Mama Lu's Dumpling House

Mama Lu's in Pasadena is a good option! The soup dumplings are absolutely delicious, bursting with flavor and the fried rice is well cooked and very tasty. Definitely a must-try if you are around the area.

Excellent food. We have been 20+ times and brought a lot of friends. Great service, nice ambiance, and, of course, delicious food. It sure "ain't the Ritz" and it hardly compares to Mr. Chow's - but it is not supposed to. In my rating scheme, I have to be willing to make a massive detour just to dine here to give stars, and in this case, I certainly would. Highly recommended, especially when traveling on a budget. Most of the entrees easily feed two.

Mama Lu's isn't for everyone - I have some friends who don't like it, but others and I really love the food here! Big portions of non-americanized Chinese food, with IMO more subtle sauces that are just really really good. I don't think it's an automatic favorite for everyone, but some people will really love it. The service is fast and efficient rather than chatty. We especially enjoyed the beef wraps, but all their dishes have been great so far, including the pork buns, fried rice and rice cakes. As each dish is large, you'll want to order at least a few and share them family-style.

The food was amazing! We ordered the steamed vegetarian dumplings and vegetarian chow mein, both of which had great flavor. The place was really busy, so we opted for takeout. Reservations are highly recommended!

I had no idea Mama Lu's opened up a location in Pasadena until recently! I usually go to the Monterey Park locations, which has been a go-to spot for me over the years. The soup dumplings and spicy wontons are my favorite! The beef wraps, fried pork buns, and deep fried prawns are all popular items and must try. Service here was quick and friendly, the staff were attentive and made sure to check on my table. The interior is definitely different than the Monterey Park locations, I love the beautiful chandeliers! Parking can easily be found at nearby parking structures where you pay to park, I believe the first two hours are $1. This location is in a busy part of Pasadena so you may have to wait to be seated when it gets busy. I'll be back when I get the chance!

I have came here twice and had good experiences both times. I will definitely be coming back :) I think they share tip so service is not that good but food is amazing!!!! And the servers are nice just really busy. I think they need to assign sections to servers. When we first got there the servers were too busy so we couldn’t get seated or acknowledged. I really recommend the waiters not sharing tips but the food is sooo good and the portions are really big :)

First time at the Pasadena location and it was pretty packed for a Monday night. I usually frequent the MPK one, but this one was pretty good. Always get the juicy pork dumpling and eat it fresh and hot, don’t wait! I also love the beef roll and the Shanghai noodles. Parking is around the corner in one of the lots and service is quick!

I had the best time at Mama Lu's in Pasadena with my friends! We usually hang out at the Chinatown spot, but we decided to switch things up and give this one a shot - and wow, what a treat it was! We dug into all our favorites like the beef wrap, spicy wontons, and crab and fried scallop fried rice, and they were absolutely sensational. The House Special Fish Filet is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and just bursting with flavor. The Egg Tofu with mushrooms - it was so saucy and savory, with the tofu melting in my mouth like butter. We popped in on a Monday night thinking it would be quiet, but the place was buzzing with good vibes and great food. The casual yet classy vibe, the quick and friendly service, and the steamy hot, delicious dishes made Mama Lu's feel like a home away from home. The servers were super sweet and made us feel so welcomed. I can't wait to go back and try more of their menu. Mama Lu's is the kind of place where you can kick back, enjoy some amazing food, and make memories with your loved ones.

So happy Mama Lu's is now open in Pasadena. The East side locations are still better but the food here is always consistent. Service is quick and the food comes out quick. Top favorites are the beef rolls and the juicy pork XLB.

The building is very pretty and the food comes out quickly, but the food quality was pretty bad. The green onion pancakes were beyond greasy, and so were the pan fries dumplings. The steamed ones were a little better, but definitely not good. Prices were okay. For these three dishes, we paid around $30 total. Staff are very busy and we had to ask for the check. There was never a chance to order more food if we wanted it. We also had to ask for water and were not given a refill until we got the check. We were given a pot of tea at the start of the meal.

