Excellent food, ambiance and very welcoming staff. Loved the chicken parmasian and its off the beaten path. Highly recommended!

I've lived in Brooklyn my whole life and this was the first tome at Mama Rao's. Excellent meal. The food was delicious, from the antipasto, chicken in cream sauce, stuffed rigatoni and orrecheti with sausage and broccoli rabe (between three people we ordered) Everything was A++. The service was very attentive without being overbearing. I can't believe I haven't visited here sooner. Definitely going to add to my rotation of restaurants. read more

See all

I went here for Easter Dinner with my family. We were a large group. It was packed but that's understandable since it was Easter. The place is pretty , nice wall art and a small bar when you walk in. We arrived in time, they seated us 30 mins later. I wasn't too happy about that but again it was a Holiday. WW enjoyed our dinner , they had an Easter menu. You could only order whats in the menu. I ordered Chicken Francese and I wanted spaghetti but the waiter said no it only comes with mashed potatoes and vegetables. However my niece ordered spaghetti and he said ok . So they don't go alittle extra to accommodate you . My only complaint was the service. We had to actually go up to the waiter to ask for tableware or get it ourselves. I believe they booked too many reservations and didn't have enough employees. For the price you pay for food I would like to have been treated better, I'm going to go again but this time not in a holiday and see if it's a better experience read more

Great Food, Friendly service. Good pasta dishes option and the staff are very attentive. Sal is awesome if you meet him there you're in good hands. Give Mama Rao a try with family or friends you won't be disappointed. Thumbs up Guys! read more

Mamma Rao's - Penne ala Vodka con Chicken - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

Ordered take out and had the stuffed rigatoni bolognese and Pollo alla Nina for a total of $60. It was mediocre at best and not worth the price point. Too much ricotta/rigatoni to sauce ratio. I couldn't taste the bolognese at all because it was close to nonexistent and got overpowered by the thick rigatoni and the graininess and dryness of the ricotta. The Pollo alla Nina was good but much too heavy and salty to continue eating more than five bites. Best part of this was the lemon cake. Would not try again even though it's only a 2 min walk from where I live. read more

Mama rao provides an upscale Italian dining experience in a casual atmosphere. The service was attentive and accommodating throughout our entire meal. They did simple things like putting our water in an ice bucket to make our experience outstanding. We started with fried mozzarella and the fried calamari. The mozzarella was served our a slice of tomato and topped with a light salad with cheese. The calamari was fresh and severed alongside a spicy marinara sauce and a chipotle sauce. My girlfriend wanted something a little less spicy and they kindly brought out some mild marinara sauce. Both starters were good. For my main course, I chose the mafalde mare verde for our pasta. I haven't had this type of pasta before. It was a long, thick pasta which a jagged edge. It slurped up easily yet it retained a lot of the savory white wine sauce. It was served with arugula and shrimp. It was unique and I'd highly recommend it. They served a few of their housemade, complimentary lemon drop cookies. They're so light and airy. You can't leave without trying one! read more

Craving for some authentic Italian food? This is the place to go. I been here approximately three times and every time I come here, the food is fantastic and service is spectacular! I recommend calling ahead for reservations if you plan on coming here on a weekend. Some of my favorite things from here are: 1) Fried Calamari: Cooked to perfection! Not overly fried and not soggy. So so good. I love the dipping sauces it comes with on the side! 2) Linguine alla Strega: I had this twice and each time it was fantastic. If you are a vegetarian or you don't feel like consuming meat for the night, this is the dish! Mushrooms, asparagus, scallions, tomatoes, and zucchini are all including in this lovely dish with light garlic and oil sauce. So simple yet so delicious! 3) Linguine in a White Clam Sauce: By far one of the best I ever had. So flavorful and a good decent amount of clams for the price!! To top it off, they give you free lemon baked cookies that are homemade as desserts at the end! They're so so good. Every time I ask to take it to go, they always give me more to bring home! So thankful and will be making many more visits! Love it here! read more

See all

Update: The owner immediately dismissed us without a reservation and failed to inform me of a wedding this evening. He offered to cover our meal, but wrongly called me out in-person for posting a bad customer service review. We left $100 to cover our tab and tip. Food is great y'all. read more

