Absolutely delicious and cheap to boot! After being burned by many mediocre Italian meals in Rome, this place is exactly what we needed to restore our faith in the Italians. The menu changes daily and it's hand written on the wall. The place is packed so get there early. You'll likely share a table with other people if you're in a small group. We ordered the pasta with meat sauce which was so yummy and only 6.5 euro. We also had the roasted chicken which was amazing and also only 6.50 euro. I didn't care for the bread at all - but it was free so who cares. The food came to our table within 1 minute of ordering, so they aren't exactly making to order, but if it tastes good it doesn't really matter. Plus, that leaves us more time to explore the beautiful city! I'd definitely recommend this place! read more

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3.7 - This is only based on the Florentine Steak and tripe dish we had. After reading all the hype about Florentine Steaks I was expecting a lot. It was good and huge of course (shared it) but I had a hard time cutting certain parts of the steak due to the tendons and expected more of a soft melt in your mouth type of steak. The tripe dish was good and soft in texture. read more

Trattoria Mario - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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The lentil soup at lunch was excellent. The place is very busy and crowded. We shared a table with another couple we did not know, but ended up having a great conversation! The steak we bought was good, but way too big, expensive and not as good as some other steak we had in town. But if you like steak, and a lot of it, then this is the place to go! read more

Fantastic lunch place! It is small and a little cramped, but it is worth it to wait to be seated somewhere. I loved the Ribolita (the vegetable bread soup) and the Ragu pasta (they change the actual pasta type but the sauce is always the same), which i had on both rigatoni and tortellini. The house wine is also great. Fantastic place to go and you don't want to miss when you visit Florence. Right by San Lorenzo market. read more

Trattoria Mario - Ragu Pasta - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

A friend and I got in their suuuuuuper long wait list and went to walk around Florence. We almost went to a different restaurant, but after sitting there receiving no service at all, we returned to Mario finding we were next on the list....score! This place is seriously busy. Anyway, we messed up by not getting one of their amazing looking steaks, but we did try their meat sauce which was incredible! We also got their pasta fagioli (which was nothing like what I would expect....like pureed beans.....not amazing) and the panzanella (also not what I expected....the bread was total mush, not chewy like in other panzanella salads). Anyway, if you come here, stick to meat and pasta and you'll be happy. read more

One of my favorite places in Florence!!! Delightful and authentic Florentine experience. I crave their ribolita when I get back to the US for weeks. This is a must dine on your restaurant list. Everything on the menu is delicious and it's worth the wait. read more

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Steak is delicious! Order the steak with a glass of chianti. Room is very packed so that you'll have chance to communicate with others. I didn't see many locals, mostly are tourists including international tourists and tourists from other parts of Italy. read more

Trattoria Mario - Outside - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

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Amazing food. Loved the atmosphere and service. Had the alfredo and husband had the Sausage and it was delicious. read more

A colleague recommended this trattoria for their nice roasted dishes. The chicken was incredibly tasty and the salad (there was more in a bowl) was also good read more

No fuss Florence eatery. The menu is posted on the wall and changes regularly, but don't expect it in English or any other language other than Italian. The service was efficient with no frills - staff speak English if only a little. When you get a place to eat, expect to be given two large hunks of tuscan bread. Nothing like side plates - these are handed to you wrapped in napkins. Favoured by locals and tourists alike, don't be put out if you have to share your table with other customers. At peak times be prepared to wait for a table...don't worry, it's worth it. Try the Fagioli Bianchi for starters...they manage to turn a plate of white beans into a delicious starter. The Ravioli was superb as was the Pappa Pomodoro. A meal for two including a starter and a primi, two glasses of wine and two bottles of water came in at a reasonable EUR25. We had to go for a long walk to work off the amazing meal. read more

Trattoria Mario - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

when in florence, you must try the bistecca florentina. basically a thick cut of steak, seared to a nice crisp and rare in the middle. the smallest hunk of steak was about 30 grams for about 25 euros....such a good deal and delicious. gotta wait a bit for the steak but it came rare and juicy. the crust was nice and salty. it is simple but eating a chunk of rare juicy steak in florence is like no other. its super packed and tight inside, all tables are shared. they give you bread in the beginning and you can order water or wine. amazing experience. read more

