My husband and I visited Mamasamas for the first time last night for my birthday dinner and BOY were we impressed! We both agreed that the meal we shared was easily the best Italian food in Jacksonville. For starters, the amount of charm and elegance the owners were able to achieve in a strip mall of all places is impressive. Our reservation was for inside, but we would love to sit under their patio/canopy as the weather starts to cool down! The restaurant itself is on the smaller side, but gorgeous nonetheless. Our server, Alana, was AMAZING!! She gave us complimentary champagne to celebrate my birthday dinner and put a candle in our dessert. She was very personable and gave us recommendations on each course upon request. Our drinks were never empty and there was not a single lull waiting for her to come back over. If you decide to go, ask for her! Now, the FOOD! For apps, we ordered the meatballs (Alana's recommendation) and the burrata (a must order for us at any Italian restaurant). The meatballs were full of flavor and tender but not mushy. I could drink the sauce if I'm being honest. The burrata was delicious with the bread and marinated tomato/onion mixture. Would recommend both of these to anyone! For our mains, I ordered the gnocchi arrabbiatta and my hubby ordered the pappardelle boscaiola with added ragu beef. Both were DELICIOUS! My gnocchi had a little bit of a kick, but nothing too overpowering. The beef in my husband's pasta was extremely tender and flavorful. Finally, for our dessert, we ordered the budino based on Alana's recommendation and it was AMAZING. Probably my favorite part of the meal. All in all, we had a 10/10 experience and will absolutely be back! read more

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Underwhelming. Service is good. Employees are friendly. The food is very underwhelming. The mista salad is awful. Cheap mista salad with some vinegar and cucumbers. Zero flavors. They should be embarrassed serving this. The pasta pomodoro was just not good. The sauce didn't taste good and the spaghetti is very thick and not cooked well. We sat outside. The tables are makeshift. Ours was sticky and after the plates were removed, noticed there was hair stuck to the table. Nasty read more

We were in the area and needed a place for dinner. We came across Mamasamas and are so glad we found it. The space is small, but the vibes and food are incredible. To start, our waitress was super sweet and helpful. We started with some bread and oil and the meatballs. Both were so good. For entrees, two of us got the Rigatoni Salsiccia, which has a creamy, delicious sauce. The other ordered the Chicken Involtini, which they liked as well. Overall, everything was tasty, and I would definitely come back again. read more

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We stopped in for dinner when they first opened and OMG. Everything was so fresh and delicious and the atmosphere was adorable. The service was excellent and very timely. All of the food was phenomenal... every time I tell someone about it and show them my pictures it makes me fall in love again. The beef carpaccio was one of the best, and the pistachio pasta was so perfect. Al dente and fresh and seasoned oh so well. You have to check it out! read more

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Everything went well at this place. The food is spectacular. The ambience very chill and casual. Not loud not quiet. The service superb. The staff super cool and very knowledgeable of the menu. Their recommendations were spot on. read more

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This place never ceases to amaze us after all the time! And it's why we bring everyone and recommend everyone come here. You won't find better cocktails or better Italian in Jax! Service is always top notch, and the ambiance is just a great vibe! Then to add to it you gotta come on Pizza Wednesday, you won't find pizza like this anywhere else in Jax and he's always mixing up the toppings and specials! Honestly you can't go wrong but my favs: meatballs, tuna carpaccio, any pizza, ragu, and the parpadelle and the you HAVE to leave room for the budino dessert! read more

Nicely decorated inside .They also have a nice outdoor area where they have a pizza oven built into a horse trailer. Although it was all over priced. My friend had the prongs in the photo served in a sauce with bread. This and my meal were overpriced and small serving size. Our waitress was very attentive. Tables are very close together. read more

Mamasamas Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

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It's hard to be critical when everything is good. Definitely go with friends so you can try a little bit of everything. The arancini is incredible, the arugula was a delicious combination of flavors and the burrata is a no brainer! The rigatoni may have been a mistake, it has the perfect amount of spice, but the hot pasta with no AC left me sweating. They said it should be getting fixed next week though. Don't hold it against them, 5/5 if it wasn't so hot read more

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Very beach vibe almost south beach in sense from the decor and layout. The menu was simple and straightforward with its selections of foods. Loved the drinks menu with its variety of highlighted speciality cocktails. Our server was amazing even with a super busy night she and the rest of the staff made sure everything came out perfectly and was attentive. The food was ok, but that is just my opinion in my preferences as the noodles were cooked to almost al dente but could have done another 2 mins. The appetizer was good. read more

