Mamalee

Absolute delight to find such place, affordable tasty and addictive. Totally coming back for more. The chicken had some joints.

Best chicken in vancouver, we have been coming here for 17 years, and the food is always so good! Great service too!

Large size hainan chicken rice turns out to be very tiny pieces. Laksa soup is pretty salty with no real laksa taste. Pretty disappointed

This place used to be so good up to a few years ago. Havent been here for 3 yrs due to the pandemic, and the taste has gone downhill, including the portion, and the price has gone up of course. The laksa and the curry are all water down, the chicken is ok but the portion is small.
The service is slow and they are forgetful, had to get up and walk to the counter to remind them of what I asked for twice.
There are now better choices elsewhere in Vancouver.

Previously a big fan of Mama Lee.

The man answering the phone could really be more polite. It is quite a bitter impression from the get go when you are trying to order take out, as the staff is very rude. They also become more stingy with the food portions and sauce.

I hope they can improve on these matters as it is great comfort food otherwise.

This is TWO yellow rice and HALF CHICKEN for togo….
I don’t even know what to say anymore, you decide if it’s worth it…

The BEST Hainanese Chicken in Canada! The sauces are perfect and the chicken is mouth wateringly delicious. Try the noodles and the soups too. You will instantly feel happy! Currently they are only doing takeout so call ahead and order.

The young guy served with a bad attitude. I was their fans since 2014 but frankly they are getting worse and worse.

Been eating at this place for many years. Always like their curry beef! They only do take outs now which is good also!

Wayyyyyy overpriced. $20 for bak kut teh but there were barely any meat. The size was so ridiculously small, I thought it was an appetizer. It was NOWHERE NEAR what the photo showed. Was looking forward to it but very disappointed with the portions. The taste was alright, but will not order again unless the price/portion changes. The chicken rice was not bad.

I used to come to this restaurant a lot when I was a student but this will sadly be my last time. Price has gone up but food quality and portion have gone downhill. I’m not sure what happened. Maybe it’s the pandemic, maybe not. Who knows.

I still give it 3 stars for old times sake.

I used to love this place. They have the best Hainanese chicken ever. I cannot believe the prices have gone up! I got two entrees and roti canai for $110! I can’t eat here and the portions are so small in comparison to before. I was a frequent customer but This is getting crazyyy! They got my order wrong too (I ordered two roti canais but only got one) Not coming here again.

Oh man.i could go on and on and on about this place but long story short.they are just not as good as before. Coming from someone who used to live in Singapore and ate this almost everyday. This place used to be my fav hainan chicken rice but not the case anymore.

The most tender and tasty Hainanese chicken EVER, EVERY time!

Ordering Hainanese chicken elsewhere is disappointing. You've ruined me for any other chicken

I think they had one of the best flavored Hainanese Chicken plates I have had. The issue I have is the price vs quantity. They charge a lot compared to what they give. Had that have been better I would have given 5 stars.

I love this place! The staffs were very friendly and the food was amazing! I got the Hainanese chicken and WoW, it was sooo good! If you come the Vancouver for a leisure trip and love food, and this is definitely your place to go!

We ordered the seafood medley in noodle soup (pictured) and beef brisket curry with rice. I wish I could’ve ordered a laksa but I was told it’s spicy.
For the price (total of roughly $25) the portions were great and the food was good. Take out was ready in 15 min and the pick up was smooth. Would recommend it for a cheap bite.

The food itself is decent, perhaps a bit pricy but considering the part of town, it makes sense. Hardly any service though, no one ever came to refill our water for the entire meal. We were here for a late lunch around 2pm, it was almost full but wasn't super busy.

Since no one checked in on us, we were never really able to ask for our bill. We went up to the cashier to pay and we paid with cash. One of the younger staff just put the change out and just as I was looking at the change and trying to leave some for tips, an older lady kept telling me that I need to pay tips. The bill was $37 something and I had put down $45 as I didn't have any coins and the older lady basically insisted that I should leave all of the change for tips. I was still looking at the change and hadn't even left yet. Extremely rude. They also only take cash or debit.

