Dear Reader... I have too many adjectives to describe our dining experiance at Mombo's without you thinking I'm overblown and can't be taken seriously. But that said, I will say this: *Atmosphere was Friday Night Busy, active and energetic, so our party was not the only one to be enjoying ourselves. *Menu is diverse and appealing. Our Kitchen Sink pizza was especially uniquely flavorful with no slices left to take home. *Prices are typical for 2026 fine eateries, so plan accordingly. (Otherwise, there's always a cheap pizza place somewhere that you'll regret later on while reaching for the antacid bottle...) *OF SPECIAL NOTE WAS THE WAIT STAFF ABBY!! She thoroughly took care of all our needs, especially my wife's food allergy issues. She went to the kitchen TWICE to ensure they could modify the selection she chose, without consternation or excuses. EXCELLANT SERVICE! Of special note: Abby is also the house baker, who created the recipe for the lavender lemon cheesecake we shared around. TOO TOO GOOD!! So, if you find I've used too many adjectives to show my appreciation for our dining experiance, you'll have to find out for yourself. BILL SEZ TWO THUMBS BIG-TIME UP. Check 'em out! read more

We wanted to find somewhere with good Italian food and Mambo Italiano did not disappoint!! The atmosphere of this restaurant is very cozy and intimate, we were seated right away. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. They offer fresh warm bread with butter as you look over the menu to decide what you want. The bread was delicious. The have a good variety of things to choose from. We ordered the pollo parmesan and spaghetti carbonara. Both were amazing! The portion sizes are generous and the quality of food is high. Everything was so flavorful and hot, it was delicious. We will definitely be back! Its a cute high quality restaurant. read more

Mambo Italiano Cafe - Spaghetti carbonara, soooo yummy - Italian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Great food as always. Quality is great. The ambiance and atmosphere is comfortable. The restaurant can be quite tight for space but no one is in a hurry so it's comfortable read more

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I visited here with a large group after wedding dress shopping recently (not for me!) - even though we were a big group of over 10 people, they happily accommodated us and even let us split things into separate checks. The service was fast, friendly, and efficient. Our server handled everything so well, even though there were so many of us. The food was delish - I had their seared halibut special, served with pasta, and it was quite tasty. And so filling - I really wanted to order some dessert, but couldn't imagine eating another bite! It's a pretty tight space, and kinda loud, but that's really my only "dislike" about Mambo. Other than that, it's good to see they're still so popular after all this time! read more

Mambo Italiano Cafe - Seared halibut and pasta. - Italian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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I came here with my family... It is a little cramped for room, but the service was great, the food tasted fresh, and was delicious. The prices were modest, which means, I will be back... I did not notice if they had a bar or not. It is a casual restaurant, and they are children friendly. read more

I almost never have pizza so take that for what it is. I had the bbq chicken pizza which is 10" and was divine. Very savory flavors without being too overpowering or salty. Ingredients tasted fresh. I also had the cesar salad to start and that was nice as well. The servers were delightful and very accommodating. The decor is very casual but the paintings on the wall were quite bold, so there is a signature look. All around great option for bellingham! read more

My friend and I dined in for dinner on a Friday night and were seated immediately. I ordered the smoked salmon penne and was very happy with the food. From past experiences I have noticed they tend to seat the younger/dressed down customers in the courtyard area. Not to say the restaurant has a dress code, but just an interesting observation. Definitely a solid place for Italian food in Bellingham! read more

Mambo Italiano Cafe - Smoked Salmon Penne - Italian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

My daughter wanted try Italian food, so we gave this place a go. The service was great but the food was underwhelming. For the price, I expected better quality. Our group shared a pizza and 2 pasta dishes. We were not a fan of the pasta dishes but the pizza was phenomenal! I recommend this as a pizza place but not as a restaurant. read more

Not sure about recommending this one. It was busy. Food was ok and service was friendly but not very attentive. I just want to remember not to come here again. read more