They start you off with warm bread and a complementary mozzarella,tomato,basil with balsamic vinaigrette. You'll already like the place. Our favorite linguine white clams was so delicious, plenty of clams on al dente pasta. Shrimp francese so fresh and buttery! All served with friendly smile and attention to details . We were well taken care of! Will be back real soon! read more

See all

Food is good but the sauce on the pasta is always acidity and not tasty at all no oil no salt and tasteless even they sell jarred sauce chef has to learn to make italian sauce in true style read more

BEST LOCAL AUTHENTIC ITALIAN RESTAURANT! It's in a great location in the heart of Bensonhurst. The waiters and staffs are all so friendly, polite, and very accommodating. The owner, Sal, has never put up a front, he always shows his face from time to time, greeting his tables of customers. It's never disappointed us as many times as we came here for dinner, whether if it is just me and the bf, or it's with our friends. So this was what we ordered a few nights ago for dinner, Appetizer: Galileo (Specials) - $16 [ Breaded eggplant, grilled tomato covered with baby arugula crumbled goat cheese with a fresh honey basil dressing ] Omg, this was to die for! Too good that the bf and I cleaned up the plate within 5-8 minutes! Pasta: The bf ordered the Risotto al Zaffarano (specials) - $28 [ Sauteed with baby sea scallops, baby shrimp, black mussels, fresh fennel, cherry tomatoes in a white wine Saffron sauce. The bf loved this! It's definitely worth a try if you can still make it to this week's special! I ordered the Rigatoni Bolognese [Stuffed cheese rigatoni covered in a delicious meat sauce with a touch of cream ]. - It was also very tasty! Desserts: (of cus) The bf had the cheesecake ($8) I had the Guava Mango Flute ($9) - creamy tropical guava gelatao swirled with sweet mango sauce [omgggggggggggg! This was to dieeeeeeeeeeeeeee forrrrr! ] We also shared a cup of cappuccino, tasted greatttt with both our desserts! Tips: 1) Do not hesitate to order from their Specials menu (thursday - thursday). The specials menu changes weekly. 2) They do host parties. Look for Sal if you need any further information. 3) If you don't know what to order, stick with the pasta menu. 4) Try their lemon cake which is complimentary with every dinner. (Do order their cappuccino!) Enjoy!!!!!! read more

See all

Excellent meal, great service, ultra clean place. Come you'll love it. I've eaten here a number of times with friends and family; never disappointed, always impressed. Leave room for dessert. read more

The food absolutely delicious , from clams, calamari, salad with blue cheese and apples, zucchini and mozz sticks was all freshly made and presented. We tried rib eye, salmon , penne vodka, angel hair pasta, portobello mushroom entree and cod. Everyone loved their meals and mentioned how delicious and flavorful the food was. Dessert was also 10/10 creme brûlée , coppa and tartufo . The manager/ owner even gave us lemon cookies on the house. As I'm typing my husband goes," don't forget to mention the cappuccinos " those were perfectly made as well. I took a star off for the price, the bill was on the very pricey Italian side, would I come back? For appetizers and if they have a lunch special absolutely, but our immediate family is big and places like these aren't worth it for us. Absolutely delicious and clean establishment! Loved the service :) read more

Nice and quiet restaurant, maybe it's early lunch time. I had a very nice waiter who was attentive. The tables are dressed with crisp tablecloth. There were two other tables each had two guests but their respective tables were filled with dishes. They seemed to enjoy their food and wine. I had Arugula salad and spaghetti vongolles. The salad was nicely flavored with lemon dressing. Very fresh. The spaghetti was good. I will come back. read more

Everyone in the neighborhood loves Mama Raos. I've been coming here since middle school. There are closer Italian restaurants to me but we either get delivery or my dad gets takeout if he's near the area when he drives home. I haven't dined in since Covid but I plan to when the weather gets warmer. read more

Came for lunch and it didnt seem like they had a lunch menu. When you order a $18 bowl of pasta for lunch you expect great things. My meal fell flat. I ordered the orechetti baresi which was some sort of pasta with broccoli rabe and sausage with a white wine sauce. The sauce was very watery and the overall meal was very bland. The person I was with said the same thing about their pasta dish. The one positive was the bread which was very good. It had the feel of a good italian restaurant but our meals didnt hit the spot. read more

