Mama Rao Cucina Italiana

I expected much more than I got. After reading the reviews, I was thrilled to eat here! I had bookmarked this place for months, and when I finally got the opportunity to dine here, I was thoroughly disappointed. I had two different pasta dishes and a salad. To say the least, nothing was tasty. Service is great though. Overpriced Italian with no taste.

Highly recommended by numerous friends, and wasn’t disappointed. Fresh Italian food in the traditional style with a new twist. All the sauces were tasty and delicate. Pasta was perfectly cooked. Service was fast, attentive and friendly. Excellent dining experience.

Okay, lets start by saying I am a big fan of Mama Rao’s! My family and I have been to many dinners and have had several parties there. Each time, Sal and his staff make you feel like you are part of his family. From the time you sit down, to the time you leave, someone of the staff always has what you need.
First planning a event there has been extremely stress less. They work with you on everything. My first two parties were a big hit with my family. You can chose everything from soup to nuts. Food and service were excellent! They are very attentive to all your food needs.
Now for the smaller dinners that we have had there. Again, nothing but excellent service and food. Dinner from start to finish is amazing. Baked clams and Fried Calamari are a must, along with the Shrimp Casino. My son, who isn’t a fan of seafood, eats it all! Pasta courses are just like my mother would make. We loved their special of Sausage and Mushroom Risotto. Simply amazing, and I wish I could make it at home! You can taste each ingredient, and nothing is overpowering in their sauce. Entrée course are astonishing. My favorite so far has been the Pollo Pera. A bacon rolled pear-​stuffed chicken breast. It was like a thanksgiving meal in the springtime. My husband believes their Branzino Marechiara, which was a boneless branzino filet sauteed in a light tomato sauce with mussels, clams, calamari and shrimp, was the best dish he has eaten there. Don’t forget about dessert. They make the best lemon cookies around. So glad that we are able to buy them when we want.
Whatever you decide to have for dinner, remember Mama Rao’s is the place for it. Once you have had a meal there, you will be back! Ciao and buon appetite!

Great place for dinner with friends and family also fantastic for a party. One of the very few places where the food is amazing for both.
I’ve eaten many things here through the years, one always better than the other. I highly recommend their vodka sauce, filet of sole, and my absolute favorite the chicken nina. Amazing!
The fried calamari is always tender and tasty. The Portobello mushroom appetizer is also a fav.
The staff is very sweet, attentive, and make you feel very comfortable.
The Lemon cookies are the best I’ve ever had.
And best of all, the prices are reasonable.
I highly recommend this restaurant.

What a great place! Great experience. From the moment we walked in– they were super accommodating and friendly. There was a party going on, so I had to hold my toddler in arms. No extra high chairs. That was the only annoying thing. BUT– I wouldn’t deduct any stars because this place was too good.
Warm fresh bread with EVOO and balsamic YUM. We started with mozz filled meatballs and arugula salad. Oh so fresh and delicious.
4 pasta dishes next up– penne a la vodka was the biggest hit. Best we ever had. Mixed veggie spaghetti also yum. And a sausage and pancetta dish. Everything was great.
Cool ambience, too. White tablecloths and EXCELLENT SERVICE.
Be. Back. Soon.

Best fried calamari ever. Friendly staff. Delicious food. Beautiful atmosphere. Went there for an anniversary dinner and we were not disappointed. Even the coffee was great. I would recommend 100 percent.

Bread basket: 5 out 5. Excellent. Fresh. Sooo good!!! I ate too much of these but it was worth it.
Fried calamari: 5 out of 5 as well. Crispy and not greasy. Very flavorful… The spicy chipotle sauce it comes with complemented the calamari. (This is on my top 10 friend calamari in NYC)
My husband had the Halibut which was on the specials. He said it was good and «will have it again».
I requested for fettucine alfredo with grilled chicken. It wasnt on the menu but it really should!!! IT WAS DELISH. Best fettucine alfredo i have ever had!!! I love restaurants that can make a dish off the menu to satisfy a customer!
And of course — the lemon drop cookies were AMAZINGGGGGGGG!!! I dont even like lemon deserts but this was so soft, not too sweet and just so flavorful!
Lastly: the service was impeccable!!! We were amazed and thankful for a pleasant dining experience. Our waiter was awesome! Friendly and attentive… The bus boys were also great making sure our table was clean all the time. Coming from someone who cant eat on a messy table — thats appreciated.
Will we be back? Absolutely! Will bring my in laws next time

Everytime we go to this place we are never disappointed …
Numerous parties and occasions and we never ever get let down!
Sal and the whole crew do a great job of hosting any event big or small and there foods always fresh and delish!
Highly recommend for a party or even a small crowd for a night out on the town…
Enjoy & buon appetito!!!

