Mandalay Restaurant & Cafe

For Sunday lunch, 2 friends and I decided to get Mandalay, since I don't often get the opportunity for Burmese cuisine. Just before noon, my party was the first to arrive and received seating immediately. A few minutes after, regulars started filing in, complete with custom greetings by the owner asking about travel plans friends, etc. I ordered the SF02 Catfish ChoVhin Gyaw ($21.99), a seafood entree consisting of catfish fried and sauteed with green peppers, onion, and tomato in a light brown sauce. This came with a bowl of rice and arrived w/in 10 minutes. The sauce ended up on the sweeter side of savory-sweet-fragrant in the way that pasta sauce might seem sweeter that just pureed tomatoes and paste. The catfish had nary a hint of fishiness and held a firm, though not hard, texture.

Ordered two vegetarian entrees and they are delicious. Service is good. A small detail is noticed is that the place on the right side is messy and they haven’t organised the space neatly. Food is delicious though.

I came here many years ago and it was fine but then I stopped coming. Tonight I again went with two friends and had the best experience. The food was amazing, the people so attentive and helpful, the whole thing made me want to return. And the most curious thing was when I left a good tip I was told that since they had pressed the wrong button on their computer they would not be charging me for my tip! I reiterated that I really wanted to leave a tip and the woman said, No problem. We just aren't going to accept it. I have never had that experience before. At this point, the only way to get to the restaurant by car is either to go North on Georgia and turn on Bonifant toward the place or park a few blocks away and walk. This is because of construction that is blocking half the street. I sure hope they survive because very few other patrons were there tonight.

I truly ordering from Mandalay! Their food is so so so good and they are so kind and caring! I have been ordering from them for many years on and off, and there was a mix-up on Uber eats recently where wrong food was delivered and Mandalay went out of their way to reach out to me and hand deliver the correct order themselves, I cannot recommend them enough. The food is so tasty and they truly are wonderful people.

The food and service here have always been really good. We’ve been here several times and loved them before they closed down, so I’m very glad to see that they’ve reopened. The price is extremely reasonable for the portion, and the food is amazing. Nothing is too spicy, salty or greasy. And the service has always been very friendly and attentive. Some people have complained that the environment seems “cheap” for the price you pay, but I disagree. It’s obvious that they put attention and effort into their food and service rather than making the place fancy and uncomfortable. The whole experience is very welcoming, comforting and satisfying, I’d definitely keep coming back.

This place has some amazing food! I highly recommend getting one of their salads- I got the egg roll one. Their incredible dressing and way of making salads is so flavorful crunchy and exciting! Some of us got curries, others got noodles, and others got stir fries and we liked it all. It’s fun to try new cuisines so I highly recommend you try Burmese food here.

I really enjoyed the onion curry pork belly and rice medium spice. My friends also were impressed with the flavors. We all plan to come again. We spent about $30 per person.

This place was on my "want to go" list for a very long time. They have options for every pallet and it was very tasty. The servers were nice and made me feel at home. The restaurant itself was no frills but, coming from DC, that was a refreshing change of pace. I recommend Mandalay to anyone and I will be coming back again!

So happy Mandalay did not permanently shut down. Wonderful Burmese food. The green tea leaf salad is a must, and large enough for two people. My husband always gets the tofu and tomato hin (V2) with a medium spice level (which is quite hot, so be warned). I tried the nanjee gyaw (N5) noodle dish with pork, which was huge (had to take half home). Loved the thick sauce and soft noodles. The interior has changed quite a bit; the booths are gone and there are fewer tables, more spaced out. Only half the restaurant is used for seating, but it filled up pretty quickly after noon on a Sunday. Only open for dine-in for lunch, no longer dinner. That's OK. I'll take Mandalay however we can; just happy they're still around.

Must try Pork Belly Hin : Outstanding dish in Mandalay restaurant. 10 out of 10 $24.99 = worthwhile every dollar. Giant pork belly pieces simmer in onions curry sauce. So delicious : Tender belly : ratio fat & meat perfect. Curry flavor tasted savory &nicely. This is the Heaven of Belly lover. Service is fine - inside restaurants is quite simple. Only location is a cons. Environment seem frustrated. (downtown Silver Spring, MD) There is construction around the area for a long time, also limit parking. Please be prepared about it if you want to dining.

