A very popular Italian restaurant serving traditional Italian fare that will please even the pickiest of Italian food lovers! My server Zach was very attentive and handled several tables with friendliness and ease. The ambience included nice- dark woods and light walls and due to the large sized dining room the space felt very open with plenty of room between tables. A giant wrap around bar seats and serves dinner as well. I arrived at 5:00 and by 6 o'clock, the place was filled in every area. The outdoor space with its own bar and several tables as well were bustling. The freestanding heaters were running so the outdoor area remained quite cozy uncomfortable. Popular dishes include the manicotti, Arancini, and baked rigatoni. Their signature dishes include homemade ravioli, spaghetti, and meatballs, clams and linguine. See what I mean ??? ...traditional Italian! Would return for the chicken Parm or the eggplant lasagna. of course there's also seafood dishes, including salmon, piccata. read more

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AMAZING. If your looking for fine dining quality with affordable prices this is it!! Service was amazing as well ! read more

Mondo's Italian Restaurant - Chicken Parmesan - Italian Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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I absolutely love the newly renovated Mondo's! The food is as delicious as ever, but there's much more space. The service is outstanding as usual. The wood fired pizzas are out of this world-check out the daily specials! Shrimp, sausage Diavola was what I tried tonight-outstanding! read more

Mondo's Italian Restaurant - Shrimp and Sausage Diavola - Italian Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Everything we had was wonderful. The prosciutto wrapped artichokes were my favorite! The staff were so kind, it really seemed like a local spot with regulars. Their drink menu is lovely and affordable. I will definitely be back! read more

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Mondo's is back! So glad to have it back in the rotation again. Yes, it is still hard to get in at certain times as they do not take reservations but you just need to know how to time it. Last week, we went right around 5:30 as they open at 4:30pm, thinking it would be quiet at that time boy were we wrong. Luckily it was only two of us so we did score a table! I was in the mood for a vodka martini-theirs is simply perfect! Started off with the prosciutto wrapped artichoke hearts. It is a great starter. For dinner, I went with my staple, the vodka sauce with penne. Typically I would do veal or even a meatball addition. This time I went with the hot sausage add on. It is now the new fav. The bread for the table is always wonderful especially to soak up the delicious sauce! I got a little extra sauce as I knew I would be taking the pasta home for leftovers. It made for an amazing 2nd meal. Thankful Mondo's is open again! read more

A little local spot! Got here around 5pm it was extremely busy, luckily we got a table. Food was yummy, but doesn't knock your socks off. Just good quality, portions, and satisfiesthe Italian craving. Didn't give it 4 stars as service was not that great. I think because they are so so busy it impacts the service. For example, they never refilled our waters which personally I don't feel that's something you need to ask for. But anyways, we always come back every once and awhile! read more

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I am so sad to be giving this wonderful restaurant three stars as it has been a five star consistent venue since I have lived in Charleston for (on and off) twenty years. Granted, they did recently expand their space (doubled their capacity) and had been open for just two weeks since the expansion. However, we waited an hour to be seated (Friday night typical wait) and once seated in a comfortable new booth, waiting another hour for our food to arrive. My husband got a chicken or veal Marsala and I got penne with sausage. Mine was okay, not the usual amazing, but my husband's dish was pretty awful. Needless to say we were extremely disappointed as this place has been amazing for years. I will definitely give this place another try in a few months and hope that by then they will have settled in to their new space. read more

Hidden delicious gem! Mondo's is tucked away in the corner of this little James Island shopping center. The café lights bring warms to the outdoor space, perfect for an intimate friend or date night. This time was a Bestie friend dinner day, and we opted for the outside bar. The staff was extremely helpful, managing the bar patrons and making us feel attended to with checkins. I personally enjoy the outdoor eating experience the best (when not buggy). The atmosphere takes me to Europe and is just the right volume for good conversations. Ever since I've tried the chicken marsala I've not ordered anything else! The flavor is amazing! If you choose to add a meat or chicken know that they are all great options and cooked perfectly. The grilled, blackened, breaded, chicken or all cooked juicy and to perfection. read more