Amazing food great service! Been to this restaurant many times and they never disappoint! Having my wedding rehearsal dinner there in June!

Great food, we like to go to mama Rao’s at least once a month. The food is always good, the service is the best. We have had many family parties and events. There lemon cookies are really the best. The owner Sal is always there, which shows me that they care about there Restruant

Destination location for sure. Walking into work with leftovers from Mama Raos for lunch is a lot like pulling up in a new Lambo with two models in the passenger seat, Bruce Wayne style.
I’m pretty confident you can order anything on the menu and be happy with your decision.
Even the bread they serve before the meal is somehow better than other bread that exists in the world.

Excellent! Went after funeral services and there was about 30 of us. We all loved it. The service and food was great! Started out with bread, salad and pasta. Then we had Veal Marsala, chicken franchise and eggplant parmigiana (which was breaded) for dessert was coffee and lemon cookies. They were so good we went next door to their bakery and bought some for home.

The best SERVICE and italian FOOD you’ll find in Brooklyn — and that’s saying alot since Brooklyn is known for some GREAT Italian locations. My super Italian family ONLY eats @ Mama Rao’s and hosts all of our parties in their banquet room.
Sal — the owner — is the heartbeat that makes Mama Rao’s so incredible. His impeccable attention to every detail brings you out of Dyker Heights/​Bay Ridge and into an upscale 5-​Star gourmet experience.
Mama Rao’s gets it right on all fronts — décor, staff, service, beverage, and food quality. Everything tastes to perfection, and the staff treats you like Kings and Queens.
If you’re not looking for just «another restaurant night out,» but you’re looking for a dining experience, go here! Dress the part, take your lady, and you’re going to LOVE the atmosphere, setting, tone, portions, service, and everything else that is Mama Rao’s.

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

4 stars for service, cleanliness, fried calamari, Scalopino della chef (included overcooked & under-​seasoned string beans and tasty breaded mashed potato rolled into a log), and cheesecake (very light, I could’ve eaten the entire slice).
Even the still water with fresh slices of lemon was tasty. However after the entrée round, I noticed they poured plain water from different carafes.
The venue looks elegant, has lots of tables and space for private parties. Even the bathroom looked elegant.

Everything here was just so amazing .
The food: DELICIOUS. It’s everything you could want in Italian dining
The service: They are so attentive without giving off that weird «it’s just my job and I have too «vibe. The wine selection is impeccable !! I would definitely come here again

Came here for Christmas company party the food was ok. Me and my coworkers had a great time here.

PROS: Attentive and accommodating service.
CONS: Average food.
I don’t know if we were here on an off night or if my expectations were too high from all of these fabulous Unilocal reviews but Rao’s was really lacking from beginning to end. The bread was average, my arugula salad tasted like the leaves were on the verge of frozen and water logged, and my buccatini had zero flavor and a puddle of thin sauce at the bottom. How can you make something with pancetta have no taste? Too many good Italian restaurants in the world to try. I don’t have an urge to run back here.

Just came from Christmas Eve dinner there. Excellent dinner, attentive service, great ambiance, host was a gentleman. Would certainly go there again

My boyfriend and I have eaten here quite a few times. He always orders the same thing every time the bruschetta chicken, which is delicious. I on the other hand try to have something new every time. I have never been disappointed yet. The bread is out of this world, and the pasta is awesome. They have whole wheat options as well. Great wine selection and the waiters are great!

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 entrée, 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.

This place is insanely good. The table bread comes out hot and fluffy and light and amazing and delicious and you eat all of it and want 6 more baskets. The service is PHENOMENAL the waiters are attentive and lovely and non intrusive. We got the mozzarella en carozza and it was perfectly breaded and fried but light and fluffy but also rich and creamy. After that we both got the same dish, that I do not remember the name of, it had this delicious shrimp arugula tomatoes in a white wine sauce pasta. I’ve never had pasta so well made and so well cooked. It all went together perfectly and I wish I was a cow, so that I could fit 3 other pasta dishes in my other stomachs. Finished it off with some espresso and the yummy complimentary cookies at the end of the meal and I almost exploded, but it was totally worth it.

After hearing from a lot of local s this was the place to go for fresh pasta and other food we were not disappointed. We had such a great meal from start to finish. the service was excellent we were made feel very welcome we will for sure be back

Came here to kill an hour before we attended party. I ordered a glass of wine and hubby has a rum n coke. The hose forgot his name came with basket of bread and butter both ours eye bulged like a kid on Christmas Day. We loved the fresh bread and salty butter (best part it was free). Of course we ordered an appetizer of meatballs to smother in the fresh bread. The meatballs are awesome, shouldn’t ordered 2. We will come here again for a full course meal!