Mambo Italiano Cafe - Mambo cheese bread - Italian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Ha! I never knew about this wonderful place. I blame the wonderful Black Cat! After being told there that they had an hour and a half waiting list (this is what happens when you spontaneously try to dine here at 7 PM on a Friday night), we milled around in the Sycamore Square building. We happened upon Mambo Italiano--only a 20 minute wait, but the bar was available pronto and no extra wait for food! What luck!!! At the outset, we totally fell in love with our fabulous bartender/server, Scarlett. Great service, great sense of humor and great drinks! It was mocktail night for me, and she offered up (I think I have the ingredients right) a concoction of sparkling soda water, lime, coconut creamer, honey, a burnt orange slice and a fancy bartender cherry. OMG! You wouldn't know it didn't have alcohol in it (unless you tested your blood ETOH level...) It was a fascinatingly flavored drink. We decided to nickname it "Scarlett's Surprise." The second was a lovely combination of soda, agave syrup, pineapple, lime (I think) and cayenne pepper--name to be decided, so I shall provisionally name it "Scarlett's Caribbean Poolside." Wonderful! Butternut Squash Soup was very nice. Clams for dinner from the starter selection--most excellent and especially the broth--oh my gosh. And the Greek Salad (we added lovely prawns cooked to perfection) was an amazement. I have never had better. So very fresh, perfectly executed, and the dressing added to the taste of such freshness (white balsamic dressing) as did the feta which was creamy and not briny at all (which I sometimes like, but this was better for this dish). The place is lively, cozy, old-timey looking and jazzed up by a billion fabulous paintings by Ben Mann--so another new discovery for me. Everyone looked like they were having a great time. Wonderful night out after all! read more

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Nice atmosphere but pretty middle of the road Italian food. Kind of vanilla in terms of flavor and the service was about there too- not bad, but not great. Good for Bellingham is the best I can say, but there is definitely better Italian in Bellingham. read more

This is a solid 4 and a HALF stars. We stopped in for lunch on a Wed, due to our usual spot *Colophon Cafe* being closed. First time at Mambo. They don't open until noon, which seemed odd, because a lot of places open at 11 for lunch. We had to stand around outside (and it's off a really busy street) until the dot of 12. That's mostly the 1/2 star deduction. Inside the tables are sandwiched between booths, with some big booth for 4, and some for 2. The wait staff was very efficient, and took our drink order immediately (it was a hot day) and brought out water with the menus. She also brought 4 hunks of super fresh bread with butter to have while perusing the menu. (Maybe think about eating this AFTER your meal! We had no idea how big the sandwiches would be!) Hubs chose the pan seared salmon sandwich, which featured pesto, roasted red onions, and white balsamic on a huge bun. He said it was AMAZING. He also chose the Italian sausage soup side, and that was spicy and filling. You aren't going away hungry at lunch! I ordered the portabella mushroom sandwich, with roasted red peppers, goat cheese, and white balsamic dressing. Again...absolutely hands-down the most amazing mushroom sandwich I've ever had, and we're world travelers. I couldn't even eat my included Caesar side salad. I tasted it and it was fine, btw. The other tiny part of the half star deduction was because my lemonade was powdered stuff. The food was so moan worthy that I was kind of expecting a fresh squeeze. I really wanted to try the dessert menu to tell you about it, but we simply had no room left! Next time... I've read the other reviews about "not being Italian" enough, and I think that's a stretch. Everything was high in flavor, expertly sauced and spiced, and plated perfectly. I would WALK back from Whidbey Island to eat that mushroom sandwich again... read more

We were up in Bellingham checking out the WWU campus. A friend mentioned that Mambo Italiano was a delicious restaurant. We had a very late lunch/early dinner. The restaurant is small, you a can hear all the fresh food being prepared in the kitchen. We all tried something different. I had the pistachio cream gnocchi with roasted chicken- was soooo rich and delicious!! Everyone loved their food! Service was fantastic! Highly recommend! read more

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Parking can be an issue however thisnlocation has a better selection for parking than most businesses here. Located in a beautiful historic building it has great ambiance but it does have some downs. If you are seated in the front area it gets a bit breeze when the door is opened and everyone enters through that door. Staff was friendly and we were seated right away. The menu has a good selection of options and you bget a starter bread with butter. I got the Pistachio Gnocchi. This is my first time trying Gnocchi so I don't really have anything to compare it to but I can tell you the flavor was good. I can't say it was amazing but it was good. The other person ordered the farmhouse calzone. It was cooked well and tasted like it was prepared with fresh ingredients. read more

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Excellent food ,service great ,ambiance feels welcoming will be back again feels very homie will be back again .

