Mama Ji's Reviews

Off the beaten track in The Castro neighborhood. We had lunch there - steamed fish, baby bak-choy and rice - Schezuan cooking so it is spicy but simply delicious. Very friendly staff, good and quick service Ask for some chilli-oil as an accompaniment if you need more heat!

Great value for money, like anywhere you are going to pay to eat good food! Loved the pot stickers and the prawn dumplings were simply delicious. Main included a stunning Ants on the trees which was spicy and tasty little pieces of charged up meat on angel hair noodles. The lamb dish we had was something else as well but can’t recall its name. Sticky and spicy deliciousness! Service is friendly and helpful, the decor is family kitchen style but not needing flashiness for this meal, just great food, we nailed it. Wine list is solid and prices not bad for eating out in SF. A great night out with family.

Daly City dim sum places packed, came here and no line. Excellent dum sum! Definitely will return again.

Pretty darn good. Would visit again. Love XLB so this place popped up in my searches. Best ever have been in hometown Edmonton and a place in Vancouver. Having tried some SF Richmond area (further away) places in past visits and definitely being not impressed, I looked forward to Mama Ji’s. Ordered XLB x 2 = 6 pieces, steamed shrimp & pea shoot dumplings = 3 pieces, black bean spareribs (hey, I’m only 1 person today). Dumplings - very nice and pea-shooty. Nothing special, as expected. Average. Spareribs - tasteless, had better. Wouldn’t order again. XLB (Shanghai dumplings) - overall, alright! The soup inside was mild, not as flavorful as others I’ve enjoyed. Skins were thin, nice. Pork & ginger interior was tasty but not overwhelming. Served in/on individual aluminum foil tins so no accidental breakage. Lots of other dim sum offerings that I assume will be on par, average. This is a place to definitely try if you’re looking for XLB. Not amazingly fantastic but worth a visit.

They provided very good food at reasonable prices. The service was friendly and fast. The restaurant was full of local yuppies and Chinese locals and a few older folks (like us). I would definitely eat there again.

This smallish Chinese restaurant in the Castro is very popular with neighborhood crowd. The Three C's Tofu special was exceptional, for those who don't relish spicy foods, ask them to tone down the chilis. This is not the run of the mill Cantonese restaurant. It's a good choice for those who know and like Szechuan dishes.

This was the best meal I had on my recent visit to California other than my friends' amazing Thanksgiving dinner! I loved the colors of the dishes as well as the vibrant flavors. Aromatic, spicy, and beautifully presented. Some of the best Chinese food imaginable: go there!

The Resturant is small stuffy and not clean. I ordered the clay pod and it was very oily . The source had a thick layer of oil!!!

We were visiting San Francisco last week for Thanksgiving. My younger son who is a chef in SF suggested early Sunday breakfast/brunch, before we headed home, at Mama Ji's, located in SF's Castro District (distinctly not in Chinatown!).They open Sundays at 9:30 AM and we were first sitting customers in. The place is small and has little ambiance, even kind of shabby. But so what? Thank God we don't eat ambiance. The Dim Sum were traditional offerrings with a few house specials. Everything is made and served to order. No serving carts here. We probably ordered some 15 different dishes. Each course was savory with mouth-popping, palate-pleasing flavors and textures. We totally pigged out on evrything from bao to dumplings to traditional Dim Sum. Teas were individually offerred and brewed to order. Service was friendly and attentive with dishes explained as they were served. Prices were reasonable. By the time we left the place was filled and there was a line out the door. Yep, we'll be back. I probably shouldn't have reviewed this gem because next time I might be waiting in line to get in!

Excellent broth dumplings and other good fare. Friendly staff and owner. Next time I am in SFO, I am coming back

I had lunch there: the food is amazing and yummy and fresh and the service simply amazing and the waitress even packed us some stuff to go to have for a later dinner, very friendly.

Popped here for Dim Sum one Sunday morning. Was worried it would be packed but we arrived at 9.45 and there were only two other tables occupied. By the time we left was busier but still not crazy busy. Dumplings were good - very tasty xia long bao, siu mai and har gaow. The shrimp stuffed eggplant was particularly delicious. Wrappers were a little thick but not stodgy.

