When Yelp hands you a challenge, you do not decline. That Italian restaurant badge was flaunted in…read morefront of me and we decided that it was a mission to get it! As luck would have it, I chatted with a new local friend a few days before and 'got the lowdown' on Mama Mia's. Her words and advice were spot on! She gushed over the bread - so good! - and mentioned how she and her mom often shared plates because the serving sizes are so generous. She also said that they used to make their own spumoni and, admittedly, I hoped that was still true (I didn't confirm one way or another). There was a 20 minute wait. Our hostess was running a tight ship and we were confident in her forecast, so we chatted and looked over the carryout menu, planning our meals. It was pointless, of course, because it was still hard to decide! Our server Missy took great care of us, from fetching a craft beer menu to boxing up our leftovers. The restaurant was busy yet we never felt a moment of neglect. The hustle is STRONG here, with servers weaving intricately between the tables with food and beverages. It was a bit like dinner and a show! I had the tortellini Parmesan dinner, which started with one of the best bowls of minestrone that I can recall. The vegetables were on point, firm with no mush. The dinner salad had a lot of lettuce but also a nice collection of 'stuff' including cheese, meat and olives. I loved the tortellini; straightforward and not smothered, it let the pasta shine. Smokin'Hubster had the stuffed shells a la carte and added some meatballs. Everything was well-presented and prepared, super tasty and, well, it tasted like it was made with love. Nonna would approve! Because I had the dinner, I had my choice of ice cream. While I had hoped for the spumoni, the option I chose was amaretto Mackinac Island and it was divine. If they didn't make it on prem, they have an amazing partnership. I can't recall the last time I had ice cream after dinner and I certainly don't ever think that I've remembered it so fondly a week later. Trust me, it's THAT GOOD! In the best Italian tradition, the leftovers were even better the next day. The value cannot be overstated. We were fat, dumb and happy twice with this dinner. Crazy as it sounds, Smokin'Hubster was already planning a carryout order because he wants to try some other dishes (as do I)!! Start to finish, it was the best date night! Lots of street parking and easy to find in the burgeoning metropolis of Ishpeming. Get yourself here and enjoy la dolce vita!

Everything was wonderful!!! Lasagna was large enough to split. Very good and the garlic bread is to…read moredie for!!!!

It's an Ishpeming landmark, a classic family spot for generations and we finally visited! We had a…read moreseat at the bar and watched an impressive display of hustle and customer service. Yes, it took a while to get our pizza but we had fun while we waited. The history of Congress Pizza is in the menu and, as another Yelper shared, it's not to be missed. There's a patio outside that helps keep it from feeling too crowded inside. There was a birthday celebration in the restaurant, complete with lights, music, singing and even a candle for wish making. It was a fun sight and everyone enjoyed it. The pizza is very tasty and well balanced; not too much of anything. It tasted great with a cold beer, my first Oberon Light (a summer winner in my book). We'll be back, hope to try the Stromboli soon!

Finally tried this local legend! The pizza will not disappoint. Highly recommend coming early or…read morecalling ahead to order pizza and reserve a table. Please take the time to read the history of this restaurant. So cool to see a mining family create a legend. I have been coming up to the UP for years and love seeing the community this place creates. It's so special! We called ahead and ordered 2 pizzas which helped speed up the process. We ordered the pesto and gluten free pizzas. The crust is thin and so good! Great spot up north to get pizza!

The food is always cooked perfectly. The staff is super friendly, too. We usually get take out now…read morebecause I have some medical issues that I can't sit up in a regular chair for long without my pain getting worse We order all the time from them and we are never disappointed!

Jasper Ridge Brewery feels like it should be a solid sit-down brewery experience in Ishpeming, but…read morethe execution across the board did not match expectations. On the food side, I ordered a Reuben Melt. The sandwich came out unevenly heated, with the corned beef leaning dry in parts and the rye bread slightly over-toasted on one side. The balance of sauerkraut and sauce felt inconsistent, which made the overall flavor feel flat rather than cohesive. It was edible, but not well executed. Service was slow and lacked structure. There was a noticeable delay in initial table attention, and once the order was in, there was very little communication or follow-up. The pacing of the meal felt disorganized, like the kitchen and front of house were not fully in sync. The ambiance does not really elevate the experience either. The space has the layout of a brewery-style restaurant, but it comes across more chaotic than inviting, with noise carrying unevenly and the dining area feeling a bit worn rather than maintained in a way that enhances comfort. Overall, this was a disappointing visit. The food was poorly balanced, service was slow and inattentive, and the atmosphere did not make up for the gaps in execution.