I have wanted to try this place since moving to Bellingham because every time I'm in Fairhaven it smells so good and there are people lined up outside. I now understand why. The place has zero space for waiting guests. You stand in the door way which happens to also be where the servers pick up their food. The hostess and server were very nice. There was a small amount of bread served after we ordered. But the food was mediocre at best. I paid $7 for meatballs that were luke warm and had barely any flavor. The bolognese was watery and had a ring of watery pasta juice around the whole bowl. The pasta was over cooked and on the verge of mushy. My spaghetti bolognese with three meatballs came to $30. Plus a glass of wine (small pour) $14. For two people two glasses of wine and two entrées. It was $87 without a tip. I hate saying this but you can skip this place. Over all will not return. Prices don't fit the quality. read more

Mambo Italiano Cafe - Watery spaghetti Bolognese with seven dollar meatballs. $30 - Italian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Not impressed by food; pasta not fresh, they don't use salt , it was so loud and echoing my ear drums, and its bellingham bland. IYKYK. We spent $80 + tip on two glasses of wine and two pasta dishes!!!!!! Never again read more

Wasn't overly impressed this last visit with the food, we had reservations but were still sat out in the courtyard so to speak when the restaurant itself wasn't very full. Service was good, will give it another try. read more

I ordered their spaghetti pomodoro and a blackberry cider for dinner. Cider was refreshing. The spaghetti dish I was dissatisfied with. It tasted like it had no seasonings and the flavors that were incorporated in the dish didn't mesh together very well. My friend got the fettuccini Alfredo and his dish was great for his liking. For the price of this place, I would probably skip as the dishes are hit or miss. read more

We were looking for a new place to eat and found this spot via Yelp. So glad we decided to stop by! It looks tiny but they have more seating in the way back. From the moment we walked up to the hostess to the moment we left our service was excellent! I always like to recognize that it was also quite busy when we stopped by and we were still served wonderfully. The food was delicious! The chicken was a bit over salted but it was still enjoyable. Quite a big portion too! None of us finished our food. We were very pleased and will be back! read more

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It was our first time at the Mambo Italiano Cafe. We will definitely be back! Started with their version of a lemon drop that also had pear vodka in it. Will try to copy that at home. I had the Shrimp Linguine and mixed salad. It was a huge amount of food...I'll probably get 2 more meals from my left overs! My husband had the ravioli in a red sauce and loved it. He didn't have any left over. For desert we shared a piece of cheesecake with strawberries. Also delicious. Our server was excellent and always nearby for anything we needed. Cozy place with paintings on the wall that you can purchase if you wish and great lighting. Would be a great place to take a date. Meal for two with drinks, salads, dinner and desert was $100. read more

Mambo Italiano Cafe - Shrimp Linguini - Italian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Okay. *clears throat* In this essay I will say why Mambo's is superior to all Italian restaurants: The staff is always greeting you with a smile, the food is to die for, the decor, and don't you even get me started on how cozy and warm the ambiance is. I ordered from Olive Garden not too long ago, because they were closer and was sorely disappointed in the quality and heat of the dish. Not once has Mambo's ever let me down; in their service, taste, or take-out efficiency. Not to mention; they just introduced a new rewards program! I truly believe they should be a chain, but I feel honored that it's its own little slice of heaven! :) This concludes my essay! Thank you!! read more

