I visited Mama Lee four years ago when I lived in Flushing, and I remembered it being an incredible mom-and-pop restaurant. After working in Seattle and moving back to New York City, I spent a while trying to find this restaurant again. It's just as good as I remembered! The food is amazing, and very reasonably priced. Mama Lee is in there, actively involved with the customers and ensuring people are satisfied with their meal. While we were waiting, Papa Lee brought out hot tea for us, and during our meal, Mama Lee additionally brought out a delicious cooler of iced tea, for free. We ordered salt and pepper fried chicken over rice ($10.50), and a Jia Jang Noodle with pork and tofu ($8.50). The portions were big - for $19, two people were fully fed, and we took some of the Jia Jang Noodle back home. Mama Lee told us all charges (including tax) were already incorporate with the menu price, but I insisted she keep the change. I encourage others to do the same - Mama and Papa Lee work incredibly hard to make sure their customers are fed and happy. read more

I wouldn't give this restaurant rave reviews like most of the ones listed here but I do think it's a decent choice for home cooked comfort food. (My mom, who has much higher standards for Chinese food than I do, said the food here was "passable" and would give it 3 stars). Lions Head Meatball (狮子头) (3/5) - this is an unpopular opinion but I don't think the meatballs here are that great. Though they are tender, they are a bit too bland for me. I still think Joe's Shanghai is the gold standard when it comes to Lion's Head. Braised Pork over Rice (卤肉饭) (5/5) - I really enjoyed the rich flavors of this dish. I had it after a long day of working on my feet and it was the perfect comfort food. Salt and pepper chicken (盐酥鸡) (3/5) - the batter is very sweet - when I was reheating it on the stove it made the entire kitchen smell like funnel cakes! I'm ok with the sweetness but I wish the salt and pepper taste was more pronounced. Sliced beef with green chili (4.5/5) - not sure if this is on the menu or if she just made it because I requested it but I really liked this dish! The chili and onions were especially flavorful, though the beef was sliced a bit thick. Moderately spicy. All orders I've gotten came with rice and vegetable soup. Sometimes she discontinues things on the menu so I recommend calling ahead to order. I don't agree with reviewers who say that the food here is "not too oily" or "clean" - I think it's on par with many other Chinese restaurants, or, in other words, pretty darn oily. What really sets this place apart is Mama Lee's friendliness - she seems to genuinely want to meet all her customers and each time I visit she throws in something small for free like an extra serving of rice or a couple tea eggs. read more

My colleagues and I were at a summer company event at some swanky country club in Westchester just soaking in all the privileges. The servers were just bringing out our lunch when we decided to just get up and bail. We wanted a real lunch. We went to MamaLEE. Mama lee cares about you. She would ask you if you have enough rice. She makes sure you're happy and fed so you could be successful in life. Before I go, I would call her to make sure she still has the lion's head meatballs, which is probably the best Chinese dish on this side of the Atlantic. If I was lucky, she would say yes and I would just *gas it.* Needless to say, my colleagues were not disappointed. Every meal came with one giant bowl of pork bone soup that warmed our heart and soul. The noodle dishes, fish, and vegetables were all very homely and delicious. But make no mistake it is not a meal without the lion's head meatball. Have it with the purple rice to make it an extra treat. Every time I visit, it is a just a pleasant experience. One colleague of mine was from New Jersey. I didn't bother driving her back to the station after that. She forgave me though - because it was just that good. read more

A super solid Taiwanese joint where Mama Lee actually acts like your mother. Like I tried to keep ordering and she was like, no that's too much food. And I was like, it's cool, I'll take it home, and she said it was already enough for that. She was right because our leftovers were basically half or slightly more than half of all those dishes. On the dishes, the lion's head meatball might be the best I've had and the 3 cup chicken is up there too. The lion's head was crazy fluffy and just mashed so well into the rice. The chicken was crispy and you could really taste the play between the three cups of sauce. The egg pancake with preserved radish that the NYT waxed about is pretty interesting and a little smokey from the heat it was pan fried in. At the end, I told Mama L that I came here because my mom in the Bay Area sent me an article about it and she was like "why would she do that? they have great Taiwanese food there." She also said that I needed more rice with my leftovers and just gave me some. She then tried to give me more soup to take home (there's always free soup included) and I declined because I already had too much. Oh and tax and tip are included and she wouldn't let me tip her more. Shoutout to Mama Lee. read more

So I was taking my mom out on a "mother daughter date" and decided to go to Yelp for inspiration. Looked up restaurants and skimmed through reviews and decided to try this place out. I went there on a weekend around 7pm (they close at 8pm). It's kind of like a hole in the wall secret gem that you wouldn't normally notice from the outside especially since it's tucked away on a side street. I walked in and there was about 6 or 8 tables of 4 people each. I wasn't sure how the whole thing worked, no one really greeted me or told me anything so I decided to go to the counter and grab a menu. Eventually I figured out, it's first come first serve seating. Luckily for us, a couple and their kids were getting ready to leave. Tip: Don't bring more than 4 people. The waitress was really nice and since it was our first time we had some questions on how it was prepared and if it came with rice. Mama Lee was at the cashier counter and literally yelled across the place to answer the questions I was asking to the waitress. My first impression after that was a little confused and/or "why is she yelling?" or "why doesn't she let the waitress answer?" (or maybe the waitress is new and wouldn't know the answer so Mama was answering for her? IDK. Just caught me off guard, like she was eavesdropping on our whole ordering process. I felt like I was being yelled at by own mom for asking too many questions. Lol. ANYWAY, obviously that didn't ruin my whole experience or else why would I still give it a 4 star? We asked how the Taiwanese pork chop was prepared, if there was any gravy or if it was just dry/fried. We asked if it came with rice. FOOD: Mom and I had (1) Pork with dried bean curd and Chinese celery (2) "3 cups" chicken. It came with rice, we heard someone order "purple rice" so we decided to have a white rice and a purple rice. The white rice was a little hard but the purple rice was delicious! They also gave us complimentary bowl of chicken soup. I really liked the soup. It was a nice clear soup with carrots and other things, nice touch to my meal! They also gave us tea which I learned was made from corn.... Never heard of corn tea but it was really good! Dish 1 was delicious. My mom, the most pickest person in the world, loved it. It had really nice flavors, just that the Chinese celery had way too many strands. Dish 2 I thought was okay, mom didn't like it too much. She thought it was dry. SERVICE: Besides that whole first impression, everything else after that was awesome. The waitress kept coming back to ask if we wanted refill for our tea. Mama Lee kept coming around asking if we wanted more soup. We were probably asked at least 5 times by each of them. It just really shows they're very attentive to their customers! When we asked for the check, Mama Lee threw in 2 large oranges for us to bring home. The service was really great and I never had a hard time getting their attention. PRICE: So each of the dishes were around $16 each which I thought was pretty expensive. Mom's eyes widened when she saw the prices but I told her not to worry about it because I was taking her out and it's a new restaurant for us to try (and you already know how hard it is to get an Asian mom to try a NEW place, aka stubborn). Anyway, when I paid the bill I found out that the price includes tax and tips. I didn't have to add anything extra. So for our bill to be $32 and it includes everything, it's really not that bad.... read more