Mondo's Italian Restaurant - Breaded Chicken Marsala Cream - Italian Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

The worst eggplant parm I've ever had in my life. The frozen Raos brand at Costco is better. The breading was so thick you couldn't even taste the eggplant. Chicken parm was ok. read more

I have been a frequent diner at Mondo's. It is, by far, the best scratch Italian you'll find in Charleston. The service is always outstanding and I've never had a bad meal. read more

Delicious pizza! The perfect crispy bake with quality ingredients. The peppers have a little heat without being too hot. I would definitely recommend this pizza. read more

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If you're looking for an authentic mouth watering Italian restaurant on James Island, then this it! Mondo's is a rare gem of restaurant, tucked away in a strip mall just off of Folly Road. If you are quickly driving by you might not even notice it in the corner hiding behind the trees, but once you learn that it's there, you'll be looking forward to the next time you'll be able to go. When you get there, they tend to be a busy spot for both locals and tourist alike. So, plan to get there early and make an evening of it (it's more fun that way anyways!). There an outside bar where you can order a drink while you are waiting for your table. Table service is available both inside and out, I personally prefer the outside courtyard area but it really just depends on the time of year and the weather. Their menu has a handsome selection of apps, mains, salads, and deserts. On my last visit we ordered both their frose and a negroni. Both drinks we excellent. One of my a favorite parts of their menu is they have both red and non-tomato based sauces. This is key, to match up with your mood and taste for the night. On this visit, we also ordered a side of their meatballs, which are the right combo of texture, garlic, and tomato sauce. I haven't tried their desserts yet, but will hopefully be able to do so on one of our next visits! Guten Appetit! read more

Mondo's Italian Restaurant - Exterior with outside bar - Italian Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Food was OK, It was a carry out order, we were traveling, Brought it back to hotel to feed family, They forgot the Tiramisu, $5.99. The restaurant was called, they suggested I come back to pick it up. That makes sense since everything purchased was hot..... IF YOU GO, CHECK ACCURACY OF ORDER. THEY NEVER MADE GOOD ON MINE. Lesson Learned. read more

I love Mondo's food and the fact that I can dress casual as it's very low key. The marinara sauce is the best I've had in Charleston. I wonder what their secret is? I had the specialty pasta today which was walnut pesto pasta with burrata cheese and mushrooms. It was outstanding! The chicken parm is my typical go to. We seem to get the same server who is just ok (not friendly or overly helpful) and doesn't check back in regularly to see how our food is. I also noticed the processing fee that Mondo's passes on to the customer if you use a card versus cash. I felt a bit duped and will be sure to have cash on hand next time. They dropped a star with that. read more

Great food, service, and atmosphere! Get there early because seating is limited. The staff create a welcoming environment and are accommodating. I met four people while eating at the bar. The bartender was quite busy but still made time to chat with guests at the bar. Food recommendations were spot on! So delicious. Definitely recommend this place. read more

Wowwwe we were blown away! We rarely try Italian restaurants because sometimes they can be a huge miss, with pasta lacking sauce or food overall feeling packaged and frozen. But Mondo's was exceptional! Wait was pretty long, about 30 minutes, even on a rainy Thursday. However, it was so worth it. Our server was super nice and welcoming, and patient in explaining which dishes were vegetarian and double checking things with the kitchen. We started with the Peach Salad, then shared the Baked Manicotti and the Mushroom Ravioli. All were fantastic - the salad was so good with fresh, sweet, juicy peaches. The pastas were both super saucy (thankfully), tasted very fresh and flavor. The manicotti oozed creamy delicious ricotta that I still dream about and the ravioli was tasty in a rich blush sauce. Highly recommend Mondo's! A great find and the ambiance is perfect for date night. read more