I had to wait outside with about 3 other groups for 15 minutes. This was from popularity and nothing to do with the venue's table management. Once inside I ordered and was served as quickly as each dish was prepared. The dim sum was excellent. I had the steamed pork buns, pan stickers, shrimp parcels and Shanghai dumplings. All were utterly delicious. Great food at a great price. What not to love?

The food was delicious, but we believed that they forgot one of our entry, actually the simplest one to cook, we asked several times before we got it, and by then we were already almost done...

We researched restaurants in the SF area and came across MaMa Ji's online. What a find it was! Firstly, it was the Saturday of the Pride weekend, so of course SF was very busy. MaMa's has a simple booking / queuing system and the three of us didn't have to wait long to be seated. The ambiance was fun, the food excellent quality as was the size of potion and the bill was extremely reasonable. This really is a great spot to enjoy authentic Chinese food - highly recommended.

Great Szechuan in family run, almost hole in the wall, restaurant tucked away in the Castro. Make a reservation, but it's worth the wait if you don't Great soup, dumplings and assorted creative Szechuan dishes.

Great flavours and great prices. Very welcoming and wonderful service, you can tell they really care about the food they serve. You have to eat here!

Mama Ji's is our number one, off-the-charts favorite place for Chinese food in SF. Hands down. No question. And I think I've had a lot of experience with all kinds of Chinese places all over the Bay Area- mostly Chinatown, the Richmond district, and the Peninsula. It's an odd location for authentic dim sum, but I kid you not, it's great. It's affordable, it's unique, great beers on tap (what?!?!) the staff is diverse (and cute?!). The dumplings made me cry, they were so good. And I like that it's a neighborhood place, off the beaten path. It's a hole-in-the-wall that's packed all the time, and if that doesn't scream excellent, I don't know what does. They have my whole-hearted thumbs up.

If your into spicey and Asian food this place is a MUST GO!!! The citron peppers are amazing! They are hot and numb your tongue and lips while you eat it. I've been craving food from here since March but since I'm pregnant I can't eat it the citron peppers :(

Mama Ji's was recommended by our hotel, and we were not disappointed. They don't take bookings, but when busy there is a clipboard where you sign name and number of guests outside and they call you in whe a table is free. The food is excellent, but very spicy, much more than traditional Cantonese or Szechuan cuisine. Prices are reasonable and service friendly and efficient. They serve dim sum too, although this isn't doe,thing that appeals. If you are happy with a fairly short menu without endless ways of cooking pork, beef, chicken and seafood then this is the place to go to. Used a lot by locals which is always a good sign.

Partner and I recommended this restaurant by a friend who lives in SF. We visited for lunch and had Dim Sum. Perfect small plates of delicious food. Interesting way of ordering your food you are handed a laminated menu and a marker pen you mark how many of which item you would like, there are photo's of the food on the menu. Pot stickers, steamed dumplings, pork ribs all excellent.

Visited there with a foodie friend who spoke highly of it. Very simple/basic decor - nothing fancy. Simple menu tho majority of the dishes were hot & spicy. Dragonsbreath meatballs were very tasty in delicious sauce as was the pumpkin & egg yolk. Worth visiting for the food. But ... the service was very hit and miss - we ordered rice to go with our food and finally having reminded our waiter at least 3 times, it turned up, right at the end of the meal. Which generally reflected the rest of the service - friendly ut a little inexperienced/amateur. But would definately go there again for the food.

One of those places I hate to tell you about because it's very small and you may be in my seat next time I go. In search of dim sum but not a Chinatown tourist trap, we ventured out to Castro in search of this place on a Sunday morning. I hear it gets crowded, so Sunday "morning" is key. Small menu, great selection if teas, everything wonderful, everything seemed to be prepared to order. Would go here all the time if I lived in town. Wonderful.

