Staff is unpolished, robotic, and need I say, lacking authentic friendliness. Sat outside with too many passerby's without masks. Most of the tables are not socially distanced. Manager rudely told me to rearrange my 2 top table chairs to accommodate his staff even though I was trying to create better social distancing when I moved my chair at my table. I inquired into a fold-out table that was socially distant, but I was told that it was for 4 people or more. Long wait to be greeted by the server, and for the order to be taken. Waitress took our bread plates long before our entrees were served. The garlic and olive oil glazed rolls are probably the best thing about the place, but it took way too long to receive them. The marinara sauce was very good, but the chicken parm was fried. Bolognese has cream, and you can order it without, but our server didn't tell us that, of course. Decent sized portions. Charged for regular water. Really? This Italian fare restaurant is owned by a Middle-Eastern later middle-aged male, so as many reviews about this place note - it's not Italian. read more

Mama Nina's - a woman sitting at a table with an umbrella over her head - Italian Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

The restaurant has changed since the change in ownership. The food tastes like premade packaged food. The service is fine. And don't tell the waiter you didn't like your food. The owner gets told about it and he comes over to the table and is not very nice. He actually told me "what did you expect" and "what do you want me to do". How about take it back and don't charge me for something I did not like because it was over seasoned. He actually got angry and to avoid a situation I just paid the bill and went home. Sadly I will not be returning anytime soon. read more

Great food and atmosphere! Everyone who worked there was very friendly and helpful!! Really love the set up that they have. I would recommend this. read more

Came up to Bethlehem with my family last night from NYC. We had a party of 10. I called the restaurant that day and asked them if they can take us all. Even though we were looking for a late reso, an hour before they closed on a Sunday night - they still took us in and did not rush us at all. I was here years ago and I remember the restaurant being very good but has since been recently taken over by a new owner who obviously knows what he's doing. For apps, we had the fried mozzarella which was off the charts, The spinach and sausage which was incredible, and fried calamari. As a New Yorker who knows food - place is a 10. Family business too. read more

The food was fine. The service was terrible. The owner was worse. We had a fine meal until the end when the bill came the owner refused to accept our gift card because without the receipt for the gift card, he could not tell what the balance was. It was a brand new hundred dollar gift card. (Who has a gift card and receipt) I offered the owner to take my information, and if the balance did not clear, I would gladly come back and pay. He had no interest in that, and instead berated me in front of the entire restaurant. If you want average food and terrible service, this is the place to go, but don't bring a gift card. read more

Awful experience. No one there, service and food were not good. Bland. Nothing authentic Italian about it. Flies and bugs everywhere. Calamari sent back and owner could be heard grumbling about us. Horrible. The food is mass produced garbage. Crab stuffed mushrooms looked like they came out of a package. Really bad. read more

I'm so disappointed that this place has less than 5 stars. This place was so phenomenal that I ate it twice on my weeklong business trip. The staff is very friendly and attentive. The one and only complaint that I have about this place is that it takes a long time to get the food, but it is fresh made-to-order. Therefore, I am totally okay with that. The garlic bread is fantastic; loved the little spicy kick to it. They give you plenty, which is great, because it was enough for apps and to mop up the pasta sauce with. One of the nights I ordered the Caesar salad as an app and the portion was HUGE! I definitely could have shared it with two other people. It was so fresh and delicious. The salad dressing was creamy, a little tangy, and fantastic. Now for the grand finale, the entree I got was lobster ravioli. Let me tell you, the best lobster pasta dish I have ever eaten in my life. Fresh pasta, creamy pink sauce, lots of fresh seafood in it. DELICIOUS. I'll be dreaming about it for ages. read more

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To be fair, they were slammed last night (super busy), so what you are about to read my be why: The man who told us to wait for a table said it would be 10-15 minutes. It was more like 25. Also, he did not take names of parties, so when we went in, other people said they were there first. When we sat down at our table, we were waited on right away with the server asking our drink orders. We got our drinks right away. Then we got our bread with garlic right away. That was the best part of the meal. We had ordered Calamari as an appetizer. It took forever to get to our table, and when it did, it was rubbery and cold. It was also "circle" calamari-not tentacles. When we finally got our food it was luke warm and not very good. Again, I realize they were super busy, but, like I wrote, the best part of the meal was the bread. read more

This was the second bad experience at this restaurant and it's a shame because the original owners worked so hard to create a great eating experience. I am just taken back by a couple of the things that happened. First was the bottled water experience. No option and they just plop down a plastic bottle on the table and no offer for glasss of ice. Then we were not made aware of the charge of $2.99 for a soda. To add insult to injury there was a refill fee of $1.00. Handed the bill and handed credit card to find out they charged a 4% convenience fee. I had cash!!!! I am not even going to bring up the previous fiasco we experienced.... Never again! Total shame. read more