Mamma Rao's - Orechetti baresi - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Had a nice experience. pre thanksgiving early evening dinner . fine homemade pasta. good neighborhood joint decked out for xmas. read more

This is my favorite stalward Italian restaurant in Dyker that has persevered through big changes in the neighborhood. Regardless. The menu execution and service is impeccable. I can't give enough compliments to Sal and his staff. Truly a one of a kind establishment that I am refraining from calling old school, because they are clearly keeping up with the times. You will not be dissapointer if you want great Brooklyn Italian food. If you are looking to have a family party or a great dinner with a small group of friends I would recommend this place, Everytime. The staff is consistently pleasant and execute with an amazing attention to detail. This is not a paid advertisement. I cannot say enough accolades about Mama Rao's read more

See all

Excellent Italian cuisine! Great service great food! Will definitely come again when I am back in Brooklyn.

Wow, Mama Rao Cucina Italiana was simply brilliant. Lots of people come here. Absolutely delicious and wholesome. Crew so very kind, fun, and courteous. Probability of going back to Mama Rao Cucina Italiana: 100%. read more

Love this place. The food is solid; the folks are friendly and efficient and accommodating. Parking in the neighborhood can be a tad tricky, and worth the search. read more

Been coming here for years with my family, and for years and years before that at the store next door. Best fresh pasta, sauce, fresh mozzarella, and roasted red peppers in all of Brooklyn. The space is beautiful and provided the best venue for my rehearsal dinner. Everything was perfect and everyone had a wonderful time. Additionally, the family that runs it is wonderful. One of my favorite places to go in all of Brooklyn! read more

I was visiting a family member in Brooklyn, just a few blocks away, when we needed to find a restaurant to eat at. I started Yelping and found Mama Rao's and, judging by the reviews, I had to try it! I had an excellent meal here and I would love to come back again. Food: We had baked clams as an app which were absolutely delicious. We finished them in record time and wanted more. For entrees, we got the Pollo Pera and the Shrimp Fra Diavolo.I was a bit nervous to try it, mainly because it said it had pear in it, but all of the ingredients came together and it was delicious. It was a chicken breast stuffed with spinach, bread crumbs, prosciutto & fresh pear, wrapped in bacon and covered in cognac sauce. I highly suggest this entree! Decor: I loved the decor. Since the holidays are coming up, they decorated the inside and outside of the restaurant which quickly put me in a cheery mood. I can picture many families coming here around Christmas for a nice, holiday experience... If i lived closer, I certainly would! Service: The service was 4/5. The restaurant was pretty empty around 5PM (early dinner) and we still waited a very long time to order our entrees. That is my only compliant. I highly suggest this restaurant. read more

Mamma Rao's - clams appetizer - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

FOOD IS GREAT, STAFF IS AWESOME AND THE HOST IS SPECTACULAR! I recently had my engagement party here, Sal catered to all our necessary needs. The food was great and everyone had a wonderful time. No complains. We had many options for the menu for our party- Open bar is available - Valet parking is available at an additional cost. The party room is spacious- we had 60 guest and had a decent space to have a dance floor. If you ever have any questions Sal is very good at returning calls and accommodating your needs. Every penny spent was worth the price. read more

Mamma Rao's - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

See all

Solid Italian restaurant. I see why people love their lemon cookies and bread. Luckily I had take out so I didn't get full off of these bad boys. I wanted to order from their regular menu but they had a special Valentine's menu instead. Regardless, I got a couple of items- - Penne alla vodka: al dente pasta which Mary likes, sauce not too heavy, I'm in! You can add shrimp or chicken to this - Shrimp and lobster salad: love it-- forgot what sauce they used but they were not greedy on the seafood - Had some other shrimp pasta: shrimp was good, pasta was good, no complaints - Fried calamari: something was missing to this....not a fan read more

See all

Everyone in our neighborhood, including several great Italian cooks (ahem!) loves Mama Rao's. I ordered a birthday dinner for my mom from here, and she is a huge pain in the butt when it comes to food, and she LOVED it. She ordered the linguine with white clam sauce. The stuffed rigatoni is great too! read more