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Wonderful Dinner at Mondo Restaurant - A New Favorite on James Island for us! Friends invited us to join them for dinner Friday night at 5:00pm and it was pretty full. Do have your entire party there before requesting seating and there are no reservations accepted. We had such a great experience from the moment we walked in, the staff made us feel right at home with their warm and attentive service. The food was the real star of the evening--absolutely delicious. I ordered the eggplant parmigiana, and it was one of the best I've ever had--crispy on the outside, tender inside, and full of flavor and a huge portion. The "side salad" that came with it could stand alone. Delicious and full of flavor and fresh crisp variety of greens. Our husbands both had the veal parmigiana, and it was just as impressive. Tender and delicious! Ask for an extra side of sauce! It's good enough to drink! My friend got a salad with their fish special Wreck Fish which was firm, flakey and delicious with a scrumptious sear on top. You can really taste the care that goes into every dish. We ordered tiramisu dessert to share and it was outstanding! One of the best and authentic tasting I have had. We left full, happy, and already talking about our next visit. Highly recommend this gem if you're in the area! read more

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Do not go here unless you want to be depressed comparing all other Italian food places to this restaurant. In all seriousness, this is the best Italian food I've ever had. We went here once last year and thought we maybe hyped it up too much in our heads...it couldn't be as good as we remembered. Wrong! It was still amazing a year later. All food comes with free (fresh) bread. We ordered Arancini as an appetizer. My entree was Baked Rogatoni (cooked well done). Both were incredible! The marinara sauce is absolutely fantastic. The dishes are big so I did take some of my entree home with me. Even as leftovers 2 days later...it was just as good. Service was great! The place is small, but there are talks of expanding the restaurant. This is good news because there was a long wait after we left. Once again...already dreaming of my next visit here! read more

Mondo's Italian Restaurant - Arancini - Italian Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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I was celebrating my birthday with my family at Mondo's Italian Restaurant. Mondo's is located on James Island at the Shoppes on Folly. The inside had nice tables that would seat 40-50. There is a smaller outdoor seating area under a canopy. Our waiter was excellent. He was friendly and helped us with our selections. He brought drinks and warm bread with dipping oil and freshly grated cheese to the table. The food came out quickly. I had the classic spaghetti with meat sauce and meatballs. The sauce was amazing with great flavor. The portions were generous, and I felt like I received a lot of food for my money. Because the food is so good, I recommend getting there early as there was a line waiting to get in. If you love Italian food as much as I do, you will love Mondo's Italian Restaurant. read more

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As close to NY Italian as I have tasted. It's a small place with outside dining. We dined both in and out. Get there early as there's usually a wait. The bartender is a friendly guy who makes the visit more enjoyable. We've been here several times and have had the chicken parm, very good, short rib lasagne, excellent, fried risotto balls are excellent. I have not tried a meal here I didn't like. I hear a lot of rumors about a rude hostess....I've never run into her. Don't let that stop you from visiting this place. read more

Travel to Charleston several times every year. I have been to this restaurant several times. And despite the fact that the food has generally been pretty good, on more than one occasion, the woman at the front ,who calls people in, has been extremely rude. Even at one time, as my party waited outside, she canceled my reservation because she said I failed to answer my page. Tonight was much different, however. Because they were remodeling, the menu had been significantly limited, and the food was being prepared in an outside truck. Not aware of this, and while there could have been other options for myself and my party for dinner, I was very unhappy about this .. when the waitress approached us, she asked "how is everything ?"...So I let waitress know that I was upset about this. She challenged me, and insisted that this information was on the website , ...which it wasn't. But in any case, having already ordered the food. I (our table) was then approached by the lady manager, who asked me and my party , my wife, my son and his wife , to leave, --with or without my food; we then immediately leave. There had never been anything personal or insulting said to the waitress/server when ordering, but rather just an indication of my disappointment of how things were regarding the menu and preparation at this time of transition, ..without any real notice.. It then becomes totally inappropriate and totally unprofessional that the manager would not have then asked me, as the customer, what was I particularly concerned about.. but, rather, ask me and my party to leave. ..unbelievable! So for anyone planning to come to this restaurant, although they may get good comments regarding the food, ---across the board, and on several occasions the management and it's total disregard and total disrespect to the customer, is profound. On a personal note, I am a 70 year+ medical professional, and in my entire life, I have never been asked to leave a restaurant. Unfortunately ,I'll never return nor will I ever recommend this restaurant. I think they need to get their act together and in more ways than they know. read more

Bruschetta out of this world. Vodka sauce amazing. Panfried Chicken and Veal were fried a bit too hard. Service outstanding.

