Three stars for the food, one star for the nostalgia and memories. Located in the Smoky Hollow area of Youngstown, MVR has a long and storied past. You can read about it as you walk in. It's not easy to find, but it's not really that hard if you know where the rear entrance to YSU's Wick Avenue parking deck. It's on that same street. The food is good. It's more home cooking than haute cuisine. I've been here many times and have sampled most of the pasta. Pick any and you'll be happy. It's not expensive, especially for lunch. A nice tradition is to hit this place up before going to the YSU game. read more

If you're looking for that one place that really speaks to the culture of the Youngstown area, the Mahoning Valley Restaraunt is that place. Located in the heart of the Hollow, one of the two big Italian neighborhoods in Youngstown, you'll find this remnant of a bygone era in Youngstown history. Many of the homes that once populated the area have been demolished, making way for the expansion of the YSU campus, some green spaces and little else. MVR was founded by Carmine Cassese and remains family owned and operated. This is a place where the atmosphere can't be beat. Entering the doors of MVR you'll see a sort of wall of fame, where just about every major college football head coach as well as a couple of boxing legends has autographed a photo. Step out back and you'll find bocce court after bocce court. This is the only place I've ever known to sponsor its own bocce league. Welcome to Youngstown. There may be some better pasta joints in Y-town, God knows there's one on every corner, but the Tressel Tortellini (yes, that Tressel) is a winner. A cheese tortellini topped with a creamy red sauce is a treat that I come back to time and time again. MVR is a must see if you're in the Youngstown area. read more

The MVR is a Youngstown staple..... & their food is INCREDIBLE ! We eat at the restaurant , & when we have family parties or events ..... we always have the food catered by the MVR. Everyone raves over how delicious the food is. We're customers for life ! read more

MVR=Mahoning Valley Restaurant I had NO IDEA what this place was, or how delicious the food would be, until clients insisted we go there for lunch so I could get some "local flavor". It's an old school Italian restaurant with HUGE covered bocce courts and bar area in the back. The food was good, the service was quick, and it reminded me a lot of the old Dominick's in Dayton, OH. Dominick's is no longer there, but it was decorated in sports memorabilia from UD and with photos of local sports notables. Same thing at MVR, except the artifacts are from Youngstown State. You're not going to find a ton of health food options on the menu, but it is diverse enough to offer an array of non-pasta dishes and also vegetarian items. I had ravioli with spinach and mushrooms in herbed cream sauce...it was really good but it was drowning in sauce. My companions all ordered something different and everything looked good...plates were practically licked clean. I highly recommend this place if you're in the area. Youngstown doesn't have a lot of local spots, but this one was really good. The crowd varied from college students in sweats all the way up to very elderly couples in fancier dress. read more

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Went there on a Yelp review and wasn't disappointed. Got the Blackened Salmon and the local Noble Creature Maintain. Food and beer were solid, especially the generous portion of salmon. Side veggies were fine and side salad was pedestrian. Servers were friendly and outdoor seating was key. read more

Excellent Service! Youngstown comfort food at it's finest! My mother, my daughter and myself decided to treat ourselves to a nice dinner out. Living in Pittsburgh, it is difficult to find restaurants that are able to offer dine in service. We were not disappointed! Our server was wonderful and fast and very caring. Our dinners were delicious. Fried zucchini, chicken parmigiana and their Three Pepper Chicken over Linguine were all worth writing home about! Even the owner stopped by to see how everything was going. Please support this local business. It is what makes our country great and you won't be disappointed with the quality of food and how wonderful you will be treated - like family! The only downside is that I don't live closer! Cheers MVR! I will see you again real soon! read more

My food was amazing, the bartender was phenomenal she was slinging drinks left and right and serving everyone in a timely manner, Brooke is the BOMB. read more

Quality food , great price , service is outstanding. I had there Cajun White fish a few nights ago and it was the best I've ever had . I really like the casual atmosphere also . read more

