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Didn't care for the fusion menu.
I was looking for traditional Chinese food because we lack very good Chinese cuisine in Fairfax (like Peking Gourmet in Falls Church, for example).
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Decent food but overpriced
Decent food, good service and modern atmosphere, but a bit overpriced for Chinese food. We ordered four items and my favorite was the hot and sour soup with duck. Was it worth $8? No. We came here to check out all the hype, but I don’t see us dining here often.
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Overall, it was a positive experience - good food and
Overall, it was a positive experience - good food and service (if not during peak hours) and modern atmosphere. I can understand complaints about parking, but we arrived before 4pm, so it wasn't an issue. We ordered four dishes shown in photos. My favorite was the hot and sour soup with duck. The pepper fried chicken was a bit dry, so my least favorite. In total, we spent $81 (food, tax and tip). Would we come back? Maybe once a year. It's a bit overhyped and overpriced.
We started with duck spring rolls (isn't it funny how duck just makes everything better?) and some Triple layer doupi, filled with sticky rice, asparagus l, mushroom and pork (an interesting dish from Hubei but not one grand enough to get again), before digging into spicy eggplant with garlic sauce (superbly tasty, but with some serious heat), Tofu skin and cabbage (we got is without heat, and it was a delicious sesame-dressed salad), and sweet and sour braised baby ribs (a classic Cantonese indulgence). Love this place.
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Authentic food and great atmosphere! Definitely one of
Authentic food and great atmosphere! Definitely one of the best Chinese places in the area!
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Wonderful second visit.
The fish was great, and sesame noodles a big hit! Shredded tofu-skin salad was very interesting too.
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This is a Chinese brunch type place that you never thought
This is a Chinese brunch type place that you never thought of going but would be missing out if you didn't go. It's quite a large place and they can accommodate a lot of tables and even larger family tables. I rarely see the round tables that are regularly associated with large dim sum establishments back in the day. The interior is nice and bright. Lots of greenery even if it is fake. The food is good and delicious. Some dishes are better than others and it takes time to figure out which ones to get. My only complaints are (1) parking and (2) slow service. Parking is a bit limited when you want to be close to the restaurant. When it is busy, it really shows. It can be a bit tough to navigate. I would suggest parking farther away just for peace of mind. Slow service was because the place was busy. We were seated where the server had to take care of 2-3 of the larger tables and we didn't get our rice or a refill of water in over 40 minutes. Still tried to charge for the rice - that never arrived.
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My first experience at Mama Chang, the food was really
My first experience at Mama Chang, the food was really delicious and comforting! The braised pork belly and tea egg is a must try the pork is so tender that it melts in your mouth. Put some of that pork belly on your rice you can eat two bowls of rice !!The other entrees I ordered was fantastic and don't miss eating desserts the pineapple bao (ball law bao) comes out warm and custardy inside!!! The restaurant is spacious and service is good.
There truly is no other place like it in the Fairfax area. They are busy but quick. You feel teleported to a different area. Anything on the menu is good and perfect in my opinion.
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My family and I came here on a weekend for lunch.
We were nervous walking up to the entrance, because we didn't have a reservation and there were several people already waiting to have a seat at the door. We arrived right when they opened at 11am-- so my first advice, get there early! We were seated quickly for a table of four. The waitstaff was friendly and helpful -- offering suggestions for various dishes and showing incredible patience while we made a thousand different tiny and obnoxious requests... like a fork, and hot tea, and an extra spoon.. sorry! We ordered a variety of dishes to share as a group. The lo mein was by far my favorite. It had a TON of flavor and the noodles had the most perfect bite to them-- leaps and bounds better than what you get at your typical take out spot. Loads of vegetables and pork were served within which made it so much more than just "noodles". The ganghood fried chicken was crispy and spicy with a light crunch. YUM. Everyone loved the pan seared pork dumplings which were savory, meaty and had the perfect ratio of filling to wrapper. The interior of the restaurant was bright and airy with lots of natural light coming from windows all along the sides. I would recommend making a reservation, if you remember! Also - dim sum offerings were available on the Sunday menu.
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I have ordered the mapo tofu here several times.
This last time it was cross contaminated with fish which caused me to have a very serious allergic reaction. That's really unfortunate.
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Have been coming here for the past year.
Always ordered mapo tofu no issue. This last time I had a severe fish allergic reaction meaning there was cross contamination. I am very disappointed as the reaction will keep me away from this place going forward.