They have a huge selection of Chinese food and they all sound soo good. I tried their soup dumplings, garlic stir fry gai lan, scallion pancake, house special chicken, and chow mein. Soup dumplings: big size, on the sweet side Gai lan: I loved it but others may not like it because it has a slight bitter taste Scallion pancake: super thin and crispy House special chicken: already salty without the ginger scallion sauce, cold, not my favorite Chow mein: a tad too salty I would definitely come back to try their other dishes even though I feel like the items I ordered were a miss this time.

Stopped by for a hungry late dinner and to celebrate the Lunar New Years Eve with some yummy dumplings. The wait time was said to be 45min but overall we waited only 15min. The staff was friendly throughout but busy from beginning to end so with a little attention calling gestures (it was needed) from beginning to end we were served. We ordered quite a few items so they were also nice enough to move us to a larger table. Overall everything tasted great but the hot dumplings hit the spot! First time for me at this location. The decor is simple with grand chandeliers, a full bar, and a few private dining areas. Unfortunately the restrooms are downstairs and i didn't see any handicap access. There's plenty of parking in the nearby parking structure on Green or metered street parking and both are very inexpensive (we paid $3 for 2-3hrs).

All the buildings in Old Town Pasadena are beautiful, but the interior of this Mama Lu's is brilliant, with the shining chandeliers and artwork on the ceilings. The food, however, can be described in one word: bland. We ordered many dishes: green onion pancakes, spicy wontons, potstickers, fish, soup dumplings, etc. and the flavors across everything were barely present. The best dishes were the string beans and salt and pepper chicken wings, but everything else lacked the flavor that the dishes should have. I suggest the Mama Lu's in Monterey Park for the rich and deliciousness these dishes should embody.

We actually came here for Christmas meal and it was was very cozy! We ordered the classic steamed pork dumplings, egg tofu with mushrooms, and French style beef. The French style beef stood out the most to me - very very tender and perfectly seasoned. You can taste the black pepper but it's not overpowering. I also personally love the mushrooms in this dish - the mushrooms soaked up all the flavors and give off a very umami taste! The steamed dumplings are great as well - there is soup in the dumplings so just be careful since they are hot! They usually have a pretty long line so don't be surprised if you have wait a bit!

Ahhh im addicted! I'm not a huge fan of Asian food but man, I will definitely come back here!! Service is quick and they are on it! The portions are generous! And the food was authentic and delicious! Very filling! It gets crowded and I can see why.

We had a work event and we ordered at Mama Lu's to celebrate lunar new year and this was a delicious feast to celebrate and eat together. We ordered a variety of dumplings from chives and shrimp, crab, fish, pork, chicken. We got spicy dumplings as well and a lot of vegetarian dumplings. The fried egg rolls were good as well. The sweet buns were great with the sweet sauce. The scallions pancakes were a hit. The soup dumplings were tasty as well. They provided plenty of hot sauce and soy sauce and vinegar. Great take out experience. I will visit and dine in on site next time.

We were starving after church and we needed to eat before checking out an activity in Pasadena. We've never been here, so we were looking forward to checking it out. The parking garage is a short walk away. We stayed in Pasadena for awhile so we ended up paying only $5. Once we got to Mama Lu's, we saw the wait inside the SMALL waiting area with no seats and we saw some people standing outside. What caught my attention the most was how disorganized it was, not like in Chinatown. The person/hostess who was supposed to be at the front was also running back and forth among guests who were ready to pay. They REALLY need to hire more help! We were lucky to get a table before some other guests because there were only four of us. We were ready to order, so we got our order taken right away. The time it took to get our food was really quick which was impressive. What I didn't like was that I couldn't ask/stop anyone for more water which I hate. The aisles were pretty narrow so definitely no carts at this place. We ordered two different items that we've never had and I hate to say it, but I didn't like them very much. Thank goodness for the chili oil that was already at our table when we sat. I didn't care for the beef wrap. It definitely tasted decent after using chili oil with every bite. I didn't care for the soggy fried pork buns. I loved the juicy dumplings even though they weren't juicy enough. I loved the string beans. Would I come back? MAYBE.

We made the mistake of coming in after 8p. We ordered some shrimp and a Beijing Beef. The tea was ok. The entrees left something to be desired. The service, well, they wanted us to be anywhere but there. I cannot recommend based on food or service.

