La Vita Mia

The food overall is good but all the meat and seafood items were overcooked.
The wait staff is something to be desired.

Absolutely delicious! Caprese salad was a generous portion with beautiful presentation. Chicken Carbonara is huge, rich and wonderfully seasoned. My friend had a striped ravioli dish that I cannot remember the name of, and said it was great too. Cozy space, not too small.

Good was fantastic. Generous portions. Pleasant environment — very neighborhood-​ish. All food had great flavors. Prices are cheaper than I expected. Service was a bit slow but I didn’t mind it. Music selection was random for an Italian restaurant, including playing Cee Lo’s F-​You (which made it thru the first chorus, but was switched quickly. Overall, it was a great meal and I’m def headed back there.

Wish I could give them no stars waited 45 minutes for takeout so the lady sat me at the bar and customers at the bar were being extremely rude treating me like I was nothing took my seat when I offered to move down and then gave me no seat because the lady screamed at me she needed a seat for her friend patti definitely a terrible experience told the waittress and she did absolutely nothing about it

I went here last night with one of my friends. There was no wait, we went around 6pm was seated right away the waitress came right over bread and water was brought to us, very good service. Our pasta meals took a lot longer than we anticipated but the food was awesome!!! And huge portions. I would return.

I have to say this now and I’m only saying it once. I just had the worst experience of my life with the owner Guytano of La Vita Mia. I had purchased a Groupon and wanted to use it tonight at his restaurant before it expired on Oct 15, 2015. I am going away for a week and wanted to use it tonight for a 6pm reservation that I made yesterday afternoon sometime between 4pm and 6pm. I spoke to someone that sounded like a woman, or at least thats what I thought she was. Not using Facetime unfortunately so I ONLY HEARD WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A FEMALE VOICE. Well my husband usually gets home from work by 4pm but something happened, and he hadn’t arrived home yet, and it was almost 5:30pm. I called to see if I could make my reservation by 6:30pm, but I was told he couldn’t guarantee a table. I asked if he could try as I would be out of town come Friday and needed to use it before its expiration date… He asked me again what time I called. Apparently whoever took my reservation didn’t record it (had to be) He then proceeded to call me a liar and said he had no woman working for him. He then used a few swear words to me still calling me a liar. I got very upset and raised my voice to him and told him he had one hell of a nerve to call me a liar. He proceeded to agitate me more by continuing to tell me he had no woman that answers his phone. He was the only one there last night and tonight. He then hung up on me. I was very upset at this point and called him back and he again said he had no woman woking for him and that he was the only one working last night. I asked for the manager and he told me I had better that he was the owner. I can’t believe a business man that is calling paying customers names. BAD BUSINESS. Well guess if it was him he sounded like a woman to me I did call yesterday and made a reservation for 2 people for 6pm. I have never been treated so poorly by any person it a customer based business where service is key. He then hung up on me again and told me not to step foot in his restaurant. I called Groupon and filed a major complaint, and they may even drop La Vita Mia from their accounts. Hopefully so!!! I am letting all of my friends and acquaintances know about this, and may even contact Open Table and let them know of my bad experience. I will also contact Unilocal!!! I will never set foot in his restaurant and will not recommend it to anybody I know I am appalled and still ant believe what he did to me. After I talked to somebody at Groupon I called him back to tell him I complained about him. Low and behold a real woman answered the phone and gave me his name but I could tell she could care less either. Now who’s the liar!!! No woman answers his calls. LIAR!!! I posted this message to La Vita Mias wall but apparently they have an administrator that monitors and block all bad reviews. Must be getting tons of them!!! Too Bad!!!

First off, I would like to say that La Vita Mia’s food has been fairly good each of the 5 – 6 times I’ve been there, including the final time I will ever go there.
My fiancé and I went on Friday night and had the worst experience you could possibly imagine. I purchased a Groupon early in the day for La Vita Mia that was a $ 40 value for $ 20. Late Friday afternoon, I received an email from Groupon stating that La Vita Mia just changed the terms on the Groupon and any Groupon purchased from here on out would only be valid Tues-​Thurs. The email clearly stated that mine was still valid anytime because I purchased it prior to this change and also that the restaurant was aware and would honor mine.
As soon as we sat down I explained the situation to the server and even showed her the email from Groupon. She said she would check for me but didn’t think they could accept it (she was nice about the situation). A few minutes later, either a manager or owner came over to the table and said that it wasn’t valid. I explained the whole situation to her and showed her the email, as well. She went on to say that Groupon is lying to me and that it’s my problem and I need to contact Groupon for a resolution. In my opinion, as the customer, speaking to me like that is 100% wrong. Furthermore, the change to the terms after my purchase shouldn’t constitute a hassle for me. She went on to tell me that I don’t know how the process works between them and Groupon but they were never made aware that they should honor my purchase. She offered to take $ 20 off of the bill instead on the $ 40 that it should’ve been and said I could contact Groupon about getting a refund. I agreed to accept her offer and we went on to have a good meal.
When the check arrived, the $ 20 wasn’t taken off of the bill. At this point, it’s more about the principal of them not honoring yet another agreement than the actual $ 20. When I brought it up, the server got the same manager to come over who was now very rude about the situation. She said that I would have to call Groupon to discuss it with them because it wasn’t her fault. I responded saying that regardless of who’s at fault, it certainly wasn’t me and that’s no way to treat a customer. She walked away without resolution. A few minutes later a short bald man came over (I’m assuming it was her husband). He accused me of being an a-​hole to his staff and told me that I was wrong and they never made a deal with Groupon. At this point, I just wanted to leave so I told him to forget it and I would pay the full bill. He stormed away saying «you obviously need the money more than I do» for the whole restaurant to hear. When he walked back over with the check he asked us never to return to their restaurant. He certainly didn’t have to ask, I wouldn’t go back if it were the last restaurant on Earth.
Both of the owners or managers or whoever they were that came over to our table multiple times should be utterly embarrassed. Making such a scene for all to hear proves that these people don’t value their customers and care much more about scamming them than making them want to return.
Trust me, go elsewhere!!! There are many other phenomenal Italian restaurants in the area.

