:Mama Lu's Dumpling House

Critics praise Mama Lu{{'s}} xiaolongbao and list it among the best xiaolongbao restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley.{{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Jenn |title=A few hours in the SGV: How to devour 5 terrific dishes in a single night |url=https://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/la-dd-san-gabriel-valley-eating-tour-20130710-story.html |access-date=22 November 2021 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=25 July 2013 |language=en-US |quote=Din Tai Fung...is always a favorite for xiao long bao (juicy pork dumplings, also known as soup dumplings) and Mama's Lu Dumpling House, both locations in Monterey Park, also have great dumplings}} Time Out called the xiaolongbao "fantastic", noting that the skin is "nicely supple but tough enough...without easily tearing".{{cite news |last1=Ver |first1=Christine |title=Mama Lu's |url=https://www.timeout.com/los-angeles/restaurants/mama-lus |accessdate=22 December 2019 |work=Time Out Los Angeles |date=12 July 2016}} Tony Chen of Eater, however, called Mama Lu's xiaolongbao "the same as all others" but acknowledged that "people love it".{{cite news |last1=Chen |first1=Tony |title=Where To Find LA's Best Chinese Soup Dumplings |url=https://la.eater.com/maps/where-to-find-las-best-chinese-soup-dumplings/mamas-lu-dumpling-house |access-date=22 November 2021 |work=Eater LA |date=20 February 2014 |language=en}} The quality of the food and long lines lend themselves to comparisons with fellow popular Chinese restaurant Din Tai Fung. Kristie Hang of the LAist observed the xiaolongbao of Mama Lu{{'s}} had a thicker skin and "denser broth" than those of Din Tai Fung.{{cite news |last1=Hang |first1=Kristie |title=The 8 Best Soup Dumpling Shops In Los Angeles |url=https://laist.com/news/food/best-soup-dumplings |access-date=22 November 2021 |work=LAist |date=30 March 2016 |language=en}} The Tiger agreed but compared the quality of Mama Lu's service unfavorably to that of Din Tai Fung's.{{cite news |last1=Cahill |first1=Cole |title=Home style specialties shine at Mama Lu's Dumpling House |url=https://tigernewspaper.com/home-style-specialties-shine-mama-lus-dumpling-house/ |access-date=22 November 2021 |work=Tiger Newspaper |publisher=South Pasadena High School |date=6 October 2016 |language=en-US}} Though best known for xiaolongbao, Mama Lu's has also received praise for its green onion pancakes and other dishes.{{cite news |last1=Shatkin |first1=Elina |title=Take A Bao: Xiao Long Bao at Mama's Lu |url=https://www.laweekly.com/take-a-bao-xiao-long-bao-at-mamas-lu/ |access-date=22 November 2021 |work=LA Weekly |date=4 November 2010 |language=en-US}} Demand for its dumplings spike around traditional Chinese holidays, such as the Lunar New Year.{{cite news |title=Mama Lu's Dumpling House works overtime to meet Lunar New Year demand |url=https://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2014/01/31/35812/mama-lu-s-dumpling-house-works-overtime-to-meet-lu/ |accessdate=22 December 2019 |work=Southern California Public Radio |date=31 January 2014}}

Mama Lu's Dumpling House was first opened at 153 E. Garvey Ave. in Monterey Park, California before 2008. By 2012, two more restaurants were operating in the city:{{Cite web | url=https://la.eater.com/2012/5/31/6582481/another-85-c-mama-lus-expands-more | title=Another 85°C, Mama Lu's Expands, More! | date=31 May 2012 }} according to Tony Chen of Eater, one had opened down the street at 501 W. Garvey after Lu's Dumpling House had on Garfield.{{cite news |last1=Chen |first1=Tony |title=Fire Engine Slams Into and Destroys Lu Dumpling House |url=https://la.eater.com/2014/4/17/6239815/ |accessdate=22 December 2019 |work=Eater LA |date=17 April 2014}} In April 2014, the latter closed when a fire truck smashed into it.{{cite news |title=Fire truck crash victim to get $15M settlement from Alhambra, Monterey Park |url=https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2015/07/31/fire-truck-crash-victim-to-get-15m-settlement-from-alhambra-monterey-park/ |accessdate=22 December 2019 |work=Pasadena Star News |date=31 July 2015}}

In 2015, Anna Tang bought the restaurant's 501 W. Garvey location and has operated it and the Mama's Dumpling House in San Gabriel independently of the other locations.{{cite news |title=Chinese food and dumplings for every taste at Mama's in San Gabriel |url=https://www.sgvtribune.com/2017/09/19/chinese-food-and-dumplings-for-every-taste-at-mamas-in-san-gabriel/ |accessdate=22 December 2019 |work=San Gabriel Valley Tribune |date=20 September 2017 |url-access=subscription}}

