Mappamondo

The ONLY reason why I am giving this place one star is because the food was really good.
However the service was horrible. I have been to this place 2 times. The first time, as soon as I walked in the waitress made some insensitive comment about how tall I am. Whatever-​I was celebrating a friend so I ignored her the rest of the night.
The second time I came to Mappamondo with 3 other girls. We all noticed the attitude radiating off our waitress in waves from the moment she dragged herself to our table and said «So you wanna hear about the specials?»
We had told her it was our friends birthday and asked for a cake with a candle. We see her approaching and start singing to the birthday girl but when she got to the table she felt the need to yell over us «Who’s this for? Her?» and throws the plate down in front of the birthday girl. THANKS FOR RUINING THAT MOMENT. Mind you a few moments later a man who I later identified as the owner came singing and dancing ‘Happy Birthday’ to the group across from us. Really?
Speaking of Mr. Owner, we noticed he went around to every table greeting and having conversation with the rest of his patrons. Not once did he stop at our table. He would peak over, pass by quickly, and avoid eye contact. Mind you the restaurant dining area is no bigger than my living room. Now this would not have bothered me had we not been the only black (yea I said it BLACK) patrons in the restaurant. RACISM? In the WEST VILLAGE? You gotta be kidding me. As we all left the restaurant we passed by Mr. Owner and he decided to thank our last friend for coming to his restaurant (a very fair skinned central american girl).
Needless to say I will NOT be returning and you should STAY AWAY too. I am embarrassed that I bought my friends here. There are a plethora of Italian restaurants in the city with a more inviting atmosphere and better food. No need to waste your time at a place with lackluster service and apparent undertones of racism.

Mappamondo is one of the worst dining experiences of my life. What respectable brunch spot is out of champagne, prosecco, and bagels on a Sunday at 1 PM? Of course, the server Diana neglected to mention any of this until we tried to order mimosas. Ironically, the mimosas were advertised on the menu as the 2 for 1 special. She didn’t seem the least bit concerned that we were bothered by this and offered no other drink alternatives. Instead, I ordered a bloody mary. This was a bad decision because it tasted like generic tomato juice and cheap vodka.
And it got worse. The server felt the need to roll her eyes when we requested butter for our microwaved English Muffins (the muffins being frozen in the middle was dead giveaway). Other food was sub-​par at best with the hospitality of this establishment adding insult to injury.
Our whole table (6 people) was disgusted by the service, food, and the overall experience. There are so many other things that made this dining experience a miserable one. Just do yourself a favor and avoid at all costs.

Having lived in Greenwich Village in 1993, I hadn’t really thought about Mappamondo a great deal for almost 20 years. When my wife and son were walking by the restaurant tonight, we both reminisced about meals there many years earlier. The menu was of interest to us, so in we went. We were greeted by the owner very warmly and the service was pretty decent, albeit a bit slow. I had a delicious medley of fish — red snapper, tuna and salmon with a selection of grilled vegetables. It was fantastic! Very well paired. My wife and son each had pasta. They enjoyed their main courses, as well, but mine was worthy of ooos and ahhhs.
My take away with Mappamondo is that it is an excellent neighborhood Italian restaurant. Do not go there expecting unbelievable service and white linens. That’s not what this restaurant is. We spent $ 68 with tip for three entrees and a glass of red. We will absolutely go back again soon (this year) and enjoy another really decent meal! Go to Mappamondo! There aren’t enough homey neighborhood restaurants anymore, and we like supporting these little mom & pop places!

I would not come back. The «grade pending» sign concerns me. the food is mediocre. I’m surprise it’s still in business.

