Mary Chung Restaurant

I have NEVER had better food nor of course better Chinese food! This is by FAR THE BEST restaurant in BOSTON, in MASS, in USA and Beyond! I have lived in Boston for 19 years and visit my mom who lives there (For past 7 years I live in England) and no matter how much time I have home for my visit i HAVE to eat at Mary Chungs!!!!\r \r Mary Chung's is like going home for me. I have been going here since I was 3 years old! Mary herself taught me how to use chopsticks! We were devastated when they closed for a few years (due to real estate issues) and we were Over the moon, DELIGHTED when they came back!!! \r \r Okay here is what you NEED to eat... Suan Low Cha Show.... its spicy but it is AMAZING! My mouth waters thinking about it! Cool your mouth off with their Spring Rolls and Duck Sauce (my mom prefers the egg rolls) BUT the spring roll filling is SO YUMMY!\r \r I then ussually go with the schezuen spicy beef and again it is spicy but sooooo good!!! My mom loves the sweet and sour pork! I ussually steal some and it is good!\r \r We have NEVER eaten there and not liked something! Crab Ragoons? Delish! Egg Drop Soup? Delish! Dumplings? Yum \r \r HONESTLY THE FOOD IS SOOOOO GOOD!!!! GO HERE! GO HERE and GO HERE again! Try it ALL and spread the word! Closed Tuesdays though:)\r more

Definitely the best Chinese I have had in a looong time. I was in the area for a fundraiser and had not had the pleasure of quality Chinese. My colleagues and I all had different dishes, but everything I tried was awesome! Highly recommended.\r \r Rod Ricciardii\r Find-A-Dream more

This MIT favorite has been in Central Square for about 30 years. The signature dish is Suan La Chow Sho -- I've never seen this done so well anywhere else (and I've only seen it in all my travels at two other restaurants in SF). This hefty appetizer is not for the timid -- six fat Sichuan wontons, garlicky and tingling with Sichuan peppercorn, sit on top of a bed of always perfectly crispy and fresh bean sprouts, all doused in hot garlic/soy dipping sauce, and festooned with thin slices of scallion. When I moved away from Boston for 16 years I used to *dream* about this dish.\r \r If you're vegetarian, try the ""refreshing bean sprout,"" which is the same dish without wontons.\r \r The only dish I don't like here is their hot & sour soup.\r \r Special recommendations: Ma Po Tofu (did you know this means ""Pockmark Faced Grandmother's Tofu?). The tofu tastes so fresh and good -- any of their tofu dishes are worthwhile. If you're veggie ask, though, a lot of the sauces are based on meat broths and of course Ma Po Tofu has ground pork in a brown spicy sauce along with big cubes of silken tofu.\r \r Lots of really great lunch specials! My favorite in mid-winter is the pork and sichuan pickled vegetable noodle soup (Pork and Pickle Soup on the menu). Matchstick strips of pork and the spicy sichuan pickles (I believe they're from some cabbagy veggie like kohlrabi) in a rich but not at all greasy pork broth, all in a bowl full of thick wheat-flour noodles.\r \r The scallion pancakes are my son's favorite anywhere, and it's an appetizer he gets if it's on the menu of any Chinese restaurant. He also swears by their General Tso's Chicken. Pros: affordable, wonderful food, seasonal specials Cons: unimaginative decor more

Outstanding and genuine Chinese food. High quality ingredients and authentic preparation. Consistently excellent. Remember to bring cash, and they are closed on TUESDAYS. Pros: Quality, Value more

Only negative is ""Cash Only"" payment policy. Our group of 5 had Schezuan Chicken, 1 spicy & 1 shredded(must specify style you prefer and when they say spicy, they mean it! The guys insisted each was so incredibly full of flavor and heat that they just loved it!)and Pork Lo Main(great taste including homemade noodles!). Our appetizers included Egg Rolls (large and stuffed full with mostly cabbage but enough ground pork to provide substance and only hint of 5 spice powder), Spring Rolls(paper thin wrappings, long and slender, stuffed with tasty fresh vegetables) and Won Ton Soup(4 won tons in every bowl). All was very freshly prepared and so incredibly flavorfull! I've never had better Won Ton Soup! The won tons were stuffed full and the broth was light yet delicious. Our waitress was very attentive and watched for our every need. Prices were very resonable, especially for the quantities served and that included the appetizers. I only regret that living in Ohio, I cannot frequent this place more often but my brother in law assures me he'll make it a ""regular"" spot for his family. Multiple families were there and it was a very multi-cultural clientel. We have no place in Columbus, Ohio that compares to the quality of this place. Pros: Excellent Food and Service Cons: Cash Only Payment Policy more

The dinner dishes are decent, but where Mary's shines is in its unique spicy Szechuan dim sum. Get the Suan la Chow Show (the best), scallion pancakes (the best), small steamer buns (shu mai), and Peking ravioli. The food is made fresh and the high quality of the ingredients is obvious. Pros: Suan la Chow Show, scallion pancakes, prices Cons: decor more

You haven't had it, till you've been to Mary's. The Suan La Chow Show is the greatest. I've had it at another but it doesn't compare. They keep the water pitcher right on your table...you'll need it! The hot is hot, so fresh, so good. Enjoy! The place is not big, not fancy, just great to enjoy some good food in comfort. The service is awesome. Pros: Suan La Chow Show, Schez green beans, General's Chicken more

This is a best kept secret restaurant near MIT that serves the absolute best Chinese in Boston area. Forget Golden Temple and all the rest of the Americanized, microwave palaces. This is the real thing. Try it just once, you will agree. Pros: rich, complex sauces, terrific variety, fast service Cons: very popular, narrow room more