First time customer. Super sweet waitress, neat environment with Youngstown history & YSU famous alumni photos on wall, history of the restaurant and option to buy T-shirt's. The food was delicious!!!! I had the meatball sandwich. Best ever! I'm meatball amateur connoisseur! Daughters Fettuccine Alfredo was delicious! Husbands grilled chicken favorite of Jim Tressel was fantastic! Great portions for the price. Will be back again!!! read more

My husband and I had to go to the University for business and we saw online that this had great reviews. Yes it was great!! Casual dress, bar like atmosphere but all different ages. The waitress was friendly and attentive. The music was appropriate and the perfect volume. My husband had a diet Coke, bacon cheeseburger and fresh cut fries it was cooked perfect! I had a one of the specials a lovely steamed fish with spinach and red roasted peppers. Cooked beautiful! Our bill was $20! Where can you go with two different pallets and a nice lunch?? Go here you will not be disappointed. read more

Cassese's MVR - Bacon cheese burger and fresh cut fries. - Italian Near Me - Youngstown, Ohio

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Went there with my team of about 40 girls after practice and the food hit the spot man!!! Such delicious food and very generous portion sizes. I was so full but had to keep eating because the food was just that good. If I'm ever in the area again, I'm coming back that's for sure. read more

This place is so so so delicious. It's good quality food for a super affordable price. Everything was very fresh and delicious when I went. Probably my favorite Italian restaurant at the moment. Definitely recommend. read more

The heart of Youngstown Italian dining The MVR is home-cooking in a friendly atmosphere. The spicy bow ties are my favorite dish. I also enjoy the hot chips with the best sauce that packs a kick. You can't go wrong with any of the pasta dishes - delicious sauce. Hands down, one of my favorite places in the Mahoning Valley! read more

Note: Bocce and bar review only. Bar: All the activity was outside when we visited. The bartender was super sweet and attentive. We soon left for the warm outdoors and where all the action was. Bocce is free!!! I was so excited about that. In my hometown there is a bocce restaurant but it's a bit more on the ritzy side. You have to pay by the hour to get a court. Here, it's just grab it when it's free. I had an absolute blast playing with my friends and having drinks until the late hours of the night. I completely get why this is THE place to go in Youngstown. I'll have to try out their menu the next time I'm up. read more

Went here on the recommendation one of my customers while visiting Youngstown. After hearing him rave about the place, our expectations were high! I had the "stuffed" green peppers... it turned out to be a huge meatball with some strips of pepper on the top. Ok but not great. My co-worker started with the potato cheddar soup and it was so good, she asked for a second cup. Her lasagna was also just "ok". I'll go back if I find myself in Youngstown again but defintely won't rave about it to friends. read more

Best kept secret in Youngstown. Excellent wedding soup and awesome pasta! (try tressels tort for something with a tomato taste or the spicy bow-ties for something cheesy and hot). read more

Cassese's MVR - Tressel's Tortelini - Italian Near Me - Youngstown, Ohio

My first time here and was kinda disappointed. We sat at the bar (usually some of the best service at a restaurant) and received mediocre at best service. The bartender was disinterested in serving us and after taking our drink order abruptly asked if we wanted anything else. We proceeded to ask for menus which they quickly gave us and hurriedly went back to continue their conversation with their coworker. I ordered an Italian chicken sandwich and a cup of Italian wedding soup and my girlfriend ordered a chicken salad, fries on the side. The wedding soup broth was bland, tons of spinach that was a bit too firm for my liking, no chicken and 2 mini meatballs. My sandwich was pretty good, the greens very tasty. My girlfriend was pleased with her chicken salad. Bottom line: Food pretty good but the service brings the whole experience down a few notches. read more