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What else can be said about Mama Lee that hasn't been said already? Great food. Even better service.

Mama Lee's meals are so authentic, I was convinced my mother was going to emerge from the kitchen at any minute, and ask me when I was going to get married. Down to the ceramic and silverware, everything about this meal is true, homey and authentic. Everything is to the T how my mother would have prepared dinner--right down to the starting soup they bring over prior to your meal. The Taiwanese Pork Chop over rice is exactly how it should be. The pork meat sauce typically served over the rice was one of the best I've ever had (even better than some I've had in Taiwanese households). We also ordered the sweet and sour fried fish which was also highly delicious, and authentic. The service is pretty non-existent and you might have difficulty exchanging any English dialogue, but I hope that does not deter you from having a meal here. Because just like how you brave the awkwardness of eating dinner at a friend's family's house when you were a kid--the reward of a delicious, unique, and authentic meal is totally worth it. If all this is not enough of a testament to this meal, my father who is super picky about Chinese food and always claims how nothing tastes right, destroyed all the dishes without uttering a word. That is a true testament of Mama Lee, and her cooking. And just like how I've kept around certain friends purely because of their mother's dinners--I will certainly be back at Mama Lee's. read more

If you want to feel like you're going home for dinner go to Mama Lee's. We arrived 5 minutes before their opening time and Mama Lee gladly opened the door for us. Even before we looked at the menu, she served us chicken soup (with an actual drumstick) because she said it was cold outside. WHO DOES THAT? Only your mom and Mama Lee would. We ordered the salt and pepper fried chicken and braised pork rice, which were two of my favorite dishes in Taipei and Mama Lee HIT THE SPOT. The portions were HUGE but Mama Lee was still worried we wouldn't have enough to eat so she gave us ANOTHER seaweed soup and another braised pork rice. Again, WHO DOES THAT? MAMA LEE WOULD. Mama Lee might be running this place solo with occasional help so be patient while you're there and drink the soup. It's good for you. read more

The food is great, if you can get it. The meatballs were my favorite, the fried chicken was my son's favorite. Be very careful about depending too much on this place. There are only about 6 small tables, and even that overwhelms this restaurant. Mama Lee actually started turning away other diners after about 4 of these tables were filled because she "ran out of dishes". A lot of people left disappointed. Assume that if you show up during prime dining hours there's a better than 50% chance that you won't be eating anytime soon. read more

The lions head meatball was nice. Great flavor perfectly cooked and great with rice. Thought it was pricey though $25 for 2 giant meatballs. The pork chop rice was alright. The lady was kind but super serve yourself kind of restaurant. read more

Beautiful & unassuming Mama Lees Walk into a faux-Chinese takeout place, get water from an office water cooler, and have authentic Taiwanese fare that will BLOW YOU AWAY Pork Chop over Purple Rice: Topped with a pork mince and a vinegary egg, this was DELICIOUS. Simple can be deceivingly good. The rice was sticky, the pork Chop juicy, crisp but not oily, pork mince added hearty texture and the egg was awesome. HUGE PORTION MEANS LEFTOVERS. REJOICE PEOPLE. AGAIN I SAY, REJOICE. Come to Bayside for a tasty, unassuming meal, Mama Lee will hook it up! Recommended: Pork Chop (Taiwanese Style) over Rice read more