...not yet a "destination." Stopped by on a Tuesday night about 8:45 with no reservation (do they take reservations?). Placed was packed with a very convivial crowd and, yes, there were many Asians there. Always a good sign for an Asian restaurant. Nevertheless, we were seated quickly (albeit at the least desirable table, which was the only one open inside). There is sidewalk seating, but it was too cool to attempt that. It's a little off the beaten path from the Castro, but only a short, easy walk from all the action. Menu, wine list and copious beer options were good. Service was quick and the friendly owner mingled with diners to answer questions, make suggestions and in general track the dining experience. Now for the negatives: ordered an appetizer (fried pot stickers) and entrée and the entrée arrived before the appetizer. Worse still, it was the wrong appetizer (spring roll), but the error was quickly corrected. My Kung Pao Chicken was fresh and appropriately spicy. Pot stickers were perfect. My friend's appetizer was excellent as well, but his Dried Beef entrée was very bland. My draft Chimay Belgian beer ($10) was very good, my friend's glass of white wine was red wine when delivered. (He didn't complain and enjoyed it.) I expect these "newbie" kinks, mostly related to inexperienced table service, will be worked out and I'll definitely try Mama Ji's, again (after waiting at least a month).

The food here is KILLER!! Just go. The service could use one more body in the dining room but the food.... amazing. just go. You will not be sorry.

My brother doesn't live too far from here, so when he introduced me to this small spot, I was a little weary, only bc I used to live in North Beach and I'm huge on Chinese food (esp dim sum). I'm a changed gal after my first visit. Not only was the dining experience comfortable, the food was delicious. I'm all for the impromptu hole-in-the-wall spots scattered in the city (born and raised SF) but this place was such a pleasant experience to sit down and actually enjoy it without feeling rushed and I can carry a conversation at my table. Its one of my new favorites in the city and can't wait to go back.

Huge variety of dumplings which is great to try many different variations along your taste in one meal. Service is very attentive.

Excellent. Casual and yet amazing food. Just what you want in a neighborhood restaurant. Great menu options—we shared an entree style dish and several dim sum options.

This restaurant was average. The staff is nice but we waited a long time to get a menu. The food was ok. I recommend the triple c wings.

Had a quick lunch here after visiting the Twin Peaks which is less than a 5 min drive from here. The restaurant is in a quiet neighbourhood, parking is easy since there are many lots by the road side. There are both indoor and outdoor seats and we chose the indoor one since it was a bit chilly and windy that afternoon. Tried some of the dim sum like shrimp dumpling, turnip cake, barbecue pork buns and I can say they were not bad. We also had wonton soup noodle and minced pork noodles as our main dish. It was a bit too much for 2 person actually. The wonton soup is different from what I had in other places as they used udon noodles instead of the traditional thin noodles. Overall, a cool place and we enjoyed the nice food.

Mama Ji's opened around the corner from me while I was living in the Castro. My roommate and I went one night to check it out, and were so impressed that we went back multiple times with friends and family who had never been. As others have mentioned, the spicy dishes are SPICY indeed, but in a wonderful and flavorful way; they're not simply hot for the sake of being hot. It's a guaranteed delicious meal every time, and Mama Ji will probably come over to your table and chat with you. I can't recommend this place enough!

The vegies potstickers were the standout. Shanghai dumplings were good Fish entrees are huge. Meant for sharing. We had fish with tofu and chili sauce, which was very spicy and left a great taste in your mouth. Service was friendly but spotty. But to be fair one waiter did the entire crowded room, and he tried to be attentive to all. Great prices. Recommended if you're in the neighborhood .

Fabulous Dim Sum. Good service. Quaint setting. Happy clientele. Very colorful neighborhood, easily accessible using public transportation, by walking, or by car. What's not to like?

An unpretentious place in the Castro area of SF with ex excellent food, friendly service and a nice selection of wine and beer. We opted for Dim Sum, but could ordered any number of items from the regular menu as well. Dumplings and steamed buns were extremely tender. Fillings were flavorful and featured whole shrimp not just pieces. Noodles were tender and sauces seasoned nicely without being overly salty. We really appreciated the nice selection of draught beer including Saison DuPont and LaChouffe. Our server was helpful and pleasant. The decor is simple and clean.