It was a little gloomy and rainy so we decided to go Chinese again and voila, Mama Lu's Dumpling Restaurant delivers the satiating smell and tasty Yang Chow, Salt and Pepper Porkchop and Vegetables with fish... There was no wait and parking next door was available, you just have to pay about a couple of bucks use public parking. The usual Yang Chow was perfectly seasoned and adequately cooked while the salt and pepper pork chop was enriched the dining experience. Of course, we needed some vegetables to balance the heavy carbohydrates (sarcasm) but it was a perfect marriage of convenience...the carbs was certainly neutralized by the vegetables... Emmy was nice enough to offer me to take free photos except the kitchen which was understandable. The experience was always great, food was the best and driving to Pasadena was always a thrill to see the sights, sounds and views of the old Pasadena neighborhoods.

Super quick service, clean bathrooms (a plus)! And extensive menu! When you're seated, they give you a nice pot of tea and peanuts. Really large seating area as well.

Mama Lu's Dumpling House, located in Old Town Pasadena, offers a welcoming experience with a nice, spacious interior. Parking in this area can be tricky as usual, but there are paid parking structures nearby, so it's manageable. The service here is friendly and efficient. They had tea, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili oil ready at the table, which was a nice touch. The staff were attentive and made sure everything was going smoothly. The highlight, of course, was the food. Their dumplings are well-portioned and reasonably priced. I tried the Juicy Pork Dumplings for $9.99 and the Chive & Pork Dumplings for $7.99, each with 8 pieces. They arrived fresh and steaming, and tasted fantastic, especially when paired with the sauces on the table. Both were very filling. The inside of the restaurant feels like an authentic Chinese eatery. There's a lot of seating, and the place is surprisingly large, spanning two floors. The chandeliers and décor give it a classy touch, while the space itself feels very clean and inviting. If you need to use the restroom, they're located on the second floor. I visited on a Wednesday evening, and while there were a decent number of tables occupied. The restaurant is suitable for families, small groups, or even large parties, making it a versatile dining spot. Overall, Mama Lu's offers a great dining experience with delicious dumplings, excellent service, and a welcoming atmosphere. A place I'd return to!

Such a staple in the 626 community. Love that they opened a location in Pasadena so I don't have to drive all the way to Monterey park. Decor is pretty standard of any Chinese restaurant. Service is great and prompt. The moment you walk in the establishment you get seated right away. They got our orders pretty quickly and the dishes came out fast too. Green beans: 5/5 always a go to in a Chinese restaurant. It's kind of a dish that I typically order as a tester dish to see if the Chinese restaurant is legit. Garlicky, crunchy green beans packed with flavor. I can eat a ton of these easily. Fried pork buns: 3/5 the dough wrapping is a little too thick for my taste, the buns tasted quite dry as well. Filling is good though, flavorful but the thick dough kind of takes away from how good the filling is. Salt and pepper wings: 4/5 crunchy and SO flavorful. Wings are fried to perfection. Not as good as the phoenix salt and pepper wings but definitely a contender in my opinion Seafood pan fried noodle: 4/5 any pan fried noodles is a staple of any Hong Kong cafe. Good flavor, well cooked seafood, and texture from the crunchy noodles makes for a great meal

Food is delicious!! Flavorful, hot, large portions, served timely! Definitely a spot to bring people out to. The servers are pretty on top of the tables especially bc it can get busy. There's a good amount of seating too so it doesn't get too crowded. It's a laid back spot to meet up with friends and then browse around old Pasadena after. (also some of our pics were after we started grubbing! sorry was so hungry and forget to snap a pic before)

Ambiance is a typical Chinese restaurant with piped in music and busy waiters and bus persons. The waitresses also double as their receptionist. They provide great service because they do try to bring your food to your table as soon as it is ready. The food tastes good and the portions are substantial (enough to share for six people).

This review is for ordering online and pick up in person. Their online ordering system is easy to use and please. Finding parking to go pick up the food was a different story. We were luck we only circled twice before we found parking on the street with the meters. When we got the restaurant they are ready seat you. We told them we have a pick up. She pointed at the bar like area. We stood around and no one knowledge us. We had to stop a staff member walking by she yelled at someone after the bar area. She found our order. We ordered: Chive Fried Pancake, Fried Pork Bun, Pan Fried Pork Dumplings, Chive & Pork Dumplings, Shanghai Style Chow Mein, & House Special Fish Fillet. Everything was delicious and well seasoned.

