I don't know why you'd eat there when you can have handmade noodles at Zoe Ma Ma. If you look at the photo of my lunch, it's food porn. The vibrant colors, the careful arrangement of the food, but then you taste it...and it all comes alive in your mouth. On the left is the Dan Dan Mian (House-made fresh egg noodles topped with minced pork in a savory broth, spicy chili oil, Sichuan peppercorn sauce, pickled radish, scallion, bok choy). Wow was it good and for only $10. They could charge a lot more, but they are customer oriented. On the right is my side of Chillin Veggie (Medley of seasonal vegetables blanched, chilled, served with spicy Sichuan peppercorn dressing) for $5. It was a good foil in contrast to my Dan Dan. The menu is extensive and I wasn't sure what to order so I asked the guy behind the counter. He was friendly and offered his thoughts on what customers like, what he liked, and asked what I liked. I'm no stranger to spice, which is why I went with the Dan Dan. The vibe of the space is clean, contemporary and cool. When I took the photo of the kitchen staff (they probably are in a ton of photos) they were friendly and laughed. Zoe Ma Ma is a gem in Boulder. I want to eat their entire menu and will have to make many return trips. Thanks for a great dining experience! read more

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Small cute restaurant great for a quick bite. Its a sell service kind of place where you order at the counter then sit down and they bring your food over. You get up to get your drinks, sauces, and utensils. Service was fantastic, the food came out pretty quick and they kept checking in with us if everything tastes good. Braised Beef soup was fantastic. The meat was tender and the broth was so flavorful. The duck Bao was one of the best Ive had so far. Will definitely come back! read more

Zoe Ma Ma - Sichuan Braised Beef Noodle (Sunday, Monday and Tuesday Only) - 9.3/10 - Chinese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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They had a stall at the Dragon Boat Festival so I took the chance to try their food. They had what we call ba-chang and they call zong-zi. They are sticky rice dumplings and the ones I got had pork belly in them. While not as flavorful as I like, they were a reminder of my childhood and I still appreciated being able to eat them. Friendly and personable servers. read more

Zoe Ma Ma - Zong Zi - Chinese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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Found this place while scanning Michelin guide. Really was not what I expected, not special at all. The duck wonton soup was more skin than meat the dumplings were average. It's an order at the counter type of place so service doesn't really come into play and the restaurant itself is just plan. read more

Fast food soup bowls. Order at the counter. Tip already included in total. I got the cpr bowl. It was ok. I didn't care for the duck plate or anything else. Great place to stop for a quick hot bowl but not for a regular meal. It's on Michelin guide. read more

Not sure what the hype is all about, but we weren't impressed at all.Food was tasteless and none of our dishes were served hot. Dumplings were gummy and cold read more

Upgrading to 4 stars for Zhou Mama. They moved to a new location 1 block away with more dinning room right on Pearl st with south facing patio. Beef noodle soup was great egg noodles were definitely house made fresh. Price is not bad at $13.50. Michelin Bib award way to go! ZMM read more

What a great lunch time spot on Pearl!! Got this for takeout. Really delicious food and fast service for a quick workday lunch. This place was so busy -- I would come back to sit on the patio with some delish Taiwanese food. Well deserving of their Michelin recognition read more

Zoe Ma Ma - Dan Dan Mian - Chinese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

A quick snacking stop in pearl st mall. Simple menu, decent price and tasty. We had za jiang mian, it's very authentic and flavorful. Potstickers are great too but the pork belly bao is a bit too dry. For desert we had the goji berry and raisins sweet rice, it's awesome too read more

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I genuinely don't understand how this restaurant earned a Michelin recommendation. We made a special trip specifically because of that recognition, and unfortunately it turned out to be one of the most disappointing dining experiences we've had. The Sichuan beef noodle soup had an odd flavor dominated by pickled sour vegetables. They bore little resemblance to authentic Sichuan noodles or to a well-executed Taiwanese beef noodle soup. It felt as though the chef was trying to reinvent traditional dishes, but the combinations simply didn't work and the flavors were unbalanced. We also ordered the zhajiang noodles, which were equally disappointing. Aside from ground pork, it lacked the defining elements of a proper zhajiang sauce. It tasted like plain minced pork with a bland sauce rather than the rich, savory dish the name suggests. The rice covered meatballs and the lion's head were tasteless. The goji berry rice cake was another letdown. It was essentially brown sugar sticky rice with a few raisins and scattered goji berries. While the name sounds unique, the ingredients were inexpensive, the preparation was very simple, and there was little creativity or refinement. I genuinely don't understand how this restaurant earned a Michelin recommendation. We made a special trip specifically because of that recognition, and unfortunately it turned out to be one of the most disappointing dining experiences we've had. read more