Mama Nina's - Convenience Fee? - Italian Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Food is fantastic. Highly recommend. It is a BYOB. Portion sizes are huge though! The mozzarella Bella and the balsamic Calamari are great apps to share. But the Mozzarella is large enough to share 1 for 2 people if you want room for anything else. read more

Omg! Come here! I don't know why it had taken me so long to write this review (from august) but we came here for dinner and everything was so delicious! We enjoyed the chef specialty which was seafood with a creamy Frangelico sauce and it was so unique/interesting and out-of-this world delicious. We also had a very tasty butternut squash ravioli with seafood, complimentary wine and garlic bread. We may have ordered apps too but the entrees were certainly the standout and what will keep us coming back. Unfortunately we did not feel very comfortable with our table indoors because of the close quarters which is part of the reason we haven't been back yet, but this is no fault of the restaurant and just us being conservative related to Covid. The tables outside do have heaters but are very popular! The staff are extremely friendly and personable. Can't wait to come back! read more

Love, love, love this place! Great fresh Italian food with so many different options to choose from. The service is excellent and the whole restaurant atmosphere is so kind. The prices tend to be a little more on the expensive side, but it absolutely worth it to indulge in one of their seafood pastas. They don't scrounge on serving size for sure. I'd recommend this to absolutely anybody. Overall, great small and local place with good wine. read more

Mama Nina's - Italian Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Mama Nina is located on what seems to be the Main Street in Bethlehem. Upon entering around 8pm, there were many tables open and our party of 5 were sat quickly. It was a clean establishment with a warm Italian feel. We were seated at a table near the wall plastered with praises and reviews of the restaurant. The complimentary garlic knots were slathered in oil and fresh garlic. A bit too much for me as the whole table filled with the overwhelming smell of garlic. The fried mozzarella was delicious. The marinara sauce was fresh, along with the greens. I recommend this for the whole table. I got the Sicilian Style Macaroni. The servings are HUGE. But upon getting my meal, it was penne pasta. The pasta didn't taste homemade. It was a bit mushy - not al denote. Overall the taste was good but a bit overpriced. The waitress was attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly. read more

Mama Nina's - Mozzarella Sticks - Italian Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Everything was fantastic the service was excellent the food was fabulous and the smell is amazing thank you

I recently ventured to Mama Ninas on a recommendation from a friend and was not disappointed. The place is cozy and quaint, my server was friendly and the food was amazing! I ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp and was very happy. The well plated entree arrived quickly and there was a lot of it! The pasta was fresh, the Alfredo was creamy and buttery and the shrimp was fantastic. The garlic rolls are also excellent. If you are in the area and want some great Italian food give Mama Ninas a try. I will definitely be back when in town. read more

Food is great..Salvador the waiter is awesome..attentive also in my perspective I think is important..that his bilingual..muchas gracias read more

Mama Nina's - Italian Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Small restaurant, no reservations, and if you have to wait it's more than worth it. Had the Shrimp Florentine and it was literally one of the best dishes I've ever eaten. It was all in the sauce and OMG! Sorry I didn't get a picture! We recommend this place anytime!!!! read more

This was literally the worst Italian food I've ever had. It started out ok with the garlic knots(actually good), but quickly went downhill from there. The server was decent at best, not cordial at all. The Caesar salad was awful and drenched with dressing. Croutons were stale too. My guests Gorgonzola salad with scallops smelt like the bottom of the sea. Awful. Main course-chicken parm. I test every Italian restaurant by this standard dish. Disgusting!! Veiny chicken, oily, awful presentation, flavorless sauce, and I think some kind of attempt at mozzarella. Wouldn't take it back "because manager wasn't there" Will never be back, and there are two other great Italian restaurants in town. Avoid this place at all costs. read more

food was not great, very cold my cup with water had mold along the rim waitress was very nice to us but did drop a knife onto my friend read more

Mama Nina's - mold on the rim of my cup - Italian Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

The best restaurant in Bethlehem I stopped with some friends at mama Nina's for lunch..the place was packed. .out door setting is so nice. ..we ordered appetizers was really good The portions are huge and very delicious..I can't wait to go back to the best Italian restaurant in pa read more

Found hair in every dish we ordered. Waiter and chef argued so loud we could hear them. Had to substitute one of our dishes because the chef refused to make an item that was on the menu and the substitute dish "tasted like spit" according to my friend. Do not waste your money! read more

