Mama Ji's
Chinese restaurant · Eureka Valley ·
Dim sum & spicy Sichuan fare with house-made chile paste.
Dim sum & spicy Sichuan fare with house-made chile paste.
"In the Castro at the tippity top of 18th Street, half a block from where it blurs into a staircase pouring onto Market Street, the restaurant’s sesame balls are not always necessarily on the menu, hand-pounded that day by the family operators. They’re the dark horse pick not just from neighborhood assignment, but by the presentation: arriving as a trio, the dish here feels a bit more formal. For $8.25, it’s well worth it — and the real deal-sealer is the restaurant’s chile paste, a sweet and spicy combination elevating the jian dui to outrageous heights for the daring." - Paolo Bicchieri
"Mama Ji’s is a very solid option if you’re craving dumplings and are near the Castro. They make har gow, xiao long bao, pork and chive dumplings, and more. Whatever you get, make sure the pan-fried potstickers, with their crispy-chewy skins, are part of the order. Mama Ji’s has more dumpling options on the menu for lunch, but they’ve got pork and cabbage or chive and shrimp options for dinner." - lani conway, julia chen 1, ricky rodriguez
"The owners recently traveled to Chengdu and returned with boxes of Sichuan peppers and other imports that meaningfully shape the menu; they bring a distinct, globally sourced touch to dishes. The chile crisp is singled out: "the chile crisp here is richly spicy and maybe my favorite I’ve had in the city, just powder keg stuff." A highlighted item is the cornmeal-paired wowotou, served as corn balls meant to be filled with a medley via a punchy stir-fry available with meat or tofu — playful, substantial and priced under $20 despite the work that goes into it. The reviewer calls the dish "sumptuous as hell." —Paolo Bicchieri" - Paolo Bicchieri
"This cozy spot in the Castro serves a full menu of home-style Sichuan dishes, which owner Lily Ji grew up eating in China, but the dim sum also draws a sizeable crowd. Choose from seafood, pork, or chicken shu mai or opt for the XLB, listed as Shanghai dumplings. There’s also the Mama Ji speciality: sweet rice with shrimp sausage and egg tucked into a packet of lotus leaves." - Lauren Saria
"Mama Ji’s is a very solid option if you’re craving dumplings and are near the Castro. They make har gow, xiao long bao, pork and chive dumplings, and more (make sure to check their separate dim sum menu). Whatever you get, make sure the pan-fried potstickers, with their crispy-chewy skin, is part of your order. Mama Ji’s has more dumpling options on the menu for lunch (only the chive and shrimp, and pork & cabbage dumplings are available for dinner)." - Julia Chen 1, Lani Conway