In August and October 2018, health inspectors closed the 153 E Garvey location for two days due to violations.{{cite news |last1=Arevalo |first1=Penny |title=Monterey Park Chinese restaurant obtained namesake dumplings from unapproved source and other health inspections in the San Gabriel Valley |url=https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2018/08/21/monterey-park-chinese-restaurant-obtained-namesake-dumplings-from-unapproved-source-and-other-health-inspections-in-the-san-gabriel-valley/ |accessdate=22 December 2019 |work=Pasadena Star News |date=21 August 2018}}{{cite news |first1=Stephanie K. |last1=Baer |title=Cockroaches, no hot water shut down 7 San Gabriel Valley restaurants |url=https://www.sgvtribune.com/2015/10/28/cockroaches-no-hot-water-shut-down-7-san-gabriel-valley-restaurants/ |accessdate=22 December 2019 |work=San Gabriel Valley Tribune |date=28 October 2015 |url-access=subscription}} Formerly owned by siblings Yan Lu and William Lu, the restaurant underwent a sales tax audit that year, resulting in imprisonment for sales tax evasion and payments of over {{US$|2}}{{nbsp}}million for taxes owed, including interest, and the cost of the audit.{{cite news |last1=Shatkin |first1=Elina |title=Mama's Lu Dumpling Duo Pleads Guilty To $2 Million Tax Fraud |url=https://laist.com/news/food/mamas-lu-dumpling-duo-pleads-guilty-to-tax-fraud-food-crime-san-gabriel-valley-soup-dumplinga |access-date=15 November 2021 |work=LAist |date=23 August 2021 |language=en}}

Mama Lu's Dumpling House opened new locations in Chinatown on May 2, 2023, taking over from the former CBS Seafood Restaurant on Spring Street behind Philippe's,{{Cite news | last=Chaplin | first=Cathy | title=An SGV Dumpling Powerhouse Is Now Slinging Xiao Long Bao in Chinatown | url=https://la.eater.com/2023/5/4/23696770/cbs-seafood-restaurant-mama-lus-dumpling-house-los-angeles-chinatown-sgv | work=Eater Los Angeles | date=May 4, 2023 | access-date=February 19, 2025}} and in Pasadena the following year.{{Cite news | last=Shindler | first=Merrill | title=Dumplings are delightful at this Pasadena restaurant | url=https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2024/03/27/dumplings-are-delightful-at-this-pasadena-restaurant/ | work=Pasadena Star-News | date=March 27, 2024 | access-date=February 19, 2025}}

• Chinese enclaves in the San Gabriel Valley
• List of Chinese restaurants

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• {{cite news |script-title=zh:華人今日網 Chinesedaily 吃遍南加 - 一口福 滿滿幸福 |url=http://www.chinesedaily.com/food_info.asp?idno=2043 |accessdate=22 December 2019 |work=www.chinesedaily.com |language=Chinese}}
• {{cite news |script-title=zh:華人今日網 Chinesedaily 吃遍南加 - 一口福 蟹粉小籠湯汁飽滿 |url=http://www.chinesedaily.com/food_info.asp?idno=2103 |accessdate=22 December 2019 |work=www.chinesedaily.com |language=Chinese}}
• {{cite news |script-title=zh:華人今日網 Chinesedaily 吃遍南加 - 一口福 正宗一口福僅此一家 |url=http://www.chinesedaily.com/food_info.asp?idno=2237 |accessdate=22 December 2019 |work=www.chinesedaily.com |language=Chinese}}
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• {{cite news |last1=Elliott |first1=Farley |title=Prominent San Gabriel Valley Dumpling Group Pleads Guilty to $2 Million Tax Fraud |url=https://la.eater.com/2021/8/24/22639682/morning-news-ami-intel-san-gabriel-valley-dumpling-mamas-lu-tax-fraud-guilty |access-date=15 November 2021 |work=Eater LA |date=24 August 2021 |language=en}}

• {{cite news |script-title=zh:華人今日網 Chinesedaily 吃遍南加 - 一口福 Mama Lu Dumpling House 戳一下吸一口湯汁 |url=http://www.chinesedaily.com/food_info.asp?idno=2054 |accessdate=22 December 2019 |work=www.chinesedaily.com |language=Chinese}}

• {{cite news |title=Video shows 2014 crash involving two fire trucks in Monterey Park |url=https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2015/08/13/video-shows-2014-crash-involving-two-fire-trucks-in-monterey-park/ |accessdate=22 December 2019 |work=Pasadena Star News |date=13 August 2015 |url-access=subscription}}
• {{cite news |last1=Chen |first1=Tony |title=Mama Lu #3 Rises from the Dead; Original Shau May Returns to SGV |url=https://la.eater.com/2014/12/29/7463043/ |accessdate=22 December 2019 |work=Eater LA |date=29 December 2014}}
• {{cite news |script-title=zh:一口福被撞後 蒙市將更換消防局長 - Chinesedaily 新聞搜索 |url=http://www.chinesedaily.com/search_read.asp?no=c1273619.txt&lanmu=T06&readdate=4-24-2014 |accessdate=22 December 2019 |work=www.chinesedaily.com |language=Chinese}}
• {{cite news |script-title=zh:消防車撞一口福 斷腿亞裔男獲賠150萬 - Chinesedaily 新聞搜索 |url=http://www.chinesedaily.com/search_read.asp?no=c1391633.txt&lanmu=C01&readdate=8-1-2015 |accessdate=22 December 2019 |work=www.chinesedaily.com |language=Chinese}}

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• {{Official website|mamalusca.com}}
• [https://mamaludumpling.com/ 501 W Garvey Ave location]

{{Coord|13|4|5|N|3|4|1|E}}

{{Restaurants in Los Angeles County}}

Category:Chinese restaurants in California

Category:Monterey Park, California