This was hands down one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had in Charleston -- and that's saying something for a city known for hospitality. Our waitress was impatient, unprofessional, and flat-out rude from the start. Amateur hour × 10,000. We always get along playfully with restaurants and staff -- a little lighthearted sarcasm, some banter -- and it's almost always appreciated. Not here. We made a joking comment about being "pissed off" that certain menu items were unavailable due to renovations, and instead of taking it in stride, the waitress actually closed our menus in our hands and walked away. To make matters worse, she gave false information about menu items listed on the restaurant's own website -- and when we pointed it out, she doubled down, got nasty, and insisted we were "wrong." She was 1000% mistaken. On top of that, she dismissed dietary restrictions entirely. My wife is vegan, and when we asked for a simple pasta with olive oil and garlic, the waitress flat-out refused without even checking with the chef, saying the kitchen "can't accommodate modifications." That's not just unhelpful -- it's disrespectful. From there, the service spiraled. No manager ever came by to check in. Instead, a random employee (not even our server or a manager) walked over and told us to leave -- completely unwarranted, given that we had already placed an order and had done absolutely nothing inappropriate. And finally, as we left, a group of employees stood by the door flipping us off. Yes, flipping off paying customers. The entire experience was disgraceful. Between the lies, the hostility, the disregard for dietary needs, the lack of management oversight, and the outright unprofessionalism, this restaurant should be ashamed of how it treats guests. Charleston has too many great options to ever waste your time here. read more

Amazing food and awesome service! The staff is so kind and the food is delicious. Perfect for a date night in their low lit restaurant or a girls night on the patio! read more

I've never been to a restaurant where I had to wait in a line to get in, so exclusive. This was a highly rated and recommended spot so we got here a few minutes before it opened (4:30) and there was already a line of a dozen folks. It was a Saturday evening so it makes sense that it would be busy. We waited in line about 20 minutes or so before we were seated by the hostess. They also have an outdoor patio with heaters and bar seating was available for those who didn't want to wait for a table. The inside is cozy yet spacious and they were consistently providing take-out to customers. Our server Todd was excellent and he brought us complimentary focaccia-like bread and olive oil, always a nice way to begin a meal. For my entree, I got their Chicken Linguine, which has fresh linguine , tomatoes, olives, red onions, garlic, olive oil, white wine, and basil tossed with sliced grilled chicken. It was from their lighter sauces portion of the menu and although the flavors were indeed light, the sauce was (too) plentiful and I could've done with less. The flavors were great and the pasta was cooked nicely. Loved the green olives! I also tried the Fresh Spaghetti with Garlic and Oil: Sliced garlic browned in olive oil, red pepper, parsley & chicken stock as well as the Pesto Penne: Basil walnut pesto & sundried tomatoes with fresh made penne. Both of these dishes tasted good, and we all finished our plates. Prices were fair and service was great. We knew there was a line of people waiting outside so out visit was about an hour total but we didn't feel pressured to leave. I can see why this spot is so popular and plenty of folks come to dine-in and take-out. read more

Mondo's Italian Restaurant - Bread appetizer with olive oil - Italian Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Our family has been coming to Mondos since we moved down to Summerville from South Jersey, and it's hands down our favorite Italian restaurant in the Charleston area! We bring every friend who visits us and they are blown away. The chicken picatta is phenomenal, the bruschetta is unbelievably fresh, and the portion sizes and prices are spot on! The location may be in a tiny strip mall, but I promise, don't let that fool you! If you're from the Northeast, this place will remind you of some of your favorite classic Italian restaurants back home. A true hidden gem! read more

