Mama Lee
Taiwanese · Bayside
About Mama Lee
At Mama Lee, we're passionate about serving up Taiwanese comfort food that feels like home. Our modest counter-serve is where flavors come alive, from our tender pork chops to juicy meatballs and fresh veggie options. We've heard it from our customers - our cozy atmosphere and attentive service are...
At Mama Lee, we're passionate about serving up Taiwanese comfort food that feels like home. Our modest counter-serve is where flavors come alive, from our tender pork chops to juicy meatballs and fresh veggie options. We've heard it from our customers - our cozy atmosphere and attentive service are the perfect accompaniment to a delicious meal. Take a seat at our counter and indulge in a plate of stir-fried greens or savor our signature braised beef noodles, cooked to perfection just like Grandma Lee used to make.
What Customers Say About Mama Lee
Mama Lee's is a small, family-run Taiwanese restaurant known for its generous portions, home-style cooking, and warm hospitality. Customers rave about the friendly owner and the authentic flavors, reminiscent of home-cooked meals. A few mention a change in the three cup chicken recipe.
Popular Dishes
Best For
Tip: Portions are large, and everything is made to order, so it's super fresh. Consider ordering ahead for takeout, as it can get busy.
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What to see nearby
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Explore the area around Mama Lee
Mama Lee is located in Bayside, surrounded by cultural and historical points of interest. Here are some of the most notable places nearby.
Parks & Gardens
- Marie Currie Park (A 383m) — park in Queens County, New York, United States of America
Other Points of Interest
- Robert F. Kennedy Hall (A 756m) — building in Bayside, Queens, New York, United States
- Kupferberg Holocaust Center (A 927m) — building in Bayside, Queens, New York, United States
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Frequently asked questions about Mama Lee
Mama Lee Bayside Reviews
MamaLee is back in Bayside! So glad to have her back! We were regulars before the move and missed her authentic Taiwanese cooking and warm hospitality. * Portions: Huge and very satisfying. * Eco-Friendly: Uses paper containers instead of plastic. * Pro Tip: It gets busy, so order ahead to skip the wait! Highly recommend for great food and a welcoming atmosphere.
Most lovely quaint Taiwanese spot in such a pretty neighborhood. The beef stew was delicious and affordable. The owner is incredibly kind and thoughtful. I will definitely be taking the trip from south queens again for this place!
Only recently discovered this gem of a restaurant last month. Mama Lee is such a great place for genuine home style cooking, generous portions, warm and welcoming ambiance, and amazing dishes. Since early October have been coming here weekly to pick up takeout dishes to last me nearly a week for dinner after work (I'm a terrible cook and work long hours, reheating her dishes have become my go to dinners).
I see why they have been open for so long. They actually care about the customers and provide great service. An amazing establishment for the community. Food was delicious we got more than we asked for. We were taken care of. Hope to come back soon and tell the 🌎 of this place family style! bring your friends!
Ten stars for service. I was warned the owner was super nice and she was! The food was very good (the braised beef was so soft and the salt and pepper fried chicken was one of the best I've ever had). Everything was made so fresh and to order. The portions were huge! Will definitely come back to try the other menu items like the eggplant, porkchop and meatballs. Seating inside is very limited. There was only two tables but takeout is always a great option as containers are packed carefully anyway. Parking is street parking around the area.