Went on a Saturday night. The hostess said it would be a 30 minute wait. It was more like 20 min. Stood in line at the small bar (which was filled). In summary — you can’t judge a book by its cover. The outside is unattractive. It’s in a strip mall. That said, it came highly recommended by some Italian friends who know their food. So, this review is 4 stars. It could easily have been 5 stars. But I had to take a star away for the service by a young male waiter who we had to keep chasing down for more drinks or general service. Due to the crowd and a «backup in the kitchen», he said it would be a little wait for the entrée and it was. The FOOD??? The food was amazing! The word amazing is an understatement. The fra diavolo sauce is incredible as is the winter pumpkin special entrée. The food is so good that I almost feel bad talking about the service. The food made us forget about the wait, actually. The wine choices were interesting. Did not know many of them and I know wine. Even with that and the sub par service, I am still thinking about the food as I write the review. The quantities are very large and most people leave with a to go container. It’s true Italian. The homemade bruschetta is out of this world. You can tell that the chef is using great recipes. The sauces and quality of the food is superior. The ambiance of the restaurant is ok. It’s not an upscale dining room — its more casual but the prices are not casual. Based on the location, you would expect the prices to be reasonable and they were a little high but the food is so good, you don’t care. We will definitely return.

Saturday night, four of us, with a 7 o’clock reservation.
We were seated immediately, waitress came right over and took our drink order.
Drinks came in about 10 minutes and she then took our dinner orders.
We all had something different, pasta dish, veal dish, and best of all, pork chops with vinegar peppers and potatoes. Everyone loved what they got, this is not your run of the mill Italian Restaurant, this is all home made pastas and each dish comes out piping hot from the kitchen.
Just a little place in a strip mall in Saugus. Prices are extremely reasonable, this ain’t Boston.
Can’t wait to go back.

Bought a Groupon and went Saturday Night. There was a 30 min wait — can’t complain about that wait on a Saturday. We started an appetizer of breaded burrata w/​broccoli rabe over toasted french bread. This was delish. the rabe was cooked perfect and the burrata was really good. This was on the specials, so I hope they have it the next time I go. We split a pasta dish, to try the gravy and that was good too! I got the chicken saltimbocca over risotto. This was perfect and they give you plenty of food so you know you’ll have left overs. The risotto was cooked just right. My wife got a veal dish and she loved it. We’ll definitely go back, even without a groupon the prices are reasonable. Our waiter was awesome and the service was an all around A+!

Unfortunately we have experienced the worst family dinner at La Via Mia tonight. My best friends family and mine try to get together once a week and try new restaurants. Tonight is the first time ever being so upset feeling the need to post our night. We had 6:30 reservations, my daughter picks up her water glass and it immediately shatters right in her hand. No help cleaning it up… After 8:00, we get served dinner and one of the entrees is incorrect, the waitress takes it back and then sent back the same steak they ten minutes prior. Needles to say the heater had dried out the meal. At this point we ask for a manager. She returned to the table and said that they were too busy and he «the manager» was not available.
I wish it stopped there. We paid the remainder of the bill
And yes they took the entrée off but proceeded to come out the front door after us. Not only the waitress, but the bartender and the bus boy disputing the bill because I only left the change of the bill and didn’t not leave a tip. I was beside myself to the point of anxiety ridden. They literally caused a commotion in the parking lot. And again, no manager to be found.
Owning a business myself for thirteen years and working with the public I would never have treated someone the way they did tonight. Yelling at two mothers with a newborn, and two other children. This was beyond the saying «the customer is always right». My daughter is nine with glass all over that I’m cleaning. Poor service and it’s too bad because the other family members said the food was good but honestly how could I ever refer someone or want to go back with such a horrible experience and never once having the manager attempting to make the situation correct.