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My first time at Mama Chang and it did not disappoint! My
My first time at Mama Chang and it did not disappoint! My boyfriend and I ordered the Pan Fried Chives Seafood dumpling to start. It comes with 2 for $7 but they are FAT dumplings with so much filling! For entrees we ordered the Hot Chili Oil Flounder Fish & Soft Tofu. It was super hot, and even had a fire underneath the serving dish to keep it warm. The Mama Lo Mein with pork was good lo mein, very similar in taste to typical Chinese takeout, but nothing greasy like takeout food - so it had the good aspects! I needed a veggie dish ofc, so we got the cauliflower and eggplant pot. The veggies were cooked deliciously! Great service here. I felt like we were served the food super quick! The ambience and decor is so nice as well, and really adds to the experience. This is a great spot for authentic Chinese food, great service, and a nice night out.
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The soup dumplings were unexpected but delicious!! The
The soup dumplings were unexpected but delicious!! The savory pork broth came gushing out of that huge dumpling, honestly I would go back just for that. Roast duck was fantastic and just what you'd expect. It is more on the expensive side, but it shows in the dish quality and service.
For those who don’t know Peter Chang is an icon. An illusive chef that foodies hunted for years until he settled down in this area and now has a few restaurants. We drove well out of our way on a road trip to try this restaurant of his for the first time (we’ve been to Richmond and stop gap ones) and we’re very glad we did. Not everything was outstanding but you’ll be rewarded the more adventurous your ordering is. The soups and dumplings were just good, but the cauliflower is a must order as is the mouth numbing beef jerky. Please give it a try if you love new flavors and adventurous eating.
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Mixed qualify of dishes
Up front, this review is not about typical meal service but about a private dining event for a large group. My cousins arranged for their parents' 50th wedding anniversary party here, which included a very large group ranging in ages from seniors to small grandkids. At first I thought the room was a good size but it filled up and got noisy as people arrived. The menu was pre-arranged and I'd say the food was hit or miss. Some of it was very good and some of it was just so-so. Some of our party ordered alcoholic drinks and some of us just ordered tea. Portions were plentiful and there was enough to box up and take home for whoever wanted it. We did get the feeling at the end of the evening that they wanted us to finish up and leave, even though there were still plenty of patrons in the main dining room. Perhaps their made-to-order food is better than their banquet food.
My group was seated in a pleasantly decorated room with windows and the wait staff accommodated our request for 10 separate checks graciously. There were a couple of mix-ups on checks and these were corrected graciously as well. Food here is interesting and the menu takes you beyond the standard Chinese fare, but for the less adventurous there are also some standbys (Mongolian chicken or beef, for example). The style of decor is modern and light with interesting textures created by rope lined walls and woven light covers. I had the soup dumpling from the Dim Sum menu and was surprised that it was served in a basket (not a bowl). There was broth inside each dumpling (not much) but it sank into the bottom of the basket. A bowl would have been better for service. That said, the dumplings were very good and plentiful. I shared some of mine with a friend. We decided to also share the Mongolian beef (count me among the less adventurous, ha ha) and there was more than enough for two with enough to split to take home. This dish and others are on the Family Style part of the menu and sharing is encouraged by the big glass lazy Susan in the center of the table. The food was good and tasty and I'm planning a return trip to try some of the other dishes. It would be fun to choose three or four items from the dim sum menu to share with a friend.