Service is TERRIBLE tip already included in bill so the waitress was rude and showing bad attitude. Spoke with manager and same rude attitude. Worst service ever. DIVERSITY NOT WELCOME at this place. Food was overpriced just because it's in historic area. I DO NOT recommend, they will ruin your time. read more

Mama Nina's - Receipt - Italian Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Great service! And love our waitress! Great food too, and eating outside was a great choice! I highly recommend this restaurant for a great dinner treat! read more

So glad we stopped by this place after the other pizza shop closer to my sister's was closed. The first thing I noticed was the atmosphere- it was festively decorated for the holiday season which gave me a warm, cozy feeling. Not too much seating inside (please note: reservations are recommended for Friday and Saturday nights for large parties of 6 or more). Luckily, we were here for lunch so it wasn't that busy Our waiter was very nice. He went over the menu with us and told us what the most popular dishes were along with the daily specials. He also checked on us regularly to make sure we had everything we needed. I ordered a personal sized white pizza with broccoli, garlic and ham. My sister also ordered a personal sized margharita pizza. Both were delicious! We waited about 15 minutes for the food because they make it fresh and it was definitely worth it for me. I find it rare for restaurants nowadays to make what they call "fresh." So this spoke volumes to me..thumbs up! Oh! Cannot forget the garlic bread they serve when you're first seated- yummy! As for the comments on the owner, well, I did notice him sitting at one of the tables just staring around and he was also outside but who cares?! He doesn't speak to anyone. That doesn't necessarily mean he is rude. It's his restaurant. You never know if maybe someone is having s bad day or not. People go to restaurants for the food, not to be judging the owner. Anyways I can't wait to actually try this place again for dinner! read more

Mama Nina's - White pizza with ham and broccoli and margarita pizza in the back. - Italian Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Had a great time eating at Mama Nina's. The food was very good (mozzarella sticks, traditional calamari, chicken parm, and a seafood gnocchi dish). The calamari was not rubbery and fried perfectly, and the marinara sauce was perfect. The complimentary garlic knots were nice and doughy with the right amount of garlic. Chicken parm was crispy, and had the right amount of sauce and cheese. The portion sizes were big and the prices were very reasonable - it was a great value for the money. I'm looking forward to the leftovers and to our next visit to Mama Nina's. read more

Mama Nina's - Chicken Parm - Italian Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

$11 for plate sharing is insane and absolutely ridiculous for a mediocre pasta restaurant. They charge a reasonable price for a meal that would feed three people and then gouge you for sharing. Just charge a little less and make the portions reasonable. Won't visit again. read more

Still a terrible place for food - their vodka sauce is definitely unique and not in a good way - it tastes pretty gross. Gave this place. Second shot yers later and was even more disappointed than the first time. read more

My boyfriend and I came for dinner last night and it was fantastic!! Awesome service and the food was delicious. I had one of the specials and my boyfriend had the chicken parm. 10/10 would recommend! read more

Mama Nina's - Italian Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Terrible food and not very good customer service. Server was nice but when we complained about both dishes (gnocchi with seafood and seafood Gorgonzola pasta) as they ran out of lobster and both had zero flavor he had nothing to offer other than boxing it up to go - why would we want to take home awful food? Would not take any food off the bill or offer replacement dish - worst customer service ever read more

Amazing service and great quality food! My meal was so hot and fresh! The only reason I give it a 3 is because my meal was a little monotonous after a few bites. But I'm sure that other options are more exciting. read more

Mama Nina's - Italian Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

This place has a lot of potential but it isn't up to par quite yet. The Alfredo was not very good, but the blackened chicken was good and they gave a decent amount but the sauce was so bad that I wouldn't order it again. The salmon salad was okay, it's hard to mess up a salad. The shrimp scampi was very subpar. Definitely wouldn't order it again or rave about to anyone. Average food with an expensive price tag. The pistachio dessert was very good, and the cannoli was delicious. Skip the food and get dessert. read more

