Everyday dim sum & spicy Sichuan fare with a few twists are served in a simple, cheerful setting.
Hours
| Friday | 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5:30–9 PM |
| Saturday | 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5:30–9 PM |
| Sunday | 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5:30–9 PM |
| Monday | 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5:30–9 PM |
| Tuesday | 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5:30–9 PM |
| Wednesday | 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5:30–9 PM |
| Thursday | 11:30 AM–2 PM, 5:30–9 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 4416 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94114
Phone: (415) 626-4416
Website: http://mamajissf.com/
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Dinner Menu | Mama Ji’s
Artisanal hand-made ravioli, filled with a blend of cheeses in a basil pesto sauce. $6.50. Hand-made ravioli. Tofu skewers.
Mama Ji’s 4416 18th Street – Order pickup and delivery
Mama Ji’s. 4416 18th Street, San Francisco, CA 94114, USAOnline ordering hours: 5:30 PM – 9:10 PM.
Reviews
Keith O’Herrin
Classic chinese dishes but done really well. A few elevated dishes you dont normally see. A table of 9 coworkers really enjoyed almost everything we ordered. Good veg and tofu options. Meat eaters enjoyed themselves too
… moreR M
I haven’t visited Mama Jis in some time but gee Mama Jis you must have left the building . What happened? This place used to serve up tons of good Chinese dishes but my experience was everything but. The authenticity of the dishes wasn’t there and I don’t think that anybody was doing quality control in the kitchen. Every dish show cased lots of bell pepper, onion and too much garlic. Even the simple stuff, aka the rice was off. It was dry and under cooked. The greens with garlic was almost the highlight. Whereas the lotus root was drowned in a garlic chilli sauce, not a bad idea but the garlic overpowered the chili and it kinda resemble a hot mess. The cumin lamb featured more bell pepper than lamb and tasted almost the same as the Wowo Tou besides the hint of cumin. Bummer as there aren’t tons of Chinese restaurants in the Castro to start with. Oh well let’s just hope that Mama Jis finds her way back from her stroll.
… moreMaui World Travelers
Dim sum before 10am? Sure!
Sadly, our visit had to come to an end. The big decision of the day for me was naturally where to eat! A few restaurant names were thrown at us from our local friend. Our only restrictions were that it had to be close to our hotel, and we needed to be finished by 12 noon in order to head to SFO. The name Mama Ji’s was mentioned, so I hopped online to check out their pics and menu. I was a little turned off by what I saw, but you know what? I’m glad we tried them.
ATMOSPHERE:
The simple eatery is in the middle of a residential area in the Castro, with regular table seating and a few outdoor sidewalk seats. It’s not a traditional Chinese restaurant by any means. No gaudy chandeliers, no big floor vases, not a big dining room at all. Quaint, simple and clean.
Because we came in on a Sunday morning just before 10am, we were the only ones in there. By the time we left an hour later, the place was jam packed!
MENU:
Dim sum items though no cart, dumplings, rice rolls, steamed buns, noodles, soups,vegetable dishes, chicken/pork/beef dishes, dessert, teas, wine, beer.
A nicely printed order paper inside the menus are used to mark down your items.
FOOD:
Pan Fried Pot Sticker
Though they’re listed under the deep fried category on the menu, they we actually steamed and pan fried the traditional way. The 3 gyoza were on the larger size, stuffed plump with pork and shrimp, and were nicely finished with crisp bottoms. Went perfect with the bottle of dark vinegar on the table.
Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms
3 big mushrooms caps were stuffed with a heaping shrimp mixture and sat in a pool of a mildly sweet & savory sauce. Nice and light.
Pork Shumai
One of my favorite dim sum items were tasty as expected here. The 4 pieces of pork mixture encased in a won tun shell were nicely steamed and flavorful.
