The owner is a trained chef. He uses recipes and gets inspiration from his mother -- hence the name of the cart. I sampled some kalua pig here, served with bok choy. Everything was properly cooked. The bok choy kept its crunch against the juicy/tender pork. People have constantly praised the lollipop chicken wings. The meat is pushed up, so there is a bony "handle" to hold. I highly recommend getting the wings with the sweet/savory glaze. While Jeff does rice bowls with the wings, many regulars have opted to get the garlic noodles instead of the rice. The noodles are similar to a yaki soba noodle and are extremely garlicky. The panda enjoys garlic to ward off any vampires that may chase him for food in the middle of the night. A noodle bowl with the wings will run about $8 and comes in a nice plastic container. It's a deceivingly filling meal that may turn people into fluffy food coma creatures. I've heard great comments about Jeff's wonton soup. His mother's wontons are a neighborhood hit back home and provided the final inspiration for the food cart. Excellent cart. Definitely worth stopping at if in downtown Portland! read more

Delicious pork/shrimp wontons and kalua pork w/garlic noodles. Tip: you can add noodles to the wontons. I just moved LA to PDX three months ago and I grew up in San Gabriel (where all the Chinese live in LA). These wontons are fresh, has great flavor and comes bathed in a light but savory broth. They're better than any I've tried in restos on 82nd and it definitely cured my homesickness for LA. read more

This is definitely one of the better food carts I've been to in Portland. I had a hankering for some Chinese food today during the lunch times, so I gave Mama Chow's a shot. The cart itself is very cute. I loved the art on the sign, and the aesthetic definitely drew me in. I had already decided I was going to order food here, but if I were just walking by and I looked up at the sign, it would have made me stop and look at the menu, which would have made me order delicious food. I decided to get the special for today, which was a spicy pork with silken tofu. The pork was a very tender (to the point of falling apart) pork shoulder. I think that the pork itself had a Korean-style sauce; unfortunately, I forget the specifics. But it was damn tasty. Tossed amongst the pork were large pieces of an extremely flavorful silken tofu. I've only had tofu as flavorful as this a handful of times. Baby bok choy was also present, and had a very pleasant spice to it. They tasted... mustardy. It was like bok choy got together with mustard greens and had a baby. They were great. It may be a special now, but the cart's owner proudly proclaimed that it would likely make its way onto the regular menu come autumn, since that delicious silken tofu is a great cold-weather comfort food. I will most definitely be back to try those oft-mentioned lollipop wings. read more

This place is awesome! Fresh food with great taste! Also Jeff the owner may share some of Portlands secrets if you invite him to get some VSOP :) read more

Mama Chow's Kitchen - Finally made it to Mama Chows - Food Trucks Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Omg! The beat garlic noodles!!! And great service. Just FYI, it gets sold out fast so be there before 2.

Tried the wonton soup, and it's the best wonton soup I have ever had. Don't be afraid to dress it up with the various condiments to the side of the cart, including the hot sauce, though honestly those juicy wontons are also great without the extra toppings. Garlic noodles sounds simple, but these are addictive and you will eat it all, believe me. Swap it out for the rice, and do not leave without getting the lollipop chicken with the tender meat inside and crisped skin from the honey soy garlic glaze on the outside. read more

See all

Mama Chow's hella rules. Yes, I said hella, and yes I am from the Bay Area, but so is Jeff, the cart owner. But I did not know that the day I first tried the BEST WON TONS I HAVE EVER EATEN. It was an added bonus that we're Oakland ex-pats. I've been to the cart 4 times and have ordered the won ton soup each time (twice with noodles, and twice without) and the soup is AMAZING. You get the choice of chicken or pork & shrimp won tons (I like the pork & shrimp). The portion is generous, and comes with about 4 or 5 heads of baby bok choy in the broth for $7. My co-workers have worked their way through the menu and loved everything, but I am loyal to my won tons. Why mess with perfection? read more

eaten my way through the entire menu, amazingly good. Portions look small until you start eating and it fills you up perfectly (not to much not to little). my only issue is no vegetarian options listed, however I am sure accommodations would be made, since Jeff is friendliest cart owner I have met. definitely recommend going! read more