This is pretty generic Italian. I came after all the great Yelp reviews, but I was not really impressed at all. We had to wait 15 minutes even though we had a reservation, the bread was clearly from a bag, and the food was not impressive. I could have honestly made my penne carbonera at home and have it taste less "out of the box". If you are looking for a place to take a loud family and have a large inexpensive meal, this is your place. If you are looking for an intimate atmosphere with great food, look elsewhere (and then let me know where that is around here...) read more

Nice local place to just kick back & relax. It's a very casual atmosphere with a local feel. Being Italian, I'm a spaghetti snob. I have to say that MVR has the best sauce I have ever tasted out. I've had their gnocchi, eggplant parm & cavatelli - all which were good. Their gnocchi state "homemade" but it didn't seem like they were. Their service is quick. There is a short wait on the evening weekends the few times I have been here. During summer months, they do have outside tables. read more

Very good food. Convenient when you're in a rush they have a quick lunch at work. good atmosphere with all the Youngstown memorabilia

Where else can you go and have a meal for three people for $38? MVR has consistently tasty homemade Italian food that outshines any other restaurant in town. Their sauces are amazing, the service is quick and efficient, and the portions are very large. I see why this restaurant is a staple in the landscape of the town. The fried greens are the best I think I have ever had. I would love to have the recipe on this dish. The wedding soup was amazing and I had eggplant Parmesan for my meal, which I ended up not being able to eat because I was already so terribly full. But then I have lunch for tomorrow! read more

I love this place b/c it's casual dress and the food is always good. Nice outdoor seating and bocce courts. read more

I spoke with Joe and asked to book a reservation for a large group (30+ people) on a Saturday night at 6 which is always a busy time. He said he would take care of us. We arrived a few minutes late and they were ready for us to be seated immediately. We had several servers waiting for us and all the tables had menus and pitchers of water. We all ordered from the menu and had separate checks. Everything was handled flawlessly. Our orders were taken quickly and were served in less than 20 minutes with no problems. Everyone was happy and the food as always was excellent. I would recommend the MVR to everyone. Tim S, Poland, OH read more

Wow! Seriously one of the best Italian food we have had. Our daughter had the Alfredo, my husband had the Rajun Chicken Pasta and I had Tressels favorite Cajun Chicken sandwich. Everyone looked like they were in heaven as they took their first bites. Portions were great. Our daughter brought home left overs while my husband and myself managed to eat it all. Only because it was so good we couldn't stop eating! Staff was quick, friendly and informative about their menu. Restaurants was clean and inviting. Highly recommended! read more

I was there once and will never go back .it was busy we found two seats at the end of the bar. We ordered food and drinks . Before the food came out an elderly gentleman came out of the kitchen and told me i was in his seat. he didn't have anything on the bar designating his seat. It was the owner from what i was told . he made a paying customer get up so he could sit down. This shows how much he cares about the customers. Food was nothing special. You can get this kind of food anywhere and sit to enjoy it. read more

We got to enjoy an great evening out for an anniversary party for my parents. The waitress Kelly was fantastic and really made the night enjoyable. Food was great, atmosphere was wonderful. Thank you! read more

The food is not consistent the food changes with who cook that day. . my friends ordered sausage sandwich the kitchen for got to put peppers and onion on. Jimmy's potatoes is never the same sometime roasted garlic sometimes none. A bit disappointed. its like the kitchen staff doesn't try at all to make this place shine. The menu is a bit outdated read more

Clean and always great Italian! Place is usually always busy, says a lot for the excellent food!

I came here recently with some friends during finals week. It was very busy, even at 1pm! Our server was incredibly accommodating to our large party and was attentive. I had the Tressel tortellini and the portion was very generous. However the pasta was a bit over cooked. Our side salads weren't terribly exciting. Everyone enjoyed their food and the atmosphere. It's a great place to come and socialize, but the food was merely okay. read more

One of my favorites in all of Youngstown. Tressle tortellini is to die for. Good service. Good atmosphere. Good menu.