Mama Lee - House soup - Chinese Near Me - Bayside, New York

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Mama Lee, a local favorite in Bayside, serves Taiwanese/Chinese food for lunch and dinner. It's a small mom (and pop?) shop with only a handful of seats. Fortunately, Mama Lee mastered efficiency and speed - without sacrificing customer service. I've only eaten here a couple of times and I've already received a complimentary small plate of lettuce and minced beef. Although its not a significant "freebie," it gives you an idea of the ambiance at Mama Lee's. I ordered the Taiwanese Chicken Roll ($6.00) for my appetizer. When it arrived, I was immediately taken aback by the ketchup on the plate. Traditional Taiwanese dishes don't typically come with American condiments. However, when I saw the beautiful golden brown roll, I disregarded the ketchup shenanigan. The roll looked absolutely gorgeous with its crisped shell and perfect tan. It looked so ravishing that I had to cut it open and take a bite. I expected whole pieces of chicken inside, but I was wrong. Mama Lee minced the chicken so well that it turned into a paste. Although the texture was unusual, it was tasty. Mama Lee even mixed crunchy vegetables in the paste so it wasn't just a monotone doughy consistency. The whole experience was pleasantly crispy, salty and juicy. I had the Chicken with Soy Sauce & Basil ($15.95) next. As the title goes, THIS is what "homemade" taste like. I was genuinely surprised by how attractive Mama Lee's dishes appeared (minus the next one). From my experience, mom and pop restaurants don't usually care about their food's visual presentation. However, Mama Lee seems to take her plating game seriously. The only thing Mama Lee takes more seriously is how this chicken dish tastes. Bottomline, it's damn delicious. The chicken was delectably tender with nicely crispened edges. None of the chicken pieces I had were dry. They were moist enough that I didn't have to grab my water to choke it down. The salty savory sauce was scrumptious and went so well with the minty peppery basil leaves. Although this dish contained red peppers, it wasn't spicy. All in all, the Chicken with Soy Sauce & Basil tasted refreshingly homemade - the ingredients made me feel clean and healthy. Lastly, I had the Pork with Baby Bamboo Shoot & Dry Bean Curd ($15.95). Although this dish tasted "homemade," it was rather tame in flavor. While the ingredients made me feel "clean and healthy," they didn't' cause my mouth to revel in any newfound happiness. The textural and flavoral intricacies that existed in the previous two dishes ceased to exist in this one. This dish was not bad per se, but it was average (and Curious Flavor is not here for average food). Mama Lee should use more fermented black beans to make it saltier to bring out the flavors. read more

Mama Lee - Check out my full review @ bit.ly/2xDOC4S - Chinese Near Me - Bayside, New York

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3.5 stars To start, mama lee's meatball dish is delicious. There's really no debate over that. That's a 5 star dish. You should come just to eat that. She serves you chicken soup while you wait and refills your rice whenever you want. The issue is the service. There are some negative reviews here about that and they're not wrong. You have to be in this mindset that you're going to your really annoying and condescending aunt's house for dinner. This is the kind of aunt that will tell you that you gained weight and you probably shouldn't eat that. Your aunt knows better than you. You roll your eyes and get through dinner. That's mama lee and she knows you better than you know yourself. Also, call before you go because she will close for random reasons, like she's away for vacation the entire month or she has allergies today, etc. read more

Update: great news! I just heard from another kind Yelper that Mama Lee is open again! EMERGENCY PLEASE READ!: (posted around 12/20/2018) Because Mama lee lost her chef very recently, she and her husband have been running the entire restaurant including all the cooking. This is so hard on her health that unless she finds another chef soon, she will be CLOSING THE RESTAURANT at the end of 2018! Please help her find a chef! The person does not need to be well trained. Just anyone who is honest, reliable, and is passionate about creating real food with integrity and not taking short cuts. Mama lee can teach how to cool all the dish read more

The lady was extremely sweet but I really did not enjoy the braised pork rice (lu rou fan) here. She gave me extra food and a large portion which could justify the high cost. I feel bad to say this, but I just feel like the taste is not authentic Taiwanese and possibly the worst rendition I've had. However the place seems to better known for the meatball or pork chop dishes. I will try those dishes next time and give it another shot. read more

It's funny this place is just down the street from me and this is the first chance I've had to stop by. The place fills up really fast or I just came at the right time. The owner is very kind and inviting. After reading several reviews I was super excited to try one of their fish dishes. Sadly she informed me they no longer serve fish and have a new menu. Options were basically pork or chicken. I stopped eating pork this year so I obviously went with chicken. The food was good but just a little on the oily side for me. I was really looking forward to try some fish. Honestly it was a good spot. I might try a few other things later. read more

Mama Lee is delicious, home cooked, grandma's kitchen food. Mama Lee is so sweet and she made you feel like you were home. She doesn't try to rush you to anything, gives her genuine opinion on what's good, treats her customers like family. I had the pleasure of eating here, and experiencing a grandma's kitchen type of Taiwanese food. As most yelpers recommended, I ordered three cup chicken. We also ordered five spice beef dish, and salt and pepper flounder. The three cup chicken was delicious and savory. The sauce was so perfect and was really in every bite. Although I'm not a huge fan of beef, mama Lee made the dish taste great! The sauce was really good an it's best to take each piece of meat with the sauce. Lastly, the salt and pepper fish was amazing!! I generally love fried fish and mama Lee did not disappoint my high expectations. If you're around the area, or even if you're not around, mama Lee's is a place you should definitely stop by. read more

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Mama Lee is so kind and very welcoming. She is a wonderful cook. I really enjoyed our visit there. A great little gem.

Excellent food Excellent service Service: 1 sweet, caring lady taking care of everyone. She's honest, advises me I ordered too much food & to cancel some. Feels like eating at home. Food: Everything we order was delicious and huge portions. We got the combo 3 dishes of choice + soup for $45. We picked spicy fish, 3 cup chicken and she recommended a green veggie dish. read more

Doreen L. suggested we come here for family dinner and at first I didn't really know what to expect. The place was a small parlor shop filled with people who love authentic Taiwanese cooking. Imagine folded tables and folded chairs and four family size spreads. It really reminds you of coming off the boat in the U.S. and getting your first furniture to hold you over. There was a bit of a wait and we were sure how they would fit 6 for tables that fit four. Luckily Mama Lee and the staff were super helpful and friendly rearranging the layout of the back area and adding extra chairs. The food is amazing! We ordered the giant Lions Head meatballs which were juicy and packed with flavor. The salted fried chicken which hit the spot and was nice and spicy. The pork bone soup which on a cold day was nice and hearty and fills your body with warm, it had big cuts of daikon and carrots and it was very much homecooking style and it came out quickly after we order which helped us rest after waiting. The flounder with wood ear mushrooms and onions was an excellent texture with a coat of starch based sauce. The string beans in mince pork was also very similar to home cooking that reminds me of how our mother used to cook. All in all, Mama Lee's delivers great Taiwanese and traditional Chinese dishes without fanfare that reminds you of the days when family means sitting down with your family in humble settings and just digging in on hearty comfort foods. read more

