Mambo sauce, also known as Mumbo sauce, is a condiment that was developed and popularized at take-out restaurants in Washington, D.C. . It is a red-orange sauce that is similar to barbecue sauce, but somewhat sweeter, and also somewhat spicier or more sour. McDonalds recently released their own version of the sauce as a limited time offering in their US locations. The sauce has a complicated history that countless publications have tried to trace, but it is generally believed to have originated in Washington, D.C. and Chicago in the 1950s-1960s. The sauce is a staple at Chinese American carryout spots and soul food restaurants in predominantly Black neighborhoods in both Chicago and Washington, D.C. . Mambo sauce adds a unique flavor punch that locals adore and can be used to slather on anything from chicken wings to French fries.