My wife and I took a drive up to Bellingham on Chukanut Dr this last Saturday. We stopped into this restaurant for the 5th time, and it was wonderful. The was food amazing, as was the service & cocktails. We had lasagna and the carbonara with a Caesar salad. This is our go to place for Italian in Bellingham. It's worth checking it out, you won't be disappointed read more

Great service better food I love the pollo parmesan and their garlic bread bread is incredibly good

The food here is absolutely wonderful. My wife and I have tried pretty much everything on their menu and we've never been disappointed. The waitstaff are friendly, courteous and prompt. On top of good food and service the whole restaurant is decorated with paintings from local artists. This is one of our favorite restaurants. read more

Yeah... not going back any day soon. I found myself in Fairhaven one day and instead of cooking decided to order dinner to go. Order the meat spaghetti ($17) and a Cesar salad ($12). Both were "okay"..I was not impressed with the quality. The salad looks like chop up romaine lettuce..nothing special. Disappointed for $12. The spaghetti was good, but my husband didn't think it was that good. He said it lack taste? Overall I would have given it another try if it wasn't the fact that while I was waiting, I had encountered some pretty bad customer service. I was told it would take 20 minutes for my order to be ready. I came back 25 minutes later and I don't know if the waitress who took my order actually put in my order. It was not ready and so I ended up waiting another 20 minutes. To make matters worse, I started to cough while I was waiting outside. I step in to ask one of the waitress/host if I could possibly get a glass of water while I waited. She said "yes sure thing." I never got my water and I waited over 40 minutes for spaghetti and chopped up romaine lettuce. Needless to say I won't be back...just for the lack of service. read more

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I was a little wary about eating here. Reviews on different platforms seemed to indicate a love it or hate it type of experience. It didn't start off positive as the hostess wasn't very friendly or helpful. After being seated, the waitress brought some bread over. Nothing special and the butter was in little packs. At this point I was beginning to rethink eating here. But I stuck it out and was so glad I did. The pollo Parmesan was both huge and tasty! Two huge pieces of juicy chicken and the spaghetti sauce was both filling and tasty. Totally turned the experience around. The waitress recommended the key lime pie. I'm picky about my key lime pie as at most places it's just ok. But this was something entirely different. Really really good. While it may not have started out great, it ended spectacularly. read more

Mambo Italiano Cafe - Pollo Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Excellent food. Waitstaff is attentive and helpful. One star removed because of loud music... but then I'm an old codger. Always enjoy a meal here. read more

We stopped in here for dinner because my daughter likes their drinks. We had reservations so we didn't have to wait and the staff was attentive enough to notice two of standing waiting for the others and offered to seat us. We ordered two appetizers, caprese salad and the bruschetta. Both were good but I wouldn't say mind blowing. While the caprese came with a ton of basil, the flavor of the basil was weak. The tomatoes didn't have that summer fresh flavor either. The bruschetta was good, and I followed samples of both with the Spinach salad. While the smoked mozzarella didn't taste smoked, the salad was very good! The appetizers were a solid three, service and the salad rounds it up to a four read more

Mambo Italiano Cafe - Bruschetta - Italian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Establishment was great. Service was great. Food was 4-10 though. Daughters Smoked Salmon Penne was not penne, and each bite was 100% poached salmon flavor, nothing else. I had Carne Marsala. Steak was horrible. Grainy, over cooked. (Server asked if mid rare was ok and I said of course) Marsala was super strong, good flavor but couldn't finish. The steak was the bad part. Minimal appetizers to choose from. No Calamari. We chose the breads. (3 of the 4 choices) Pesto and garlic. They were delicious. Tried the Cream of Jalapeno soup. It had a little spice, was just fine. Would I go there again? No. Unless I wanted to try the simpler fair like the Skampi or Bolognaise - simple pasta. read more

The food is delicious! I got the Steak Salad and my friend got the Spaghetti and Meatballs. Our wait person was really kind and friendly. She checked with us frequently to fill our water glasses and to see if we needed anything. The other guests looked happy and were enjoying their meals also. The restaurant was nice and warm, the lighting was just right, and everything was really neat and clean. We will be back! read more