We've been searching for a great Asian food experience since arriving in PDX three months ago. We've also been trolling the food carts looking for real gems. Mama Chow's Kitchen ticks both boxes in a big, big way! The wings are simply phenomenal. I love wings. I get them at all kinds of places. These are as good as any I have ever had. Big, meaty, sweet-spicy-salty deliciousness. Served on a big bed of rice with succulent Bok Choy, it is a perfect meal. We also had the WonTon Soup (pork and shrimp) and it is the kind if thing you are just simply going to crave and crave. Throw into this a wonderful friendly atmosphere and you cannot lose. We will be back often! read more

Mama Chow's Kitchen - Wings and Wonton Soup - Food Trucks Near Me - Portland, Oregon

GARLIC LOVERS!! This is your chance to visit one of the best tasting garlic noodles you will ever have the chance of waiting in line for! I don't know what godly ingredients Jeff and his team put into Mama Chow's delicious garlic noodles and tender chicken wings, but the combination ($9) is absolutely one of my favorite meals on this planet. Though the noodles' oiliness certainly makes the dish not something you want to have every day, it is undeniably delicious and with the optional extras like dried garlic or shallots or chili sauce, it takes a whole lot of willpower to put down your chopsticks once you have your first bite. The dish, as with many others on the menu, comes with a very important serving of boiled vegetables - it helps reduce the guilt. So thanks, Jeff. Thank you for repping the Bay Area and making your incredibly delicious Chinese food. Portland needs you. read more

I guess they don't need another 5 star review but well I had to write to express my pleasant experience eating their lollipop fried chicken. It was perfectly fried with a good amount of spices and flavour. Their wonton soup was really nice as well. The texture of the wonton was nicely chewy and the broth was well seasoned and flavourful. Their garlic noodle was a bit disappointing tho as the noodle was a bit disgusting but the sauce was delicious. read more

+ Lollipop chicken + Cute design of the cart + Super friendly owner/chef - I guess they run out of food so we didn't get a chance to try the garlic noodles - limited items on the menu but what's there is good read more

I was eager to try this place out because so many people rated five on yelp. Im a huge fan of anything garlic, so I was excited. 3star means the price meets the quality/ taste of the food. I would say I rounded up slightly, as I would rather spend that money for a great pho. I tried the soy-garlic chicken and chicken dumplings both with garlic noodle. Although I liked the flavor of the noodles and the bokchoy really refreshened the dishes, the flavor or wings and dumplings were not entirely pleasant- the after taste of both reminded me of.. Burning rubber? Old wet shoes? It's the best i can describe, and it could be my personal opinion on not liking the flavors but it tasted like that for me. They also forgot my diet coke. read more

Visit Jeff at Mama Chow's Kitchen for some Marvelous food. I had some amazing chicken lollypops(wings) and a delicious heartwarming bowl of wonton soup on a cold rainy day, filled with light pillows of tasty pork and shrimp wontons floating in a pool of hot chicken broth, with tasty bok choy. Can't wait to go back and try the garlic noodles, the smelled was incredible coming from the open window of the cart. Mama Chows is in a small parking lot with just a few other food carts spread out on SW 2 Ave between SW Stark and SW Oak Ave read more

Mama Chow's Kitchen - close up of a side of wings - Food Trucks Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Portland's best kept secret, although Mama Chow's is no longer a secret with the increasing longer lines at lunch and many sold out items by 2pm if not earlier. Jeff and his staff are all so freaking awesome and offer the best customer service, which is such a treat these days! I got all of my coworkers hooked on Mama Chows! A coworkers birthday was today and we let The Mama Chow crew know we were spending it with them. They hooked her up with Franz cupcakes and a free lunch comp next visit. They are the BOMB!!! I recommend the succulent lollipop chicken wings over the flavorful garlic noodles. And that baby bok choy, whhaaattt! read more

I had the wonton soup with chicken wontons and a side order of chicken dumplings. I thought these would be appetizer portions but each item was definitely a full entree portion. I LOVE dumplings so it was worth it. The friend chicken dumplings were on a bed of veggies so it has a "balanced" meal. Highly recommend if you like dumplings. But FYI the wontons in the wonton soup are the same as the fried dumplings, just cooked differently. read more