The person who checked me into my hostel recommended this place to me, and before I knew it, I was in what appeared to be an unassuming place for my first meal in Florence. It was so crowded, my party of two was seated next to an Italian couple which was great because they offered suggestions. I ended up getting just penne and meat sauce. While it sounds simple, the firm penne and the juicy meat sauce made it one of the best pasta meals I've ever had. It's a shame I had to come to Italy to experience something like that. Plus, after getting a side of beans, the filling meal only came out to be about €10. read more

We went to Trattoria da Mario on our first day in Florence. My girlfriend got a pasta dish and I got the Florentine Steak The food was delicious, the house wine is inexpensive and amazing, the staff were very friendly. The pasta was perfectly cooked and tasted great. They do not ask you how you like your steak cooked, which is fine with me since I like mine medium rare and that how restaurants "normally" cook steaks. The steak here is said to be cooked on the medium rare, more on the rare side. The steak looked as it was just seared and the inside was still raw. I still ate it since like I said before I don't mind eating steak even when rare, but this was a little too rare. The steak still had a great taste and would probably still order it in the future, but know I know what doneness i'll be eating. The only "con" I could say this place had was they make you sit with strangers if you are just one couple. They will sit you on a small 4 person table with a couple you don't know. The only reason I say this is a con is because this may be awkward if you are looking for a private dining experience with your partner. On our experience, the couple we sat with were great local people and had a great evening together. They gave us tips for their city and we gave them tips on wha to expect when they visit the states. It is a very small location, this could also be a con or pro but that is up to individual preference. If you want something private, don't come here. Come here if you want good food and an opportunity to share a table with locals and have great conversations. read more

Trattoria Mario - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

Nothing fancy here: Trattoria da Mario serves fresh ingredients simply seasoned and prepared, that come together as a delicious, hearty meal for cheap! One of our favorite restaurants in Florence! The Florentine t-bone steaks are seasoned with salt and pepper before being seared and served at a juicy rare doneness - the way God intended for nice steaks to be prepared! ;) The rigatoni with meat sauce was equally simple yet delicious, and the house wine was very drinkable. Be aware that this place gets packed, so prepare for at least 30 minute waits and to share a table with strangers. The serving staff was very busy but attentive and friendly enough, all things considered. Trattoria Mario definitely is worth trying! read more

Great steak, for great price! Get medium. Medium here is like medium rare in the states. Beef sauce ravioli is also awesome and the patatas frites (fries) are yummy!!! Make sure you throw on some olive oil because they have great olive oil they bring to the table. Truly feels like you are at home here. The waitress was very sweet and welcoming to us. Tried to go back every day but couldn't time it out properly. read more

Yum yum yum! They're only open for lunch from 12-3:30pm and it was packed. We got lucky and came on a Tuesday afternoon and was able to get a table downstairs. The dining area was full and had communal tables. After climbing the Duomo, it was nice to sit downstairs cause it was nice and cool but we were definitely by ourselves for a little while.. talk about private dining experience. Our server was quick and great! We had the ravioli, the pasta with meat sauce, the beef stef, and an order of the bean soup. OMG.. the pasta with meat sauce is to die for!!! They say the meat sauce is good and they weren't kidding! It was perfect and the noodles were cooked al dente so there was the perfect bite to the dish! We loved it the most. The ravioli was good with the same bite to the noodles - they know how to do pastas perfectly! The beef Stef had a bit too much red wine to me and tasted really salty.. but the beef was cooked slowly and was very tender. We loved this place so much, we might go back and get that pasta with meat sauce again and try their bistecca alla florentina before we leave Florence! So darn good!!! It was the only place a friend recommended in Italy - the only place he thought was worthy so we knew it was a must try! read more

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Very interesting restaurant.. you sit family style meaning you get to make new friends at whatever table they seat you at. The English menu is posted by the cash register but be prepared as it is handwritten and a little difficult to decipher. You can take a photo of it and go back to your seat to take your time reading. I had the pasta with red sauce and it was yummy. My friend ordered meat which was well seasoned but average in my opinion. The vegetable soup was good. Quaint little restaurant to experience if you want something different and not touristy. read more