After a decade of living in NYC, I've found it. A place where the cooking is as good as my mother's. Got there at ~7:30p assuming we'd have to order carry-out since it was close to closing. Ms. Lee not only welcomed us in, but turned on a space heater and quickly brought out a soul-warming bowl of chicken soup. We ordered the salt and pepper chicken, egg with tomato (iykyk), and two beef noodle soups. She chuckled at us and told us to make it one beef noodle - there was no way we'd finish two. Salt and pepper chicken - nicely fried, golden crust, not overly salted. Egg and tomato - a little bit of preserved vegetable in it for salt, cooked to a perfect consistency. The stunner of the meal? That beef noodle soup. The bowl must have weighed a couple pounds. Beef was fall-apart tender, without being too fatty, and included a good amount of tendon. And that broth - a richness of flavor that may only be exceeded by 永康牛肉麵, where my dad used to go when he was in college. She brought a second bowl of broth because the first (very large) bowl was overflowing with beef and noodles already. And a container of her homemade chili oil. On our way out (with copious leftovers), she gave us a container of purple rice and another of pumpkin soup, refusing tips because "this is a family restaurant". Don't venture to Mama Lee's for the decor, for predictable opening hours, or to have the avant-garde Taiwanese food in town (886, win son, etc.). Go because it's been 10 long years since you've gotten to go back to see your extended family in Taiwan and you want the food you were fed there as a kid when you visited every summer. If you'll excuse me I'll be tucking into these leftovers for the rest of the weekend.
this place is a must try if you are in the area. It is run by the SWEETEST woman. Portion sizes are huge and food is authentic and delicious. Everything is made to order so it’s super fresh. I got the braised beef and the meat was so tender. Eggplant with garlic sauce came with a variety of yummy vegetables. She also included complimentary chicken soup with an entire chicken leg and radish. They also offer purple rice!!! Will be going back to try the whole menu.
It's a small store with 2 tables. Mostly for take out but we walked in and were able to grab a table. The owner/cashier/waitstaff was helpful but she was by herself. We ordered and self-serve barley tea (light but delicious). We ordered LouRou Rice and Mapo Tofu with purple rice(totally worth the extra $2) This is not your typical Mapo Tofu. It has black wood ear, lotus roots, mushrooms, minced pork... and spices. It's just the right of spicy for me and boy was it GOOD. The purple rice was a perfect match.
Best salt & pepper chicken I’ve had in a very long time! The fried pork chop was very good as well. Both were seasoned well and crispy. The side veggies and braised pork had lots of flavor and portion was very generous. You have an option of white, purple and brown rice. Mama lee was attentive, super friendly and like an auntie who always wants to over feed you.
Moma Lee closed at some point but I am glad they are back. It's a hole in the wall but the food is outstanding. The owner is the nicest lady ever and she is always giving me extra food. Large portions, good food and reasonable prices what else do you want. My favorite dish is the three cup chicken with purple rice.
Love this home cook style dishes. The beef stew is a must. I have not tried their 3 wine chicken which is a signature Taiwanese dish. Very pleasant from both the husband and wife owner. There are two different menu, one is more gear towards lunch and appetitzer, and the other is more for dinner dishes. Be sure to ask for both regardless.
Vegetarian dishes available. Owner is very friendly. She gave us a free dish because she said she didn't warn us the 2 vegetarian dishes we ordered had similar ingredients. Free soup with our order, vegetarian gets vegetarian soup and also special rice. The food was alright, homestyle food. One thing I found a bit odd was that the portions for each dish were pretty big. So price per dish is kind of high, around $15-16. It would be fine if you can have a large group but the restaurant is fairly small, probably can only seat a maximum of 5-6 person group. With 3 people, the owner recommended we order only 3 dishes. We ordered 4 because we wanted more variety. With the extra vegetarian dish the owner gave us, we had a lot of extra food to take home. It would be better if they reduced the portion size and charge ~$10 per dish.
Picked up three cup chicken and an eggplant dish for dinner. Big portions as always. Lee Mama is so friendly. The last time I visited Mama Lee was pre-Covid. My dad and I love their dishes especially the 3 cup chicken. It appears they have changed chefs though. The 3 cup chicken dish is super saucy with broccoli and woodear mushrooms which is not typical. I hope this was a one-off situation! 🙁
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About Mama Lee
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213-12 48th Ave, Bayside, NY 11364
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213-12 48th Ave, Bayside, NY 11364
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