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Finally get to try Mama Lee's food, good thing we arrived early a little bit before 6pm. Otherwise it would probably be hard for us to get a table for 7, it's a really small place with maybe 6 tables with 4 seats each. Mama Lee is motherly and cute/funny, they give everyone a free bowl of soup with chicken, radish, and carrots. It was tasty and everything we ordered were pretty good. Definitely a authentic Taiwanese restaurant. She have a full menu but don't always make every dishes on the menu. They also serve purple rice, my favorite. Will definitely come back to try their beef noodle soup. Oh their beef stew we got is amazing, the meat was soft and tasty. read more

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If I could eat at one restaurant in New York City everyday for the rest of my life, Mama Lee would certainly be in the discussion - very possibly the outright winner. What to get? That was a question I wrestled with for some time when studying the menu. In the end I landed on the lion's head meatballs, bok choy and mushrooms, and three cup chicken. This came with purple rice and complimentary chicken soup. As soon as the meatballs came, we knew we had made a mistake. By that I mean the best decision of my life. The portions came in the size of softballs - we probably could have sufficed on the dish alone. Thankfully the meat and the sauce it came with were dangerously good, especially with rice. Both the three cup chicken and mushrooms were also prepared to perfection, but our stomachs were already reaching capacity with the meatballs. You want homey? Nothing beats this place, with minimal decoration on the walls and located in the heart of a very residential part of Queens. The only downside is that Mama Lee is largely a one-woman show, so the restaurant is subject to sudden closures when she goes abroad. Nonetheless, the place dishes out arguably the best Taiwanese food in New York. read more

You know when you get really excited to go to one of your aunt's house who always makes truly amazing food? Well, picture that here, don't go coming here thinking of this place as a restaurant, think of it as a person's home that they happen to charge for food. There are two types of food that I adore: people who went to culinary school, has Michelin stars, highly rated by Zagat and Yelp blah blah blah but also those who cook from the heart and cook really amazing food to feed people because that's their calling. We often look at restaurants and food as a business, especially in New York, but we kinda forget the most fundamental aspect of food and that is to care for people. After my meal, I had a chance to talk with Mama Lee for a few minutes and I was genuinely in awe at the way she views food and how she treats people. She treats people like family, like her family and she works really hard to make sure she takes care of people. If people come in hungry and can't afford food, well heres a little something. If you are a single mother and you have no way of getting food home, well here a little something. I think the idea of her making food and people genuinely enjoying it, must makes her truly happy. And like any home, there are certain things you'd expect in being in one. There was a little boy with his family eating and she gave him homemade oatmeal cookies and told him to make sure he washes his hands. She is a warm person, like all mothers but she will also set your ass straight when she has to. She tells us that some of the teens would come after school and sometimes curse or put their feet up on the table, she will not have that here, oh no no no. She sets them straight real quick, you are in her place, show some damn respect! The restaurants does have some crazy hours since it is a 3 person team, she gets up at 6am to hit 4 different markets, she puts time and effort to produce a quality product and it shows. The food is not oily, greasy or heavy, I was kinda shocked at how much I ate and didn't get that disgusting full feeling. This is by no means supposed to be "restaurant quality" food, but it is food made by someone who loves to cook and it was easily the best Taiwanese food I ever had. The food: Chicken w/ soy sauce & basil aka Three Cup Chicken- This is kinda the go to dish in Taiwanese places and I thought this was excellent, the dark meat chicken was cooked perfectly, tender on the inside with a nice give on the outside. There was a good amount of basil in the dish and it flavored the dish nicely, I also really like the addition of the stir fried ginger and garlic, they both had a nice char on both pieces. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=mT4tPUkqIQ42iHifoXdWOw&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Salt and Pepper Fish- I am not Chinese, so I was looking at the English menu, I asked her what she recommended and she points out items from the Chinese or Taiwanese menu. She listed a few items and wham, we got a few awesome specials. The fish was cooked perfectly, it was not greasy at all. The fish filets were accompanied with red chili peppers and garlic which perfumed the filets nicely. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=yLCkrGuGe9KmkAJDdJdJGw&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Large Pork Meatball aka Lion's Head- This was kinda the shocker dish for me since I tried this somewhere else & I did not like it. The one here was awesome, the flavor was great, it was not too sweet & the meat was so damn tender. It was such comfort food. Tomato w/ Egg(stirfry)- This is another dish that surprised me, had this somewhere else & thought it was just OK. The version here was so balanced & flavorful. Salt & Pepper Fried Chicken- I thought the chicken was great, it had good flavor without being too oily & I enjoyed the salt & pepper seasoning. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=qznYFSpjdaFA1nrRCHV0yA&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA String beans with ground pork- This was another item on the Chinese/Taiwanese menu & it was great as well. The string beans were so tender and the pork paired well with the pickled veg. The pork did have a slightly weird flavor to me, I wasn't sure if it was the seasoning or the way it was cooked but still a great dish overall. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Jr7oL6q4ZxNMrmo9TIHP8A&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Spicy Fish W/ Vegetables with tofu as a substitute for the vegetables. I thought this dish was great, it really reminded of the Szechuan chili oil fish dish, the dish had heat and the fish had great flavor with a nice flakiness. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=Ufd1YtUAGVIVfh0mTXF6vA&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA Pork w/ Baby Bamboo shoot & Dry Bean Curd- This is such a homey dish, it's so simple & so basic but so good. The bamboo had a really nice mouth feel and the pork & dry bean curd is not exciting but good. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=gfECtrGLL5tiPr4Wwdmi7A&userid=Y_iTTjKvV5hLy-880SZzlA read more