Arrived a little after 11:30am on the Friday after Thanksgiving. There were some parking spaces in front of the restaurant two hours free it looked from 9 AM to 10 PM per the sign. They were open, even though the open sign wasn't turned on. Hole in the wall restaurant. Only one table was filled and left when I got there. No other people came in during the time I was there, other than to pick up to-go orders. I ordered the beef with onion and tomato curry, tea leaf salad, and the shweji dessert. All of the dishes were very good, and I would order all of them again. The beef curry didn't have complex flavors, but it was just so comforting and savory. I wished there was more sauce that came with it to soak up the white rice. The waiter asked me what level of spiciness I wanted-I asked for it to not be spicy since I was feeding some of it to my toddler. They were able to give me a dried red pepper spice mix on the side for myself. The beef curry dish and tea leaf salad were enough for at least two people to share. I'm so glad I did not skip out on the dessert. I got it to go and ate it at home. It was still warm, which made it taste even better. I had no problem eating the whole thing by myself since it was small and decadent. It was dense and sweet with a coconut flavor and crunchy white poppy seeds on top. Service was okay. Had to call the guy to come back and take the rest of my order. Otherwise, he was nice to my toddler. High chairs are available and a baby changing table is in the restroom.

SO GOOD!!!!! We had the most amazing dinner at Mandalay. The storefront is unassuming but the dishes were incredible. We ordered the following: LetThoke Sone (Mixed Noodle Dish) Let Phet Thoke (green tea leaf salad) ThaYatThee Thoke (green mango salad) MoHingar (fish noodle soup) KyetThar Aloo Hin (chicken and potatoes) AMeThar NanNanBin Hin (Beef and cilantro) ShweHi (cream of wheat cake) Every single item was a hit! Our favorites were the mixed noodle dish and the green mango salad. The chicken and beef dishes were also incredible. AND THE DESSERT!! The most delicious buttery coconuty cake.

Get the Sunday special slow cooked dark chicken. The chicken was so well cooked and the flavour of the curry was delicious. Fish in tamarind sauce was also very good and tender. Portion size was good enough

The food was absolutely amazing, the service was so quick and easy and it was a relaxing environment. I will be back over and over again! I can't believe I forgot to take pics. I had the noodle salad and as a first time trying this cuisine, I was thoroughly impressed. I will take pics next time I go, promise!!

Mandalay is an experience, a destination, a special place to bring out-of-towners and good friends to enjoy the heaping family style platters. It's a place where vegetarians and omnivores have loads of exciting options. This is Burmese home cooking & nostalgia at its best, and the friendly service and relaxed ambience pairs well. Pro-tip : Come on the days they serve their slow-cooked specials (used to be Thurs and Sun) Bring an offering of a mandarin or incense stick for the beautiful shrine to the Buddha :-)

Visited this place for the first time tonight and omg it was amazing. I ordered the chicken and potato curry, eggplant curry and spring rolls. Everything was so flavorful and fresh. This has to be the best food in silver spring. The staff was so kind and my food was packaged great.

I'd never had Burmese food before, but Mandalay made me sorely regret that oversight. Their eggplant curry with onion sauce was a standout. Prices were reasonable, service was prompt, and I loved the vibes.

The only Burmese restaurant I know in the area. Used to be excellent, but after they reopened, food isn't what it used to be. Will try again before confirming. Something was missing, not sure what though.

Do not list on Yelp or the door there is no dine in service on Friday and Saturday evening

What to expect? I was conveniently in the area around dinnertime and based on the recent rave review in the Washington Post, my wife and I ordered carryout, which I picked up and took home. (Clover said to give them 45 minutes, but I don't think they needed anywhere near that long - I was ten minutes early, and it was sitting there on the carryout-table when I arrived.) We got two entrees each. When ordering, I specified "mild" for all of them. My two were moderately spicy - enough to make me want to have some ice cream afterwards, but not unpleasant. My wife's first one was - in her terms "burn-the-lips, feel-it-in-the-belly hot that sent me to the can three times at least in about two hours," while her second had "apparently no spices at all except the onion and green pepper strips." So I was reasonably pleased, but she doesn't know if she ever wants anything from there again because she has no idea what she's going to get. This is rather disappointing because she's a vegetarian, and Mandalay is one of not very many restaurants that have a plethora of vegetarian options.