Outstanding service and a quiet place to dine. Casa is my all time favorite favorite when visiting…read moreMarquette now that the Villa closed. The garlic bread, lasagna, and steak haven't changed. Love the food.

Nice quiet ambiance good for a date or in our case older family . it's in Marquette a long time…read more We all liked the garlic bread. Prices have definitely risen but that is reality in America. Service was friendly. Menu was broad enough. We enjoyed our food but It wasn't extraordinary.

Impeccable vibes. Cute little roadside pizza place with the most incredible view of the lake. The…read moreowner was super friendly and gave us ideas for things to do on the rest of the trip. Food was so tasty and came out super quick.

The best pizza I ever had! I love everything about the pizza, the crust, sauce, cheese, and…read morewhatever toppings we get! We always get takeout and they are so fast and friendly. The order is always ready when they say, and nice and hot. We don't stay in the restaurant, we always get to go orders. The inside is so comfortable and clean. I want a Gravedoni's pizza now!

Very good! Fresh ingredients, tasty pizza and good service. We went here on the recommendation of…read morea local and we are so happy that we did my friend ordered the Tuesday special chimichangas and I ordered a pizza. It was all delicious.. restaurant was clean and comfortable and everyone was very nice.

Service was super fast. Server was awesome and the pizza was pretty good. We'd go again.read more

Take out only! Would be nice to sit down and enjoy table service, but this seems to work well for…read morethem, so take your pasta to go! The pasta is excellent and so was the staff. I ordered the shrimp fettuccine and I loved it. The Alfredo sauce was both creamy and buttery. The shrimp was medium sized and there was enough to make me happy! The garlic toast was very buttery and went great with the pasta.

Doesn't look like much but this carry out pasta place is awesome. We had gnocchi, spaghetti, salad,…read moregarlic toast and a meatball sandwich. Everyone loved their food. Portion size is big so we had enough left over for another meal. Since they are cooking everything up as ordered just remember to give them 15 min of no one is waiting or longer if others are waiting.

While eating at the bar at The Vierling (another review), we struck up a conservation with a local…read moreguy. Young man who was a brick mason. He made several recommendations, including Portside. It was excellent. Food and service were excellent. We are a product of the South and dont have much whitefish and walleye available. I had the walleye sticks appetizer with an order of fries and my wife had the whitefish cakes. Both were delicious. Fries were obviously hand-cut and large; also very hot. Our server was great! The best part of the meal was the BREAD STICKS! It appeared that the sticks are baked in a round pattern, like a pizza, and then cut into sticks. They were so hot, I couldn't hold them until they cooled a little bit. The accompanying spread was excellent; also marinara sauce. One could make a meal from the bread sticks. The vibe was pleasantly rustic. We decided on a booth instead of seats at the bar. Again, our server was great. The guy who brought out the bread sticks was equally good. I suppose the bread sticks are brought to the table directly from the oven. Highly recommend this place!

You cannot beat a classic, especially when it's patio season and the Summer Shandies are on tap…read more Smokin'Hubster and I popped in for lunch and had a fabulous time. We rarely sit outside but this patio beckoned and we were helpless to resist. There's even outdoor seating available if you arrive before the restaurant is open! Silas brought us menus and took drink orders right away. We enjoyed the season's first shandies while exploring the menu. His attention was perfect and we shared some laughs each time he returned to our table. Neither one of us wanted to share (I guess) so we each ordered our own appetizers. I can never get enough smoked whitefish spread... until it's ALL MINE! I enjoyed every bite and would do it again. Patrick ordered the walleye strips and he did offer me a bite (generous devil that he is). They were perfectly crisp without being heavy or greasy. If I had known that... nah, I'd still get the whitefish. We'll be back to visit The Portside and try more menu items. Who knows, maybe we'll split something next time?