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Mama Lee is great, hence the 5 stars. I like to eat food from here. She's made it in the takeout rotation of spots. Whenever the wife asks "What should we do for dinner?", if I answer, "Mama Lee's?", the answer is always, "Ooh, sounds good." I always call for takeout so I can't really comment on the in-restaurant experience. It looks fine, but it's pretty small and brightly lit. Our favorite dishes are the Lion's Head Meatballs. They look heavy and meaty and rich, but are actually somehow light. We always get whatever veg is fresh that day and maybe a salt and pepper chicken. We also get purple rice and she usually throws in some soup and definitely ask for the peppers and black beans/garlic side dish. Portions are more generous than they need to be and we always end up with leftovers. Highly recommend. read more

Took my family here for my brother's post-graduation celebratory dinner on a weekday after a random search for Taiwanese food on yelp. We normally go to Nan Bei Ho which is in the same neighborhood but I'd been wanting to try a new place. Luckily my family trusted me enough (I'd never been here myself), and at the end of the meal it was a consensus that Mama Lee was a good find, and trust me, this is rare considering my mom ALWAYS rags on Taiwanese cooking outside of her own kitchen. We got the 3-dish family combo plus an additional dish: the 3-cup chicken (labeled as "chicken w/ soy sauce & basil" on the menu), onion pork chop, sauteed beef w/ black pepper and sweet & sour fish fillet. The latter two are on a separate smaller menu (see pic) that's unfortunately w/o English translation but for your reference, it's #23 and #37, respectively. The 3-cup chicken wasn't as thickly cubed as those served at Nan Bei Ho, but tender and savory nonetheless. Everything was much closer to homemade Taiwanese food compared to most restaurants; that is, without excessive salt, grease, or sugar. My mom cooks very light which cultivated a relatively light palate in me, and we both approved of these dishes. The taste is distinctly flavorful and goes well with rice, yet it doesn't sit heavily and linger in your stomach as it otherwise would if packed in a pool of grease, nor does it stick to the back of your tongue that you'd be compelled to rinse out your mouth with tea before tackling a different dish. Rice and soup come with the family combo. There's even a choice of purple rice, a perfect alternative for health fanatics. Tea is served as per usual, but there is also self-serve water in a water cooler near the counter. Service is pretty efficient for such a small establishment run by two people; we didn't have to wait long for our food. Even if there happens to be a wait, there's papers available by the windows to pass time (Mama Lee actually handed my dad a copy of World Journal). I believe her husband is the cook and she mainly mans the counter and manages the guests. She's conversational in Mandarin, English and Korean. Price is comparable to most dine-in Chinese restaurants. Our bill came out to be about $10 per person. Mama Lee is seriously one of the most hospitable restaurant owners/servers I'd ever encountered in the US, if not anywhere. She's so exceedingly friendly, attentive, and goes the extra mile for each of her customers. When we asked for to-go boxes and my mom mentioned I'd be taking the leftovers for office lunch, Mama Lee actually offered to also pack me a container of rice (!!!). That's like extra five miles she went right there. She made us feel right at home - as in Taiwan - and the quality of food as well as service attitude gave us a reason to return. read more

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An admirable mom and pop restaurant with fairly good traditional Taiwanese fare. On one hand, I'm enthusiastic that this tiny hole in the wall is able to enjoy such a thriving business and that it has met with so much positive feedback, but on the other hand, I'm flummoxed as to why it has such good reviews, aside from the homey feel that Mama and Papa Lee bring. It had filled the niche of Taiwanese/Chinese food remarkable well in the past, but with the advent of newer shops down Bell Blvd, it is no longer the Qilin of the past. So far, I've had the Large Pork Meatball (狮子头), Chicken w/ Soy Sauce & Basil(三杯鸡), Buddha's Delight(素什锦), Dried Sauteed String Bean(干扁四季豆), Sha-Cha Beef(沙茶牛肉), and Fry Sliced Flounder Fish(椒香鱼片). For the uninitiated, I would try the Large Pork Meatball and Chicken w/ Soy Sauce for the experience. However, I would not be able to recommend this restaurant to my peers, as the flavour is not unique, nor flavoursome enough to justify the elevated pricing for relatively smaller portions. Service can be slow at times, so feel free to call ahead and place an order. It's a no-frills joint, so don't expect any fancy seating. All in all, I wish Mama Lee and her husband well and much fortune, as successful mom-and-pop shops are so seldom seen in the more metropolitan areas. read more

I was hesitant about writing a review here because I didn't want anyone else to know about this place and make it busier than it already is! This place was recommended to my family by a friend who's a chef, so we came here with pretty high expectations. Each time we had tried coming, the place was too packed to get seats-the place itself is very small (only 4 tables) so seating is difficult to get around dinnertime. Finally we came in for an early 5:30 dinner one day and were seated. Mama Lee herself works behind the counter taking orders and chatting with customers. She is the sweetest lady and really is like what a Chinese mama would be. Upon speaking to her, we learned that every morning before the restaurant opens she goes to the market herself and picks out the groceries for the day(that is amazing, not to mention some serious dedication!) And wow, the ingredients really show through in the food. Her food really matched her personality--one can tell that she puts great care and love into the dishes. Everything we ordered was delicious, fresh, super-authentic, and tastes just like home-style cooking (no MSG or excess grease here!). Every time we go, something we order on the menu seems to run out (which is probably backs up the fact that she does indeed shop for new ingredients every day instead of just letting food sit in a fridge). But not to worry, she makes daily and seasonal recommendations which have never failed to disappoint. She usually gives us an extra dish on the house as well! Some of my favorites are: -Lion's head meatballs (shi zi tou) -Three cup chicken (san bei ji) -Eggplant -Salt and pepper fish One last thing, there were some negative comments about her closing early/not being open certain hours; in her words, she opened a restaurant because she's always loved cooking for people, not the profit margins. I definitely appreciate the quality over quantity philosophy as well, especially when it comes to food! Honestly one of the best Taiwanese restaurants in New York- my family and I have definitely become regulars of this place! read more

