They are closed at this location. Their restaurant in Chinatown is still open and street parking is easy to find. They have excellent dim sum as well as many traditional Chinese menu options. There is a side shop to order take out. Service is very attentive. read more

Wow wow wow, were we surprised when we spotted this in Pasadena! Mama Lu's in SGV is one of our go-tos, so we knew we to try this new location to see if it's up to par. On A Wednesday afternoon, around 3pm or so, only a few tables were occupied. We were given sugar roasted peanuts and jasmine tea, which were solid. First round of tea had good flavor, while the following refills were watered down which is to be expected. The busboy was very attentive and provided great service. Relative to the other locations-- - Spinach Tofu Soup: standard and yummy. Small to large shrimps which was interesting - Salted Fried Shrimp: wasn't placed on a bed of lettuce, which we would have enjoyed. Mom liked the crunch better here. - Pea Sprouts: some stalks were hard to chew through, indicative that they were "old"er. Not the best we've had. - Singapore Chow Fun: Not spicy despite the symbol on the menu. Not as oily as the original chow fun but it is definitely not as flavorful, and has a strong cumin flavor. Has ham and few shrimp. Would not get again. Overall not bad, but if I had to pick I would stuck to the OG location for free parking and cooking consistency. PARKING: We parked at the School House Garage for $1 for 2 hrs. read more

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I drove about 45 mins to try this place . I was very disappointed with the food & the service . It's true , you will only get staffs attention if you flag them down . It's annoying . We ordered dumplings but it never made it to the table . Since I wasn't happy with the other food I figured I wouldn't be charged for the dumplings that never made it . To my surprise I was . I told the female and she seemed very bothered or almost didn't believe that they never got delivered to our table . You would think they keep track of what goes out and what is pending but apparently not. Or what never makes it to someone's table . Never again . read more

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

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

I was surprised to find out Mama Lu's opened up a couple months ago in Pasadena. The interior was basically two different stores - you had a modern section and a section that kept the interiors of the previous Italian restaurant that was there. I ordered a few items and unfortunately, the things they were known for wasn't as good however the stir fried dishes themselves were pretty good. Service was pretty good and they were friendly. XLB: all the dumplings came exploded meaning there was no soup in them. The skin is on the thicker side too. Overall just okay. Pan fried pork bun: the buns were toasted on two different sides which was kind of odd. Some of the buns had been opened (not sure how that happened) and overall didn't look very appetizing. The meat inside was very soggy and gummy and the outside was not crispy. mama lu's stir fry: this dish was pretty delicious - it had wood ear mushroom, lotus, and sausage. Lots of flavor and probably the best dish during my visit. Overall, this location is good for dishes and not so much for their buns/dumplings. read more

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Hands down one of the worst Chinese restaurants in the area. Every fried item came out greasy and soggy. I understand some dishes have a fishy flavor profile, but even staples like beef and broccoli tasted overwhelmingly fishy. The fried rice was overly salty and also carried that same odd fishy taste. To top it off, the service was poor--the waitress and staff were unpleasant and rude. Truly a disappointing experience. read more

Mama Lu’s Dumpling House - Broccoli Beef - Chinese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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The food was absolutely delicious! Every dumpling was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. Simple menu, great taste, and well worth it. I'll definitely be coming back for more! read more

Finally. A legit Chinese spot in old town pasadena! With so many overpriced or just mediocre Chinese restaurants popping up lately, Mama Lu's is a solid find and add to our neighborhood. Reasonably priced given its central location on Colorado St, about 15 tables that seat 2-4 and a bar that has those typical big Asian round tables. Classic typical authentic Chinese menu options like , shaken beef, crispy seafood or beef chowmein, XLB, pork dumplings and green scallion pancakes hit the spot without breaking the bank. Considering its popularity, definitely recommend arriving before peak dinner rush around 6-7 PM especially on weekends. The spicy wontons as an appetizer were just okay, a bit lacking in the flavor department compared to better executions at din tai fung. But overall, the portion sizes at Mama Lu's like the beef roll and beef noodle entrees are generous enough to take home leftovers. Happy to have a solid neighborhood dumpling house filling the Chinese craving niche we bedded here. We'll be back when making that weekend Chinese food choice - just will know to come early and steer toward their signature dishes like the pork XLB over the wontons next time. 4 stars. read more

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

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

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I was craving for some beef rolls and XLB, and since I was walking by the Apple Store, I noticed MAMA LU right on the corner! So Of course I went in to check out the restaurant. I got there around 12:10 PM so I was able to beat the line, and notice the crowd started pouring in right away. I got seated really quickly and was served tea and made my order right away. I had the fish dumplings instead and the beef rolls! The beef roll was a little dry, but I did ask for hoisin sauce on the side. Fish dumplings were delicious and finished really quickly! The vibe inside is a blend of old 50-60s vibe with a twist of asian elements with the wooden seating and chandeliers are what really caught my attention. I was just mesmerized by the chandeliers and the decor. Restrooms are downstairs if you were wondering, since i don't find it too and had to ask around. Walking down you can see some historical pictures of the past of what the building was. Would definitely come back. read more

