This unassuming italian spot is our absolute favorite place to go in Martinez! We love the rotating specials menu, the bubbly water, and bread appetizer. My favorite dish is the cheese ravioli with lemon cream sauce. Everything they make is amazing! Their service is always excellent and very fast. It's such a special spot and always so comforting. read more

Looking for a local mom and pop spot. Mangia Bene it is. Great decor with nonstop Italian background music, with familiar menu favorites, but an incredible dessert menu. Stay until the end and close off with dessert to enjoy the full experience. read more

We love this place! Over the years the food hasn't been as good as it use to. They have also hired a couple new people that don't seem as welcoming as the people that has been around since we started coming here. Every time we get the guy waiter we are always taken care of. We ordered Penne alla vodka, Linguine ai frutti di mare, Conchiglie al pollo, ravioli di funghi, and Conchiglie con gamberetti. After that we ordered Creme Brûlée and Chocolate soufflé. The coffee is here is a must! read more

Went here last night for dinner. The food was awesome. Wonderful service. Followed their websites advice and made a reservation and glad I did because within 15 minutes of arriving 90% of the restaurant was full. Will absolutely go again. read more

1 clearly frozen chicken breast like the kind from Tyson in the freezer section of the supermarket. For the price only 1 piece of chicken! Mashed potatoes look and taste like from a box. Spaghetti bolognese was ok. But not worth the price. read more

Mangia Bene Restaurant - Chicken and mashed potatoes - Italian Near Me - Martinez, California

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The mouth watering smell haunted me on the drive back to Richmond. All I could think about was when I would get a chance to eat the mushroom ravioli!! I had stopped to get takeout and couldn't decide between the mushroom ravioli and the minestrone soup and pear salad. The food is incredibly flavorful and I could not get enough of the dipping sauce. The only reason for the 4 stars is the fact that the minestrone soup had nothing but a few vegetables floating around in that tasty broth- no beans to speak of. read more

It's not often I do bad reviews, I'd rather hand out compliments. I would have appreciated an honest review of this restaurant. The descriptions of the menu made it sound promising. We had a group of 12 and across the board it was not satisfactory. All the raviolis were drowning in sauce - the eggplant was slimy texture - NOT grilled as stated , it seemed more like steamed . And the most basic -garlic bread - tasted like nothing - maybe melted margarine? Lastly the pesto sauce - was neon green - and looked more like a toxic waste color - then any pesto I've ever seen (was afraid to even taste this one) . There was good feedback on the ceaser salads. read more

My girlfriend's birthday was last Tuesday and she wanted Italian. Picking Martinez as our destination we had a choice of two, one we'd been to before and this unknown who showed they served Spimoni gelato in the dessert section of their online menu and because of that, this was our decision. We weren't disappointed at all. The ambiance was very pleasant with Italian pop music playing in the background, we were seated. A pitcher of sparkling water was brought to the table with a basket of bread and dipping sauce, very, very nice. My girlfriend picked the lasagna, she says it was quite tasty. I chose the SPAGHETTI CON POLPETTE DI CARNE Spaghetti pasta with 6 meatballs & chopped red onions in a creamy marinara sauce. (this was copied from their online menu) The meatballs were actually 3 large meatballs, not the 6 smaller ones in the picture on their menu. And I've never wanted to order spaghetti from a restaurant due to how messy it can be to eat it. I think I've grown up since I first thought it wasn't a good idea and this was a wonderful dish! Their INSALATA DI CAESAR Romaine lettuce in our home-made Caesar dressing (dressing made with fresh eggs & anchovies), topped with croutons & parmesan cheese. Very good and tasty. Possibly can skip this next time though, it almost filled me up too soon. We also order garlic bread and this too was quite tasty. Plus a bottle of Beringer white Zinfandel. Then the GELATO DI SPUMONI Traditional Italian Ice-Cream dessert made with candied fruit & nuts with a touch of brandy & rum flavoring. The waiter was very pleasant, friendly, and there when needed. Everything arrived in proper order, each hot dish was as it should be served and we don't have any complaints. Plus! We were able to take home what we couldn't finish and even the leftovers translated very well the next day. They are on 1170 Arnold Dr #116, Martinez in the back end of a strip mall. read more