Mama Lee - Lion's head - Chinese Near Me - Bayside, New York

Dear Mama Lee, Once again you have demonstrated why your restaurant reigned supreme in the Bayside area. It is more than just your food (Although you know I can never get enough of those chicken rolls, Chicken with soy and basil (3 cup chicken) and your Taiwanese meat balls). It's also your hospitality, your service and your generosity. Your ability to make people feel like they are family every time they set foot in your restaurant is amazing and it's that feeling that kept me coming back every time! Every time when my friends and I come here, you always ALWAYS ask if we have enough rice and soup and will refill it until we are full to the brim. And remember that time when my pregnant friend came with us, you gave her a special soup (even packed some for her to go at no cost) and told her to dress warmly and asked his husband to take good care of her. And remember when the table next to us (a Caucasian couple) really liked your tabletop decoration and you told them they can feel free to take it. And remember that time you packed our leftovers and secretly gave us free rice, veggies, minced pork sauce and an egg so it can be a completed lunchbox? And remember that when you brought some fancy chocolate and basically gave everyone in the restaurant a piece? I think this list can go on and on and I'm sure most if not all of us who have eaten at your restaurant had experienced your hospitality and your generosity. So let me take a moment to say Thank You for your awesome service and hospitality. And of course your delicious food! (I can't stop thinking about the 3 cup chicken!) . I look forward to coming back soon and trying out some of your new dishes!! Until then, stay well!! Sincerely, A big fan of your restaurant Fel read more

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500th Review! And of course it must be dedicated to a Taiwanese restaurant. Mama Lee really reminds me of home or my aunt's house in Taiwan. If my family lived in the area, this would be the type of restaurant we would frequent often. The owner is truly such an honest and amazing person. In terms of Taiwanese food, it is 4 stars for me, but the warmth and service we received makes it 5 stars. Also shout-out to Ben L. who drove me here each time. In terms of the food, I think I over-hyped myself up because of the number of obstacles it took to get here. The first time we tried, we forgot Mama Lee is closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. The second time, we almost didn't make it before their closing time at 8pm. But thankfully, last call to order food is 7:45pm and we made it at 7:30pm. The best part about the food is that it's not oily and cooked more healthily like you would at home. You also have a choice to choose between white rice or purple rice. Complimentary Chicken Soup - Delicious and warming just like soup at home. It's full of healthy vegetables like daikon radish, carrots, and burdock root. Spicy Fish w/ Vegetables (and we requested tofu instead of vegetables) - This was the favorite dish of the night. I thought the sauce would be sweet, but it wasn't. It was savory and not too salty. The fish was well velveted and tender. I thought it could be a lot spicier though. Pork w/ Bamboo Shoots & Dry Bean Curd - I've had this better elsewhere, but very simple, homecooked taste. Very tasty. Taiwanese Chicken Roll - Very good Taiwanese chicken roll as chicken rolls go, which by the way is actually made out of pork. The sauce tastes like it's made with ketchup instead of Taiwanese sweet chili sauce (甜辣醬), but the chicken roll itself had lots of texture from the vegetables. Chicken w/ Soy Sauce and Basil - I enjoyed this dish because of the abundance of basil and that the chicken was both crispy and tender at the same time. The chicken is conveniently all boneless. It lacked sauce though, which Taiwanese Three Cup Chicken is supposed to have a lot of. Pork Chop (Taiwanese Style) - Least favorite dish of the night. It was not crispy and had a weird sweet flavor without having the sweet and salty 5 spice taste. I recommend not ordering this dish. In the Three Cup Chicken dish, we found a little shred of one of those stainless steel pot scrubbers. But whatever, this is homecooking. At home, I would just remove it and keep on eating and that's exactly what we did. We did tell the owner though, and she immediately went to admonish her cook. Later, she came out with a complimentary plate of Taiwanese chicken rolls from the chef who made it for us as apology. Not only that, she encouraged us to stay and eat/talk as long as we wanted because they were going to stay until 10pm to clean anyways. As we were talking, she later came out to give us Danish cookies, Starbucks Frappuccino, and the most random thing of all a bar of soap in a really nice box. Wow...what a generous person...but the bar of soap kind of confused me. When we were paying, we found that the bill totaled to a lot less than the prices listed on the menu. We asked the owner and she explained how she did the bill. You might think prices are higher now, but the cost of produce is also pretty insane right now. The owner told us how cabbage went from a dollar something to 6 dollars something. The day she went, the cost of produce went down a little, so she lowered the cost of the dishes we ordered. She charges fairly. If the market price of ingredients is less that day, she will lower the bill. Fairest business owner I have ever encountered. Besides that, portions are also huge with tax and tip included. People forget this fact and then complain about how expensive it is. A person's got to make a living. read more