In the mood for high-end, attention to textural detail dim sum, and not wanting to pay Yank Sing prices for a solo meal, I went to check this place out. So, right off the bat: I was not going out for 'authentic' dim sum... which is super cheap, ingredient quality is mostly low, service is hurried and impersonal. That ain't this place... so reviewers who gripe about 'slow' or 'inauthentic' should already be checking the wisdom of going for dim sum in the upper Castro if those are points by which they will judge the meal. That said: I am adding an extra star on top of my overall 'meh' rating of the food. This is because: 1. The ingredients and cooked temperatures were to a very high standard. 2. The service was quite attentive; both owners and several staff regularly checked in on me to make sure I was okay and fill water for both teapot and glass. The food was not fast, which was not a problem for me in this context. 3. With their heart so clearly in the right place, and knowing that I am very picky about dim sum, I don't think messing up their yelp ranking with another 2 star rating is warranted. They wouldn't need to fix much for me to give them 5 stars! (more on that below....) And I look forward to trying them again in the future to see if they have upped their game. I was only there for the Dim Sum... I cannot comment on the stir fried or deep fried menu items, soups or noodles. Okay... the problem for me: The skins on the dumplings are just too thick and gluey. While the shrimp inside the har gao and the pea sprout/shrimp dumplings was perfectly cooked (very important, and equally as hard to consistently get right), the skin sticks to your teeth and is not adding a positive dimension to the mouthfeel or flavor of the dumplings. There is a slight raw rice flour flavor that comes through; and that also explains the gluey-ness. I think they are making their own wraps in-house... so this issue should be easy to tweak and correct. The XLB (Shanghai Dumplings) are missing the mark by a wider margin. Again, the wraps are just not quite right. Serving in the little metal cups is a good idea, but the tops are thick and stodgy where the dumpling has been sealed; while the skin around the midsection and bottom is almost bread-y. The soup inside is not seasoned enough. The condiments are also insufficient for one reason: the chili oil has no flavor. I didn't ask for sambal or paste, or for whatever options they may have available on request, but what is provided on the table fails to offer flavor balance. Their uber-plain chili oil, black vinegar and soy are not a sufficient palette with which to make a sauce with balance for my palate! but, again, great ingredients and cooking!

I did not expect to find a good dumpling place in the Castro but this was worth the trip. The space is small but the food tasted good. I brought my son during who loves good dim sum. He wants to go back for more. Service was fast, food was hot, good atmosphere.

This restaurant is bit expensive; Shrimp Dumpling $6.50 - Chinatown $4.50 BBQ pork rice roll $8.95 - Chinatown $5.50 The Dimsum is pretty good for a local restaurant if you don’t have time to make it to Chinatown. However if you are a tourist, why eat here when you can get a look at one of the largest/oldest Chinatown in North America and eat better/cheaper Chinese food.

Omg What part of “do not throw vinegar on a hot pan with spiced peppers and no ventilation” did no one every tell you! It’s like Napalm. Don’t let them sit you near the kitchen until they get the ventilation fixed. A shame too because the food actually was very good tonight flavored well, spiced well, quick out of the kitchen but I couldn’t breathe by halfway through my meal and had to leave

Decent service with great food. Get the BBQ pork dumplings! A wide selection of dim sum, and even a great beer & wine selection.

I went twice for lunch and have to say that I loved Mama Ji's. It's basically where the Castro meets Eureka Valley, and it's a pretty quiet area. The BBQ pork there is great. Get the steamed buns or the BBQ pork in rice noodle. All the dumplings were superb. Pork, shrimp, etc. For as much as I enjoy Yank Sing, it's expensive and can be a hassle to go there. Mama Ji's does a nice job giving a way more affordable alternative. Even the Shanghai (soup) dumplings are delicious. Maybe not as soupy as the Yank Sing dumplings, but the flavor is there. For anyone who loves dim sum, it's a great spot, especially if you're solo or in a small group. For larger groups you may want to call ahead. Service was merely OK, so don't get your hopes up there. I didn't find anything wrong with it though. In terms of price and flavor though, it's top notch.

I had a simple yet great dinner with a friend at Mama Ji's. The restaurant is ideally located in the heart of the Castro but two blocks away from Castro street which renders the location a little bit more tranquil. The staff were very friendly and advised us well. The spicy and numbing chicken was particularly surprising and delicious. Overall the dishes were very tasty and spicy but without overpowering and masking more delicate aromas. Prices are reasonable except for an incongruous 250$ bottle on the wine list which did not make sense at all in such a place. I would recommend Mama Ji's should you want to taste good Chinese food in the Castro in a relaxing atmosphere.