Great selection of Italian food with a nice ambiance and courteous staff. I try something different every time I go and it does not disappoint. read more

I like that it is in a convenient location right off Hwy 4. I love that they play songs recorded by Italian singers of the 40's, 50's and 60's during the "cool" generation before the Age of Aquarius and Disco. The food is authentic Italian like what an Italian Momma would make. The bread is phenomenal and I could have just eaten that for lunch. It is like what a neighborhood Italian restaurant has been to a community. I miss the good ole days and Mangia Bene brought back many memories of those days. Prices are modest for the quality and priceless for the warm fuzzy memories it conjured from my past. I thought it was great....and I'm Japanese, go figure! read more

Scratch another restaurant off my bucket list. Mangia Bene has been on my list for many years, and tonight is when I finally ate here. I haven't heard any fuss about this restaurant, either for or against. I found that there should be a fuss about it, in a good way. Do not judge Mangia Bene by its exterior. It's in a typical small shopping center between the freeway and Arnold Drive. Not much differentiates it from other storefronts. It's when you go inside, seeing the arches and the mustard-and-pink color scheme, hearing Louis Prima on the sound system, and spotting Mona Lisa looking at you, that you realize that you're in for a treat. "It looks fancy!" exclaimed the girl. When I saw the menu, I sighed with relief that the prices were not fancy. The menu is three pages crammed with appetizers and entrees. Pasta is their specialty, and they have many different offerings of pasta. They also serve food that is unusual for an Italian restaurant, mostly steak and chicken. We were there with a couple that's long-time friends of mine. He had a steak dinner, she had shrimp pasta - and after eating half of their food, they switched plates! That way, they both get to taste two different entrees. I had spaghetti & meatballs, the Hunny also had shrimp pasta, and the girl had regular spaghetti. All were impressed by the food. All got full tummies from the food (except me, naturally). The spaghetti & meatballs continue the fancy theme. Uses marinara sauce instead of the usual spaghetti sauce. Meatballs are small, not many of them, and they had a good spicy taste. Pasta was thick and tasty. The hunny had never had pasta with shrimp, so she decided to try something different. She also liked the taste of her entree. Mangia Bene is good for a family get-together or a date night. Many tables for two against the wall, and they were small, forcing you two to get close to each other ;-) (Denise L, take notice). Prices are in the $14-20 range, with some priced at $22-26. So it's not super affordable, but it is a classy place that does not cause you financial hardship. The food quality is certainly up there. Bottom line: Don't wait as long as I did to try Mangia Bene. read more

Ambience: clean, white tablecloths, pitcher of fizzy water at the table. The authentic sounds of Italian crooners like Sinatra, Martin and Valli. Amazing fresh and delicious food, and desserts? Deliciouso! Service was attentive and 6 stars for this best kept secret in Martinez! read more

Four of us dined for lunch last Saturday. Food was amazing! Will definitely go back. read more

Comfortable environment, friendly staff, great food at a reasonable price. We've been going there since it opened.

I come here frequently, mostly alone, but I've also brought other guests with me to this establishment and they have all loved it too. I always order the seafood linguine mmm (I'm drooling now just thinking of it). They all remember me when I come in and take good care of me. I will keep returning as long as they don't get rid of that pasta! They even let me modify it a bit :) Bonus points for their free sparkly water and yummy bread dip thing. read more

Mangia Bene Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Martinez, California