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Dining at Mama Lee's is an unforgettable experience. The food to me is pretty good, definitely worth coming back for the food alone, but the service here and the ambiance is truly what pulls my heart strings. First, this place has a B rating but that surprises me because it's EXTREMELY clean! The bathroom is behind the kitchen, and when walking to the bathroom you could see how clean everything is and how organized the sole chef is! I got here around 7:30pm on a Thursday night (didn't read the Yelp reviews saying that it's closed on certain days, so I guess I got lucky!) and it was a full house. There was a party of three waiting before me, and I also came as a party of three. Unlike what other reviews have said, Mama Lee allowed us to wait inside the establishment. The wait was pretty quick even though there is very limited seating, four tables of four as others have said. We waited about 10 minutes. I can only assume, it was Papa Lee, who cleaned the table quickly before seating us. He poured us some type of rice tea, which I really enjoyed onto some Styrofoam cups while we looked over the menu. I was disappointed to see that the 3 for $35 deal was no more, but pleasantly surprised to see that now it is basically 3 for $31! (make sure you order the dishes OVER rice, and not the other one because the portions are HUGE!!, plus the dishes over rice have the rice on the side.. see my pictures!) This was enough to fill 3 people, with leftovers! They offer some type of free veggie soup to start, and Papa Lee was very generous with asking us whether we wanted it refilled, and whether we wanted our tea refilled. Mama Lee, alike, would walk around making sure we were comfortable and giving us small talk. She even offered my brother free orange juice and gave him lots of chocolates when we left! She is so kind and acts, deserving, like a Mama! I definitely would come back because I feel so welcomed and loved here. The only con really, was that the rice was kind of cold-- making it dry and difficult to eat, but that is such a small flaw to me compared to the generosity and high remarks I would give to the rest of my experience.-- Oh.. and yes, conveniently located in front of a Q27 bus stop! Lots of parking nearby as well, since it's mainly a residential area. read more

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Do you have that one friend who you Love to stay over for a meal because you Know their mom/dad/grandparent's mad cooking skills? It's homemade and it's freaking better than anything you can find on the streets. No? No worries, come to Mama Lee and you'll feel right at home. Or your buddy's home. One where the aunty is kind and just wants to make sure that you're well-fed with good, fresh ingredients. I'm not sure how they do it, but the taste is definitely homemade, but so much better. I knew after having one sip of their pork bone + radish soup. We've gotten 5-6 different dishes from here over time, and I don't feel the need to go over them because they have been consistently good. While I complain about always needing to trek to other Queens neighborhoods or Manhattan for food adventures, I wouldn't trade Mama Lee's for any of the fancy new restaurants constantly popping up in the city and everyone's Instagram! Please don't go anywhere! The seating is extremely limited, however, so prepare to get your food to-go and enjoy it at the comfort of your own dining room. read more

Love you Mama Lee! You are one of the sweetest person I have ever met in my life. Not only that, but your food is delicious and it does justify your price increase of the 3 dish Family Value Combo Meal from $35 to $45 with white/brown/purple rice and soup included. If you want something close to a home cooked Taiwanese meal with less sodium, less sugar, less oil, and possibly no MSG (but still has a lot of flavors), you come to Mama Lee's Kitchen. I ordered a bunch of things for the family...cause obviously, we were all too lazy to cook. Got the Fish Filet with picked vegetables, Pork with bamboo shoots, 3 cup chicken, and Mama Lee included 4 rice and a large quart of soup. I really like the purple rice. It's a small little restaurant located in Bayside with a few tables. She's exactly like my mom, who places posters of all these healthy ingredients around the kitchen. But she's also very Americanized in the sense that her English is amazing and she's very cool to talk to. I'm so upset that I did not know about this place sooner. She just won herself another loyal customer! FYI: She takes credit cards! Yelp says she doesn't, but she has been for the last 3 years. read more

Mama Lee - 3 combo meal! Fish Fillet, 3 cup chicken, pork with bamboo shoot. Purple,White, and brown rice and soup included. - Chinese Near Me - Bayside, New York

Mama Lee, I am sold I'm always a little skeptical of 5 star restaurants, but Mama Lee has it all. Tasty authentic Taiwanese food served with warm hospitality. You can tell Mrs. Lee really cares for her customers. Even with the myriad of take out orders, she and her husband manage to dish out multiple dishes at an incredible speed while balancing out enough time to check up on us to make sure we were happy. The restaurant itself is very small, but like other reviews have mentioned, impressively clean. I love the little radish and other plants that she has growing behind the counter and on our table. Something about a chef who plants makes me trust the food I eat more. We ordered: -Pork meatball that everyone orders (a tad salty for my taste, but delicious nonetheless, served with bok choy) -3 cup chicken (also a tad salty, but incredible flavor, with that desired basil/garlic/ginger flavor penetrating the meat) -Chinese Cabbage with dried shrimp (perfect) -Minced pork with dried bean curd (great) -Pumpkin soup (thick, buttery, yummy) -The white rice really made me reminisce the plain white rice I have in Taiwan, not sure what was so great about it Overall, my experience at Mama Lee was very enjoyable, the food was not overly greasy as taiwanese food sometimes is, but it still captured the essence of Taiwanese cooking through and through. Mrs. Lee was very attentive to our needs and even offered us to try her chicken roll for free. A busy little restaurant that delivers great quality, flavor, and hospitality. I will certainly be coming back to eat. Keep up the good work Mrs. Lee! read more

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Sorry mom, i cheated on you. I went to MAMA LEEs for dinner Hole in the wall mom and pops restaurat. Only 2 people oparating 4 tables plus phone order / take out. Of its crowded please be patient. Got my 3 Cup chicken (boneless) $10.50 over rice she brought me more than 3 cup, she gave me a side dish of cucumbers, and her home made soup (chicken, corn, radish, carrots and ginger). She came over my table every 5 minutes to make sure i am well fed. (Like a mom). I wanted to order more but she didnt let me because she said it was good enough for me. She made me smile!. **** new menu no more combo. Prices are included tax and tips. **** I believe they accept Credit card now (visa. Master. Discover) read more

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*bring cash* My friend was craving this place and I've never been here so we both agreed to come here for lunch. We got in at around 12:30pm on a Friday and the place was empty so we were able to get a table. They restaurant is small and there's a total of 16 seats; 4 tables that each seat 4. The owner of the place was super friendly, sweet and accommodating. Between the two of us we got the Taiwanese Jiang mian, the fish chow mian and a small order of the salt and pepper chicken. Our meal came with a small seaweed and tofu soup that was really yummy. The portions to our meal was super generous and we did not finish our food. We both ended up taking more than half of the food home to eat later. For those three items our bill came out to $23.50. When we tried to leave a tip, the owner replied "no, no, tip jar full". Awwwww! I'll definitely be back to try out other things on the menu and to see the nice lady again. read more