Nice dumplings and pot stickers. Fish entree is huge, perfect to split. We had fish with tofu in spicy sauce, lots of spice and left a really nice taste in your mouth. Vegies potstickers were a standout

We frequent this hole in the wall joint whenever we are in town. Food is as authentic as they come be it dim sums, fiery chicken, soups or noodles. Service can be ok at times but the owner is most caring. We love coming here as it is excellent value for money for the food they serve, and you never leave hungry.

Big pleasure, big taste-for a tiny price at a tiny hole-in-the-wall. Could not get enough of the succulent & fresh Shanghai dumplings with spicy dipping sauce. Fried foods were light, airy and not oily. Delicious!

Food was excellent. The spring rolls and the dumplings were wonderful. I'd never had Ants Climbing a Tree before, but I'm ready to have it again!

I had seen this little restaurant when I passed by several times. But last week friends invited us to join them for Friday evening dinner. So after waiting in line for a table for about 30 min, we were ushered in. (No resrvations accepted). What an absolute surprise. The dining area is small, a bit noisy when full but the extensive AUTHENTIC menu was mind boggling. We shared several dishes - all of which were so good, we wanted more. The numbing fish, the vegetable clay pot and shrimp stuffed eggplant were utter marvelous. And the service was casual but perfect. Waiters knew the dishes and could answer our questions and were never intrusive. This experience was so good, I went back the following Monday and once again the food and service excelled. Plus being lunch during the week, there was no queue and we were served quite quickly. If you want REAL Chinese food without rudeness in service, this is the place to come. You will not be disappointed.

We were only in SF for the weekend but were looking for a good Chinese restaurant. My husband decided on Mama Ji's and I'm so glad he did. Great food! We ate every bit of everything we ordered (which included dumplings) and the service was very friendly. Great beer selection, also had some Belgian beers. I wish we had had more time to eat there for a second meal before we left. We will definitely be back on our next trip to San Fran!

Recommended by locals, Mama Ji’s is a great choice for casual chinese delicious food. We had the garlic spareribs and the wowo tou (steamed corn buns with pork and veggies) very tasty! Friendly, good energy service and food was quick.

I come from a city that doesn't have good Chinese restaurants, so for me this place was a real treat. However, we came there with a friend from San Francisco who really knows her Chinese restaurants and she thought it was good, but not great. With a range of opinion at the table, I suggest that you will have a good meal. By the way, they will cook dishes at various degrees of spiciness.

This is a fabulous little restaurant in the Castro offering both standard Chinese food (which I haven't yet had a chance to try) and fabulous Dim Sum. Do not expect carts but instead, you're given a plastic laminated menu and a marking pen and you choose which items (two sides) you want and how many plates. We tried both old-reliable ones (such as spring roll and shumai) and new -- at least to us (such as shrimp-stuffed eggplant and pan fried turnip cake with shrimp). All were fabulous; and without intending to take away how good the others were, the sesame balls were the best I can ever remember having. Even though you order a number of items, they bring them out a few at a time, so nothing gets cold. I imagine you can even specify what order they should come out in but we didn't do so. The service is pleasant and the ambiance isfairly basic (Chinese restaurant style) but pleasant. (BTW, the menu is available on their website and many of the Dim Sum choices have pictures as well.) This might well be my new favorite Chinese restaurant and to have one that is both Dim Sum and otherwise is a great bonus. The only drawback is that, being at the edge of the Castro, parking is an issue. Oh -- it's also inexpensive. For three of us, having a lot of different Dim Sum choices including dessert and tea, it came to $60.

We hit this place at the perfect time and ordered way too much food. But everything was super tasty and so good and we gobbled up every bite. Awesome dim sum in the castro. Cant beat it.

Great Sichuan food at a small, neighborhood place. Mama is frequently onsite overlooking and participating. Dim Sum at lunch, not so much at dinner. Great noodle dish called Ants Climbing Trees is worth a try (no ants are in it). Dishes that say Fish Fragrant (pork, chicken, etc) don't have fish or fish flavor, but instead refer to a style of cooking. Beijing Style Chicken & Eggplant is a great choice for those that don't like spicy. If there are three peppers next to a dish indicating it is hot, it is HOT. This is Sichuan after all.