We used to dine frequently at this restaurant when it first opened in College Park and then moved to SS. We made a return visit a few days ago and we're disappointed. The menu has not changed but the cooking of the various dishes we enjoyed in the past has Deteriorated . The rich soup with noodles and pieces of chicken lacked the wood mushrooms and the wonderful taste and aroma. The tea leaf salad was ok, but the yellow bean dish was overwhelmed by onions. The shrimp with green peppers was tasteless. Unfortunately, it seems that whoever used to run the kitchen is gone and the replacement is inferior.

One of the best restaurants in Maryland, if not the country. When I was first introduced to Mandalay I had never had Burmese food and I had no idea what I was missing. Every entree, salad, appetizer here is amazing and perfect for Vegan/Vegetarians but also has delicious add on options for those who are not. The service and setting are top notch. It can be hard to find parking on this street but worth a walk around a few blocks, trust Me. So grateful this place survived Covid economic impact because it's Amazing.

Ordered mohinga and pork curry with mango pickles. As opposed to traditional mohinga, their version doesn't come with any egg, banana stem or onions. It's just plain soup. I wouldn't be surprised if they used ready made packs for their soup base. Pork curry tastes great but wish portion was larger and less greasy. To sum up my experience, this cafe is overrated and expensive. Won't be going back.

Ever since I've moved into the area, I've heard about the food at Mandalay. I'm glad that they reopened so I could try what everyone has been talking about for months. We got CH10 which is a chicken dish and the V14 which is Tofu. Both the dishes were definitely good, I'm a little disappointed to say that I didn't think they were extraordinary for the amount they're charging. I agree with an earlier review about their prices being a bit too high. Hopefully they bring down the prices so it attracts more people

I love this place - it's the only Burmese place in this area (that I know of). And they are Burmese-owned/runed (I think!) I order here REGULARLY for myself and for when I have dinner guests over and want to introduce them to Burmese food. I like the pickled mustard and pork and the beef with tomato sauce curry the most. They have so much to pick from and then on Sundays and Thursdays, they have a special and it's pretty good!!! Definitely come and support!!

I love this place SO MUCH and was STRESSED when they had to leave during the pandemic due to financial strain. Thank youuuuu to the universe and God for bringing them back, bc they are truly one of my favorites. My go-to order is the B1 (beef and potato), medium spicy (it's plenty hot!) with an order of samosas on the side. Perfection. Writing this i think i may go get some tomorrow now! When they were dine in the service was excellent. They knew my order and i felt like family when i was there. Pretty chill ambiance, but honestly the food is so good that i don't even care about the rest!

The best. Fantastic range on the menu, with salads, noodles. and vegetarian options particularly strong. Spice levels of food are broad and adaptable to tastes. Family-run with friendly team. Wonderful still after 20 years!