Greeting- yes Vibe- Italian wine cellar Parking- street meters till 7 Price- moderate Service- excellent Leo BR- sucks only one - minus a star Wine list- limited Food Beet salad very good Gnocchi excellent Veal chop good Fried calamari excellent melt in mouth Dessert- amaretto tiramisu good Choc sundae good WIGB? Yes read more

See all

Loved this place! I went here with my boyfriend's family a couple months ago. We all got the pre fixe menu and it was amazing! We had red wine, which was great. I got the mozz & arugula salad and tried some of the calamari. Very good. For my entree, I had vodka pasta with shrimp, which was exceptional! Dessert - cheesecake and a cappuccino. Both were very good. Everything was presented beautifully and our waiter was great. This place is on the pricey side, but it's worth it for a special occasion. I hope to go back again. read more

See all

Food was delicious! Good service. Family atmosphere. Great for parties. My husband and I were satisfied with our meal.

Quality is the first word that comes to mind when thinking of Mama Rao's. I had been here a half dozen times over the years, but recently went twice for completely different reasons within a month and that's what I want to review. Recently went for a relative's 80th birthday party and experienced the party room. The setup of the room is to the left of the restaurant, completely private from the rest. It's a "long room" meaning it fits two tables wide and has a dancing area up front. The bar comes first before the party room so you can get your own drink or have the waiters bring it to you. The food is great for parties! Fried zucchini strings, rice balls galore and calamari get you started, with a nice shopped salad coming next and orecchiette topped with sausage and broccoli rabe as your pasta dish...all delicious! End with a main course of salmon or shrimp scampi with mixed veggies and you have a great night to look forward to! Now, for the restaurant... There's ample seating to the right of the restaurant, and you will be greeted with some warm bread and butter upon seating. Besides their giant plump and juicy fried calamari, my favorite app is a special that comes in a big martini glass - cold shrimp with thick cut pieces of avocado on a bed of lettuce and covered with a chipotle sauce! It's so good and you just have to give it a try when you heat here, the flavors blend seamlessly and I look forward to going back for more! For the entrée, I always go for the pasta! My all-time favorite is the fettuccine alfredo topped with baby shrimp. Be warned it's a big dish and is very rich, but the homemade fettuccine is so perfect that you will not worry about the waistline. Save room for dessert, because you will be rewarded with their complimentary signature lemon drop cookies! They are very proud of this dessert, with a soft cookie underneath a sweet lemon icing. Mama Rao's is a phenomenal Italian restaurant that is still going strong after all these years, you will spend a few bucks here, but keep in mind it's a top 5 establishment for Italian in all of Brooklyn with top notch service and food to die for. Highest recommendation! read more

See all

My dad and I came here for dinner last night for the first time. It's only a few blocks from his house and we didn't want to hop on a train anywhere so we ended up here. As soon as we arrived we were welcomed by the servers who were VERY friendly. I felt we were a bit underdressed since it seemed a bit fancy - Italian music playing, cloth tables and napkins, candles and dim lighting. Thankfully there was only 1 other family there. Fresh hot bread is brought to your table while you're waiting for you food. You can easily fill up with bread and olive oil. We ordered the cold seafood salad as an appetizer = delicious and fresh. I ordered the spaghetti with pesto sauce, added the shrimp = not really used to pesto being so creamy but it was delicious. My dad ordered the linguini with clam sauce = he scarfed it down in minutes so I'm assuming he enjoyed it lol. He ordered an espresso which arrived with lemon cookies. As stuffed as I was I had to try one - they were also delicious. I thought about giving this place 3 stars only because the time it took for even our appetizer to arrive (it was just a seafood salad) was very long. Considering there was only 1 other small family there, I didn't get the wait time. Our entrees didn't take AS long to arrive but considering the food was GREAT, service was AWESOME and even the owner (I think) came over and asked us how we were doing...I gave this place 4 stars. I'd love to go back :-) read more

See all

Excellent restaurant, the food is delicious, I've had many party's there, bridal showers and baby shower. The owner Is a real gentleman and helps to choose the right menu for your guests. the waiters are terrific. I highly recommend this restaurant and catering room. the ambiance is like visiting Italy and also very clean. read more