Okay, if you read my reviews, you'll say this guy never gives a poor review. Why should I when the places I eat are really good? So it goes with Mama Ji's. This is a local favorite and the staff is friendly and helpful. The food is awesome and well worth the dining experience.

This is my go to place outside of Chinatown. Good Dim Sum and excellent spicy dishes in the evening. I always get the pot stickers and Shanghai dumplings. Salt baked shrimp is another favorite. I usually go during week as the place is packed on weekends. Decor is basic and they finally got new chairs that so much more comfortable. Good beers too.

So good! So many choices, and they have specials as well. We always go with friends so we can share more. Any dumpling dish will delight. Service tries, but can lag as this place gets very busy. Enjoy!

This place was a great restaurant to meet old friends after a long time apart. Mark, the owner, was so friendly. And the food was excellent.

Excellent food. Excellent, friendly service. It gets very busy mostly with locals. I like it so much I went twice in a week. Well worth the walk up the hill. No bookings taken.

I have eaten at Mama Ji's two times -- both with friends and colleagues. Unfortunately both times we were disappointed. The first time, I thought I would not return, but my friend who was with me said, no lets' go back. WE did and she and our husbands all agree -- the food is lackluster, uninteresting and not delicious. We will not be returning and we live in the 'hood.

Seems like a good neighborhood restaurant, very decent dim sum, nice vibes, line, but all moved along.

We came across this place on here and really wanted Chinese food so we decided to try it. I’m so glad we did, it was so good and you would not expect it from the outside or from the decor inside. I had the deep fried chicken dish and it was super spicy, so beware! The place was really busy and by the time we left there was actually a queue of people waiting to get in. The staff were friendly but I think they’re struggling to keep up with the demand as we had to ask multiple times for rice before it came. Overall, I would highly recommend this place.

This is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in a city with hundreds of them. The food is SPICY, fresh, and delicious. Don't be afraid to ask the Belgium/Chinese couple who owns this special place for their recommendations on the Chinese dishes and the long list of Belgium micro-brewery beers. Since this restaurant is on the edge of the Castro, there is a nice mix of straight and gay diners, who all seem to enjoy this reasonably-priced eatery. Since they don't take reservations here, come early, which means arriving before 7pm if you can, especially on the weekend. I have been here many times, including recently, when I am impressed with my date with the food and ambience. That says it all.

Love these dumplings only at lunch and everything else too - soup dumplings are the best as are the old spicy noodles and the green beans and the shrimp dumplings and the pork dishes and the tofu And everything else

Food was jus ok. Egg rolls were like frozen from grocery store. Ants climbing trees was tasteless and had hardly any sausage. Just tasted like your average Chinese food. Probably wouldn't go back, so many other better places to eat at in the area.

The Castro has many culinary venues to entice and intrigue your palate. I say do no miss the little homestyle restaurant that is Mama Ji's. This family businesses offers northern Chinese cuisine so expect the spicy hot food of Sichuan and Chongqing! Yet, you can tone it down with some delicious southern Chinese cuisine in the noodle soup or dim sum options. I have tried the steamed dumplings and crepe rolls and would do so again! The sweet dessert menu includes both the fried and the steamed buns. I highly recommend this little restaurant for Chinese cuisine in the Castro.

I love it when I find a small place off the beaten path. Great service, excellent dim sum lunch! Will definitely be back!

Chinatown draws all the tourists seeking dim sum, but near the Castro beckons a cozy, family-run place on a residential street serving up some tasty Chinese comfort food. The dim sum is good. Worth sampling are Mama Ji's takes on Sichuan cuisine and interesting homestyle dishes like "Ants Crawling Trees." Wash it down with Chimay on tap, of all things, or the other draft Belgium beers that you just don't see in Chinese restaurants. Service is friendly, not fast. bit why speed through the unique experience Mama Ji's cooks up?

We had an amazing dinner at Mama Ji's, and really enjoyed the tasty food, and the service! I love the neighborhood location and the ambiance. Oh, and the DIM SUM! YUM!