WHAT A GREAT DEAL!! There are a lot of customers that love Mambos. Well, the people at Mambos just gave us another reason to love them. Currently (until December 30, 2023), Mambos is offering gift cards for $35. Then when the cards are issued, Mambos put $70 worth of credit on it. Yes, you read that correctly!!! AND, they do not expire.! Once again... WHAT A GREAT DEAL !!! read more

AMAZING food! We got the ceasar salad (amazing dressing and great croutons), bruschetta, fettuccine alfredo with chicken, and a chicken Parmesan. Our waitress was in training and did an amazing job along with the waitress who was training her. Great place for a date night or a nice sit down dinner with friends or family. Super funky and fun decoration inside as well, overall had an amazing time. Thank you Mambo! read more

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Exceptional food and quiet ambiance. I love this place! The lasagna is really delicious. Everything is always fresh. They do not have any fried stuff and they do not have eggplant. I still love this place! read more

Food is absolutely amazing. We enjoyed salmon served with a very crispy bottom and a lemon cream sauce with vegetable medley, including very spicy and delicious mushrooms with a side of penne pasta and a light butter cream with lemon sauce.. read more

Mambo Italiano Cafe - Salmon with penne pasta - Italian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

We have eaten at Mambo for years. It's been a hot minute or so for us, but our last meal there was not up to par and felt like a chef change vs a bad day. My fettuccini Alfredo had huge chunks of garlic in it. Like pea-sized. Felt like lazy prep. It never was like that before. He had a pizza which while wasn't bad, did not taste like his prior 25 orders over the years. Meh for us at best which makes us sad since it's always been a solid choice when craving pasta. read more

Never felt so compelled like this to write a review. The table that came after us got to eat, was getting to ready to leave and we still did not get our food. Turned out they served our foods to other table. After waiting for a long time for our food, my Spaghetti Carbonara was the worst Spaghetti that I have ever had. It required no teeth! The texture was like a thick porridge. The waitress offered to have a new dish cooked for me but...are you kidding? After waiting so long for the food, who wants to stay there all night for them to cook a new dish for me, plus I may get another Carbonara porridge. So she took it off the bill instead. It was a very disappointing wedding anniversary dinner. read more

Best Italian food in Bellingham! Great service. GIANT glasses of wine. Get the pasta dish with the cracked pepper

What can I say! It was absolutely disgusting. Our experience started with bread that was probably purchased at Fred Mayers down the street. Positive they did not make it in house. I ordered chicken and pasta. The chicken was like eating an old shoe. It was two previously frozen cheap processed slabs of meat placed on top of what was boxed pasta with canned artichokes and a million capers. The sauce of lemon and cornstarch didn't help. My partner had a cheese pizza. It was cooked at a temperature that was most likely too hot. It was burnt on the bottom and raw in the middle. We were offered extra cheese and chillies. The cheese was processed. We literally took two bites and walked out the door. Total of $57.00 The server looked at out full plates and never even asked. I am sure she has seen it before. I think the owner should take a trip to Italy and see how it's done before he/she calls themselves Italian cuisine! Don't waste your money. If your hungry Kraft dinner would beat this by a mile. Nothing like having to wrestle chicken over a plate of mush to kill your dining vibe. This is me being nice! read more

Man, it's really hard to believe that this place has been around so long. It's really just overpriced cafeteria food - albeit with some exotic offerings- for cafeteria cuisine. We had clams that i almost broke a tooth from rocks inside several of them. Not sand, rocks. I guess they can't bother to rinse them during prep. The Cesar was decent but a bit too fishy for my taste. Table bread, just sliced, dry ass grocery store baguette, cold and dry. Entrées we had Bolognese. Pasta tasted like dog water with lukewarm meat sauce. Seriously tasted like microwaved Prego. Steak salad was just laughable. Apparently seasoning steak is out of the question? Again, dog food has better flavors than this. Ask me how I know... All for $100? If we didn't have a gift certificate, I'd probably never step foot inside it in the first place but I certainly don't plan to do it again. read more