I wanted to like it beetle I will come back but for today an take out it was just not as satisfying I usually get the beef udon noodles but it didn't have extra flavor in it to pop for me. The green onion cake was like it was old from yesterday and they just refried it. Kind of hard and texture not the way I had before. This place did have whole roast port and ducks hanging. I will definitely try that here the bbq pork looked amazing. The server was nice that took our order, they called Lain doy mean g pretty boy in canto. His name is Michael. He said every table has the beef rolls. So I'll try that next time. Along with my other favorites from the Monterey park one. Sorry I forgot to take a photos the green onion cake

We've only gotten the beef roll to go and that's all I needed to taste. It was delicious and extremely reasonably priced!! The only thing I wish was that the parking was better, but that's not their fault. We'll definitely be back to try the dumplings, but I highly, highly recommend the beef rolls.

I really enjoyed the crab & pork xiao long bao: very fresh ingredients; the texture was just right; had to ask for the ginger slices as they were not included at first.

Mama Lu in Pasadena doesn't taste the same. When entering, I was excited by the familiar decor and James Wang paper (iykyk). However, as the food starts to be served and eaten, they just don't have the quality as other Mama Lu locations. Perhaps depends on the items ordered? Beef Rolls 牛肉卷饼: to be fair, it tasted good. BUT, this is one of those dishes that you really can't mess up on (like fried rice). Beef rolls from any place with quality will generally tastes amazing, but this beef roll was a par below with minced beef instead of sliced and has a fried-too-long wrap. I think it might benefit by using a bit more sauce also. Pan Fried Bao 生煎包: the pork filling is juicy/watery but has not much flavor from the meat. Skin is super thick. House Special Fish: does not look like the picture on the menu. (The beef roll also didn't.) The saving graces of the meal was the chicken corn soup and the chives & shrimp dumplings. I'd recommend getting these. In addition, def try their spicy sauce (on the table) which makes things tastes better. Their vinegar sauce is slightly sweeter and what I usually use at home so it is also interesting and enjoyable to eat with. Lastly, you get to start off with some complimentary peanuts, lightly seasoned with sugar, on the table.

Mama Lu's Dumpling House has a location in Downtown Pasadena and serves classic juicy pork dumplings, fried rice, noodles, vegetable dishes, beef wraps, and other tasty items! Our classic choices are the dumplings, pea sprouts, rice cakes, and beef wraps. I first ate at the Monterey Park location. I prefer that one for the taste, price, and more street parking, but the Pasadena location is located in the heart of shops and desserts. We ate in person and the ambiance is really nice and aesthetic. We also ordered almost 10 dishes to go and everything was packaged well and the taste was still great.

Amazing food omg!! Passed this place a million times and finally decided to go in with the family. Service was quick, food was amazing, and the interior design was beautiful. Never seen an inside of a restaurant look like that before. Will definitely be back!!

First, the design of the interior seems like you transport back into old Pasadena. It made me wonder if this building was at one time a bank, or a lobby to a nice hotel. Adorned with chandeliers, and photos of the food - it felt quite chic to be inside. The food was delicious. We ordered the Shanghai Style Chow Mein, Juicy pork and crab dumplings, and spicy pork and shrimp wontons. When we order dumplings, we like to try different types, and order a noodle dish. The staff were kind, and hard working. The service was quick and efficient. Only thing, it was a little hard to get the attention of servers for water or napkins, but once we did, they were responsive. A great place to try for a Friday night dinner. They also have a full bar too.

Authentic and traditional Chinese family style restaurant with a Taiwanese twist The go-to place for freshly made dumplings. They have the best juicy pork dumplings in the Los Angeles & San Gabriel valley area. Pure bliss in every bite! A hot pot of jasmine tea and sugared peanuts were served as we checked out the menu. LOVE jasmine tea!! What we tried: Chinese Spinach & Pork Wonton Soup Juicy Pork & Crab Dumplings Shanghai Rice Cake Seafood Udon with XO sauce (MUST-TRY) Perfect for any gathering or date night! Great customer service There is a parking structure about a 5 min walk from restaurant: $1 for the first 2 hours!