Mandalay Restaurant & Cafe is the place to visit if you are looking for a different cuisine to try - Burmese! Free parking is available! The restaurant has its own mini parking lot, immediately left of the restaurant. There are about 5 spaces there, and there is street parking too. I visited during COVID times, when the restaurant's open for delivery and pick-up. Everyone inside wears a mask. FOOD: Let Phet Thoke (Green Tealeaf Salad includes fermented tea leaf, tomato, and cabbage tossed with Burmese dressing, garnished with fried garlic and crispy yellow peas, 3/5): This is also known as the SL#5. Interesting salad dish. This is a traditional Burmese salad with a diversity of ingredients that ranges from crunchy to savory. This seemed a bit plain for me though, as if something was lacking. Historically, this salad was served as a final course after settling disputes between kingdoms. Wet Thar Thone Htat Ther Hin (Pork belly simmered in an onion curry sauce with potato, 3/5): This is also known as the SP#8. Medium spice (not spicy for me). My friend recommended this special to me. It was okay. There were about 8 pieces of moderate-sized pork belly pieces with potatoes dispersed in the dish. I wished there were more vegetables incorporated though because it's heavy. NanJee Thoke (Thick noodles mixed with curried chicken strips (dark meat), onion, cabbage, and fresh cilantro tossed with Burmese dressing and topped with fried onion and carrot strips, 3/5): This is N#3. Medium spice (not spicy for me). The noodles were somewhat soggy, which happens when the cooked noodles have been out for awhile. This Burmese dressing is on the drier and mild spice side. I'm not sure if I would order it again. MeThar NanNanBin Hin (Sliced beef and fresh cilantro simmered in onion-tomato base curry, 2/5): This is B#4. Medium spice (not spicy for me). Flavor was okay. Onion-tomato base curry was nice, especially with my leftover bread to dip into. Otherwise, nothing really stood out for me. Mandalay Tofu (Light fried tofu sliced and served with lemon-soy, crushed peanuts, and sesame seed sauce, 4/5): This is also known as the V#5. This was the best entree I tried. I also got the spiciest level possible for this, and I did cry a few tears because it was quite delicious! I would definitely order this again. Numerous tofu pieces!!! I even put my rice all into this dish then ate the whole thing! The man in the front is great. He's the same one you will be conversing on the phone with. Would I come again? Overall, this was my first Burmese restaurant. I'll definitely try others and compare in the future. The menu is very vast, so I tried to order a variety! I'd come back though.

Just had to post that this is the best curry I've had in a LONG time... It's called Wet nan yoe hin, Burmese pork ribs simmered in an onion based curry sauce with onion and tomato... wow! The meat fell off the bones and every element of the spices was fully incorporated, i haven't tasted such a comforting food in a long time. The green tea leaf salad was a little different as well, a little bitter but flavorful. As for the service, I called to pick up around 5pm, and a nice man named Saw told me that the earliest they could do was 5:15 which was fine. When I came around 5, Saw told me that he had already given the chefs a heads up to start cooking and that he would bring the food out to me in the car! He was overall really friendly and gave me amazing recommendations about the dish. Next time, I'll have to try the pickled mango chicken! Long story short, go to Mandalay in Silver Spring if you want to be blown away!

Mandalay is a great unique place and the only Burmese place in Silver Spring and the only I know of in the DC area. My wife and I ordered takeout from here two years ago and loved it and I also have been with my mother and again with friends several years ago. My wife and I shared the Kaw Pyant Gyaw as an appetizer as well as a beef Htamin Gyaw and dark meat Chicken Nanjee Gyaw for our entrees. They planned on moving down Georgia Ave. somewhere in the District and we are glad they are staying in their original location and hope to return soon as they just reopened after being closed for a while.

Not impressed. Only good for take out, which was not disclosed anywhere on Yelp, google, or a website. Their google search still states dine in...they didn't even update that. We drove 45 mins for us to find out when we got there that there is no dine in. And in addition, they were not friendly.

Simply the best restaurant in Silver Spring. Try the #6 Noodles with chicken or Tofu. The #1 Soup is outstanding, with noodles, chicken and mushrooms in a wonderful fragrant rich broth. This place is family-run, not a chain, and highly recommended. Try it and you'll want to come back!

Delicious! Ordered takeout of chicken coconut curry and the beef with tomato. And a veggie dish. Some of the best food Ive had in a long time. Im surprised to see only 4 stars here. 5 definitely. Highly recommend. Will be back.

I'd held off on reviewing one of our neighborhood go-to's since parking and seating were tough enough before they announced that they would be moving to a location in DC this summer, but I'm happy to show them some love in these times. I like this place better for Burmese food than some of the spots I've tried in NoVA, and I've been glad to continue supporting them via takeout orders. Their spice levels are no joke-- "medium" felt a near-death experience for friends who don't tolerate capsaicin well, and even we don't dare to get "spicy" in sauced dishes where the heat just melds into everything. Our go-to order includes: * sour mustard fried rice special with pork belly, since the sourness helps cut through the richness of the sliced pork * thick noodles with curried chicken strips (this one we typically get spicy) * fermented green tea leaf salad (the ginger salad is refreshing if you want something less funky) * squash or eggplant fritter if we're feeling extra hungry, since these are surprisingly light I've also had tasty experiences with some of their tofu and shrimp dishes! With such generous portions, we've been too full except once to try one of their desserts. The staff are super friendly and provide good service, even on nights where they're busy.