Noodle with Chili Bean Paste
Yowza, this was absolutely orgasmic! The noodles were a thick chow mein style, simply boiled, then topped in a thick, brown chili bean paste gravy that consisted of ground pork, frozen peas and carrots, garlic, and jalapeños. Maximum savoriness and extremely delicious, and not spicy. Highly, highly recommended.
Shanghai Dumplings
These 3 little dumplings sat in mini baking aluminum pans that were steamed with a pork mixture and were very juicy when biting into them. Be mindful of geyser-like squirts lol!
BBQ Pork Rice Roll
Similar to a look funn dish, or what I refer to as Chinese burritos. The big rice rolls were stuffed with char siu and bits of cilantro (yuck for me), steamed, sliced, and covered in a thin, savory brown sauce. Delish!!!!
Steamed Golden Lava Buns
The only disappointment of our meal, IMO anyway. I’m a fan of Chinese custard tarts, but because they weren’t available, we thought we’d try this as the menu lists it as “flowy egg custard”. I knew they weren’t tarts but knew I’d get that custard flavor that I love. What came were 3 white steamed buns with a yellow dot marked on the top. Tore off a piece, and this thick yellow liquid poured out. It would’ve been good but the liquid custard was super gritty like unbaked custard. Yuck. Pass!
SERVICE:
The female worker who was possibly the owner was friendly, and food service was quick.
OVERALL:
Nice menu, tasty food, good prices.
… moreSadly, our visit had to come to an end. The big decision of the day for me was naturally where to eat! A few restaurant names were thrown at us from our local friend. Our only restrictions were that it had to be close to our hotel, and we needed to be finished by 12 noon in order to head to SFO. The name Mama Ji’s was mentioned, so I hopped online to check out their pics and menu. I was a little turned off by what I saw, but you know what? I’m glad we tried them.
ATMOSPHERE:
The simple eatery is in the middle of a residential area in the Castro, with regular table seating and a few outdoor sidewalk seats. It’s not a traditional Chinese restaurant by any means. No gaudy chandeliers, no big floor vases, not a big dining room at all. Quaint, simple and clean.
Because we came in on a Sunday morning just before 10am, we were the only ones in there. By the time we left an hour later, the place was jam packed!
MENU:
Dim sum items though no cart, dumplings, rice rolls, steamed buns, noodles, soups,vegetable dishes, chicken/pork/beef dishes, dessert, teas, wine, beer.
A nicely printed order paper inside the menus are used to mark down your items.
FOOD:
Pan Fried Pot Sticker
Though they’re listed under the deep fried category on the menu, they we actually steamed and pan fried the traditional way. The 3 gyoza were on the larger size, stuffed plump with pork and shrimp, and were nicely finished with crisp bottoms. Went perfect with the bottle of dark vinegar on the table.
Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms
3 big mushrooms caps were stuffed with a heaping shrimp mixture and sat in a pool of a mildly sweet & savory sauce. Nice and light.
Pork Shumai
One of my favorite dim sum items were tasty as expected here. The 4 pieces of pork mixture encased in a won tun shell were nicely steamed and flavorful.
Noodle with Chili Bean Paste
Yowza, this was absolutely orgasmic! The noodles were a thick chow mein style, simply boiled, then topped in a thick, brown chili bean paste gravy that consisted of ground pork, frozen peas and carrots, garlic, and jalapeños. Maximum savoriness and extremely delicious, and not spicy. Highly, highly recommended.
Shanghai Dumplings
These 3 little dumplings sat in mini baking aluminum pans that were steamed with a pork mixture and were very juicy when biting into them. Be mindful of geyser-like squirts lol!
BBQ Pork Rice Roll
Similar to a look funn dish, or what I refer to as Chinese burritos. The big rice rolls were stuffed with char siu and bits of cilantro (yuck for me), steamed, sliced, and covered in a thin, savory brown sauce. Delish!!!!