First off I wish that my girlfriend had pointed out the «Grade Pending» status and none of this would have gone on…
Anywhatever… So after marching in the Gay Pride Parade yesterday, me and my friend were hot, tired, hungry and needed a drink and to wind down a bit… Being Brooklyn and Queens girls we know nothing of the area and stumbled in here.
We skipped appetizers and went straight for drinks and the food. My friend ordered a white zinfendale and they were out of it. I suggest she get a pinot grigio and she did. I got a mojito and it was actually pretty solid. However it took 10 minutes to get them (place was not busy at all)
Little did we know that we were in for dinner and a show… People at the other table started arguing with and it gets LOUD and i mean LOUD!!! The staff did nothing about it! Like just stood there and watched…
We order… (We had to ASK what the specials were. Yet everyone else she told them as she seated them) She gets chicken parm, I get Tortellini alla Panna (Cheese Tortellini, Green Peas, Mushroom, Cream Sauce) and I asked for grilled chicken IN it… This came out fairly quickly. My friend said her food was good… Mine was edible, but certainly not enjoyable… Not much flavor and tasted like more of a jarred store brand alfredo sauce that anything… as far as the chicken was concerned, it was very dry and ON TOP of my pasta, not in it like I asked.
Now, anyone who has ever eaten with me knows how slow I eat… I am slowing down and decide to ask for a glass of pinot grigio for myself, and she says my friend got the last one… (What ITALIAN restaurant runs out of WINE!!! Us Italians love us some wine!!) So I order a sauvignon blanc. I get my wine (5 minutes) have a few sips (it was a HORRIBLE cheap sauvignon blanc) when I look at my plate there was A HAIR IN MY FOOD!!! (Mine was pulled back) I call the waitress over (after she passed me twice and I said excuse me, her response was «I’ll be back») Now, even though I am BEYOND P*SSED with this, I still say quietly to her that there was a hair in my food… She asked where and she just snatched the plate from under me and took it away. Came back a few minutes later asking if I wanted another one!!! UUUUMMMM!!! NO!!!
Before I can even ask her for the check they are clearing my table, all with an attitude! (to the point that I had to back up to avoid getting hit with the plates coming across my face!!) I get my check (my plate was not on the bill) and paid for it. Never once a thank you, a good bye, or even an apology!!! I really don’t know what we did to this waitress, but she was rude and nasty from the moment we sat down! (but she was super nice and attentive to everyone else!!!) I HONESTLY think she did not was to serve the tattooed chick and lil black girl who clearly came in from PRIDE!!! (she made a face at my arm when I got up to use the ladies room, which by the way was DISGUSTING!!!)
All in all, I guess I know why they are grade pending!!! STAY AWAY!!!

The food to me is good, solid no-​frills Italian cooking. Flavors were good, everything was well-​prepared, and prices made it a decent value. Service could have been better but it wasn’t terrible. I enjoyed my cornish game hen (although the side of potatoes and broccoli were a little sad) and my friend’s bolognese was quite yummy as well. Good place to go for dinner if you’re in the neighborhood but probably not worth going out of the way for.

Pleasantly surprised. I noticed the mixed-​reviews on Unilocal before dining here, so I was initially skeptical.
Casual Italian restaurant with red walls, dimly lit candles and globes all over the place. My friend told me «Mappamondo» means «Globe». Service was a tad-​bit slow, but i loved the large hearty portions.
Came here with a party of 6 on a Tuesday night (8pm) and the place was almost empty, yet not stale looking. We received two filled baskets of warm foccacia bread. Their olive oil is delicious! There are so many good-​looking dishes on the menu, I found it difficult to decide on an entrée. In the end, I chose the Fettucine Bolognese (my staple at almost all italian restaurants) since the waitress recommended it as one of their best pastas.
I can’t believe i finished the whole portion of pasta! It was homey and ‘meatfully satisfying’, just like i hoped it would be. My friend had the chicken with broccoli rabe and roasted potatoes. Although i didn’t try it, i could smell the juicy seasonings all throughout my meal and even when the waiter cleared her plate! I hope it tasted just as good as it smelt! =)
For dessert, our table shared two tiramisus. Perfect consistency. I had no complaints.
Apparently this place is CASH ONLY. I found it very reasonably priced for the value. Would definitely recommend this place in the East Village.

This place is great. Friendly staff, great food. We go to Mappamondo for our go to restaurant. Before 730 we have walked in a number of times without a reservation.