As of 6/27, restaurant is still takeout only, that was totally fine with me. Placed a big group order by phone and appreciate the server for repeating everything back to me to make sure the order is correct. There is free parking in a nearby public lot during the weekend and food was ready exactly when promised, and got some free dessert I think because I placed such a large order. I've had great Burmese food at Burma Superstar in the SF Bay Area, I'm not sure whether that's really authentic or has been adjusted for American tastes but the food was awesome, if I were in the Bay Area I would go out of my way to go to Burma Superstar again. Mandalay was good but not great, I still really enjoyed the food. Would come back again if I pass by downtown Silver Spring.

For some time we devoted customers had to satisfy ourselves with carrry-out. Same wonderful taste, but you had to bring it home. Now they've reopened the restaurant, it's all good. Just keep treading water, eventually you'll reach the shore.

I checked out these reviews and decided to order the beef and potato curry (medium) and Burmese samosas. Wow! Suuuuuuuuper delicious, and yes, pretty spicy for a medium level. I was curious about the chicken/pickled mango dish so I'm excited to try that next!

I have the highest praise for Mandalay and the assistance we got from the owner, Joe. I had to put on a dinner with Burmese food for a group of 8 people, some of whom had lived in Burma and/or were Burmese. I know nothing about Burma. Joe helped me select the dishes, counseled me on which ones might not be best for the diverse group, and advised me on table presentation. The dinner came off perfectly and everyone -- especially the Burmese -- were very impressed. Thanks to Joe for a very successful dinner party.

My sister & her husband love this place - Burmese cuisine, delicious food with some names I won't remember, great portions, reasonable prices and the staff were very friendly and funny. The place looks divey from the outside but inside is very nice. Ordered an app and 3 entrees for 3 people, and left with a lot of leftovers. FYI this review is based on a visit before the coronavirus lockdown. GOLDEN TRIANGLE - $6.99 (4 pcs) Agree with Millie S, these were like samosas but the outside were like fried spring rolls. Filled w/ potatoes, onions and green peas. As good as it sounds. NYAT KAUKSWE GYAW (N06) - $14.49 I think the servers realize it's easier to reference the menu item numbers than the names themselves, lol. We went with all their recommendations and they were all winners. Both servers recommended this one, and it was my favorite. Flat rice noodles stir-fried w/ pork, bean sprouts, lettuce, ground peanuts and topped with egg. Loved the flavor. You'll want to add their sauce for extra flavor. PEPYOKE KYETTHUN GYAW (V08) - $13.49 This dish was the favorite for my sister & her husband. Yellow beans stir-fried w/ onion, scallions and garnished w/ fried onions. Tasted like chickpeas to me. Good dish. KYETTHAR OHNNO HIN (CH11) - $14.49 To balance our other dishes, they recommended a curry dish. Chicken, green pepper, onion and tomato simmered in coconut cream sauce. Another good dish. Overall good food, friendly service and you're guaranteed to have leftovers to enjoy for later. Also great place for vegetarians b/c there plenty of menu choices.

Incredible Burmese food for all dietary restrictions. The staff at Mandalay are unbelievably friendly too. I hope they open dining in soon!

Never judge a restaurant front by its outside. Outside it looks dated. My friends and I had a get together and I was very eager to try Burmese cuisine. I was late to the party because parking in DTSS is not bliss. We feasted on dishes that I cant pronounce. I did enjoy the dessert!! The owner is amazing! The waiter Orlando amazing. You gotta check it out..

Incredible Burmese food. Warm hospitality and service. Just reopened for in person dining (with limited hours) so interior is pretty basic, but I'm here for the food!