My boyfriend and I heard of this restaurant through a lonely planet YouTube video and then saw the reviews were good on Yelp and decided to give it a go! I enjoyed a Beautiful Zucchini Ravioli which was amazing. The sauce was simple and it was so fresh and light, I truly loved it! My fiancé ordered a steak but didn't realise how big it would be! So I just had to help him out which I did not mind in the slightest! It was cooked beautifully rare!!! I suggest though if you don't like your steak rare you should mention that to the wait staff (who were super helpful even with my lack of Italian) also the steak is just the steak you have to order the sides separate. We washed down our meals with a glass of Chianti. The atmosphere is loud and busy chaotic and very rustic I loved it! There was shared tables allowing you to make friends and conversation with interesting new people! (I wouldn't recommend here if you were wanting an intimate romantic one on one date) It was table service however the service was a little slow but we did not mind at all as we were enjoying our beautiful Chianti and fresh bread! read more

Trattoria Mario - Tuscan Near Me - Florence, FI

Hands down the best food experiences of my life happened in this crowded little trattoria. I lived in Firenze long enough to experience 3 seasons and each were delicious at Mario's. The menu is limited and based on what is fresh in the market across the way. This means you get to eat a one of a kind meal every time you go. Some staples will always be available like the steak. If you haven't felt the joy of biting into a Florentine steak then you, my friend, are spending your life in the dark. Be adventurous- don't ask them to cook it well done- try it as it is intended. The fresh olive oil is key. It is perfection. We were lucky enough to purchase some off them to use in our flat- but nothing could compare to their meals. I can't rave enough about Trattoria Mario. I think many American tourists that we saw were intimidated or disgruntled even by the community tables and small space. It is a shame really- because a negative attitude makes many things taste bitter. Just push your cares away and enjoy the life. It isn't south central LA- there isn't going to be a gang shooting and no one is going to pick-pocket you. The water is safe. Calm down and enjoy la dolce vita! read more

Probably my best meal in Italy!! Steak was amazing, Rigatoni and Meat Sauce (also amazing), Veal was cooked perfectly as well. All in all, don't need to write a very long review for this, worth hitting up! read more

If you're looking for a traditional Fiorentine experience, come to Trattoria Mario's, where you will sit next to someone you don't know at lunch at a communal table and walk away with friends for dinner. The restaurant itself is small, but cozy enough as when you walk in, you are immediately hit with Italian comfort. The last time I was here, I had the Fiorentine Bisteca, because if you're in Florence, you have to eat the Bisteca... and the waiter and the cooks all yelled at me to pick up the bone of the bisteca and basically eat it caveman style. Who am I to say no? The clapping commenced, the shots poured and shoved in my hand and did I mention it was only lunch time? Really, you will not be disappointed. The menu changes due to the seasons and everything you order from the zuppa (soup) to the main courses will blow you away. It's worth the wait. mangiare felice. read more

If I had to describe this place with one word it would be AUTHENTIC. THIS IS Italian cooking. I am of Italian descent and can really vouch for Mario's. We wanted to try them our first night in Florence, but discovered they are only open for lunch :( So, we came back the next day around 2 PM. We pout our name in and waited, and waited some more. All in all, about an hour! Everything here is fresh and the menu is hand written daily. The downside to getting there late is that they will run out of the popular items. The steak is ridiculous. It is 1 kilo..what? 2.2lbs... We did not get that, but instead got the beef stew and the ravioli...Oh my Jesus..so good. the wine is also pretty inexpensive. You will be charged for bread. I believe .50 Euro a slice. It is very good, and definitely worth trying a piece. TIP: GET HERE EARLY and bring cash. #Yelp100 read more

Pasta with meat sauce was so good. Also ordered the steak. Excellent flavor but a little too fatty.

Holy cow - the steak here was great! Nice deal for the food you get - wine, steak, anything your heart desires. We came around closing (1:30-2pm?) and put our names down on the list. We left and came back in 30-45 minutes, which was perfect timing as we were seated shortly afterwards. The place was so crowded that we had to share a 4-person table with 2 other guys, but it wasn't bad. They gave us good tips on what to order and we had a great experience. read more

Always afraid to post a review for a place like this, because you just don't want the damn secret to get out! MARIO was our favorite lunch spot in all of Italy. We went 2/3 days we were in Florence, and my boyfriend remembered it as "the best lunch of his life" when he went 4 years ago. The tables are all long or 4 tops, so unless you're in a party of 4, chances are you'll be sitting with others which is one of the best aspects of this place. It's so fun to meet so many people from different walks and ways of life. Try to get there early as the place fills up pretty quick. That said, the waitlist moves pretty quickly. We got there on day 1 early and we got there on day 2 at 2 PM and we were in both times within 20 minutes! Our favorites were the ribolita (bread and veggie peasant soup), the tagliatelle, and the beef fillet. My one note on the fillet is that if you're not used to rare meat, be sure to ask them to cook it medium, because in Italy their version of rare is VERY rare by American standards. But anyway, that's just a tiny thing. It's an incredible place and you have to go!!! read more