Mama Lu’s Dumpling House - Inside - Chinese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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

Quick and easy service. Super spacious and attentive staff. My favorite was the Szechuan Shrimp, highly recommend! read more

Mama Lu’s Dumpling House - Chinese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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Chuck D. was right....my daughter and I have had Mama Lu's at the old location, and this new place is not it. We walked in to a funky smell (sewage/poor plumbing) but decided to ignore and sit anyway (should've trusted our gut). Service was horrible, plates were coming out in sporadic intervals, fried pork buns were raw dough on the inside and mystery meat stuffed. Sweet sour chicken was all fried breading and drowning in syrupy sauce. The chow mein we we were dying to eat, was bland and underwhelming. The siu mai came after I thought they'd forgot it, and was topped with rubbery overcooked shrimp. Servers had zero personality (didn't even seem like they were wait staff, but rather random substitutes). Anyway, extremely disappointed and will not be coming back or recommending. read more

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

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You have hot tea ready with cups and it's set up super cute inside. It seems super tight packed if it were more busy but luckily it wasn't so we weren't close to anyone else. There is always someone watching so you just look or raise your hand and they come to you immediately so they are really tentative. The food comes out hot like they just made it so it was really good. The chicken and string beans was more like string beans with a few pieces of chicken so it was a lot of beans. Very unproportional. The dumplings were really good though and the flavor was good. Seems a bit pricey for everything though so this is a once in a while tule place to go but I wish it could be a regular place to visit. read more

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

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New place that just opened up! Was skeptical of how legit it was because of how new it is but it's legit lol. Pretty casual vibe inside. Busy enough on a Sunday night, they have a ground floor and a downstairs. I've been to the Mama Lu's in 626 and it's basically the same food and menu. Spicy wontons had pretty good shrimp but not that spicy. Beef rolls and pork dumplings were both decent too. read more

Mama Lu’s Dumpling House - Juicy Pork Dumplings(10) - Chinese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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if yall don't go here yall missing out if yall don't get soup dumplings or even take it to go yall missing out bruh read more

Mama Lu’s Dumpling House - x - Chinese Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I was here for the fisrt time after having heard of it from a lot of friends. The food was delicious. We had a lot of Chinese dishes but my favorites are yang chow fried rice, stirred fried eggplant and mapo tofu. Dumplings are great too, especially XLB and spicy wonton. I don't eat spicy but it's not too spicy here. Service was very quick. All the food were out in very short time! read more

Mama Lu’s Dumpling House - Chinese Near Me - Pasadena, California

The pan fried buns are very good and have a sesame bottom which is unique. The beef rolls are also good and slightly sweet. The crispy fish is good but will get soggy if it's takeout read more

Went there on a Sunday, and it was uncomfortably hot inside. There was no ventilation. The 2 stars are for poor service. It took long to take our order and when we finally got it, it wasn't complete. My father waited for his order for 30 min after we got our food. When I went to remind the server, she snapped at me. I yelled back and that was it, we were fed up. We cancelled the order and then suddenly 10 minutes later it showed up, slightly warm and flavorless. We will never come here again. The food was better than the service. read more

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

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Went here for Christmas dinner! Love the family style portions, ambiance is perfect for Chinese on Christmas!

Mama Lu's is literally Din Tai Fung but better. You're paying a premium at Din Tai Fung for the environment and maybe slightly better ingredients, but honestly--I can't tell the difference. They've got legit xiao long bao (soup dumplings) that are just as good, and their pan-fried potstickers are fire. The menu is bigger than Din Tai Fung's, but I honestly stick to my three favorites: xiao long bao, potstickers, and the beef wrap. That's all you really need. I've been going to their OG spot in Monterey Park for years, and now that they've got a Pasadena location closer to me, I've been hitting that up instead. Definitely will be back again--these dumplings never miss. read more

Run by a sweet Chinese couple. The staff here are non-nonsense and move FAST. All smiles and super hardworking. Bonus if you can speak Spanish. Your food comes out quick and in rapid succession so be prepared to EAT. Generous portions that taste super homey and tasty. I love their eggplants. We ordered like 6-7 dishes despite being a party of 2. Exactly what I would expect from a well-run Chinese establishment! It was a packed house but no one was upset or waiting for long. read more

Lively and busy but service didn't feel a bit rushed. Good dumplings, great veg and soup. Everything was hot and fresh and made with care. We enjoyed ourselves greatly! read more

Great looking location. I thought this place was just as good as the San Gabriel locations. Service is quick. Food is plentiful and flavorful. The food is great for the price. Would go here again, and for me the parking was easier for Pasadena. read more