One of the best places in Martinez to get Italian food as it's always consistent. We always enjoy the food, it's a solid four star. The place is a bit dated but that's ok. Quiet at lunch so it's a good place to bring someone you want to talk to. There were other tables so it was not deserted. Portions are large. Don't expect gourmet Italian here, but do expect good food at a great value. If you're looking for a place to host a large group they have a back room just for that. Not totally private but private enough to not feel like you're dining with other groups. Service is fine. read more

Have not been here in years still not a fan of their bread dipping sauce it's salmon color not my cup of tea but they have one on the best calamari steak ever the polenta was excellent vegetable was great caught say enough about the calamari steak it's really good tasty as all hell my wife had the sausage meat pasta I had some of it really good I would order that anyway it was nice and quiet in there everything was very clean I definitely go back read more

Mangia Bene Restaurant - Sausage meat pasta yummy - Italian Near Me - Martinez, California

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I love the pasta here! Reasonably priced and the taste is off the charts good is you love pasta! The bread and sauce they give is also very good. read more

I used to frequent Mangia Bene for a standing lunch meeting, but that was several years ago. I was eager to return with DH for dinner ... but a little hesitant after reading some recent reviews. But since we were nearby after a late afternoon appointment, we decided to give it a try. Glad we did. We like to patronize local restaurants as opposed to chains like Olive Garden. While the decor appears not to have changed in sometime, it was still a welcoming atmosphere. The house-made sparkling water was refreshing with just a mild hint of citrus. The complimentary bread was rather like a marshmallow in texture, but the tomato/garlic dipping sauce which was served with it was a nice change from butter or oil and balsamic vinegar. At the suggestion of our server, we took the leftover bread and dipping sauce home. The next day I toasted the bread and spread it with some of the sauce. Not impressed with the wine list. (DH and I pretty much refuse to drink Bogle.) Price range for bottles ranged from $26 to $40 for a bottle and $7 to $9 for a glass. We might have brought our own bottle, but corkage was $17. Decided to try an Italian red since none of the domestic wines appealed to us. Three red choices: Chianti, Sangiovese, and Montepulciano. Our server described the latter as the most full bodied so that's what we went with. Decent choice. Worked well with our entrees. Since it was early -- barely 5 PM -- we decided to order an appetizer. The calamari fritti is our "go to" appetizer as it is one we both agree on. We deemed it good, not great. A few pieces were a bit tough and a few others could have used a bit more time in the fryer. The hit of the evening was DH's gnocchi which was one of the dinner specials. The bowl of gnocchi featured Italian sausage, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and arugula in a dark tomato sauce. My penne pasta was also a dinner special and featured pancetta, sun-dried tomatoes, and onions in a tomato sauce. Nothing to get excited about, but "good enough." I can never resist looking at the dessert menu. Several choices which are typical of Italian restaurants: tiramisu, cannoli, biscotti, and gelato. I was tempted by the affogato al cafe (vanilla ice cream topped with espresso and whipped cream). Settled on spumoni (gelato, not ice cream.) The portion was large and perfect for sharing. Feeling nostalgic for past lunches here -- and DH raving about his gnocchi -- I am giving Mangia Bene four stars. When in the area, would certainly stop by again. read more

Came here for lunch, there were quite a lot of people, but there were still open tables so there was no wait. They serve you bread and this dipping sauce, and they also have sparkling water. I don't enjoy sparkling water so they gladly gave me a class of regular iced water. I ordered ravioli which was delicious and filling to just the right amount. My mom ordered the calamari steak and my dad got shrimp pasta with lobster cream sauce. All dishes were good! The service was great and we waited a little long for the food but nothing unbearable. The ambiance was nice and I enjoyed the italian quotes around the place. "Vivi Bene, Ridi Spesso, Ama Molto" ("Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much") read more

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Delicious Italian food. Nice atmosphere and good service. Can't wait to try the Osso bucolic Vitello read more