Mondo's Italian Restaurant is located on James Island in the Shoppes of Folly Rd. Mondos is dine in or curb side pick up only. Get there early! A long line forms outside and goes around the building. Now I know why. The food is AMAZiNG! And I am Italian...lol. The dining room seats about 40 people. Our server was a delight! He was truly proud to work there and explained all the specials to us. He allowed us to explore the menu while we made our wine selection. He brought fresh, warm bread with dipping oil and cheese. So good! The vibe was relaxed. People were talking and happy. Everyone seated had drinks and delicious bread while waiting for the food to come out. The food came out quickly. I ordered the sweet potato gnocchi. This is tender gnocchi stuffed with sweet potato, brown sugar and cinnamon with panchetta. It was like having dessert pasta. Such a sweet flavor complimented by a white cream sauce and crispy panchetta. The portions are nice and big and prices are reasonable for the high quality ingredients and freshness of the food. I left Mondos feeling full and satisfied. If you want delicious, authentic Italian food with excellent service, I recommend Mondos Italian Restaurant. read more

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A JI staple for many years. Great, giant meatballs I always get one on the side even just to take home.

Hostess has a horrible attitude, made me feel like a burden ordering. Maybe the dine-in experience is better.

This is a hole in the wall, never thought something like this would be in a location such as it is. Out door seating is available with a cool bar as well. Great place to wait for your table. Let's talk service. Every staff member we encountered was nice and attentive. Now for the food. If Italian is what you seek, look no further. I wish I could have ordered more. You know it's good when you order the spaghetti and meatballs. Delicious is an understatement. Can not wait to go back. Be ready, that wait is worth it. read more

You know the food is great when people start lining up for a 4:30 pm opening! This is delicious, Italian comfort food at a great value. Lovely atmosphere, friendly service and a great menu. Did I say warm, fresh baked bread for every table? Oh my! I always have to pace myself to save room for dinner. We love the pesto pasta, spaghetti and meatballs, and lasagne to name a few of the dishes we've tried. We always end up taking some home because the portions are generous. I highly recommend! read more

Best restaurant on James island, in my opinion! Yes, it can sometimes be difficult to find a seat, and they will close takeout orders if they are too busy, but there's a reason for that! The bartenders outdoors are always amazing, and really knowledgeable with their wine pairings. All of the pasta dishes are sooo fresh and yummy I can't even begin to choose one over another. Highly recommend the artichoke appetizer, I have dreams about this dish. If you are looking for a great date night spot, this is it! read more

Mondo's Italian Restaurant - Stuffed artichoke app--UNREAL - Italian Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Charleston, what is up with you? Why do you give rave reviews to such average places? We went here after hearing word of mouth what a great place this was. We were seriously underwhelmed. We made it safely past the hostess that has gotten so much negative press (she's not bad, she just has an angry face), got seated and I expected to hear some Italian music but got treated to 70s r&b. Which is fine but not Italian. The ambiance inside was ok but nothing special. Our server was great (which gets an extra star), but the food was very "meh". The bread, appetiser (artichoke things), and main dish (we both got pasta) was just average, at best. I was reaching for the salt right away and it didn't help. Maybe it was an off night, but that was the one shot and there are "too many places I gotta see" to quote Skynyrd in terms of restaurants in a 5 mile radius to come back here. read more