Came here for a company dinner on a weeknight and it was a great experience. Some of the tastiest Italian food that I've had in a while. We had a prefix menu and everything came out the way that we expected. We were started with an appetizer consisting of mozzarella, prosciutto ham and tomatoes. It had a balsamic vinaigrette dressing and it was delicious. We were then given some antipasto and that was good too. The penne wasn't over cooked and still had an al dente texture. For the main, I ordered a fried chicken dish with a side of string beans and mashed potatoes. The chicken was not dry and was juicy when I cut it open. It was seasoned well and tasted great. The mashed was really creamy and was devoured instantly. We ended with some cakes, sweets and cappuccino. Overall it was a great experience at Mama Rao and I can see myself going back to it in the future. The only one negative thing about it is that the wait time between the antipasto and the main took a little longer than expected. Other than that, it was a good meal at Mama Rao's. read more

Absolutely adore this place. Service is excellent. I have tried many things on the menu but the pollo alla nina is my favorite dish. Probably my most favorite chicken dish. I always look forward to dining at mama rao's - not just for the delicious food but also for the experience. read more

Mamma Rao's - Pollo alla nina - Italian Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Was there for 2 bereavement' lunches within 8 weeks of each other, super easy making arrangements with Tommy. He was beyond accommodating and understanding. It was really nice considering the occasion, food was abundant and excellent. Would recommend 1000%. read more

How nice is it when you walk into a place for the first time and the waiter greets you like he's known you his entire life, with a handshake and a smile? Nice Sunday for lunch. (they are open at 12noon on Sunday's) Nice cloth napkin, impeccable, comfortable and well spaced tables. Started with the Mozzarella, which was fried into a patty around the size of 2 hamburgers. So unbelievably good, that if you've ever had mozzarella sticks (and I'm reluctant to put this in that category) that you will simply be in heaven. Main courses were, filet of sole in a lemon, which came with crisp, clean and fresh green beans, and a salmon flavored mashed potatoes that were amazing too. The fish was done to perfection, but the lemon flavoring, was just a tad too much citrus for me, but that didn't stop me from eating every single thing on that plate. The bread and rolls were so amazing, that I threw my carb limit out the window, and skipped dinner, so I could have about 2 loaves and 2 rolls. Olive oil and butter, topped it off. Ended with some lemon frosted sponge soft cookies, that were complimentary and amazingly light and well, amazing. The party room is separate, and there was a shower or something going on, but the main restaurant area, just had one other table occupied with locals who were obviously regulars and just enjoying a nice lunch. Just a really a wonderful afternoon experience. read more

See all

I received an almost instant response from the owners, and will definitely try them again. I can't say anything yet about the food itself, but the restaurant is beautiful, and the response let me know they really care! read more

Nice place to have a dinner with family, friends, or a special someone. I went in for a birthday lunch with some of my family and didn't realize it was Valentine's Day ! They had a special Valentine's Day menu and dessert menu, which meant they had a limited selection that day .... which was not disappointing at all since all the food is so delicious. They brought out the cutest heart shaped bread for the holiday and we also had backed clams, fried calamari, penne vodka with shrimp, sea bass, the special valentines pasta dish, and a chocolate mousse. The staff was attentive and made the afternoon very nice for my birthday coming our singing with a candle in the chocolate mousse dessert. I would definitely liked to come back to see what their regular menu has to offer and try some other Italian delicacies. read more

See all

excellent food best italian food in brooklyn clean and the staff is courteous they party are food after food fresh it what you pay for excellent read more

My sister celebrated a big birthday recently, and she chose Mama Rao to have her party. She had a group of fourteen including two small children, and she wanted to dine in a good restaurant and keep the bill reasonable. If you are looking for a good restaurant that is reasonably priced, then you have just found one. I went in with low expectations. I am frequently disappointed when I dine in old school Italian eateries, I find their food old fashioned, and the wait staff are usually brusque. This is not the case at Mama Rao. All of our food was better than usual, and the wait staff were surprisingly gracious. I like to drink good wine and was very happy to find Le Volte on their list for only $53. The meal was nicely paced, and our two little guest's were happy with their Penne in Butter. PS, they have the best fried Calamari that I have ever tasted. read more