This joint is just the best. You aren't going to find a more friendly guy in town that serves better Asian food. I've been hollering at this cart since it opened, and never once did I not love every, single bite. I've had Jeff's wings, noodles, wontons, and today I just tried his special dumplings for Portland Dumpling Week. EVERYTHING is the shiznit. He really cares about all his customers, and straight up serving the best food he can. It really shows. My only hope is that Mama Chow's gets into a brick and morton location soon so I can go and get a fly buzz and eat and eat and eat and eat foreverrrrrrrrrr. I can't remember his staff member's name, but she too is crazy cool. YOU GUYS RULE!!! Keep up the great work!!!!! THIS IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS!!!!!!!!!!!! read more

I love this. Street food wise this is pretty good. The owners peep through a window shaped like a little house as if you were in Mama Chow's Kitchen. They were really nice and remembered our names when we left. The chicken obviously sold out quick because by the time we got there they didn't have anymore so we settled with the pork and garlic noodles. The garlic noodles and pork mixed together is really really good. The flavors leaves you wanting more. read more

Mama Chow's Kitchen - Food Trucks Near Me - Portland, Oregon

See all

We arrived to Mama Chow's for a late lunch, and unfortunately Jeff was basically sold out, but luckily for us, he had just enough chicken wings for two orders which he expertly prepared. The combination of soy and garlic with a hint of sweetness really balanced the flavors and the crispiness of the wings added a nice textures. The wings came with a side of Chinese vegetables (choy sum was the fresh pick of the day) over a bed of Jasmine rice. $8 for the bowl which is a little pricey for a food truck, but the value is there with the amount of food that you get. Like many other reviewers noted, Jeff's hospitality and friendliness really put eating at his truck a true dining experience. Jeff offered us fresh chilled lychee while we waited, and he even gave us a side of Kalua pork because he felt bad that he had run out of food...seriously?! What an amazing gesture! Monday-Friday, lunch only. Enjoy! read more

This is one of the best food trucks that I have found! My husband and I shared the Lollipop chicken & Garlic noodles. I loved both especially the garlic noodles. So many wonderful flavors. This staff was friendly and helpful. Super comfortable to chat with. read more

Wow...pretty impressive little place. Love their small focused menu. Got the lollipop chicken over garlic noodles, and it delivered! Great flavors. Super filling. read more

Mama Chow's Kitchen - Food Trucks Near Me - Portland, Oregon

See all

Crazy delicious!!! Now I'll be craving lollipop chicken all weekend Go early because they sell out fast read more

Mix and match the offerings and have lollipop chicken with the garlic noodles. So delicious with very generous servings. Love the crispness of the noodles and couldn't stop eating till I finished every last bit of the meal. My second favorite meal in Portland. read more

Mama Chow's Kitchen - Food Trucks Near Me - Portland, Oregon

See all

This was the perfect food for our waterfront picnic. My daughter absolutely loved the garlic noodles!

Food cart newbie starting to explore and stumbled onto a winner right out of the gate. The delicious smell radiating from their log cabin inspired, perfectly designed food cart immediately draws you in. Their menu is simple cemented with their signature items they have perfected and spiced up with a few seasonal switch-ups. Service is fast and friendly. Everything is on point here, down to every last detail. I'm currently spoiling my tastebuds with the kahlua pork over garlic noodles that I ordered. It's amazing! All items ranging from $7-$9, right on point with other carts in same location offering similar quality of ingredients. I'll be back for sure and hopefully will see you all there as I highly recommend this place. read more

Mama Chow's Kitchen - Kahlua pork over garlic noodles. Outstanding!!! #mamachowskitchen - Food Trucks Near Me - Portland, Oregon

No surprise based on the reviews, but this place is delicious. I love dumplings and will eat them at all opportunities - these chicken dumplings were really awesome. Thin skinned, steamed through and seared on the outside. A nice texture even when I got them back to the office. The chicken inside was tender and garlicky, some of the best I've had in Portland (most have too much cabbage and are too thick skinned). I upgraded and got the dumplings over the garlic noodles. Very good call. The noodles had a great crust from the wok. The chili sauce on the side was a solid medium level, with a great smoky element from properly toasted chills. The onion relish on the side looked great, but I ate too fast to add it. read more

Mama Chow's is one of the best food carts in all of Portland (in my opinion). They feature a small but amazing menu, and offer kind and personable service. My week just isn't complete without Spicy Garlic Noodles & Chicken Lollipops. read more

I was in the mood for chinese, and found this food cart during my stay in Portland. Menu is very small (it is a food cart..), but thats not really an issue. They're known for their lollipop wings and garlic noodles I believe, of which I had both for lunch. Really enjoyed my meal. I wish there were more wings (it came with white rice), but I had the garlic noodles (I asked for spicy) to help fill me up. Everything was made fresh, and remained fresh even though it took me 15 minutes to get back to the office. Really enjoyed my experience here. read more

Really good! Must try! The dumplings and sauce are amazing. We loved everything we tried.