I've been going to the Monterey Park location for years and have always enjoyed the food. The Pasadena location is nice and clean, but the high ceilings make it quite noisy. Unfortunately, the service was disappointing. Our waiter was inattentive; we only saw him twice--once to take our order and again when it was time to pay. He didn't come by to refill our water or check on our order. I had to rely on the busboy for extra silverware and condiments. After we finished eating, it took about 10 minutes for our waiter to bring the check. Given how popular this place is and the long wait times, you'd think they'd want to move things along more efficiently. The food itself is great, especially for the price. However, the timing of the dishes could be improved. Our rice was brought out early, but we waited another 10-15 minutes for the rest of the meal, which included spicy pork wontons, steamed dumplings, and Shu Mai. Overall, I rate it 3.5. I'd stick with the Monterey Park location, where the experience is more consistent. read more

I absolutely love going to Mama Lus over and over again. Such a classic staple in the SGV area. I've been going to the monterey park one for almost 15 years and i still believe it's the place to be for the BEST soup dumplings and traditional chinese food. My favorite restaurants has always been places where no matter how many times I go, its always just as good as my first memory of them; always consistently good and I'm happy to say that Mama Lus does a superb job at that. I've had many of these dishes shown here in these pictures before but my new favorites will have to be the FISH WITH SEAWEED, MAPO TOFU, and their FRIED MAN TOU (fried buns) with condensed milk. Of course you always need to order their JUICY PORK XIAO LONG BAOS! The workers and service here was A+++. read more

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I expected a bit more, hearing the reviews. Nothing really stood out--the XLB happened to take so long and the taste still doesn't compare to Din Tai Fung for me. I will try again and have the other dishes. Unfortunately, service was slow during this time, ambience was clean, just ok--not super impressive. We had the green beans, XLB and crispy noodles. read more

You and door dash need to settle your differences. Twice now we've ordered food for delivery and twice the restaurant has canceled at the last minute. This is after l've been charged. $80 order and this is how you treat customers. Will never eat or order from you again read more

Craving for good Chinese food? This is the perfect place. Mama Lu's in Pasadena is our to-go place when we crave for Chinese food. Tasty and flavorful dishes at very reasonable price. Their service is amazing!!! We love their new place. read more

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

Mama Lu’s Dumpling House - Chinese Near Me - Pasadena, California

They serve pretty tasty dumplings and other Chinese food with generous portions. But I personally prefer Din Tai Fung for the dumplings. My favorite was the spicy wontons. read more

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My friend Amelia G. and I met up lunch in Pasadena a couple weeks ago and happened to see Mama Lu's Dumpling House while we were looking for parking. I'd had the SGV location on my bookmark list for years, so when the place we were trying to go to was closed and the other place Amelia had in mind was too busy, we were all set up with a promising plan C. The place was busy at lunchtime on a Friday, but we were able to get seated pretty immediately. The space was interesting. It looked like two separate restaurants with the adjoining wall knocked out. On one side was a kind of weirdly fancy dining room with huge chandeliers and a painted ceiling. We sat on the other side, which was very casual, with a few small tables, a cash register, and a bar, all brightly lit. We sat at a tall, tiny table. Service was fast and polite, if not especially attentive. Our food came out fast, but no one checked on us once it was delivered. We had to flag someone down to ask for rice to eat with our mapo tofu, several minutes after the tofu arrived. The food was great. We got complimentary salted peanuts and hot tea as soon as we sat down, and these made a nice welcome snack while we got our order together. We ordered pea sprouts, mapo tofu, spicy wontons, and xiao long bao, and they came out in that order, as they became ready. The pea sprouts were excellent, sautéed tender with garlic and broth. I liked the mapo tofu, though I suppose I've also had better. The tofu was nice and soft, and it was good over rice when we finally got that. I could have done with a little more heat. The spicy wontons with pork and shrimp were tasty, but not quite the slippery, meaty little flavor bombs I was hoping for when I saw them on the menu. The xiao long bao were excellent, though, juicy and satisfying. I liked Mama Lu's Dumpling House and would probably visit often if I lived in Pasadena (they also do take-out and delivery, and I'll bet those dumplings hit the spot when you're craving Chinese food at home). It's fast and easy with reasonable prices, and the food is pretty delicious. read more

How is this place 3 stars when the food is tasty, budget friendly prices and good size portions? I'm glad that this place is walking distance to my aunts place and we can just get takeout. After shopping in Old town, I met up with my friends for dinner and this place did not disappoint! It was my first time trying their food and everything we ordered was tasty. It's good for a casual dinner when you're craving Chinese food. Plus, it is conveniently located in old town Pasadena. This area was in need of a good Chinese restaurant. I really enjoy the sweet and sour soup, fried rice, Kung pao chicken and salted pork chops. Definitely give this place a try! read more

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We went on Wednesday peak lunchtime and were able to get a table without waiting. The menu was straightforward so we got: Pork soup dumplings (ok...) Pork & chive dumplings (thick skin) Beef Rolls (a keeper!) They're known for soup dumplings yet the standout dish was the beef roll and CHILI SAUCE that sits in a jar on the table. Service was spotty and we never got some of the items requested until we asked a 2nd time. read more

Mama Lu’s Dumpling House - Soup pork dumplings, pork & chive dumplings, Beef Roll. - Chinese Near Me - Pasadena, California

Nothing special. Green onion pancakes tasted old. Dumplings were not exceptional. There are better options in the L.A. Chinese-American community. read more