This is an amazing little spot in Fairhaven. The food is perfect, and very fairly priced! The service was fantastic, and the atmosphere is comforting. I got the ravioli, a peach bellini, and a slice of cheesecake. All were amazing! I even took some leftovers home because the bread before the meal was so filling and delicious. read more

Came to Mambo for dinner tonight. My pizza was a little lite on sauce. I asked for a ramekin of sauce to add to my pizza. The waiter came back and told me the boss says he wants a $1 for the sauce. We are having a $150 meal here with a bottle of wine at an Italian restaurant and he wants a $1. I am from the east coast and a business would be closed in a week if they did that there. Last visit here. Hope the dollar was worth the monthly revenue moron. read more

Stopped in for a quick bite in the middle of the afternoon. Has a lively atmosphere and looks like I need to return again to enjoy the vibe during dinner. Open kitchen concept and looks like you want to hang out and watch 'em work. Service was fast and complete, that's a rarity these days. Our server actually did everything correct. As most of us know...it's really a mess out there at other places. I felt that this busy place was well under control. The server knew her menu and she was polite and efficient. Fresh bread and wrapped butter was immediately brought to the table. Oil and Balsalmic were already there. I had the soup of the day which was, Mushroom (very tastey) and a Caesar salad. I wish I had the time to stay and enjoy more of the menu. I understand this place gets packed at dinner I'll be back. read more

Had lunch today at Mambo Italiano Cafe with my gal this afternoon. I had the Seafood Puttanesca. Wife had the Smoked Salmon Penne. We enjoyed our meal. Our server was Miss Monica from Utah. She was very charming. The restaurant is also charming. read more

Mambo Italiano Cafe - Italian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Pretty good Italian food in Fairhaven. I admit to being a bit of a snob when it comes to Italian food: their Bolognese meets my expectations. The restaurant has an attractive atmosphere and is at a good location. Prices are affordable overall. I love their own made bread! read more

Really good pizza and customer service! Their salad and spaghetti is also great! I would recommend to anyone who loves Italian food!

Mambo seems to be thriving in Fairhaven, perched along the main drag and there's a reason for their success - they do Italian well. My Mom and I popped in for lunch mid-week and ordered their antipasti del giorno, basically a charcuterie board, along with small salads - a kind of nosh-y light lunch that filled us nicely. The board had proscuitto, salami, mozerella, provalone, goat cheese, and very nice crostini. It was a huge amount that was well worth the $15. We each chose the Caesar salads, which were fresh and nicely done. The atmosphere is that of dark wood - some booths, and some tables, as well as a big grand bar just up the stairs. They have a nice outdoor patio, outlined with a wrought iron fence and some nice hanging plants as well. Our waitress was very nice, had great recommendations, and was attentive. All in all, this was a fantastic experience, that I would definitely come back for. Next time I'm in Fairhaven, it'll be at the top of my list. Thanks! read more

Really good atmosphere. Really good food! Very nice staff and very clean! My ONLY gripe was that there is no espresso to go with dessert (especially for an Italian cafe with delicious chocolate desserts)! read more

If you don't mind battling over your meal with swarms of fruit flies, then this is the place to go! Unfortunately, my group did not enjoy this extra protein. We killed a total of 6 flies during our meal, but there were dozens of others still flying around our faces. It came to the point where we covered our meals with our napkins while we waited for the waitress to bring us to-go boxes. When we commented about the swarm of flies, our waitress responded with "no kidding." No apology or offer to move us. Food was decent. Service was slow. Probably won't be recommending this place to anyone I know. read more

Mambo Italiano Cafe - Fruit fly infestation - Italian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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Best Italian food in Bellingham hands down. Great service and food. If this place ever closed I would be deviated no joke!!! read more