3/5 by 👻
@J E on 08/18/2022
I came here with a group of friends for lunch one day and we ordered MANY items to all try together… First, the service, it was decent. Since we were ordering many items at different times we had to flag down a server a few times to place an order, but overall, the food came out quickly, was hot, fresh and the servers were friendly. The venue is nice, not your typical Chinese restaurant. It’s nicely decorated, restroom was clean and they have nice looking party or group rooms too. They get moderately busy for weekday lunches, but there are plenty of folks working here to help you. Regarding the food… We tried many items, I can day that each were made with fresh ingredients and the cooking/prep/temp was perfectly spot-on. I have had better Szechuan style food, but this ranks in my top 5. The soup dumplings didn’t seem to have any soup at all inside them and the soy ginger sauce that came with them has too high of a ratio of vinegar. The Peking Duck is nicely done, but they say it’s a whole or half, yet it doesn’t have wings with it… Same with the Chang’s Duck. The Sizzling Pork Belly wasn’t crispy at all.. the flavor was decent, but this was the most disliked dish by all of us, simply because of the fatty, rubbery texture of the food. The Amish Chicken Dumpling soup was really nicely done! Their chili oil has a decent flavor, but no heat to it. I ordered the stir fried chicken with snow peas and it was more of a Moo Goo Gai Pan type dish… Nothing else to it, just white sauce, but it was decent. The cumin lamb skewers were tasty, but I’m not sure why they use toothpicks in lieu of “skewers” and I’m not sure of the purpose at all. The mongalian Beef was really good, but the ratio of onions to beef was way too disproportionate. The hot & numbing beef jerky was great! Nicely spiced and great texture too! The dried fried cauliflower was nicely done, but didn’t have that “Szechuan kick” to it, like I get from other places… it was fried (lightly) and then dusted with slight flavor. Same with the flounder, AKA: Peter Chang Bamboo Fish… Lacking the spicy/ Szechuan flavor I seek in this type of food. Overall, it was nice. I would definitely return… Just try some different, more exciting dishes. But I have to say that Bob’s Shanghai (Rockville) and Szechuan Taste (Dale City) are much more preferred.
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Family dinner celebrations
We've been at Mama Chang's for at least 4 bday celebrations and more recently our wedding anniversary August 3. Food delectable and service great as always even when they're seemingly understaffed and closing times, still service with a smile and great, excellent fine dining! Thanks to everyone at Mama Chang's!!!
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Excellent, Special Chinese Food
4/5 by 👻
@B G on 08/05/2022
Excellent take on Chinese fare. Every dish tried was superb! This location and the other Peter Chang locations are treasures that do not exist in most other places. Prices tend toward the higher end, but not terrible.
We made our first trip to Mama Chang when we were in town June of last year (2021). The delicious, original food and preparations really knocked our socks off. We couldn’t wait to go back. Fast forward, July 2022. We’re back in town and ready for Mama Chang! The first thing we noticed upon entering for lunch was that a year later, the place is looking a little disheveled. The menus are hastily updated with tape or WhiteOut and hand-written notes. The bathrooms don’t appear to have been cleaned since dinner rush the night before… OK, we’re still game. Our recollection of the food was so good, we were ready to put up with a little eccentricity. It’s worth it. We ordered the dry fried cauliflower and Chang’s Hot and Numbing Beef Jerky. After our first visit, the cauliflower had been a frequent subject of conversation whenever Chinese food was mentioned. Initial impressions aside, we were hopeful the dishes would have the “pop” we remembered. Minutes after our order, the dishes arrived. While the original idea of each was still there, the preparation seemed to lack the care and artistry we experienced last year. Both were overly oily and dumped in serving dishes without concern for presentation. Were we disappointed? Not entirely. Our lunch was enjoyable, and we will return when back in town – if Mama Chang is still there for us. Hopefully, we just hit them during a bad month and the place will be back on point when we’re next in town. We’re pulling for Mama Chang!
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Great food and great value
Ate there with my wife and two sons. Total bill, food and two beers, was just under $110. For 4 people, that's not that much. Highly recommend the pork dumplings, green beans, and the bamboo fish. Never have had anything less than "good" at Mama Chang.
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We had second lunch at Mama Chang yesterday,(24th, July)
We had second lunch at Mama Chang yesterday,(24th, July) and ordered two different dishes. One is deep fried cauliflower, another one was Hot numbing spicy beef. The cauliflower was crispy and very well seasoned with lot of fresh scallion also coriander. The beef was really delicious too. Tender and full of flavor from all its spices. It was with Chinese big white cabbage and bean noodles in the bottom. We really recommend this dish if you can take spicy food. We found a little piece of WOOD inside the beef but the manager came and gave us two sweets. Their attitude was very polite and solved the problem very quick. Definitely will introduce to our friends and go again!
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Great Chinese restaurant frequented by Chinese.
Great service. Great ambiance and modern decor and bright oposite to the typical dark Chinese restaurants that are more usually to see. Food presentation is great. We ordered Steamed pork dumplings which were perfect. Scallion bubble pancake which look cool and tasted great. However I will say I like it better with some of the other sweeter sauces that we had from the other dishes. Peking duck again great Mongolian beef and delicious. Highly recommended.
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Ordered takeout (Grubhub.
) Food was some of the best Chinese food I have had in the DMV. I had a spicy fish broth dish that had a good amount of spice and was not oily. The fried cauliflower was tasty, with a decent kick, but a little greasy. Wonton soup was interesting, but small for the price.