An inexpensive, less fussy but very tasty alternative to the more famous and expensive dumpling chain. Love this place and it's smack in the middle of the excitement of Old Town Pasadena. The main dining room is a spectacular example of glorious 1920's art deco decor (look up at the high ceiling and check the details!), a leftover from the building's original occupants of long ago. But the delicious food served inside is Taiwanese modern to the core. FYI, there's a more cozy, quieter dining in the basement, too. Always busy. Efficient service.

The portions are massive! Everything we ordered was hot and fresh. Overall a very pleasant weekday lunch and excellent addition to the Old Town Pasadena food scene. Recommended dishes: - Pork soup dumplings (XLB) - Shanghai style chow mein - Pea sprout with garlic

My husband and I was visiting from Florida. It was recommended by some friends that we try this place. When we walked in we were seated right away. With so much food on the menu we didn't know where to start so my husband asked our waitress. She wasn't helpful in making a choice but she told us we couldn't go wrong in whatever we selected. We went with the fried pork dumplings which was really greasy. We also ordered their sweet and sour chicken which was really good and there shrimp and pork rice which was also good. I thought the rice would have more protein in it. The ratio or rice to protein was poor. The restaurant itself was nice. Nothing fancy but it was clean.

What happened? You wandered out of the SGV and just stopped trying because you thought no Chinese people would order from here? These are the driest soup dumplings I've ever had. And what is with the substitution of snow peas in the egg tofu? 豈有此理. These beef rolls are missing any sauce at all. Leaving in a star because the actual egg tofu and the beef in the beef roll were fine, I guess(?).

I met up with friends for a get together. We ordered several of his dishes. The food was served quickly, the amount of food is very large, the three girls all ate too much. The price of the dinner is really a good deal!

Have been wanting to try Mama Lu's Dumpling House since it opened a branch in Pasadena last year. The food is reasonably priced especially for being in Old Town. The pan fried dumplings were slightly crispy and didnt need any dipping sauce. The spicy won tons were also very good, like the kind at Din Tai Fung but not as saucy. The pork shrimp and chive dumplings were top notch, you can see actual whole pieces of shrimp in the filling. The dough of all the dumplings was well made as was the texture of the noodles. The sautéed green beans were super flavorful, way better than most. My only regret was not ordering the scallion pancakes, fried pork buns, spicy salt pork chops, etc. Looks like I'm returning. 5 stars

Food was good, just like other locations. The service wasn't ok, we ordered 7 dishes but they still assigned us to a small table. The table was totally full with 5 dishes (the plates were sticking out already). When the waiter brought the 6th dish, he asked me where can he put the plate? I said you might need to ask the lady who assigned us this table. The waiter ended up left the plate on the other guest's table next to mine. One of the waiter also asked me, can she combine two plates into one? How can you mix up two different dishes? So unprofessional. The manager finally came and switched us to a bigger table. The service was terrible and staffs were not properly trained!

*3.5 stars* This location is in a cute downtown area with tons of shops and other dining. You will likely have to park in a parking structure because parallel parking is a nightmare, but we were only around a block away. When we got there, we were seated right away, despite the restaurant being pretty small and cozy. I really wanted to like it, as I've had great experiences with the other locations, but the food ended up being okay. I would pass on the beef with chili oil and spicy wontons. I thought the soup dumplings were decent, just more on the doughy side (not pictured because they were devoured). My boyfriend and I loved the deep fried coconut buns though - these definitely carried the whole meal. Perfect texture and taste. Great extensive menu overall, so you can always try new things!

Mama Lu's is next level! The food is outstanding with a massive selection! The staff is friendly and attentive. Overall a great vibe!