It was fun to sit outside and see so many people walking by. Family run & we were fortunate that Mama Zoe stopped by to ask if were enjoying our dishes, as well as her son. She was dressed so hip and was admiring my jade like jewelry. Our duck bao buns were filling and good. Cool sesame noodles was tasty and chilly veggies so fresh. read more

It's Boulder and they have a Michelin star 2 years in a row, so yes it will be a little pricey. That said, it's totally worth it. This is the kind of comfort food you need to soften the blow of learning your job has been eliminated. Or whatever the occasion. The braised beef noodle soup currently on the menu is the best bang for your buck, but you're missing out if you don't try a little of everything. I even had the pleasure of eating with MaMa herself. She was also enjoying the braised beef soup, and we had a lovely conversation about the year of the snake and tiny cans of beer. They had the windows open on the inside, and she enthusiastically asked everyone sitting outside, through the window, how they were liking their meals. Couldn't have asked for a better experience! (Anyone need a biomedical research scientist?) read more

Zoe Ma Ma - Braised Beef Noodle Soup - Chinese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

Delicious fresh food and flavors. Love the variety of noodles and dumplings. It's a fast casual setup with preparation after ordering, and reasonable prices to match. The inside space was bigger than I expected and had a good vibe. Great service including several helpful suggestions. read more

Their dishes are what I can prepare at home. The cuisine is average. The restaurant is order on the counter and brings to the table. We got the braise beef noodle. This dish is very salty on the soup. The soup base doesn't have enough bone base taste. Obviously is normal soup. The second dish is the pork belly Bao. I think the pork belly Bao makes the average. Not the top notch. Our experience is good. But the food taste definitely need to improved. For serving the city may be good but compare to national, is not enough. read more

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Good food and reasonably priced. They moved locations and their new spot is more spacious and I liked it a lot. I had the chicken soup. It was good with lots of ginger which was yummy. The chicken was dry though. The service was also super quick. My friends also enjoyed their food. Also a cheap spot to eat on Pearl street. read more

Zoe Ma Ma - Chinese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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MICHELIN RECOMMENDED RESTAURANT IN THE HEART OF BOULDER We met friends for lunch at Zoe Ma Ma located on Pearl Street in Boulder CO. Being a slow weekend, there was plenty of parking on Pearl Street and the side streets. The small casual restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating. Décor is limited to a few posters. Order at the register (posted sign informs guests that a 15% gratuity will be added to their bill). Your food is brought to your table but everything else is self-serve - water, napkins, utensils and sauces. Diners are also expected to clear their tables. We ordered off the limited menu: Lu Ro Fan ($9.50), Dan Dan Mian ($10), Roast Duck Bao ($5), Roast Duck Wonton Noodle Soup ($15), Veggie Noodle ($9), Pork Belly Bao ($5) and Steamed Shrimp Dumplings ($6). Our favorites were the nice sized rice and noodle bowls. We were disappointed that one of its most popular dishes, the Braised Beef Noodle Soup, is not available on Saturdays. Our favorite was the sweet soy braised pork belly - it was served on rice with baby bok choy (Lu Ro Fan) and also served chopped in the Pork Belly Bao. Generous portions of confit duck was stuffed in the Roast Duck Bao. The same confit duck was served in the wonton noodle soup. The skin could be more crispy and the duck meat was a little dry. The Dan Dan Mian was a large bowl of noodles topped with ground pork and baby bok choy. We were surprised that the Veggie Noodles had more spice than the Dan Dan Mian. The dumplings made with rice flour dough reminded us of the dim sum dish known as har gow. We enjoyed the overstuffed bao buns but the buns would have been better if the steamed bread was fluffy and light (over-steaming the buns might have led to the dense and flat bread). read more

Cute little restaurant in the Boulder. Perfect place to eat on a cold evening. My friend and I randomly found this place and were glad we did. The staff were super inviting and the restaurant gave cozy local vibes. The menu was short which is always a plus in my eyes because that must mean their food is perfected. I would 100% come back and try more items on the menu! Bao: 7/10- duck was tender and flavorful. The bao bun was super soft. What I expected from a duck bao. A great way to start the meal. A little steep on the price but worth a try atleast once. Braised Beef stew: 9/10: the beef was super tender and flavorful. The broth was rich and salty in the best way. Super big bowl almost enough for another meal. Overall a comforting meal. read more

Zoe Ma Ma - Duck 1 Steamy Bun (Bao) - Chinese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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Chicken noodle soup was definitely absolutely flavorless... I got the cpr meal thing chicken was good but everything else also flavor less