The food was great, absolutely great. The service left quite a bit to be desired.
Maybe it was a bad night? I doubt it though. Don’t try to call, as we saw them hang the phone up at least 20 times it rang during our dinner.
We were seated around 7:10. It took 10 minutes for them to acknowledge us.
Then, it took another 10 minutes to get bread. They served appetizers over back of bench. It was absurd. They quickly cleared the appetizers after we were done, but asked us to keep our knifes. Most places would take the knife on the plate and bring a new one. They served main courses quickly.
To be clear, we ordered four main courses for four people, appetizers, and salads.
This is when things got weird. They picked up main course and asked us what we wanted for dessert immediately. We didn’t even have dessert menus yet. They brought us menus and we asked for a moment to decide. Our main courses were cleared less than 2 minutes prior.
Less than a minute late a different person came up and asked again what we wanted. We asked for a minute to discuss since we hadn’t even had five minutes since our plates were cleared.
Then, they brought us the check. I flagged waitress to return check assuming it was an honest mistake, since we wanted dessert. Their flour less chocolate cake sounded delicious.
The waitress told me there had not been a mistake and she told us they need the table and we need to leave. She said they were busy. It had been less than 45 minutes since we were seated.
I then asked to talk to the manager or chef and the waitress flippantly walked away, and scoffed at my asking for the chef.
A young woman came over and identified herself as the manager, and explained that they were busy and needed the table. I told her it was rude. They just cleared the table a few minutes ago and we just needed a minute to be ready for dessert.
She then went on to explain that this is what the owner wants and she would be fired if she didn’t ask us to leave. What? Are you kidding? I have never been treated like that in a restaurant. We spent about $ 90 without dessert, and were planning on getting two more desserts, some wine, and cappuccino.
This was among the worst service I have ever received in a restaurant. Ever.

I came here with my boyfriend on Valentine’s Day because we wanted to go somewhere that was not going to be overcrowded and didn’t have an intense prefix menu. The tables are a bit close together, but the atmosphere as a whole is cozy and cute. Greeted with two complimentary Bellini’s we settled into our table and ordered the special, Filet Mignon with Mashers and Spinach. Besides, not being cooked correctly the first time, (hence the 3 star rating) our experience was good. Who can really beat a fresh filet special for under $ 25 bucks in the city? My boyfriend commented it was one of his better pieces of meat he has had in the NYC.
I would recommend this for a quiet, low-​key and reasonably priced dinner. The crowd consisted mostly of younger, or older couples, but then again it was Valentine’s day.
Definitely try the Caprese Salad, a staple I always get at Italian restaurants, but Mappamondo added a nice roasted eggplant to it, which made it unique and tasty.

The beer was cold, and a glass of Chardonnay for 7.50 ain’t bad.
The antipaso misto was an assorthment of Italian sliced meats but would have been better with some mustard or wine vinegar.
My grilled cornish hen was very crisp but not fully cooked to order (partially cooked and finished to order), it does not improve the flavor or juiceness. It was also to have a lemon/​rosemary sauce, but I couldn’t find any. But it was passable.
My dinner partner’s red snapper brought waves of appreciative sounds. It was served with a tomato, onon, caper and black olive sauce.
Service was smooth and unrushed and the focaccio bread was good. I should also mention that you could have a convesation without using bullhorns unlike in most places these days.

4 stars for the food! We were a large group and family style did us just right. Décor was cute and all the diners seemed to have a good time.

*Delivery review only!*
This is some solid Italian delivery in the West Village area.
I’ve had:
Rigatoni with fresh ricotta, eggplant, and tomato sauce (very good)
Bruschetta (good)
Pear salad (good…but heavy on the arugula)
Cheesecake (meh…too dry for my taste)
Prices are incredibly reasonable, delivery is quick, and food, overall, is pretty darn good. I’d give it another shot.

My husband & I went here last week after trying to go someplace new and not have to wait the rest of our lives for seating. They had a table right away & we were in the neighborhood so we opted to go here. I got the penne filanti & those cubes of mozzarella really make the dish; definitely the best pasta I’ve had.
The tiramisu here is also to die for. Their top layer is custard, as it’s supposed to be instead of flat like at most places (verified by my husband, an Italian who’s familiar with how homemade tiramisu is supposed to look). It was great, not too filling and the perfect end to our meal. I didn’t see a single child here & if we lived in this area, we’d be here way too much.