Loved this place. Why? - atmosphere - genuine service - love tourists - if you ask for recommendations, they love to give you suggestions -very affordable - great Florentine steak - great specials - affordable and no pretense A most for lunch! read more

This joint is way overrated. Jam packed with waits to get in (tourists, mostly). We waited 20 minutes, got seated at a 4-top for the three of us. Seconds later, they plopped a young woman from Seoul, Korea with us. They did not ask us if this was Ok. They just did it. The chairs are stools with no backs. Not too comfy. There is very little space between tables, and it is noisy. The table next to us, was 3 guys at a 4-top. They were buddies of some of the staff, so they did not get a tourist seated in their midst. Evidently that treatment is only for tourists. Our server insisted I could not order a Florentine steak of less than 2 lbs, so I chose to order something else. But then they brought a small Florentine steak to the Korean lady. The wine list consists of a short list of house wines. My veal chop was overcooked, tough, and half fat and gristle. It was, in a word, awful. It came with no sides. Meanwhile, the guys at the next table got decent baseball cut steaks with Tuscan white beans and vegetables on their plates, sides I would have enjoyed. This was the worst dining experience out of 20 over 2 weeks in Tuscany. Do not waste your time or money here. read more

My favorite restaurant in Florence. The T-bone steak and ribollita are a must have! I still day dream about that soup. Ribollita is an italian bread soup and the best I ever had was from here. Split a steak with your friend. This place is always packed because it's awesome. cafeteria style seating, be prepared to make friends with your neighbors, but don't worry everyone is super friendly and happy because they are eating delicious well priced food. Try something new every time if you have the chance to go often! Specials are always good. If you could only eat at one restaurant in Florence, it should be this one. read more

THIS IS IT!!!! TRULY FLORENTINE!!! TRULY ITALIAN!!!! This is one of my favorite places IN THE WORLD. Mario's is the type of place I wished I lived closed to. Yes, is true, you have to wait for a table. And in most days the wait is long. I had to wait 1hr and half but once you step through that door you forget how long you have waited. So you have to sit next to strangers. The way I see it, they are friends you haven't met yet. And this is coming from a not very social person. But Mario's have that power to change your mood, make you better and the food is nearly life changing. My meal was simple. A bowl of bean soup, pasta in meat sauce and a bistecca alla Florentina and finish with cantuccini and vino santo. Next Stop, HEAVEN!!! The bean soup was superb, and with a nice drizzle of olive oil sort of a finishing touch to a masterpiece. The pasta was simple yet sublime. The true example that Italian cooking is simple and amazing when done right. And the steak...where do I start? A 3-4 lb monstrosity of beef cooked rare to the bone yet, amazingly enough, not bloody at all. Perfectly seasoned, perfectly grilled. To finished, cantuccini and vino santo. A way to finish the meal not with a period but with an exclamation point. Last, but not least, the service. The service here is incredible. From Mr Romeo manning the kitchen to Fabio, one of the coolest guys you'll ever meet and true Fiorentina fan, everyone here is friendly and always making sure you are enjoying your time. Can't wait to be back. Until then Forza Viola!!! read more

We came here for lunch as recommended per Yelp. Ordered the specials of the day which consisted of spaghetti alla Vongole (clam spaghetti) and the roast chicken. Both dishes were very good. We could taste the delicious brininess of the clams and the texture of the spaghetti was just right. The chicken was nice and juicy, not a huge portion (which I like) but definitely satisfying for lunch. My only criticism is that the space is very small. You will have to share a table with strangers, which I have no problem, except today there were other tourists (from a country I will not name) speaking my second language about me and my hubby and making a snotty face. I told them right away that I understood them and they got the point that they should watch what they say because they never know who will be listening! This wasn't really the fault of the restaurant but I feel that it would be nice if they had more seating. read more