Tried this at the recommendation of our hotel. What a great place. Had the small Caesar which could have been a meal in itself. For entrees, the Veal Ripiello and Pollo Balsamico were both perfect.

This place is great. We used to patronize their old location quite a bit, as it was much closer to our house. We hadn’t been to their new location until several months ago when we had friends in town, and decided to head over. My veal parm once again did not disappoint. Everyone enjoyed their meals quite a bit, even the kids.
Solid Italian food, very reasonable, and a friendly staff. Shame on us for not getting to the new digs more often!

I’ve only been here twice and I’m hooked! The chicken broccoli with homemade fusilli is incredible, and the gnocchi is delicious too. Massive portions at a very reasonable price too. Who doesn’t love leftover pasta? Said no one ever. The bartenders are super sweet too and gave me a nice little wine tasting before I ordered a glass. Awesome local spot, thanks for the great service :)

Amazing food, preperation, service and atmosphere! We loved it and can hardly wait to go back!

Went on an out-​of-​the-​city adventure to Saugus. Found their groupon and decided to check it out. My friends were very skeptical of the location, I told them to hang tight while I went in to check it out. Ushered them in after sizing up the place. I knew that a crowded suburb restaurant on a Saturday night would be worth it. It took a little while for a hostess to come to the door but when she did she gave us the option to wait or sit in the cocktail area, so we took the latter option.
Service was so terribly slow but part of me knew the food would be good. Growing up in NJ, I’m a complete Italian food snob, but when the food arrived I was so satisfied. Chicken saltimbocca was good, my friend had the spinach gnocchi, also good. My boyfriend had the chicken parm which was meh, the sauce didn’t seem homemade. Aside from the service being slow, our server was still personable.
TL;DR — if you can stand slow service, the food is well worth it.

AMAZE BALLS !! Service was excellent, spot on actually and that rarely ever happens these days. From the salad, to the entrée, to the dessert; simply delicious. Great family run business, old family photo décor is sweet, it is small but so amazing in every aspect. Whether your on a date or with family, this is the spot to get delicious italian food !!

My son and I have been here many times over the course of 10 years. We he comes home from college, this is usually his first choice restaurant for a good meal.
The restaurant is a true neighborhood gem that is oddly located in a strip mall next to a convenience store. Once you are inside, you feel like you are in the North End, without all of the parking hassles. Friday and Saturday nights are super busy between 6:00 and 8:30. It helps to make a reservation. However, keep in mind that this is a small business, so be prepared to wait a bit. If you want to eat something really quick so you can get to a show that night, then this is not the right restaurant for you. It’s an evening out all by itself. The restaurant is not that busy during the week and is unfortunately closed on Sundays. FYI– they do take out too.
We LOVE the chicken saltimbocca– $ 18. See attached picture. Sautéed chicken layered with prosciutto, smoked mozzarella and mushrooms in a marsala reduction sauce over basil risotto. The basil risotto is perfection. Also very good is the eggplant braciolettini: rolled eggplant stuffed with chopped spinach ricotta cheese topped with mozzarella cheese. The chicken parm is classic style with lots of flavor. I think the dinner portions are huge, but my son can put it all down. I wind up taking ½ of my dish home. If I’m lucky, my son hasn’t woofed it down for a late night snack and it’s still in the refrigerator for lunch the next day.
The caveat for me is that I don’t care for the wine list. I understand they are trying to stay to the lower end to keep costs down, but I would appreciate some better quality california wines for the menu. To that end, I do not drink their wine and instead opt for their Tuscan martini. Damn, those are crazy good and fairly priced at $ 10.
There is a huge selection of desserts, but we ALWAYS opt for the tiramasu. The server brings two forks, but my kid pulls the dish away and I’m lucky if I get one bite. Fair enough; I don’t need it anyway. :)
The servers are nice, but slow. The bar can get backed up and you can wait a bit for a drink. The kitchen service is also variable. If you go on a Tuesday night, your dinner is in front of you in 10 minutes. If you go on the weekend, be prepared to wait and chill out with a cocktail and a nice appetizer. It’s worth the wait. This is top notch italian food.

Waited over an hour to find out that two of three entrees had never been put in the kitchen. My salad sat there without anybody bothering to check. Worst service I’ve had in a very long time.
I don’t know how this place stays in business.

I feel bad only giving them four stars…
I tried this place for the first time on Friday and it was delicious! I got the saltimbocca and it was tasty! I will say, it said it was served over risotto and it was more of a rice but it was delicious none the less! However, our martinis were way too sweet but that’s just my opinion and they were so nice I could have certainly asked for it a little less sweet. Our waitress was absolutely the best. She was blonde I think Lauren or Ashley was her name? She was so sweet and attentive! I will absolutely go back! PS don’t expect a pretty building or décor but amazing food!