The first time was amazing with my girlfriend and our son. We were greated and seated nicely. Food was amazing. They were also more than willing to split the plates for my son
Tonight was my second time here. Again– exceptional!!! The host was super accommodating and very friendly. The food was good as always. There wasn’t pizza on the menu but they made one anyway!
Special shout out to Luis the waiter. This guy took care of us all night and was everything you can hope for during a dinner.
IF YOU NEVER CAME HERE — COME HERE

I had dinner with some family members here tonight. Everything about this restaurant was exceptional.
We all went with the fixed menu which was only $ 38 a person. For that $ 38 you choose your own full appetizer, entrée, dessert and post meal beverage (cappuccino, coffee, espresso or tea).
Because I was with family, I got to try the fried calamari, arugula salad and the Caesar salad — all of which were amazing. Especially the calamari.
I had the chicken parm for my entrée, which came with garlic mashed potatoes and fresh green beans. Everything was fresh, presented well and cooked to perfection.
For dessert I had the chocolate mousse, which was also great. We all got some complimentary lemon drop cookies, too, which was nice.
Our waiter was very attentive and was constantly pouring us more water and clearing the table. I will definitely be coming back.
If I had to critique the place on one thing, it would be the noise level. Sound travels very easily.

I’ve been a fan of Mama Rao’s for awhile now, so this review is a long time coming.
My sister and I took my mom there Friday ⁵⁄₈ for a Mother’s Day dinner (my sister is a nurse and ends up working most holidays, so we wanted to do something for her together) after work at 7pm.
We were seated immediately and they greeted me at the door by name — a nice touch. The staff at Mama Rao’s is attentive and conscientious without being overbearing. They manage to come by at the right time to refill your wine, but they never hover over your table.
We ordered a bottle of pinot grigio and the Antipasto Freddo — a cold antipasto with fresh mozzarella, tomato, olives, mushrooms, roasted tomato, roasted red peppers, provolone, sopressata and prosciutto. They also bought us some of their delicious fresh bread. This was really just enough to hold us over to dinner.
My sister ordered the chicken bruschetta and it was a big portion and really delicious.
My mom ordered a risotto dish that was on special — a risotto with 2 kinds of mushrooms and shrimp. It was cooked perfectly and she finished every bite which is really rare for her. I ordered the penne vodka which is one of my favorite dishes at Mama Rao’s. The sauce is always perfect.
For dessert, of course, a plate of amazing, pillowy, sweet lemon drop cookies. We also had chocolate mousse, stracciatella, and tortoni.
This place does not disappoint. I’ve heard people mention that it is a little expensive, which overall I disagree with. Some of the dishes are on the pricier side, but the portions are so large and the quality is so good; in my mind it’s completely worth it.
Can’t wait to come back!

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.

Everything here was amazing and FRESH!
Spaghetti Bolognese was amazing and the chicken bruschetta with salad was so fresh and thin…
Clos du bouse pinot noir was smooth and rich
This is a great once for family (older kids) and great date night!

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 Unilocaling 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 entrée!
Décor: I loved the décor. 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.

This place is on the expensive side for the area, but if you want to spend a tasteful evening with loved ones eating authentic Italian food, this is the place in Dyker Heights. Sal, our host, was super friendly and very helpful; the servers are also well-​mannered. Even with a pricey cocktail per person, our total came out to less than $ 200 for 4 people including a generous tip.
The bread basket was irresistible, filled with warm loafs that were crispy but soft (a telltale sign that they were fresh!) and a choice of butter or olive oil. The Mozzarella Carozza is a cheese sandwich that was lightly breaded and fried, served with marinara sauce and a small salad of spinach and olives. A quarter of a sandwich each was enough for 4 small eaters, but if you’re hungry, it may be best to split it between 2 people.
They had one vegan entrée, their specialty pasta, but it was divine. The spaghetti was cooked perfectly al dente, and topped with generously cut scallions, mushrooms, and vegetables tossed in oil. I was told by my party that the Salmon Venezia ($ 26 for about an 6−8oz. salmon steak, a scoop of mash, and some asparagus) was cooked to a perfect medium rare, and had a delicious sauce that I would guess was hollandaise.
If dairy is not a problem, and even if it is, it may be worth saving room for dessert! Their signature lemon drop cookies that came complimentary with the meal were soft enough to crumble under a fork, but had a super sweet glaze topping I could have done without. The tiramisu was fine, but we preferred their special Valentine’s Day dessert, which was two chocolate-​covered gelato ice cream hearts served with whipped cream and biscotti. The dark chocolate ice cream in one heart was ultra rich (and my personal favorite) but the strawberry gelato inside the other was just as creamy!
The decaf cappuccinos we ordered as an afterthought for dessert never came until we asked a second waiter, but they kindly left those off the check and our meal finished without any further hitches.