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Really delicious dinner at mamasamas! We came on a weekday and the restaurant was buzzing with energy. There is plenty of parking and both indoor and outdoor seating. We were lucky enough to come on a day when they were serving pizza and we really enjoyed it, I loved the thin crust and flavorful toppings. Their cocktail menu has many different options and is written as a screenplay which I found very creative. Our server checked in on us frequently and even gave us parmesan and red pepper flakes with our meal which was thoughtful. Of the appetizers we got, my husband really enjoyed the carpaccio and the arancini. I really enjoyed the pappardelle ragu and thought my leftovers were even better the next morning. I'm excited to go back to try more of their pizzas, cocktails, and get the ragu again! read more

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I thought I was certain of my fav Jax Italian restaurant... now I'm not so sure! This place is amazing It's so cute inside! They took a very small space and made it work! we did make a reservation to be sure we could get in! The menu is small but it's great bc it's already hard enough to pick what to have! The drinks were great! The aptz all sounded great but we settled with the burrata! We had the mushroom rigatoni and the gnocchi! Yum! The staff was all so sweet! I can't wait to go back read more

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I was really excited to try this new spot after seeing their advertising on Instagram. I grabbed dinner and drinks here with a friend, and although I enjoyed the ambiance and the service was great, I was ultimately let down by the meal, the drinks, and the prices. They have a wide cocktail menu with lots of creative options, which I thought was really cool. We ordered three cocktails--the Naked Floridian and two espresso martinis. They tasted good, however, my drink wasn't a full pour. I feel like if you're going to be a spot that focuses on craft cocktails, presentation matters just as much as flavor, and under-pouring takes away from the overall experience. The menu is quite small, which I sometimes appreciate because it limits an overwhelming number of options and gives a restaurant the chance to really perfect its dishes. We started with the heirloom tomato salad and I was happy to find that the tomatoes tasted very fresh, there wasn't much olive oil or extra flavor to the dish though. For our main dish, we ordered the gnocchi arrabbiata. I was expecting a flavorful, rich sauce, but it was underwhelming. The presentation was also lacking. As far as ambiance, it was very cute inside and had a cozy feel. They offer indoor seating, bar spots, and an outdoor patio (although it is in a strip mall). It felt like a charming Italian-style spot that would be a nice place to grab a drink with a friend. And again, our server was really sweet and took great care of us. Overall, I'm sad that I'm leaving a poor review, but it just didn't live up to the expectations of "authentic Italian." The food was quite disappointing, especially for the price point. It's always disheartening to go out to eat and pay for the service, ambiance, and cuisine experience...and for the food, which is the most important part, to fall short. That's ultimately why I'm giving it 2 stars. read more

Mamasamas delivers an exceptional culinary experience with standout dishes that left us thoroughly impressed. The meatballs were delicious and the marinara sauce too good to waste so we used the beautifully baked bread to finish it off! The burrata was the best I've ever tasted, the truffle, honey, oil accompanied the most gorgeous orange, yellow and red tomatoes and cheese. I'm still thinking about this appetizer. The seabass over cauliflower purée was cooked to perfection--delicate, flavorful, and beautifully balanced. Equally memorable was the braised beef pappardelle, rich and comforting with a depth of flavor that speaks to real care in the kitchen. While the food was undeniably top-tier, the dining room setup left something to be desired. Seating was quite tight, making it difficult for both staff and guests to move around comfortably. Because of the tight seating the noise level was a bit high and it was difficult to have a conversation across our table of two. At times, it felt a bit cramped, which took away from the otherwise perfect ambiance. That said, if you're there for the food--and you should be--Mamasamas is more than worth a visit! read more

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Cozy Italian restaurant located in a strip mall plaza. I had a little difficulty finding it. Service was great, food was okay. Lovely ambience for girls night read more

Mamasamas Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

The inside of the restaurant is beautiful but the food and service did not meet our expectations. Two of us had the ragu which I would say was 5/10 - would never crave it, recommend it nor order it again. Another person at the table had the schnitzel and we thought it was odd that not a single side came with it. The fourth person had the gnocchi and she wasn't impressed with the flavor nor the small portion. The service - just as we were finishing our food, we were interrupted to be told to move from our table to a different table in a different area of the restaurant that was very crammed so that they could use our table for a large party. This wasn't much of an ask as we didn't have any other option and the worker was passive aggressive in his request. They could have waited another 15 minutes for us to finish our food instead of inconveniencing our group. At a minimum, they should have made a nice gesture such as comping our app or the drinks they had us move. For the price of this place, the experience and the food were lacking. I will not come back as there are much better options in Jax! read more