It's been many years since I've been to this establishment. Maybe over a decade ago when I used to live in the Boulder area. So I went back when I was in the area because I was craving the beef noodle soup that they make. I walked to the old location only to find out it was not in that location anymore, but about a block away. I ordered the beef noodle soup and it came out pretty quickly. It was pretty solid, but I have to say it wasn't as amazing as I remembered it but also this location seemed like it was under a lot of renovation. There was a few more things I wanted to try again, but this was only a lunch type of meal and I wasn't even that hungry. It still did the trick and I'm glad I came. read more

Zoe Ma Ma - Sichuan Braised Beef Noodle (Sunday, Monday and Tuesday Only) - Chinese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

First time to this Chinese restaurant in Boulder. I like the curry flavor. Good spices. I ordered roasted duck Bao and curry chicken read more

Zoe Ma Ma - Road duck Bao - Chinese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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The food was fast, and tasted perfect in every way( I got the duck soup)the service was super polite and patient but also quick and efficient, and the ambience was very comfortable and felt like a street market back home read more

I had a really good lunch here! I went on a Monday around 1:30. This spot is counter service and like other reviews say, seating is limited. So, you may want to consider this if coming during peak hours. We split a pork belly bao and vegan dumplings as an appetizer. The pork belly was very tender and delicious. The vegan dumplings were GF/Vegan, and veggie filled. While they were tasty I thought they could've used a bit more seasoning. For a main we split Za Jiang Mian (pork noodles) and this was the standout! The pork was really well seasoned and I loved the spring onions and cilantro in the dish. I also got iced green tea, with ginger and honey. It was really refreshing and not too sweet! It was a casual dining experience, with really tasty food. They offered a lot of vegetarian/vegan/gluten free options, which I appreciated. This would be a good spot to dine alone or with a small group. Seating is reminiscent of street stalls where there may or may not be a table available when you arrive. read more

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We just love Taiwanese cuisine. The store environment is very fitting to Taiwanese culture. Most of all, the food is delicious. We will definitely try again when we are in town again. read more

Food is very traditional and tasty. I got the pork noodles and I recommend 10/10, even in a hot day. The Bao bun was very rich and good amount of protein. I recommend the pork one. Dinning is casual and service very friendly. read more

THE Best! The House made noodles and potstickers are made every morning and the Dan Dan will fill you up. Not the usual Chinese fair. This is Hong Kong St. food. read more

Food was good. Especially the braised noodle soup. But I resent that they automatically add a 15% gratuity at ordering - but provide no service. You have to get your own utensils, water and bus your own tables. Maybe provide a little service when you impose a tip. read more

We had heard and read many good things about Zoe Ma Ma so we were looking forward to trying it for dinner. As other Yelpers have written, this is average cuisine at best. We ordered pot stickers, braised beef noodle soup, and Za Jiang Mian. The pot stickers were ordinary. The bottoms were not crispy. The filling had good flavor. The braised beef noodle soup was not good. The chunks of beef were primarily fat and quite chewy. I ordered the Za Jiang Mian without scallions and with Szechwan sauce. It came loaded with scallions and without the sauce, which we didn't realize until we arrived at our son's house and sat down to dinner. The noodles were good, but the dish was nothing special. To add insult to injury, the restaurant charges 15% on all orders, even takeout. Raise your prices and pay your staff a living wage. read more

The food was well presented, flavors were outstanding. Service was fast and the cashier helpful. Seating was sufficient and included outdoor options. Will be back soon. read more

I visited Zoe Ma Ma on Pearl Street around 2 p.m. on a Wednesday with four other guests and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal! I would gladly revisit Zoe Ma Ma. I ordered a Veggie Noodle entree an Vegan Dumplings (3 count), which was less than $20. The quantity and quality of food was so, so worth the price. I have to imagine this is one of the cheaper restaurants on Pearl Street, but it doesn't provide a cheap experience. The food itself was to die for. The Veggie Noodle was a bit on the spicer side, so just note that if you have a sensitivity to spice. As far as the restaurant's atmosphere, it was so quaint! There were several TVs throughout the restaurant playing cooking videos and there was a cute Mahjong game table in the back. The staff were also very friendly! The only complaint I have is that some of the silverware was dirty. The silverware is available for pickup near the front counter and all of the forks I saw had water marks and one had a piece of food on it. read more

Zoe Ma Ma - Front counter - Chinese Near Me - Boulder, Colorado

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A simple street food joint on the west side of Pearl Street. Food and drinks for two people coming in at around $45 - we left full and satisfied. You know you're in for a tasty meal when photos of Guy Fieri are proudly displayed! Counter service with simple seating - It's always nice having a no-fuss lunch when bopping around on Pearl. I thought my cold sesame noodles were delicious and my partner enjoyed the chicken curry but felt like it was more of a "stew." I hope Zoe Ma Ma does well in this spot as it's had some turnover. read more