Another day craving for Chinese food and here I go! Highlights of the menu: 1. Hot and sour soup 2. Stir-fried seafood udon with XO sauce 3. Shanghai rice cake 4. Kung pao chicken with peanuts 5. Yang Chow fried rice 6. Salt & pepper fried pork chops 7. French style beef tenderloin with mushrooms 8. Fish filet with soy sauce

Experience genuine Chinese cuisine at its finest in Old Town Pasadena with the arrival of this gem. Reminiscent of the beloved Mama Lu's Dumpling House, the flavors here resonate authentically with palates both Chinese and international. Our recent feast included a delightful array: Hot and Sour Soup Stir-Fried Seafood Udon with X.O. Sauce French Style Beef Tenderloin with Mushrooms Salt & Pepper Fried Pork Chops House Special Fish Filets Yang Chow Fried Rice Kung Pao Chicken with Peanuts Shanghai Stir-Fried Rice Cake Ovallets Regrettably, we overlooked the XLB (Xio Long Bao) dumplings this time, but that only means a swift return to savor them. Ideal for communal dining, this spot flourishes with its family-style servings. The more, the merrier, as it allows for an extensive exploration of their menu. Invite your Chinese friends along and witness their delight as Mama Lu's impresses even the most discerning palates. Trust me, it's an experience worth sharing! Plus the service is pretty quick as well. Come check Mama Lu's in Old Town Pasadena and enjoy!

I usually go to the Mama Lu's in Monterey Park or Chinatown, but I happened to be in Pasadena and saw they have one too. There was a bit of a wait to get in but it wasn't horrible although the only uncomfortable part was there wasn't anywhere to wait really except to stand in the way. The food was just as good at this location as others I've been to. We got the xiao long bao, pickled vegetables and beef noodle soup, green onion pancake, spicy wontons, and napa cabbage and pork dumplings. Shockingly we ate almost all of it except the noodles; I had to bring some of those home as leftovers.

Since we were in the the area, my family and I wanted to check out Mama Lu's Dumpling House in Old Town Pasadena. We chose the Fried Pork Bun, Wonton Noodle Soup with Pork & Shrimp, Roasted Beef Noodle Soup, Yang Chow Fried Rice, and Fried Steamed Bun from the extensive menu. These green onion pancakes are oil-fried rather than pan-fried, so after five minutes, they may become difficult to chew. You have to ask the server for green onions and cilantro if you want them with your Roasted Beef Noodle Soup. The flavor is distinct from that of the traditional beef noodle soup. Will return to try more dishes.

Finally got the chance to try this locations in Pasadena. I love the chandeliers they have here! Definitely more of a classy vibe compared to their other locations but still with yummy dishes. I'm a sucker for corn chicken soup and it did not disappoint here! Also really enjoyed the fried pork dish and tofu veggie plate. I was a little sad that this location doesn't have all the same dishes as the other location as I love my spicy cucumbers. Other than that staff was really friendly and I love the location in the heart of old town Pasadena!

Loved everything we ordered here. Everything came out quickly, which was great because we were starving. All of the food was so flavorful and nice and hot. The hot and sour soup surprised me the most. Usually, hot and sour soup tends to be more sour, but this actually had a nice kick to it. We devoured everything and only had some noodles and broccoli leftover. This is on the corner in old town, where I've seen different businesses come and go. Hopefully Mama Lu's is here to stay

Pros first: Food was reasonably priced. At around $8-$15 and top tier plates up to $50-$60 if it was seafood. The place has giant chandeliers to make it feel more upscale and the ambiance is a bit noisy. The service was fast, they got us our food quickly. They had jasmine tea on the table. The cons: The manager seemed a bit rushed- seems like they're always low staffed- which makes everyone work extra hard and come off as rude. The food wasn't that good honestly. The dumplings were ok- almost Costco freezer aisle level- nothing to rave about. There really wasn't a stand out dish out of the 6-7 we had and shared between 3 people. No one came around to ask if we wanted a refill on any of our drinks. We got there around 5pm on a Friday and it started to get really bust around 6:30p and they really wanted us out! Don't think I'll go back to this or any Mama Lu's- it's a common thread amongst all of their restaurants.

Good location to share family style with, with decent prices and delicous food! We've come here a number of times with a group of co-workers and split the costs as we order a couple variety of dishes to eat, all or most being crowd pleasers! For the area, it's a great place with good prices and it's always bustling during lunch! I've had a number of their dishes like stir fried green bean, Shanghai style chow mien, pork Xiao long bao, beef noodle soup, chicken fried rice, and West Lake beef soup- and they were all very delicous! This location however, does not sell thier dumplings that you can typically buy at other Mama Lu's locations. There's metered street parking, and pay per hour parking structures on Green St (one way street) and S. Raymond Ave. Usually it's free for the 1st hour and a couple dollars every hour after, so typically expensive if you only plan to stop by a couple shops and a meal.