Delicious food, quick service, and nice ambiance. This place is a Silver Spring staple, check it out!

Mandalay delivers high quality food with a variety of dishes. Recently we ordered and picked up 7 dishes for our adult children, grandchildren and ourselves on a Friday night. The green papaya salad was excellent and a favorite. The pork noodle dish with the thick rice noodles are consistently good. We were able to order an excellent chicken dish that had a lot of vegetables. We also enjoyed a couple of shrimp dishes. The shrimp curry could have used a few more vegetables, but the sauce was great. A tofu dish was also great. Portions are enough for one persons, but are not particularly large. We have enjoyed eating food from this restaurant for more than five years, and have found it consistently excellent in a neighborhood full of excellent restaurant choices. If you like Thai and/or spicy Chinese food, you will enjoy this Burmese restaurant.

The food are just OK, but they have to update the menu. I ordered take out of 4 items, THEESONE HIN and TOFU SALAD in the menu cost $6.99, are charged $9.99, Pork potato Hin $12.99 charged $19.99, Spring roll, $5.49, was $8.99, carry out fee? $1.00, non cash adj $1.50? Overall, I paid $19.00 over the menu for lunch. I know the lockdown, Covid etc., has been hard on them, but we the customers are also hit hard by the same thing. At least, keep the price on the menu up to date , and stop cheating your customers!

Some of the most unique flavors you'll encounter in Silver Spring. And the food never disappoints. Well, rarely...there was one noodle dish with vatana beans that featured a very weird texture, but I had an inkling that I was wading into dangerous territory with that one. I digress, the other food is excellent. A couple of my favorites are the Mandalay tofu and fermented green tea salad. The salad reminded me of my first time trying kombucha; the first bite took me strongly aback. The second caused me to reconsider. The third, I started to like it. The fourth, I was hooked. One warning though - try to avoid stepping inside, if you can help it. It's perfect for delivery. I ate inside of the place four or five years ago and it was fine, fairly nice. But right now, their seats are closed, seemingly for renovations. And the energy in there is often weird, borderline surreal. Other than that, it's a great find!

A monthly staple for take out when we don't want to cook. I encourage you to get a few different items every time. Spring rolls are nice and crispy. When they say spicy they mean it.

First time visiting this restaurant and trying Burmese food. We were a fairly large group, so I was able to try a number of different dishes. Highlights: Squash fritters Burmese samosas Beef and potato curry A ginger salad So many different flavors and textures. The only thing I didn't care for was the chicken and bamboo dish. Service was quite slow so that's why it's four rather than five stars for me

Burmese food has a special place in my heart. I've eaten quite a bit of amazing Burmese in the North Bay. Finding Mandalay in Silver Spring was like finding a little comfort from some usual tastes I left behind. In general Burmese food works with fresh ingredients and lots of vegetables, also blending in influence from Chinese, Thai, and Indian dishes. So you get an incredibly flavorful tea leaf salad, made with fermented tea leafs, cabbage, tomatoes, garlic and peas (note: specify for vegan sauce), alongside curry dishes, or fried dishes. I'm always thankful when a menu clearly delineates the dishes that weren't made with animals. The menu has an extensive veggie dish section, and additional vegan items are in the appetizer and chef's special sections as well. Make sure to specify "vegan". If I understand correctly, some "vegetarian" dishes use fish sauce. If you veganize it, they swap for vegan sauce. A typical order for us would look something like: + Vegan Tea Leaf Salad + KaYannThee gyaw (eggplant fritters) - who needs fries when you can have huge eggplant fries, dipped in sweet/sour sauce? + PePyoke KyetThun Gyaw - yellow beans stir-fried with onions. This one is so creamy and smooth. Pro tip: amazing as leftovers too. + Recommendation** + Sticky rice with brown sugar & coconut dessert ** We typically take 1 recommendation. This was true when we were going in person, and now that we're doing pickup. Has not failed me yet. It's family operated, and the gentleman that has always helped us has yet to fail us. Some other thoughts: + Always friendly + Is currently doing takeout during covid + For post-covid times: they serve alcohol I'm looking forward to coming back in person. Actually had my birthday at Mandalay with my parents in the beginning of 2020 (aka a lifetime ago). For now, their takeout is top notch.