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Had a great lunch experience today! we had 7 guests and the
Had a great lunch experience today! we had 7 guests and the beautiful chaos of 4 different nationalities. Our server, Chris, took it in stride, with seperate checks, some communal dishes, and lots of indecision! The food was delicious and we all shared our selections and did our best with chopsticks. The MOD was a delightful young Malaysian man who also spoke Chinese- I didn't catch his name, but maybe Jamie? He was so gracious and accommodating! I would definitely return!
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Finally got the chance to dine at Mama Chang this past
Finally got the chance to dine at Mama Chang this past weekend. It was a great first experience! I ordered 3 things: fried cauliflower, crispy pork belly, & cumin lamb skewers. All items were delicious. I'm very picky about how my cauliflower is cooked, but that dish was dank; I can see why it's a popular menu item. The pork belly isn't prepared in the way that I'm used to, but the dish surprised me the most because of the Sichuan peppercorns flavor (I love Sichuan peppercorn for its spicy numbing mouth feel.)Our waiter was great in helping us choose our dishes. The food came out fairly quick. This will probably be one of my top picks when I'm in the mood for Chinese food in the future. I'm looking forward to the next time I'm here!
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I just love this place .
We come here for any occasions . ordered their crunchy cauliflower , Fried chicken , Steamed Flounder with chili and noodles , Crunchy fried noodles , Tofu with mushrooms , Soup Dumplings and Moca coffee. Food is just simply the best .Full of flavor and tastes great .
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one of my favorite places to get takeout.
The food is always high quality and the flavors are very authentic. Can't go wrong for dine in or takeout.
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My Hubs and DD went here on a Wednesday night for dinner.
I had read great things about it on Yelp and was eager for an opportunity to try it out.We had to wait for a table since we did not have a reservation. They served us a glass of wine and a beer in the front area as we waited since there is no bar. Service was excellent. Everyone was very friendly, food came quickly and was piping hot. It did not disappoint. We got several items that were recommended from other Yelpers like the duck spring roll ( no pics as they disappeared too quickly), soup dumplings, bubble scallion pancake, braised pork belly with tea egg and golden mountain beef. All were delicious.We also got the numbing beef, it was definitely spicy and a bit on the dry side so I would skip that one next time. We also got a salt and pepper shrimp which was also excellent.I can't wait to go back and try more items. Two thumbs up.
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Finally found great Chinese food in the local area.
4/5 by 👻
@M Q. on 06/20/2022
We've been back once already, great portions and good flavor.
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Very typical and average Chinese food.
Offering family style portions for sharing. It's on the pricy side. Reservation recommended if you don't want to wait. Plenty of parking.
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Parking: there's a good number of parking spots, but it can
Parking: there's a good number of parking spots, but it can be quite filled during peak hours. This place has a lot of people, which means a lot of cars hahaSeating: there's a lot of seats indoors, especially for large parties. They have the large round tables to seat like 10 people! Food: tbh I wasn't a huge fan of the food. It was more authentic Chinese food. The food had a lot of different kinds of spices and vegetables. My friends really liked some of the dishes, but personally, I'm not a huge fan. Bathroom: when you walk into the restaurant, the restrooms are on the right side. Price: it's a little overpriced for the amount of food. They also charge you for extra bowls of rice. Service: super patient and kind! Our server was super helpful. The service was the winner of all the categories.
Today, we had lunch there. The first impact of the restaurant was pretty nice. Bright, big and full of people! We ordered two dim-sum: [steam spare rib] and [steam chicken feet]. And, Roast duck (1/2) (廣式燒鴨) Chinese BBQ Pig Feet (烤小蹄) Farmer's Stir Fry (農家一碗香) Stir Fried Veggies (清炒時令蔬菜- snow pea tips-$26!) Every dish tasted good but [Chinese BBQ Pig Feet] was not the taste which we are familiar. The dish was not based on soy sauce but used cumin. We thought its skin should be more softer, less chewy and a bit sweet. Service was fine except the server took a wrong order, but soon he corrected it. It is a nice place for family and friends gathering, definitely will go again and introduce to our friends. At the end, we asked the person who was at the front desk: [is Mama Chang here Really Peter Chang's Mam?] He answered: [I don't know what you mean, Every business has it's owner. But they are related...] I don't know exactly what he means ..