We have been to Mamalee's a few times. The last time we went there, we had such a horrific experience that we never went back for a few years actually. So finally we went back giving this place another chance. The decor is nothing to write home about. There's just nothing special about the interior when you step in. It's average at best. The seating is limited.

The customer service is average. The waiters and waitresses don't actually come to you unless you wave them down and are ready to order. Filling of tea and or water - same ordeal - you'd have to wave them down. Get their attention and then they will refill your tea or water. They are, for when we went to visit them, short staffed but the food came out relatively quick still. Maybe they have a different idea of a "long time" than I do ‍ nevertheless we are grateful that the food didn't take too long to come out.

My wife got the Hainanese chicken which is a popular dish at Mamalee's. I'm not the biggest fan of it. But it was tasty, still. I got the beef laksa and it was good in the sense where the soup base was nice and spicy. Had a good kick to it. I still, however, prefer Amay's laksa. They do it VERY WELL, even better than the Laksa King restaurant.

I would come back and would recommend this place if you're looking for a Malaysian restaurant in the area of West Broadway. It's decent. It's relatively fast. And it's decently clean. The ambiance like I've said. Morning to write home about. They don't seem to have put a ton of resources into their decor. It's average. Maybe.

Parking can be a little difficult to find if not pay parking on Broadway. 10th Ave is a good bet to have some free parking (no limitations). Short walk to the restaurant.

I'd recommend to try. But if you're looking for great customer service this isn't the place. Good, quick Malay food? This is the place.

It has been years since I’ve been to Mamalee.

Service was good; I got seated right away even though there’s an apology notice on the door for their slow service due to labour shortage.

They are quite eco-friendly: reusable order sheet. Love it!

Food was good. I didn’t take a photo because I was so hungry that I devoured my veg laksa noodle soup

Went for an early dinner on a Saturday. Ordered the Roti Canai, Beef Laksa & Chee Cheong Fun. The Roti Canai had an overwhelming taste of margarine or butter, I'm not sure which one but it was very unpleasant. The Laksa although lacking noodles, beef & tofu, had an very flavourful broth with just the right amount of heat. My favourite dish was by far the Chee Chong Fun. Not a dish I've seen on any other Malaysian menu so I was eager to try it & it did not disappoint. It had a slightly sweet slightly spicy flavour & the rice rolls & fish balls were just what you would expect them to be. The service was okay, however he never did check on us, if he had we would have mentioned the roti, nor did he offer us refills of water and tea.

Overall, if you're looking for a great Malaysian food experience I would either try one of the many Banana Leaf locations or go a little further to Tamarind Hill. The Laksa at Tamarind Hill is delicious!

Mama lee is probably one of the most iconic Hainan chicken Restaurants in Kitsilano.

Fantastic food, decent portion, reasonable-to-above-average price. We have been a regular to mama lee since 2010, and will still be coming!
=D

For sure the gem in town!

Fantastic restaurant made and run with love! Food here is amazing and always consistent. The story of Mama Lee and how she built this business is incredible. The wait times to get into the restaurant reflects how good they just are! Especially love the laksa noodles and hainan chicken rice - wonderful for the heart and stomach on any day!

A little restaurant that serves home-style Asian food. This place is known for their Hainese Chicken. They do not take reservations and there is usually a line up during peak hours.

Price is on the higher end compared to other Hainese places, but I suspect is due to the location. Their other dishes, like their laksa and curry can be a hit or miss.

It's great little place to grab some comfort noodles and rice. It's not fancy, but it tastes good. A place I'd go regularly cause it's decent food for a good price. Don't expect fancy decor or pretentious anything. Just go, eat, enjoy.

Love the food here. Service isn't great but they have mobile order and are short staffed.

Wish it was a bit cheaper but I understand it's labor intensive.

The cashier was yelling at me for too little tips. The food was mediocre and small portioned for the price. They also don't accept credit cards not us debits.