It took a long time to get seated but they were pretty busy. The waitress was a little slow even after business slowed a bit. The food was amazing! I had Cajun pasta with scallops and shrimp. The seafood was perfect! There was a lot of sauce on the pasta which is the way I like it. I can't wait to go back. I might try to go when they are not so busy. read more

absolutely love this place. bocce ball at night. feels like a movie scene but small town quaint and local staff and coaches always there.

I used to love this place's pasta, but since developing an intolerance to gluten, I haven't been back. When I suggested they get gluten free noodles, it was kinda brushed off. Hard to give a good review for a place that doesn't care about your dietary needs... read more

Love the Ragin' Cajun Ravioli with blackened chicken. Service was prompt and attentive. Sat on the top deck for the first time. Cool atmosphere. Popular place for a good reason. read more

Went here last night got the blackened salmon and veggies salmon was awesome veggies not so good portion seemed really small for the veggies . The server had the worst attitude like our table was a bother to her she kept having us pas food and drinks down the table she couldn't even walk to the other side of our table she was very lazy like to our party. I will say the food was good everyone was happy with the taste of there dish hats off to the cook there Friday night. read more

This place is terrific! The best Italian food in the greater Youngstown area. Bocce courts out back as well. The courts are outside, but they are under cover - rain or shine, the leagues play on. read more

Cassese's MVR - I usually like medium rare salmon, but this was so good it didn't matter. - Italian Near Me - Youngstown, Ohio

Iconic restaurant/bar in the YSU area. Food is fresh and plentiful. Service is average. Sometimes they are very busy but worth the wait. Check out the outdoor bar area and bocca courts. Live local - Buy local. No chain food here!!! read more

Previous visits were good. This time, the service was lacking. Ordered greens and hot pepper as an appetizer. Order took 30 minutes. Not a problem as they were busy. Then we waited another 30 minutes for our dinner. I can live with that also, but the waiter was overwhelmed and I couldn't get his attention to ask for our salads so we received our salads after our meals were delivered. We sat in the booth in front of the hostess stand and even though the gentleman seating people saw us trying to get our waiter, he acted as if he didn't notice. As much as I like the food and don't mind the wait, I still would like good service. read more

I take Yelping seriously, so normally if I have standard sub-par service or food, I just don't leave a review. So it is with little joy that I leave this poor review here now. As hot lava spews from my ass, I'm left wondering, what the Hell was in my tortellini? My wife and I came here because all the reviews were terrific and it was our 6 month wedding anniversary. Wanting to avoid typical chain food, I picked this place. I regret it beyond all belief. First, although it was 60 degrees outside, it was hotter than a snakes ass in a wagon rut inside. Don't they figure that a restaurant full of people might make it warmer than normal? Ok fine, it was warm. This could have been redeemed by food that didn't liquefy my intestines. Or taste like the styrofoam boxes we got as takehome containers. I've had Michaelina's frozen entree tortellini with more taste. Mind you, it didn't taste bad, it just didn't taste like anything. And upon immediately leaving the restaurant, I felt the gurgle in my guts. By the time I was driving home, I was running red lights, risking life and limb so as to not soil my shorts. Just to drive home the point, my wife had the exact same thing. Same salad, some dressing, same styrofoam tortellini in cardboard sauce. She is currently pounding on the bathroom door as, guess what, her intestines are liquefying too. In the truck she ripped the most godawful fart that would make teamster blush. She does not usually do this. If the owners see this, I want my money back. I've had bad meals places, but I don't usually leave reviews on them. Check it out. Normally I leave good reviews. You can email me at davidfasano@att.net. read more

Congratulations Carmen on a great place to meet, eat, drink, and play bocce ball with old friends. I remember Smokey Hollow in the 70's. I am really glad to see things turn around not only for Youngstown but for the north side. Next time I will try the Italian Wedding Soup. No one in California makes it. I WILL DEFINiTELY BE BACK -- hopefully sometime soon. PS -- the food @ MVR was way better than some of the rest. food in Cleveland. So keep up your hard work. read more