I can't say it's without drawbacks. The space is pretty dated, though my understanding is that this restaurant may be moving to a new location nearby soon. It irks me that you can't order their little fried appetizers in quantities of less than four (a position they have been inconsistent on over the years). And I do wonder why they don't offer the "chickpea tofu" unique to the region. But I keep coming back over the years, because the food is invariably incredible. And I'm all about the food. You get a little bit of that salty spicy vibe with soy products that one expects from Chinese food, the wide rice noodles and coconut-based curries of Thai, the emphasis on fresh salads and garnishes of Vietnamese, and the beans and bean fritters one expects of Indian. But the combination is quite unique, and the spices they use ineffable. They offer many dishes mild-medium-hot, but here, those three categories are quite distinctive. Medium is a noticeable burn that will satisfy most. Hot, as was the case with my latest Mandalay Tofu, will have you looking at your dish in double take fashion wondering what you did to make it angry. Their entrees are great, their appetizers are great, but since they've now opened a salad bowl restaurant spinoff, I am now compelled to try the salads here as well, which are some of the most flavorful I've ever had. The place is a family business, and tends to have a lot of people stably working there who know the menu. They offer plenty of vegetarian options, and while some of their salad dressings and such do have fish sauce, they will ask proactively about fish and allergy concerns. Notably, another Burmese place opened up recently that didn't have as good looking vegetarian stuff, so I'm sticking with the old fave here. I do end up spending more here than I would at an ordinary Asian restaurant, but I am not questioning the results.

Delicious! DO order out & support this amazing family owned restaurant in downtown silver spring which has been facing economic challenges since the pandemic. They don't currently offer sit down service. I had the eggplants cilantro with jasmine rice--delicious spice and heat, eggplant cooked perfectly. If you're not a spice-magnet I recommend ordering "mild", medium spice was already pretty hot for me. I definitely will be ordering again and bringing the family

Friendliest family-owned business with delicious Burmese food!! Plenty of vegan and vegetarian options as well. Their restaurant has hosted many celebrations and dinner dates over the years, I'm so happy they were able to reopen after COVID derailed so many small businesses. They are currently only doing take out, as noted in their social media accounts, but that may change. I've never had any issues ordering over the phone or on the apps. I've always had great service calling to ask questions ahead of visiting in person. I'm happy to support this business as they navigate an ongoing pandemic with the health and safety of both their staff and customers in mind.

I just want to say, raise the roof because it's on fire. Actually the roof of my mouth was on fire but in the best way possible. This restaurant definitely challenged my spice tolerance even though I tend to prefer spicier dishes. We ordered the V10 which was "PePyar NgaYoteThee Hin" and another tofu lunch special that I can't remember the name of with a full spice component. I won't try to pronounce the former but it was a lightly fried tofu curry with asian hot pepper. The spice level definitely cleared my nasal passage so I'd skip the nyquil and come here if I were stuffed up or had a cold. The two tofu items were pretty similar in my opinion; mainly the texture of the tofu distinguished them but they were both very tasty. Next time if we're sharing items, I'd like to balance a spicy curry with one of the curries that has coconut milk as the base or a noodle dish. That being said there's a huge vegetarian menu and other extensive options. It was also pretty bumping on a Sunday while the surrounding restaurants weren't as busy. The prices are a bit steep but the food is enjoyable. We also had leftovers which is always a win. The salads look very unique so I'd like to try one of them next time. I never order salads anywhere because they're usually overpriced for something I could make at home but Mandalay seems to have exotic ingredients that probably tastes awesome. Bonus points for the geography lesson in helping us learn about the location of Burma :).

Delicious, family friendly and also a good date spot when they had dine in. Don't look for frills, but at the price, portion size, familiar service, who need it? As a D.C. area native, this is hands down my favorite place to eat and I'm so glad they've reopened.

For years I have ordered here and have devoured the tofu pinsane. I was elated that they reopened and finally got to order it today. Big change and not for the best. The dish is extremely oily. The tomato curry passata is submerged in an inch of oil and the flavor is missing as well. Inedible to be honest. Sad development.