Mambo Italiano Cafe - Oh yeh - Italian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Another d e l i c i o u s meal at Mambo. Lasagna, bread, and the wife had an outstanding Greek salad with shredded chicken. Everything hit all the flavors on our pallets. It was slightly busy and the service was quick and friendly. Two reviews in one. Back today and tried the quatro fromaggio with pepperoni -Out. Of. This. World. The smoked cheese makes this pizza over the top. It is not in the least bit greasy. The crust is perfect. I can't say enough about it. The service was very fast, even though the restaurant was pack. 8/7/18 Just picked up a Four Cheese Fromagio with pepperoni to go. Delicious as always. The worst part is the last bite, because it is the last bite and I have to wait until I can stop in again. 9/29/18 Back to the lasagna! So delicious. You just can't go wrong when you choose to dine here. 10/27/18 We stopped in for a late lunch around 2:00. The restaurant was slammed. No afternoon lull. Guests continued through the doors all the while. The main dining room and rear dining room were full. The food was super as always, but today's review is more about the outstanding level of service. We were greeted and seated immediately. Our drink order was prompt. We got our fresh baked bread promptly. The flow of food from the kitchen was outstanding. Nobody, and I mean nobody, had to wait for food. It was prompt, hot and well presented. The crew was well coordinated and cheerful. They really earned their five stars today. read more

Great food & good service. This place had a fantastic vibe, too. We didn't regret the 40 minute drive to this place. Portions are pretty large, perfect for sharing. read more

Probably the worst I have experienced in Italian eateries. I ordered a Cesar salad with chicken, Sopping wet lettuce (big no-no), the chicken a pile of shredded cold chicken with a distinct refrigerator flavor, the whole thing drowning in bottled "Cesar " dressing. The bread about what you would buy in your supermarket on sale. The red sauce on my husband's pasta tasted like tomato paste with a little herbal flavoring. Pasta was overdone, and chicken over cooked. Stay away. This place is definitely a rip-off! read more

Food is great. Been coming here for 15 years as a regular. Unfortunately the same care in training wait staff and hostess position seems to be slipping. read more

Mambo was the first place that I got take out from when I got over my "I am never dining out again" sadness in COVID, and it is my favorite place, for both take out and dine in. Their protocols are on point without being disruptive to dining, I still get awesome service, and best of all, their food is flat out delicious. Ravioli and lasagna are my first go-to, and anytime I have pizza, my palate is pleased! And when I need a green thing, the steak salad is perfect! Thank you Mambo, for taking such good care of my food and my safety. Oh, and did I mention, their bar is AMAZING!!! read more

Mambo Italiano Cafe - Oh, my ravioli!!! - Italian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

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It took forever to eat (we got there at 2pm, and our lunch wasn't ready for an hour. Then all the dishes had way too much oil. I had a salad, and I couldn't eat it because there was so much oil and salt. They didn't even ask what dressing I wanted. The chairs we were on were not solid (really uncomfortable and wobbly), and the staff did not fill up our water once. Also, they don't make their own pasta, and a dish that pricey should have at least a garnish but I would expect vegetables. read more

Ohh my gosh this place hit the spot. I really recommend it because everything was super fresh-the tomatoes were delicious and generous. You also get an entire baguette with your pasta. Pasta was not too oily, not too cheesy, everything was just right. We went there two nights in a row :) read more

Absolutely my favorite restaurant to eat at! Love love this place! The daily seafood specials are amazing!

I called to complain about the lack of sauce and, because I've called before, the manager argued with me. $40 for two dry pasta dishes, which are normally delicious. Repeated quality control + customer service problems. Never returning after the manager hung up on me. read more

Mambo Italiano Cafe - 2 orders smoked mozza+extra sauce and received 2 just like this. Manager argued with me. Repeated quality control issues. - Italian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Best Italian food in town. Consistent, quality, and the service is awesome. Getting hungry just writing this review! :)

OVERPRICED!! Wanted some good Italian food and this place had great reviews. I ordered the Seafood Puttanesca - it did say there were red peppers (which I despise and can't eat) when I asked for them not to be added was advised "they're in the sauce and there's only a couple". LIAR - I must have taken out the equivalent of 1 medium sized red pepper / the dish they give you for shells, etc was completely filled with LARGE red pepper chunks, I would have taken a picture but the bowl was whisked away before I could). And the shrimp was rubbery - so they did take it back and didn't charge me but not until the end of the meal - so I got no dinner... 2 in our group had the Gouda Ravioli - which the menu and the server neglected to say no longer is filled with Gouda but the traditional ricotta (don't appreciate the deception and then being charged for an upgraded item that truly isn't). Also, 2 in our group thought there Cesear salads were to peppery (I tasted and I liked but it was very peppery.). The only thing that didn't get any complaints was the Carbonara. The bill for 3 people (they did remove mine) for very little food with tax and tip was $80!!! NOT WORTH IT. Should have been $40-$50 for what we got. Definitely won't be back... read more