Having recently bought a house in Charleston, we went to Mondo's Italian for the first time tonight at the suggestion of a local friend. I have this tradition at the end of a great meal, whenever possible, to express my gratitude to the Chef and Back of the house staff. The open kitchen at Mondo's made this easier to do on a busy Saturday night. Rick (our waiter) and Michelle (waitress in training) were both standing at the pass and I said that if I had to describe our meal at Mondo's in one word it would be ....Salvation! sal·va·tion noun preservation or deliverance from harm, ruin, or loss. It was all that and more! Our meal began with their wonderfully light and savory Focaccia Bread served with a dish of fruity Olive oil and a small ramekin of Grated Parmesan Cheese. I knew that I would need some of it for dipping during the meal so amazingly I was able to exercise restraint. If you find yourself in need of more, they have second (or third) rounds as a menu item at $6.00 Well worth it! We ordered the Steamed Mussels and I appreciate the offering of several different flavor profiles. We chose the Roasted Garlic Cream sauce. I have a confession: when I order mussels at a restaurant it's a bit self serving because my girlfriend is usually good for 3, maybe 4 of the small ones and I get to eat the rest....FYI, she ate almost half the bowl and proclaimed these mussels as the best she ever had! They were incredibly tender with absolutely no chew. The sauce was well balanced and light for a cream sauce. For entrees, she ordered the Eggplant Parmesan , I'll get to that in a minute, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention the salad that came with it. Many Italian places give a salad with certain meals and it is notoriously a handful of Mesclun greens, some onions, and dressing. At Mondo's they really go the extra mile on their included salad. Fresh mixed greens, mushrooms, zuchinni, tomatoes, Carrots sunflower seeds and a lovely Balsamic dressing in a very generous portion. Back to the Eggplant...luscious, thicker than usual slices of eggplant layered with Spinach, cheese and their darn near perfect marinara sauce, baked Il Forno till the cheese is browned and the edges Carmelized and crisp. Again the portion was ample and we took half of it home. I ordered the Pasta Aglio e Olio (Garlic with Oil) with the addition of Sautéed Shrimp. The Angel,Hair pasta was perfectly chewed and Al dente. Rick told me it was the Chef's favorite so order it I did. It's this Chef's favorite now too! (Yes, I'm a retired Chef) This dish was simply perfect! After all that, we muscled our way through a piece of Flourless Chocolate Cake that came topped with whipped cream and Luxardo Cherries with their sauce. A perfect ending to a most amazing meal. Being from NJ, I asked Rick to tell me who in the kitchen is from NJ" because I would put this meal up against anything I've had back home. He replied "the owner is from NJ" I must say I wasn't at all surprised. read more

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Wow! This place exceeded all expectations. I've driven past at least a thousand times but never noticed Mondo's, as it is a bit tucked away. Both meals we ordered were fantastic, the pasta tasted really fresh and the sauce was cooked to perfection. I appreciated the free bread and olive oil for the table, and enjoyed the great service. Such a fun atmosphere with an incredible menu. read more

Mondo's Italian Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Holy crap I can't believe I am just now experiencing Mondos! The only thing negative I can say is in regards to myself not experiencing it sooner and all of the amazing meals I've missed out on!!! Our server Jared was fantastic. He was extremely witty, jovial, and insightful about the menu. He walked us through, said menu, opening our eyes to the endless options available. When we were paralyzed in awe of everything available, Jared was quick to offer recommendations. I ended up getting the rigatoni in vodka sauce with spicy sausage and it was one of the greatest Italian dishes, if not the greatest dish, I have ever tasted! I don't live anywhere near Mondos but will be adding it into my regular rotation! read more

Mondo's Italian Restaurant - Penne with Vodka Sauce and spicy sausage - Italian Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Unfriendly hostess. Everything I tasted was out of this world. The place was fully packed by 5pm. read more

Best Italian in Charleston!! It's first come first serve so there's usually a wait but if you come early enough and get lucky there's a good amount of seating. You get focaccia bread when you're seated that is amazing and you really can't go wrong with any of the pastas! They are all so good and well priced!! The vibe is pretty casual, I feel like they could do a little more to dress it up place but it would probably make the wait even longer! Highly recommend!! read more

Food was delicious! We ordered like half the menu because we couldn't decide on what we wanted! Everything was great!

Love the food! Drinks at the outside bar are great with a great bar tender. They have been redoing the place expanding to meet the need of their customers read more