This is one of the best Italian restaurants I have been to. They serve sparkling water free of charge and it's better than some canned ones. Ordered Bruschetta, Calamari fritters, Pear salad, Fettuccine Alfredo, Fettuccine Pesto, Bolognese, Gnocchi with mild Italian sausage, mushrooms and spinach, and last but definitely not last homemade Tiramisu. Everything was so fresh and delicious. Especially the pear salad, had dried Ricotta and caramelized walnuts. read more

Mangia Bene Restaurant - Gnocchi with mild Italian sausage, mushrooms and spinach. - Italian Near Me - Martinez, California

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Mangia male! Yikes, I couldn't believe the quality of the food. The wine and spumoni were good, but I knew things were not looking good when I got the bread. Good bread is a must for an Italian meal, and it was awful and served with a strange creamy tomato spread. Just give butter! The chicken, mashed potatoes, and vegetables were all so-so, but there are much better restaurants not too far from here. Cute decor, though. But people don't go to Italian restaurants for the decor. read more

This is a pretty standard Italian place. The meal starts with warm bread and a tangy tomato dip on the house, with a generous pitcher of sparkling water on ice. I had the pasta with pesto and shrimp. The pasta does not taste housemade, and the cheese that they sprinkle on top if requested tastes like storebought grated parmesan. The shrimp was not as fresh tasting as it could be (was a little mushy and not as springy as a fresh shrimp), but the sauce was creamy and flavorful. The affogato, however, was a step above the rest of the meal. The espresso was smooth and combined with the ice cream / gelato (not sure what it was), it was heavenly. read more

Mushroom ravioli was delicious! The pear salad was also great. Service was very good and nice

Got some food to go, and OMG everything was super delicious. It's hard to find good calamari, but this place is now my go to spot. Pasta was even better the next day haha and the free bread and the dip they give you is bomb af. 5 stars. Cant wait for COVID to be over so we can enjoy a sit down meal here as the restaurant looks cozy and romantic. read more

This is one of my favorite Italian restaurants near me so I'm very disappointed I have to write this negative review. I had the mushroom polenta which I've had many times but it just didn't have a lot of flavor like it needed more garlic and salt but it was still the best thing there. The boyfriend had stuffed chicken ( Pollo Alla Modenese) which just tasted like it was covered in A1 sauce . We ordered two salads and the lettuce was extremely wilted . The worst part was they served us bread and wine and told us we had to keep are masks on until we order our meals. I've been out to eat since covid and usually the rule is once you get something to drink you can take it off. Then anytime we needed to ask for anything she yelled across the restaurant that she couldn't help us until our whole table put there masks back on. I've never had such bad customer service in a restaurant before. read more

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We accidentally found this restaurant 2 weeks ago when went Kaiser at Martinez. We went back again yesterday on the way back home. The owner's daughter still remember us, and gave us warm greeting. My husband ordered presto pasta which I loved it so much from last time. I ordered calamari steak. We also ordered garlic bread with cheese. They are all very delicious. The garlic bread are fresh, soft and yummy. The calamari steak is bigger than my hand. It is tender and tasty. The shrimp in the presto pasta are tender, not chowy. The sauce is great, you can add some black pepper to it and super delicious. We will go back more to try all the other dish. (Their lasagna is very tasty too, we had that last time.) read more

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Unfortunately one of the worst meals I've had in a long time. I called in and placed an order 12/1/21 and the girl that answered seemed rushed as if she was busy. I asked her some questions about looking for a creamy vegetarian dish option. Her response was you can get any pasta with any sauce vegetarian. I then said do you have any suggestions? She replied with mushroom ravioli and squash ravioli. I chose the squash based on her suggestion of a creamy vegetarian dish and she suggested brown butter sauce. Well brown butter is not a sauce I got raviolis soaked in butter. Not a creamy pasta dish at all. The raviolis Were disgusting! They were sweet drenched in butter! The fog wouldn't even eat them! The lasagna was cold! I didn't realize how close to the restaurant I was and assumed it would be busy when I walked in but there were 2 tables! It seemed to me the girl was too busy on her phone to help me! Long story short I don't recommend this place! It was my first and last time here and a waste of 50.00 bucks! read more