This place was pretty good. My main complaint is just how warm the restaurant is. I understand why it might be warmer (due to the smallness of it), but it was almost too much to be comfortable or even eat the warm food. Also, they never brought us back our leftovers that the took to box up for us. Overall, good food. But sit outside if you can. read more

The pasta here is amazing! Great quality and different options everyone will love! The decor of the place is artsy and comforrable, the menus have pictures of art as the cover and their always creative. read more

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Chicken alfredo was soooo good. Pizza wasn't my favorite but my partner loved it, although its pricey for a small pizza.

Mambo Italiano Cafe is such a great little cafe with big taste! It's a cute little restaurant, offering outdoor seating, and has great food! I ordered the Penne Primavera and asked to please add shrimp - delicious! The shrimp were huge, the entree offered the perfect portion, everything is made in-house from scratch and is fresh, includes a basket of freshly made bread, and super friendly staff. I'm already planning to come back. Mambo Delicio! read more

Mambo Italiano Cafe - Penne Primavera, and asked to add shrimp! Yum! - Italian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

First of all, My grandmother is from Italy and I'm second generation American Italian. We often make a variety of homemade pasta dishes including puttanesca so I was excited to try their "signature " dish of seafood puttanesca, but I couldn't be more disappointed. Sauce was watery with very little capers and kalamatas which are staples of a puttanesca sauce. There Are much better Italian restaurants in Bham such as Deanna's and Giuseppe's. Don't waste your money. read more

Wow. Now that is great Italian food. Excellent service, great atmosphere. I wish I lived here, I'd definitely be a regular.

Placed an order for chicken Parmesan and substituted veggies for penne pesto (one of the options I was told over the phone). Turns out I got both the veggies and pasta but the latter came with a $5 additional cost which I didn't expect. The chicken parm was cheesy, breaded & fried and topped with marinara sauce - perfect. The pesto was a bit saltier than I like it and didn't pair well with the chicken. Overall a decent dinner and large enough for two people to split. read more

We came to this restaurant an hour right before closing on a Saturday night, assuming there were going to be loads of people because of the day of the week, there was absolutely no customers in sight. Luckily for us, they were super friendly and did not seem to mind that we were the only customers they had. We ordered a Margherita pizza, which was absolutely divine. The crust was the most perfect part of the pizza - the best crust i ever had! I was quite surprised by this since we arrived an hour before closing, assuming they would give us something half-assed, but it turned out great! Customer service was really nice and helpful. Definitely will go again! read more

Mambo Italiano Cafe - Margherita Pizza, Mambo Italiano - the most delicious crust ever. - Italian Near Me - Bellingham, Washington

Hands down superb Italian food, with an excellent restaurant atmosphere and service. We had a nice time, and everyone was excited to revisit this place in the near future again. read more

Very disappointed! Came over for dinner with the family on Sunday night. They welcomed us serving bread to the table- slices of an old, cold baguette. We ordered 2 pasta dishes; Sea food puttanesca, their signature dish - included clams, was full of sand .... the second dish was penne primavera- pasta with lots of sauteed vegetables. There was no connection between the pasta (that was build in water and put on the plate ) and the vegetables on top. No taste at all. The pizza was ok, and the services was very good. Must say the place looks nice and busy and I just hope the chef was sick and didn't show up that evening. Otherwise, I can't explain how someone can serve such a meal and charge $15- $21 a dish. read more