My visit to Mandalay Restaurant and Cafe was my first foray into Burmese cuisine. By virtue of where Myanmar is located, specifically bordered by China, Bangladesh, Laos, and Thailand, it is no wonder the food is at once similar to diners yet surprisingly diverse with the flavors and textures. After 500+ reviews, there isn't much to add, except to say that while this place is starting to show its age with a somewhat dull nondescript interior, matted carpeting, and that thin film on tables resulting from years of built up wax, the Mandalay serves up really delicious food at reasonable prices. If possible, I would suggest visiting on either Sunday or Thursdays...why? Because that's when the kitchen cranks out their Burmese specials (https://www.mandalayrestaurantcafe.com/our-specials). I was there on a Sunday so we were lucky enough to order the DanPauk, which is basmati rice served with two pieces of chicken (dark meat) with a traditional spiced onion curry. The server mentioned that the chicken had been stewing for several hours so it was fork tender. I have to agree with the server's assessment, since the chicken was indeed "melt in your mouth" juicy and was well spiced, with not too much salt. Also like how the sauce was not too overpowering with the curry seasoning, and the onions were caramelized nicely. Also ordered the Nyat KaukSwe Gyaw which is flat rice noodles stir-fried with pork (or chicken), bean sprouts, lettuce, ground peanuts and topped with egg. The Thai influences are evident here as it reminded me of a less spicy Pad See Eew, but I think I like this dish better. The noodle dish had that sweet/salty umami taste that I so enjoy. Slight detraction in that the noodles were a bit too greasy. I always love finding family run "mom and pop" places like Mandalay, so I'm sure if I'm in downtown Silver Spring, I'll be stopping in again.

Delicious!!! I've never had Burmese food in this area but was so pleasantly surprised by all there is to offer here. I tried their Let Phet Thoke (Green Tealeaf Salad), Nyat KaukSwe Gyaw, PePyar NgaYoteThee Hin, and Shewji. Let's go through them one by one: - Let Phet Thoke (Green Tealeaf Salad): I've had green Tealeaf salad for the first time in San Francisco last year and was obsessed so I was dying to get that here. To be honest, it wasn't as good as the one I had in SF but still enjoyable. However, there is a slight bitter taste that I think not everyone can get used to. Did make me feel very healthy though which always makes me happy. - Nyat KaukSwe Gyaw w/ pork: my boyfriend and I are both Asian and have had our fair share of noodles (he is actually scarily obsessed with noodles) yet both of us agreed that this is our favorite wide-noodle dish... seriously, it's that good. Try it. - PePyar NgaYoteThee Hin: my boyfriend and I love spicy food and we have a fairly high tolerance for spice but MAN this thing is on FIRE. No joke, hands down the spiciest tofu dish we have ever had. We couldn't even finish it and ended up bringing it back to dilute with other food... and it was STILL super spicy. Don't get me wrong though, this dish was delicious and super flavorful so I guess we enjoyed the pain. - Shewji: yummy dessert! Not much to say here for me because I don't think it's anything special but it was definitely good. Overall, a great experience and so glad to have found a good Burmese restaurant in the area. The family that runs the place is also very nice and friendly. I love the warm and inviting vibe there. Even though we don't get to go to Silver Spring often, I'm definitely looking forward to the next time we can hit up the restaurant again and try out more menu items because I'm sure they won't disappoint.

To be honest, I expected more from the food (given the previous reviews). We started off with tealeaf and papaya salad. The tealeaf salad lacked flavor ! I was surprised as it is usually very strong in flavor. The papaya salad however was very well done We also ordered the samosas and the fritters. The samosas themselves were okay, but the sauce that came with them was great. Fritters were interesting and might be worth a try. The group ordered several dishes, varying mild, medium, and spicy. The levels of spices did not always match the order. The mango chicken did not have a mango flavor. The thick flat pasta (sorry forgot the name) was nothing to mémorable. The service was good. One good thing not to forget is that they have beer, wine and cocktails. A good treat that you can't always find in restaurants like this one.