My husband ordered take out from here, lasagna and two side salads. So much food! The salad was amazing, so fresh! They give you bread a little dipping sauce. Yummy. Will be back! read more

Mangia Bene Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Martinez, California

Scrumptious! So delicious! Nom nom! They give you complimentary bread with some sort of spread, which was fresh and tasted wonderful. For our appetizer we got the tomato & mozzarella snack. It was really good. I was almost full by the time my main dish arrived. I ordered a chicken dish (have no idea how to spell it) that came with artichokes & sun-dried tomatoes on top. The sides were mashed potatoes & the most tasteful zucchini and carrots. Go there! Taste EVERYTHING on the menu, I can't wait to!!! read more

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Very good Italian restaurant!! Fresh house-made pasta, delicious risotto, and the service is great!

There are pros and cons to this Italian restaurant in a semi-deserted strip mall in Martinez near Morello. This review is based on two or three lunches. The pros are that the portions are large and you are served carbonated water right away. The cons are that the food is bland, the service minimal, and the bread not warm. My caesar salad had VERY little dressing. Will I go again? Probably not. read more

This guy who would not gIve his name was sooo rude and disrespectful asked me am I going to just look at the menu are do you want to order something in a very unfriendly way. No customers service at all, I will never recommend anyone to go here because of this guy. He really made a good place look BAD. I will never go there again long as he is there. read more

Mangia Bene Restaurant - Very rude guy wouldn't give his name Worst customer service ever. - Italian Near Me - Martinez, California

First time and pleasantly surprised. I love the decor inside...reminded me of some of the old restaurants in Italy. The ingredients were rich with flavor and the dishes tasted homemade. A little gem - They have a child's menu. I ordered a salad and the eggplant appetizer. It was heavy on mozzarella but the sauce was delicious. My daughter ordered the spinach ravioli which was also rich but tasty. May want to order sauce "light." read more

If you live within 10mins from this Italian Restaurant then you need to try it. What brings me and my wife back once per month: - free jar of bubbly water - garlicky sauce for the bread - friendly service - wonderful specials menu and the holy Cannolissssss. We really like the Salmon and Lasagna plates. Gnocchi, and any chicken dish or shrimp too Best to go durning the week for your first time for a more relaxed setting as fri/sat are busier of course. It romantic during the week. Hint hint, wink wink gents read more

So amazing I loved their food so much. Very nice staff as well. I go there every year for my birthday it's so good. Very cool decor nice spot for a family dinner too. read more

Pretty authentic Italian food at a reasonable price. Gnocchi is very interesting, different from others, tastes like fried. But it's only better when fresh, not leftover/ microwaved. I would come here again! read more

Love Mangia Bene! They were very busy tonight and unfortunately had to deal with a hangry woman who was not happy that her to-go order wasn't ready. The woman was making a scene and the owner and a waiter both demonstrated excellent customer service. Enjoyed their delicious Caesar salad and chicken parm. So delicious!!! read more

The food at Mangia Bene is always fresh and delicious. This review is for the Take Out I picked up on Saturday. You can call ahead to order or drop in. I dropped in and ordered Fettuccine Alfredo w/Chicken and the Angel Hair Capellini. I was told it would take about 15 minutes but it came out in about 10. Both dishes were hot and delicious as expected. The Alfredo sauce is their own freshly made creamy flavorful recipe. The pasta and chicken were just as tasty and fresh. The Capellini and Angel Hair pasta was exceptional and may be my new favorite. My mouth is watering just writing this. Again every dish is freshly made with choice ingredients. The servings and ratio of sauce to pasta is just right. Slices of bread and their dipping sauce are included. They are not stingy. Final point is that I only paid $28 for two amazing dinners on a Saturday night that took about 20 minutes from ordering to walking out the door. read more