Based on the recommendation of a friend, I went to Mama Ji's last night. It was off the hook amazing! Great food, interesting menu, good service. My only regret is that I didn't discover it when I used to live a couple of blocks away! I had the vegetarian pot stickers and crispy eggplant...both were ah-MAZ-ing. A must do...

If you're into Chinese food, this is a great authentic place in the heart of the Castro. You can feel a little like you've joined someone's home for dinner: which makes this place really nice.

Before Mama Ji's it was a challenge getting excellent dim sum without going too far from the city center. The service is friendly and efficient. Everything we ordered was delicious. We'll be back!

This little hole in the wall restaurant had the best bean curd skin rolls I have ever tasted and the cilantro shrimp dumplings were soooo good. The food deserves 5 stars, but the service was really slow due to a big delivery order they were preparing.

$5 for three tiny, flavorless veggie pot-stickers, $11.75 for veggie chow mein. The chow mein was ok, but nothing special, and too expensive for the small portion. There's much better, less expensive options out there. :(

I just love the meatballs served in Mama Ji's. I found this food not greasy at all and gives you the feeling that you're really getting some homefood. Service is average, but prices are low compared to serving size.

Had a delicious dinner with a friend at this hidden gem. Yummy pot stickers, tasty chicken with green beans and phenomenal fish with chilies and greens.

Very friendly and comfortable place, but food only average. I think I'd return, but not rush to do so. Prices reasonable.

Their beijing chicken and eggplant is one of my favorite things ever. They also do a great dim sum brunch. Pretty much all the food I've had here is excellent.

When I'm looking for authentic Chinese cuisine, I come here. There's always a lunch time crowd, and one can get food to go. The menu is great, so many choices and lots of dishes you won't find in most places. Being a fan of spicy food, their hot and sour soup is a favorite. Every dish I have tried was very good, at the least, and the dim sum are excellent! Enjoy!

So glad I finally got to check this restaurant out. Service is run by a family who knows how to treat their customers. Food is equally great. Order a few plates at a time as the tables aren't that big, especially if you'll be with a group of four.

The pot stickers were better than the dumplings on our visit. Steamed fish with tofu in chili sauce was spicy good. The tofu a bit soft for chop stick eating. Overall flavors good, textures varied. Service a bit uneven as restaurant filled up. I look forward to trying more dishes.

Don't let word get around too much; this is a little gem with spicy entrees and very good dim sum. Good wine and beer list. Small, casual and an unpretentious treat.

Was recommended to eat here by our guest house host and I am very glad we did. It was easy to find and we were greeted by the staff who were friendly and took our orders straight away. The food was really good and I would happily visit this restaurant again.

We loved this small little neighbourhood Chinese. Friendly staff, great selection of food, huge portions. And great prices. Will be going back!

If you are looking for soup dumplings, Mama Ji's is a good choice. Friendly people and food is DELISH. We ordered Kung Pao Tofu as well and it was equally tasty. Highly recommend!

my friend and i bomb around looking for decent dim sum. this place is tiny, and do not serve dim sum after 530pm . BUT they do have dim sum as appetizers. i will always try and find someone to go with to check this place out. don't tell anyone about this place. it gets pretty busy, but i'm sure this is a local gem to the neighborhood. 4 Cs cauliflower, hot and sour soup, custard buns omg

Every time I come to San Francisco I start salivating thinking about coming here - I have just come for lunch and want to come for dinner next time - but ooh everything is sooo good! Love the dumplings - have had each one and each is divine. Love the noodles. Yum for the pea dish. Yummy soup. Great Belgian beers. These are handmade dumplings you know - these are wonderful. I want to come back!

We ordered xiao long bao, shrimp and chive dumplings, green pepper stuffed with shrimp and water cooked fish. The xiao long bao filling was yummy but the dough was more like what you expect of shrimp dumpling. The stuffed green peppers were good as well. The chive dumplings were not very tasty because the dough was too thick. The water cooked fish is an authentic dish which is why we wanted to try it as we make it at home. The flavor was good but there wasn't much fish for the price. Our bill was $45 for lunch although dinner prices are the same. The staff were very friendly though.