Ordinarily, we make our own Italian food. But after a rough couple of weeks, we needed to get out of the house and my girlfriend suggested Mambo Italiano. We had not been there before (we'd only noticed it when we went to The Black Cat), and it was packed on a Friday evening. We were asked if we had reservations, which we did not even think about, and were told they were full for the night. But they could seat us in the courtyard. That worked fine for us, since the inside courtyard of the building is very nice. I opted for the Pollo Piccata (our server used the Spanish pronunciation 'poy-o' instead of the Italian), and my girlfriend ordered the pan-fried oysters. (She seldom passes up a chance for good oysters!) We started with the antipasti del giorno. Now, I agree with skier Alberto Tomba who once said, 'The only time an Italian drinks white wine is when he's out of red.' Maybe it's against the commonly-accepted rules, but I prefer red and drink what I like. But my girlfriend wanted white. We ordered a bottle of Voga Italia pinot grigio. The antipasti of the day featured generous portions of sliced salami (Gallo brand, which we both grew up with), two good-sized slices of prosciutto , fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced provolone, a dollop of soft goat cheese with chives, a few slices of bruschetta, and a bit of tapenade. Oh. My. That was -- and I say this without exaggeration -- the best tapenade I've tasted. Tapenade has always been one of those things that I could take or leave. But then, it's been store-bought, served in restaurants that seemed to have it on the menu because it's trendy, or home-made by people who make it because it's trendy. Mambo Italiano's tapenade tastes like someone cares. I didn't know it could be that good. The rest of the appetisers were tasty as well. As I said, we grew up with Gallo-brand salami. It's mass-market and not imported or made at Salumi Artisan Cured Meats in Seattle, but to us it tastes like salami is supposed to taste. The prosciutto was nice and salty, and the slices were generous. The rest of the plate was not only delicious, but I know that if we want it at home we can duplicate it with a quick trip to Trader Joe's excellent cheese display. Both meals were served with sautéed zucchini and carrots with some onion and garlic, and penne pasta with marinara sauce. The veg were excellent. Maybe a little overcooked, but very tasty nonetheless. I can tell you I polished them off with abandon! The penne pasta was cooked perfectly. The marinara sauce was a little plain, but had a nice amount of garlic in it. I wouldn't want it for a main dish, but as a side dish it was good. My plate arrived with two boneless chicken breasts with artichoke hearts and a nice white wine sauce with capers. Oh, I love capers! The chicken was very tender, and not at all dry or stringy as I've been served at other restaurants. It was definitely a hit with both our palates. The girlfriend received about generous number of local oysters that were breaded with cornmeal to give them some crunch. You could really taste the ocean in them. Another hit! We were both stuffed after eating half of our dishes, but we found room to share tiramisu served in a glass. I'm a coffee hound, and I really like a strong coffee taste in my tiramisu. Mambo Italiano's offering was more suited to people who don't order 10-shot espressos from coffee houses, but it was quite yummy and a lot less work than making it myself! Our server was Maggie, who was chipper and knowledgable. Everything looked so good on the menu that I couldn't decide what to order. Maggie is the one who suggested the pollo piccata, and I'm glad I took her recommendation. (Same goes for the wine.) She was attentive, but not intrusive. We were dressed nicely (for us), and she asked if we were there for a special occasion. We admitted that we'd lost our beloved cat the previous week, and she showed an appropriate amount of sympathy and recovered immediately from our unexpected answer. Later, we chatted a bit about salami and olive oil and she was nicely enthusiastic. When we told her how much we liked the tapenade, she said many people give similar comments on it. The bill for the dinner, plus a Grey Goose martini, taxes, and tip, came to a bit over $111, which is about what we tend to pay whenever we go out for a nice dinner. The courtyard seating was fairly intimate, and quieter than being inside. The food was great, and Maggie was wonderful. We'll be going back. read more

BEST MARTINI OF MY LIFE! You have GOT to try the Vanilla Lemondrop...I know it sounds odd, but it is truly a life-altering experience. You will forever be comparing every martini following this one for a good chunk of time, guaranteed. The lasagne is amazing as well...very flavorful and just the right proportion. I also noted that the waitstaff was friendly and attentive. I would take a star away for the atmosphere's lack of charm, but that martini was just too damn good. read more