Steamed Golden Lava Buns
The only disappointment of our meal, IMO anyway. I’m a fan of Chinese custard tarts, but because they weren’t available, we thought we’d try this as the menu lists it as “flowy egg custard”. I knew they weren’t tarts but knew I’d get that custard flavor that I love. What came were 3 white steamed buns with a yellow dot marked on the top. Tore off a piece, and this thick yellow liquid poured out. It would’ve been good but the liquid custard was super gritty like unbaked custard. Yuck. Pass!
SERVICE:
The female worker who was possibly the owner was friendly, and food service was quick.
OVERALL:
Nice menu, tasty food, good prices.
Zohaib Patoli
Food so good I forgot to take the picture before eating! When I tell you this is the ideal hole in the wall Chinese comfort spot!!! From the cucumber salad to the Shanghai dumpling, best things for sure was the szechuan beef & chicken chow mein
… moreA F
Every dish was amazing!! Easy to pick up take out and good portions per serving. The triple C tofu, ants climbing trees, and sweet and sour pork were highlights! Comes with some hot sauce and soy sauce for take out.
… moreSergio Gomez
Recommended by locals, Mama Ji’s is a great choice for casual chinese delicious food. We had the garlic spareribs and the wowotou (steamed corn buns with pork and veggies) very tasty! Friendly, good energy service that will make you go back!
… moreYing Zhang
I’ve been here many times with friends. It’s a great spot to have a cozy casual meal. The staff is always sweet to me, specially the lady waitress (maybe she is the mama ji?!).
They specialize in northern style chinese cooking. Many of the dishes carry a lot of heat with the chillies and spices. My favorite dish here is the cumin lamb. The cumin lamb is superb! The lamb is tender and juicy. The entire dish is very fragrant because of the cumin and chillies. Other dishes I enjoy here include the eggplant, dry fried green beans, and the bang bang chicken appetizer.
Give this place a shot if you’re craving spicy Chinese food!
… moreThey specialize in northern style chinese cooking. Many of the dishes carry a lot of heat with the chillies and spices. My favorite dish here is the cumin lamb. The cumin lamb is superb! The lamb is tender and juicy. The entire dish is very fragrant because of the cumin and chillies. Other dishes I enjoy here include the eggplant, dry fried green beans, and the bang bang chicken appetizer.
Give this place a shot if you’re craving spicy Chinese food!
Veronica Miller
I had a fantastic meal at Mama Ji’s. The flavors were incredible, and everything was cooked to perfection. I tried the lamb curry, and it was tender and full of flavor. The service was attentive, and the ambiance was perfect for a casual dinner. Highly recommend it!
… moreLeszek Moniuszko
Are you a fan of Chinese food? Mama Ji’s will make you very satisfied!
Their staff is very friendly and attentive. They are happy to help you if you not sure of choice
Food is delicious and takes you on a journey to Far East. Each dish is better than the other. Great place to go with group of friends and try different menu options.
Hangover? Mama Ji’s homey food is definitely your remedy.
Definitely will come back when in SF!
… moreTheir staff is very friendly and attentive. They are happy to help you if you not sure of choice
Food is delicious and takes you on a journey to Far East. Each dish is better than the other. Great place to go with group of friends and try different menu options.
Hangover? Mama Ji’s homey food is definitely your remedy.
Definitely will come back when in SF!
Patrick Karen McLain
We received a warm welcome upon entering Mama Ji’s. There were many vegan and vegetarian options to choose from. We ordered two of the specials for that night. The first, a braised tofu stir fry with garlic shoots, wood mushrooms, green onion, red peppers, and garlic. It was fresh and delicious. The next dish was Wo Wo Tou, which we ordered with tofu. The cornbread steamed buns were delicious and filled with a delicious mixture of finely diced tofu and vegetables. The savory flavor was like nothing I’ve ever tasted before and so very delicious! The service was excellent, friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive. This was by far the most flavorful Chinese food we ever eaten. We don’t live in San Francisco, but visit often. We will certainly be back. Thank you for a wonderful meal!
… more