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Got takeout on a Sunday evening. The place is very small and BUSY. Took us a while to place our order and it took 20 minutes for it to be ready. I had the Jia Jiang Noodles with pork and tofu. It was very delicious-- very flavorful. The noodles had a great soft texture. The pork and tofu were minced instead of served full, which I actually liked a lot. My family ordered some meat dishes and agreed that their food was very flavorful and that the flavor was unique. Plenty of sauce. However, they also found that the meat was not as tender as they would like. The prices are pretty high (especially compared to Amy's across the street), but the food is good, so I can't complain too much. Overall would come again. read more

Mama Lee - Jia Jiang Noodle w/ pork & tofu - Chinese Near Me - Bayside, New York

I've never had an eating out experience like mama Lee. The restaurant is very very small with only four tables that each sits 4. I would imagine most of their business are from takeout and during the one hour I was there approx 2-3 different folks came in to pick up. The food is 4 star, Taiwanese style food, we ordered three cup chicken, salt pepper pork and beef noodle soup. They also provide complimentary soup as appetizer and can provide refill it seems. What really made this experience different is the service/warmth of the owner (mama Lee?) that made eating out here like eating at your relative or friends house (seriously!) She was just so welcoming, friendly and in a genuine way. She gave us a bowl of the Taiwanese style pork rice with egg for free because of our 3 year old toddler then eventually dropped off a small plate of stir fried vegetable also for free for the kid!! FYI is that Tax and tip are included in the menu price, it doesn't say so on the menu which made the price actually very very affordable. I'll def be coming back but will prob do take out read more

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Kid tested, Asian-immigrant mother approved! Mama Lee serves up authentic Taiwanese food that's not too salty or greasy. If Taiwanese food is new to you, I attached a picture so you can know what to order. Clockwise from top left, there's the mugwort sticky rice patty, pork intestine noodles, Taiwanese chicken roll with my favorite dipping sauce of all time (mostly sweet, but a tad spicy), and pork mushroom soup. Prices are incredibly reasonable as well and there's a family special where you can order 3 dishes for just $35. There's also some Korean food on the menu (e.g. jap chae, kimchi beef) since that's where Mama Lee grew up. The restaurant is really clean and Mama Lee greets everyone with a smile and friendly conversation. She even speaks fluent English, Korean, Mandarin, and Taiwanese! It's pretty amazing. read more

Mama Lee - Just order everything in this picture for a delicious Taiwanese meal. :) - Chinese Near Me - Bayside, New York

Finally got a chance to try the amazing MamaLee out here in Bayside. Last time when I visited was surprised to see they took a long vacation, this time however Mama Lee is back to the kitchen and really cooked up an amazing meal for us to try. I knew the place was small when I read the reviews and luckily when we arrived one of the four tables was available. They're a very small operation only about 3 people working in the restaurant, however the food we had were quite delicious indeed and definitely lives up to the hype. We end up getting the 3 dishes + soup for $35 tax included. At first the portion didn't seem much but it was definitely enough for a family of 4 or more. I'll list out a bit about what we got that day. Soup of the day - I believe the soup changes daily and when we were there we got to try a variation of the miso soup with chunks of salmon and some picked veggies. A bit more sour than your typical Japanese miso soup but I really quite liked it. The salmon had skins intact so it gave the broth more oily flavor. She was very generous with the soup even offer us extra refills and extras to bring home Three cup chicken - My personal favorite dish, very authentic and delicious chicken. The sauce is just right and flavorful, I especially liked the hint of the spiciness the chili pepper brought out the dish. Definitely recommended. Fish fillet w/ Pickled Vegetables - The vegetables weren't as sour as I usually have which I think is more welcoming to people foreign to traditional Chinese/Taiwanese dishes. The fish were very soft and tender, making it very compliment to go with white rice. Honestly i can probably eat bowl after bowls of rice with just this dish haha. Chinese Cabbage /w Dried Shrimp - Another great dish to go with the white rice. I noticed its a bit sweeter than what I'm more used to for a veggie dish but I think that's a good choice. Its not overly greasy or oily but quite flavorful. Although if you're not used to Asian cooking you might find it too slimy or runny :) Overall it was a great visit, very glad I had a chance to try out Mama Lee's authentic cooking. Definitely will be back here regularly. Since its in the residential Bayside area street parking wasn't too hard to find. Also like most small business they're cash only. I very much prefer coming out here than going to the crowded Flushing for some delicious Taiwanese food! read more

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I happen to love this place. My own mom didn't cook Taiwanese food, so I can't compare it with my own mother's cooking. The place is small. 4 tables to be exact. Did I love everything we ordered, no, but then again I don't usually like Taiwanese food. But then again not all their food is Taiwanese. What I did like is Jia Jiang Mein, the chicken with soy sauce and basil and the sweet and sour chicken (both the chicken dishes were made with dark meat). All three dishes were yummy. We were served the bittermelon soup with our meal. I hate bittermelon but I gave it a try....it was delicious!!!!! It was not bitter at all. I would drink that soup again and again! What I didn't like was the braised pork, tofu and egg over rice. I felt the egg was dry and the tofu marinade was not my thing...but I think it's a Taiwanese flavor to the tofu that I didn't like. I would come back and try other things though. I would probably try the family combo where you get to chose 3 dishes and comes with rice and soup for $35. If I have cravings for the food, then it must have been good for me. I can't wait to go back. **update 2018: The family combo meal is now $45 still very much worth it. The tables are small and fit 4 people comfortably...You may be able to fit one more person in the aisle on the end of the table but IMHO I don't recommend more than 4 because of space. Looks like there might be 5 tables now. read more

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