Service was subpar. Food was decent. Sweet and sour soup as well as the green beans were well done however the dumplings were disappointing. The "spicy" shrimp and pork wontons were not spicy at all. While spiciness is subjective - we all agreed they were very bland. Ambiance was not very inviting. Newspaper plate mats and cheap silverware. Din Thai Fung is definitely superior overall.

GREAT PRICES, especially in 2024. I dined here before the rush, so service was quick! Beef Wrap: PACKED to the brim with beef. Flavors are well balanced with the sauce and cucumber. Eggplant: Definitely a one-biter. Tasty sauce, order with a bowl of white rice!

I'm a huge fan of the Monterey Park locations. I lived in Pasadena for 19 years absolutely DREAMING they'd open a location there. Of course I had to leave town for it to finally show up -- but I was visiting Pasadena and decided to have some dumplings. I never got to and it's for the strangest reason: location and interior. The place has very few tables for this legendary restaurant chain. We were sat at a deuce against a well -- which was INSIDE the wait station and felt like it was almost inside the kitchen itself. A ridiculous place for a table or patrons. I could have waited for a real table to open but I'm starting to scratch my head and ask why these boneheads chose this place as a location. Everything was crammed in. Even the tables for six or so patrons were squeezed into an adjacent room. And forget about going down the moist sticky airwell into their extra room in the 'dungeon' with no windows and no air. I walked out of there as fast as they tried to seat us. And I'm usually a very polite person -- especially to a little chain I want to succeed -- but scowled at them on the way out. So I'm standing outside and asking myself, in an area full of available spaces, why did these choose this dump? It's only selling point is it's across the street from the Cheesecake Factory. But what's the point of getting people's attention if you can't even seat more than 20 of them?!? Walking around Old Town I saw many better locations -- that were much larger with likely cheaper rent. The former 85 Degrees Celsius location is for rent. I don't know if anything has moved into the former Wokcano yet but, like 85, is a bigger spot already established as Asian. In fact that place sprawled onto a back patio offering GOBS of room. Mama's Lu has such a following they don't even need to be in Old Town at all. Up at Paseo where the Great Maple died (sigh) would be fantastic location for them too. A few years ago one of the Mama's Lus was charged for tax evasion. To have such a successful business and risk throwing it away because greed is painfully arrogant and stupid. I sense that person picked this location is all I can say. Further proof of idiocy is that (according to Yelp) this location has been bribing people to write good reviews. Wow. Just close this ASAP and reopen in a better Pasadena spot. P.S. If you've invested too much $$$ at this location to ditch, tell you what. Make this place to go. Suddenly the tight upstairs would be roomy and if you kept prices 'cheap for Old Town' you'd become the Portos of dumplings.

Came on a Wednesday night at 7:45-ish and there was no wait. Overall, the food is ok. The soup dumpling skins were a bit too thick, the beef wraps were a bit dry, and the pan fried dumplings a bit overcooked. HOWEVER it was all good enough where I know I'll be back since this is much closer to me than driving to the other Mama Lu locations or 626 in general. It's a great spot for groups or if you're craving Chinese food while in Pasadena. SERVICE everything came out super quick and we weren't rushed to leave even though the store was closing. PARKING There's a couple of parking lots around within a 5 minute walking distance.

The place was not the cleanest but the food and service were top tier. My friend and I stumbled upon this place and we left quite satisfied by our experience. We highly recommend the dumplings!

Who doesn't love mama Lu?! Now it's in Pasadena in the popular old town Pasadena. The place is small but have tons of tables and no matter what there is always a line. However, the wait isn't too long. The service and everything is quick. This place isn't the type of restaurant where you stay and chill after dinner. You come and eat then go. The food is fresh and large portions.

Solid food for a reasonable price at a great location! I came here on a weekday lunch, it wasn't busy at all. Their pork XLB really hit the spot for me. We also got a plate of their beef rice noodles, also very delicious and a huge portion. The green onion pancakes were very crispy, however, they were very oily and we couldn't see or taste any green onion in them. I enjoyed the jasmine tea. Waiters were minimal. The ambiance is slightly classy with the chandeliers. I would come back for the XLB if anything!