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Go here and you will not be disappointed. Bethlehem was an absolute mad house due to the Christmas Festival which I had no idea was going on. I stopped here based on Yelp reviews before going to the Sands Casino. Outside there were several patio heaters to keep the long line of customers warm. I also noticed fresh made pizza was being handed out to the waiting guests. I was lucky to be quickly seated due to being a party of two. The inside was very crowded and yes, as other reviewers stated you are close to your neighbor's table. I did not mind it. The manager, person I assume is the owner, was at a stress level of about 150% due to the sheer volume of people trying to get in. He did his best to remain calm and make everyone happy. He handled the constant influx of people well. The kitchen was swiftly sending out meals. After being seated, I was quickly brought out the garlic bread which is posted under the picture section. It was very good, but I am not sure I would have liked the bread without the garlic. At that point, the manager came over and asked if he could move me to another table because he forgot he had a reservation. I agreed and moved to another table. Given the amount of people trying to get in, I did not care he moved me. He promised me dessert for moving. It never came, but again, the place was so crowded I can't blame him for not remembering. For an appetizer, I ordered the Mozzarella Bella. I came out quickly. The sauce was tasty and the dish was well presented. For dinner I ordered the blackened salmon with gnocchi, broccoli rabe and shrimp. The dish was excellent and beyond what I expected. The salmon was not dried out and had a great crust. The pasta part of the dish had a flavorful sauce and the gnocchi were cooked to perfection. The broccoli rabe was not stringy or tough to chew as it can be in some places. After finishing my dinner, my waitress came up to me and said they weren't serving dessert this evening. I assume it was due to the large amount of people trying to get in. Every meal comes with a lot of food and I could not finish my meal. Most patrons were taking food home. In spite of the over whelming crowd due to the Christmas Festival, they managed to impress me, get food out quickly and each dish was not rushed or just thrown together. I will definitely be back. I would like to try it again when there isn't a festival going on. read more

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Very good, huge portions. We ordered online and then picked it up at the door. Salads were packaged away from the warm entrees so they wouldn't get wilty. Everything was delicious and perfect, and our order was correct. They included an enormous container of the garlickiest bread that ever garlicked. It was a very enjoyable meal and we plan to order from here again. read more

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This place typically has very welcoming atmosphere, and good Italian food, however, the manager's regard for the customers leaves much to be desired. After a meal with my family, we did order some coffee, which is typical, especially for an Italian restaurant. The manager/owner (older dude with pony tail) however, said that we had to go because they wanted to table for another party. He further went on to state that it was a slow month. He did apologize, however, this is poor customer service. A couple of extra minutes should not warrant us being rushed out. Alternatively, we could've just been given a coffee to go. I hope mama Nina takes this feedback and instructor managers to do better. Also being charged $25 for two pieces of chicken breast was a little ridiculous (it was literally 2 pieces on a plate with spinach). read more

SCAM!!! My son went there with a gift card from September 2023. New owner argued in a threatening manner and wouldn't accept the full amount. STAY AWAY bad people!!!! read more

I don't enjoy posting bad reviews on businesses that are struggling during this whole covid epidemic but the food was SO terrible. I want people to know not to waste their time and money .... we got pizza, fettuccine Alfredo and a few other things... bill was 90 dollars. The food was terrible, the Alfredo tastes like vomit and the pizza was soggy. I don't care what type of restaurant you own. 90 dollars should taste like 90 dollars. When I asked for a refund they gave me a hard time. I'm sorry but even during hard economic times you should be a little more compassionate and a GOOD BUSINESS instead of charging customers outrageous prices for terrible food. The first and only time I will be getting food here. read more

Garlic Rolls are very good, but it stops there. Place is sweatbox, door always kept open to allow the fresh flow of hot air in with the flies. The entrees were mediocre. Owner was a complete schmo. Clearly was rushing us out as quickly as possible to accommodate a larger party and very argumentative when called out for doing so. With 10 in our party, dinners came scattered, first and last being 10-12 minutes apart. Owner instructed his bus boys to drop boxes and bags seconds after some in our party took their first bite. Average food but not worth the price and certainly not worth supporting this coglione owner. read more

Was very disappointed with Mama Nina's. We had been customers for years with the exception of the Covid years. The menu has drastically decreased. The complimentary garlic/bread was a day old stale. Not soft and hot like it has been in the past. The website is totally misdirected with the menu. Also, be aware, if using a credit card you will be subjected to an additional 3.5% charge. This was not noted on the receipt, only AFTER you already hand them your credit card and they processed it. Ugh!! Won't return. read more

Place is average at best but I guess is a step up from Olive Garden if I am being fair. Garlic knots are very good, but most entrees are just ok. Had the seafood risotto and it tasted like Uncle Ben's with some muscles on top. But I'm not here to rip the food and that's because I'm here to rip the owner. This guy must have a fortune already because he acts like he's in a position to scare off business. No sooner were our entrees dropped on the table and he was telling the bussers to leave to-go boxes so we would be reminded to get out. It's ok, I was dying to not be buzzed by flies anymore anyway. Will not go back, will just go with my uncle to Long John Silver next time we are in town. read more

The restaurant is a little "crowded" but that makes it feel like you're eating with family. The garlic knots were so tasty I lost all self control and ate the whole plate. I thought I was too full to eat my penne alla vodka until I took a bite. The flavor was out of this world good. Our server was very kind and we never went without anything we needed. Absolutely delightful experience. read more

Mama Nina's - Penne alla Vodka with Shrimp - Italian Near Me - Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

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