Food trucks in Portland! I'm a fan. Great food. Had the lollipop chicken with garlic noodles. The noodles are awesome! The chicken was cooked just right and the bone was a handle to eat the meat. Delicious! Will definitely go back when in the area again. read more

Garlic noodles and lollipop wings were on point. Very friendly family style home cooking like the places im used to in Hawaii.

I can't get enough of Mama Chows!! They are definitely my favorite food cart hands down! You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. My personal favorite is the Lollipop Chicken Wings over Spicy Noodles. Everything is so delicious. The wings are nice and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The glaze on top is a perfect combination of salty and sweet. The garlic noodles are always so tasty too and kind of soak up the extra sauce from the wings. My girlfriend always orders the chicken dumplings over garlic noodles. The dipping sauce goes perfect with the dumplings and veggies. We come here at least once a week for lunch to eat and chat with Jeff and Georgia. Awesome people and great food!! read more

Mama Chow's Kitchen - Lollipop chicken wings over garlic noodles, chicken dumplings over garlic noodles, & wonton soup! - Food Trucks Near Me - Portland, Oregon

See all

I was really excited to try this place on a Saturday afternoon. Yelp said it was open at noon. Made a specific trip down to try it. Business was closed and was very disappointed. Finally got to try and was very impressed. Best wonton soup in Portland. read more

Super great people, nice about giving gluten free options, had the wings without the glaze and OMG!!! I am mad at myself for never having eaten here before! So much food for such a great prices and soooo delicious. I will be back! A lot! read more

Jeff Chow is a righteous dude serving some delicious Chinese inspired comfort food. Noodles that are chewy crispy and a garlicky spicy broth with Bok Choy. hand formed dumplings and wontons that are on point and chicken wings that are some of the best crispy delights in town. You can only go wrong if you don't make it in time before the Asian express runs out of steam or #yummies for the day! Jeff is not only a friend, but a great cook. We look forward to seeing what other amazing dishes he will turn out given a little more space to stretch those culinary muscles. read more

Still my favorite Portland food cart. I order either the wings or the dumplings over the garlic noodles and ALWAYS ask for a side of the dumpling sauce to dump over the noodles. Everyone working the cart is fantastic and the food is flavorful. Never any complaints. read more

I was searching for a new food cart to try downtown and I stumbled upon this little beauty. The pictures looked amazing online and it had great reviews so I thought it was a must try. Once I found the cart, I was told they were out of dumplings since it is Dumpling Week in PDX but they still offered me their chicken wings, garlic noodles and bok choy. The chef and (possibly owner?), Jeff, introduced himself and was super friendly! You can tell he truly cares about his customers! Once I was handed my meal, it looked and smelled so delicious! The taste of the food though was even better - great flavor in every bite. Also - go early! They are open M-F 11-3 but were already out of a lot of food when I arrived at 1:10. The guy behind me got a discounted bowl since it wouldn't be a full portion. Definitely worth it and a must try! Can't wait to go back and try their dumplings! Overall loved the food and loved the great customer service! read more

Their garlic noodles and lollipop wings are amazing! The wait time was around 20 minutes during lunch, but the explosion of flavor and super friendly staff completely made up for it. This is the type of place where I want to try everything on the menu and you actually can with the pricing! read more

I've been dreaming about the lollipop chicken and garlic noodles from here.. honestly, it's the best I have ever had and that's saying a lot because I'm from California where there's endless options for this type of cuisine. I might just have to go back to Portland for this!! read more

I trusted Yelp and ordered the lollipop wings and garlic noodles and was not disappointed. Great food at a good ($10) price. Walked down to the Pike Market about 2 blocks away, ordered a beer and enjoyed my meal. Very friendly owners as well. read more