The service was so bad! The boss, a senior female was so rude. We were a group of 3 and have been seated already, but then was told to move to a small table to accommodate a group of 4 came after us, and the boss came out to promise will give us the next available bigger table, but then she forgot and gave the bigger table to a group of 2. I asked her, she was very angry and loudly to yell at us: you’ve almost done, why do you need to move to a bigger table? Excuse me? We were moved by you and promised by you and then lied by you and then finally I got yelled by you? Who are you? That’s sooo rude! Just because you are busy doesn’t mean you will be always busy, with this kind of attitude, I think you will be closed very soon! God damn you!

We’re always up to try a good Malaysian restaurant and I’ve heard some good things about Mamalee located on West Broadway in Kits.

This is a pretty basic Malaysian restaurant (not a very huge menu) and the interior is quite utilitarian. Still… we’re here for the food. We wound up ordering the Hainanese Chicken (regular size) with a side of soup as well as Roti Canai and a Milo Dinosaur. A cold Milo Dinosuar really is refreshing on a hot day. The simple soup was so aromatic when it arrived at the table.

First up is the Hainanese Chicken, served cold, with a side of rice. The poached chicken was quite good and we managed to finish this rather easily. While it comes with a bit of dipping sauce, I would have liked if it had more ginger and scallion dipping sauce (you have to pay extra for more).

The Roti Canai was a bit disappointing… not sure what was really going on here. It seemed quite shredded up and the outside seemed to be overcooked and not the least bit fluffy on the inside.

We also wound up ordering the Chee Cheong Fun with Fish Balls. This actually turned out to be a pretty good dish and I enjoyed the tender rice rolls but I thought the sauce was a bit too runny as it was difficult to coat the rice rolls with it.

Overall impressions… a very minimalistic Malaysian eatery with some hits and misses. In either case, don’t order the roti canai unless you like it overly dry and shredded.

Be prepared for lots of chicken (delicious), little vegetables, and a down to earth original atmosphere. The place was packed, but or wait want long.

Mamalee is THE BEST! I have tried the whole menu (savoury food) and nothing has ever disappointed me.

Their Hainan chicken is awesome, a real delight, but the laksa soups and the specials are also extraordinary. One of my favourites is the laksa soup with fishball.

Premises are clean and comfortable, although it gets really crowded at lunch time and they are understaffed, so the service is a bit slow, but the wait is totally worth it.

I would recommend a late lunch or an early dinner if you want to avoid crowds.

Reviews must be fake by friends and family members. Food is below average. Worse hainanese chicken I’ve ever tasted. They also charge $1.50 for sauce? This is unheard of. Will never come here again

Tenderest chicken i've ever had - definitely! The already marinated chicken, rice, and the hot sauce is the perfect combination.it's different from what we had at home (ginger sauce on the side), but after the first bite - you really don't need it! (we tried to ask for extra but was told they'll charge for additional sauces).

cash only, and you could place order through an app.i'd say to give it a try definitely when you are in town

Really great little Malaysian place with a small but characterful dinning space. Menu is small but has alot of Malaysian classics. Extensive drinks menu as well. Order a half position of chicken rice and my friend had the tofu curry noodles. All in all the chicken rice was very good. Chicken had the requisite texture and flavor. Came with some cucumbers for freshness and a sweet chili sauce on the side. The rice was ok but could have had a bit more chicken flavor. The accompanying soup was very good and came packed with carrots, I really enjoyed it. The tofu curry was fresh and delicious. We also had a couple iced milk tea, which were very good and refreshing. Would recommend a visit!

Awesome Hainanese chicken rice! Have lots of Malaysian food on the menu. Best if you go with a few people so that you can try more food. Very small place but no issues if you go off peak hours

My mom is a kind, well-mannered woman (I don't know many who would disagree). However, she tips pleasantly when dining in but typically doesn't when doing take-out (she goes to mamalee for both semi-regularly). The last time she went to mamalee, though, the lady at the till said "oh you" when my mom went to pick up her food, and before giving my mom her food she opened up the takeout bag, removed the napkins cutlery and complimentary soup, tied the bag back up and gave it to my mom. My mother is always pleasant so I can't imagine a reason other than she perhaps doesn't tip with take out for this kind of treatment. If a shop chooses to act so petty based on how much she tips then I personally will not be giving mamalee my business. Especially when I've noticed over the years that their portions have gotten smaller and smaller.