Okay, the steak was not that great. It was too chewy and not that flavorful. My sister eats steak probably once a day (she and her fiance are big about eating meat and lifting - yeayeayea) so she knows her meat. Rigatoni was alright. I took most of it home and then recooked it. Sauce was decent though. Service was fine. Yes it's crowded and yes, they have you sit with other people awkwardly. I see a lot of asians go into this place because they read about it in a travel book. I would go elsewhere next time. Too hyped up for me, and the food certainly did not reach it's potential. read more

Trattoria Mario was highly recommended by one of the locals, so we came here for lunch after visiting the Accademia. This diner is open only during limited hours, between 12 and 3.30pm, so make sure you plan your visit because it is totally worth your time and money. It is a tad hard to find the restaurant especially because the door was closed when we arrived at 2.30ish. Opened the door and with my broken Italian, asked the guy to reserve un tavolo per due. The restaurant is super-crowded and you'll most likely share your table with strangers. Don't expect this to be a fancy place. We ordered Manichi el ragu, Raviolo agli asparagi and rosso casa della vino. Fast service, within a few minutes, the food was at our table. Looked enticing and both the dishes turned out to be absolutely mouth-watering. Relished every bit of the dish and realized how unauthentic the Italian restaurants in the US are. They serve two slices of pane (bread) at a cost of 0.5 Euro each. I highly recommend stopping by Trattorio Mario for lunch when you are near the Duomo. Service is great, which is unusual in Italy. read more

We decided to come here because of a good review that we saw online. O m g! You need to come to this place if you like steak! Also the carbonara is delicious! They have great reviews and awards! And have been open for many years! If you can stop by this place! read more

Things to know for sure about Trattoria Mario: - It will be crowded - You will have to wait for a table - You will sit veeeery close to strangers - You will eat an incredibly delicious meal - You will need to have cash to pay for said delicious meal Their menu changes daily and you will stand and watch as the item you were eyeballing gets marked off the list -- once it's gone for the day, it's gone. For starters, we shared a bowl of a white bean soup that was FANTASTIC. We then went with our second choice and had a pasta with meat sauce. When they brought it out, it didn't look like anything special... but one bite later, we were convinced of otherwise. This place is a gem and definitely worth checking out. read more

They have a lot unusual rules there, sharing tables, u can not ask for how ur steak is cooked, the place is very small and super hot, no wifi and lots of other nos , the menu is written on a piece of paper in italian on the wall, u do not get a Menu. So after all of this inconvenience I was ready to have the best meal in my life as this place is known for, the steak was good but too raw for me, so I did not finish half of it. The salads and soup were good but nothing xtra ordinary . This bill was not cheap . My overall impression is this place is over rated and I will not like to come back again read more

This was a great spot for lunch and there was a constant line outside the restaurant. There were tourists and locals alike, and the menu seemed to change daily. We decided to go for the Florence style T-bone steak for two people, which was about 1 kg (2.2 lb) which was 35 euros. We got the papitas frites and house wine to accompany the meal, which was a great balance to all the meat we were eating at 1pm! The steak was cooked according to the restaurants desires, and I'll admit it was a lot more rare than I'm used to. I'm not even kidding, I think that some parts of the meat were colder than room temperature.... But maybe that's how it's cooked in Florence? Anyways, it was still good and tasty. The bread was pretty different and not sweet or salty. It's okay but definitely not the best. The place was packed and tiny, and the service was kinda not the best, hence the 4 stars. I'd recommend it but I'd suggest getting there early to avoid the cramped tables! read more

Come for the Florentine steak, but be warned - they're a bit heavy-handed with the salt! They're all about seating customers to fit, so it might get a little tight for comfort. If you're a tourist, speak up and make sure that the server can repeat your order back! read more

Excellent steak and polenta! Be sure to get there early or wait. Pasta was also very good.

Right next to the mercato centrale.. A hidden Gem. There is no menu, the waiter tells you the special.. The pork chop that was grilled is the best I ever I had so juicy and fresh. The potatoes with tomato sauce is very good, the sauce is very delicious. Their wine is good and if you spend extra you can get the much better quality for a good price. Tables have to be shared with other guests because it is a tiny place. Overall you have to come and eat the meats here, well worth it. read more

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My favorite sit down meal in Italy. Hand written menu on the window of the kitchen. Tiny place. I don't think we ordered anything that tasted average. It was all awesome. This place is a legitimate Italian restaurant. read more