Mama Rao Cucina Italiana
“We ordered dessert and it also came with a side of lemon cookies–softest cookies I've ever had!!!”
“Sal and the whole crew do a great job of hosting any event big or small and there foods always fresh and delish!”
“Her fresh pasta entree was fine, but I was especially happy with my Fillet of Sole Oreganata (a juicy cut of fish breaded and baked with wine and clam juice.)”
Mama Rao Cucina Italiana
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$$ Price range $31-60
8 reviews
Rate and write a review Cancel reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
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
Top-notch, authentic Italian. Came for a professional event and the food was amazing. Calamari and pasta especially were phenomenal. Large interior space, but still gives an intimate, cozy feel. Special shout out to the delicious lemon cookies at the end! Soft, lemony sweetness. I took home a bag of them afterwards, haha.
I was craving for some italian food and found this restaurant on Yelp! Came here on a Friday night, no trouble finding parking right in front of the restaurant. Immediately greeted by the waiter, seated, and another gentleman even came around to suggest some items that were popular at the restaurant. The food arrived in a timely manner, it was cooked to perfection. I've been to several top notch italian restaurants where they make the pasta al dente but to be honest, I like them slightly softer. This restaurant made it just the way I like it. We had their special appetizer..I forgot the name but it was toasted bread with mozzarella cheese, smoked salmon, prosciutto and a slice of apple with some green sauce. It was delicious!!! They also served bread with olive oil and their very own homemade balsamic vinaigrette which tasted wonderful! We ordered dessert and it also came with a side of lemon cookies–softest cookies I've ever had!!! The staff were wonderful, my cup was always filled with water, they checked on us during our meal to make sure everything was good, attentive when we called for them, and the decor of the restaurant was lovely. I will definitely come back again!!
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.
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 entree, 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.
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 entree, 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.
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 Yelping 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 entree!
Decor: I loved the decor. 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.
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.