Can’t comment on the food because things derailed long before that point.
We ordered a bottle of wine on the wine list, clearly listed as BV Cabernet. From California. $ 42, a huge markup but whatever. They brought us a different bottle entirely: a no-​name from a different hemisphere entirely: Argentina.
After four glasses had been poured, we tasted and realized that this was not what we’d ordered. We called the waiter over and asked for an explanation. He stated: «When people ask for BV, we bring them this.» He insisted that they were the same. Sorry – not even close. When we asked the price, he said that WAS the same: $ 42. $ 22 would have been more like it considering it’s a single-​digit value at a store.
He offered no alternatives and simply walked away. We all looked each other and worried that complaining further might result in extra nutritional additives courtesy of the kitchen staff. Erring on the side of caution, we fled. He never made a move to stop us. As we left, we noticed the manager or head waiter laughing – clearly, ripping off out-​of-​town rubes is standard operating procedure here.
If you’re from Iowa and love that getting ripped off in Manhattan experience so you can go home and brag, this is the place for you. Otherwise, the neighborhood is full of great joints that actually bring you what you order.

A friendly Italian eatery in the West Village that is not in the least bit pretentious nor aiming to be anything other than what it is.
True to its name, there are a whole lotta maps and globes that contribute to an authentic and playful atmosphere that is as cozy as it is comfortable. Service is pleasant and polite, yet a little rough around the edges. But it’s a forgivable, almost charming, roughness.
What to have/​try:
The barbarossa (beet) salad with arugula, green beans, and a generous smattering of goat cheese is really nice.
The papardelle porcinella is one of the best mushroom pastas I’ve had. So flavorful, and a tad on the rich side. I recommend sharing or being prepared to the take the rest with you.
The salmone alla griglia is fine. Salmon is prepared to order, and the tomato and caper sauce is a great compliment. I was worried that this dish might be too salty, but it was far from that.
The barbera by the glass is OK, and the Concannon Pinot Noir is a solid companion with the pasta (it was a bit of a stretch for the salmon, but we made it work).

Great food, great ambiance and good service and BEST of all, price is affordable!
I went there last night with a friend and we enjoyed looking at the decorations — its all maps! The waiter was by himself — he served the bread, waited, cleaned the tables, etc. I would not be surprised if he did some of the cooking too.

Is there a jousting contest for restaurant mediocrity?
Mediocre doesn’t signify badness, it just connotes it, no? The spaghetti and meatballs were very good, ESPECIALLY the meatballs.
The service here was… mediocre. Our server took forever to bring one beer… and the place wasn’t even full. Of all the awesome places to eat around here, you might only come here after finding every other place full on a lovely ny night except this one and you have a large group, many of whom are from out of town and have invited their purportedly more knowing gastrophile friends. (If you can’t twist anyone’s arm to go to John’s then you are screwed. I’m rambling to myself. And you’re still reading this. Keep looking!)

Service was definitely not a priority at this restaurant. We went on a Monday night and there was only one waitress serving the entire restaurant, I felt bad for her but it definitely felt more like Europe than Manhattan… there was no rush!
That being said, the food was not so great. The pasta fagioli was tasteless and watery. I ordered the mushroom papardelle — it was gooey and not al dente.
My boyfriend got the spaghetti with meatballs which was mediocre. I would not go back for food or service but the restaurant was pretty. The dimly lit globes everywhere and intimate seating areas were cute. However, the mappamondo I remember from the 90’s was much much much better. Not sure what happened.

Went again with friends back in December. Still good. Service was excellent. My friends all decided to show up 30 minutes late, but the managers chatted me up while I was having a glass of wine at the bar.
The 5 of us got different dishes and then rotated them all.
Winners:
Papardelle porcinelle — a rich mushroom and pasta dish, great for cold nights
Penne pollo e carciofi — we all loved the pink sauce
Runners up:
Grilled Cornish hen — yummy, but I wasn’t blown away. I’d get it again though.
Fettuccine bolognese — I love bolognese… reminds me of childhood.
Lasagne — Honestly, this tasted like the bolognese but in a different form. Still yummy though!
Reasonable prices, good portions, friendly wait staff. Thanks for another lovely night!