We stumbled upon Mamasamas and what a wonderful surprise! The food was delicious, the service was impeccable and our waitress (Golden Retriever lover) was an absolute delight. We will definitely be back. read more

I don't know HOW we were able to get into this place, but we did. I'm pretty sure the night we came was on their soft opening, and someone else no showed so the waitress took pity on us for checking in on Yelp (a feature she did t even know existed and was active yet because it was their first day lol). The bread. Flawless. The pistachio pesto pasta. Magic. The espresso martini. Divine. This will be the new go to spot that will give Catullo's a fierce run for their money. Get your reservation now because they WILL be full for awhile!! read more

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Everything we ordered was unreal. The prawns were huge and packed with flavor, easily some of the best I've had. The burrata was fresh, creamy, and balanced so well with the accompaniments that it disappeared way too fast. And the budino omg, next level. Rich, smooth, and the kind of dessert you think about long after you leave. The vibe, the service, the food, everything just hits. Definitely one of those spots you'll keep going back to. read more

Mamasamas Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

I went to Meet me here for coffee at Mamasamas - excellent experience! Loved the coffee (bought several to hand out) and I the engagement of Nic and Cory was amazing read more

Some of the best pasta in Jax! The mushroom rigatoni is outstanding, I've ordered it everytime I've returned to Mamasamas. The cocktails are also incredible. The Benvenuto is my personal favorite. Service is lovely and the atmosphere is perfectly dreamy. Great for date night or a girls night! Awesome addition to Jax beach! read more

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Awesome restaurant, great food, fun atmosphere, quality staff! Amazing dinning experience! 5 read more

Went here for my birthday dinner with a larger group. The restaurant itself is smaller so keep that in mind but the server was friendly & knowledgeable. We ordered so many appetizers, the bread and mussels were to die for. All of the entrees were pasta and fish and all made in house, they even gave us dessert and free lime cello shots at the end on the house. I will definitely be back! read more

Staci made the whole experience at Mamasamas unforgettable. Her passion for what she does shows in every detail - warm, fun, and effortlessly on point from start to finish. The mushroom pasta was unreal - silky, earthy, and basically a hug in a bowl. The Frattini and Pane Fresco appetizers were crispy, fresh, and full of flavor. And the drinks? Dangerous in the best way; creative, smooth, and perfectly balanced. Mamasamas absolutely nails it: amazing food, great vibes, and service that makes you feel right at home. read more

I have been so excited about trying this place and finally got a reservation for 2 today via Resy.(which you must enter a credit card to complete because they will charge you if you no show). We were early and they kindly sat us. There were large groups and it was very loud. The server was nice and got our drinks right away. Unfortunately she misunderstood my order and I was brought a chicken instead of snitzel. Again, it was loud so maybe not surprising but she did not repeat back to us our orders. Within about 10 minutes my dish came out. It was only cooked on one side and barely browned on the top. The breading was mushy. Not much flavor. Our shrimp and the snitzel came with nothing else so we had to order another pasta meal to share. A bottle of Pelegrino was over $7! It was also very strange that each item on the bill was some odd cents higher than on the menu. And they did also add Fl sales tax on top so it wasn't that. Whoa! We likely won't be back anytime soon. read more

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3.8 rounded up. Just getting around to posting this review, our visit was in late May. Our reservation was for when they opened at 4pm and the staff hadn't fully set up yet. I'd expect them to be ready to rock and roll by the first table being sat.. Not still messing with music,lighting,etc. They were also taking professional photos right around us the whole time so that was a little off putting for our ambiance. I'll give them a pass on this stuff since they are new and ironing things out. Our pistachio pesto was beyond salty. Not sure if that's how it is always or if we got a bad batch but I was disappointed. We ate it, but I mixed it with the sauce from the meatballs. The meatballs were extremely tender but I would've loved a sear on them, they felt kind of boiled in the sauce. I quite liked the sauce on them, though I wish it came with some bread to mop the sauce with. It's a sin to let all that sauce go down the drain so I ordered a $5 side of 4 slices of bread (no refills) for that and the creamy Gorgonzola on the frattini. I may try some different dishes once they've been around longer, but sadly I was not wow'd. read more

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I really like the place but I'm going to always be honest and give you the pros and cons On the plus side they did a good job of changing up the location I like the atmosphere cozy small rustic and pretty much everything we had was really good Cons That was the small sit down the menu I've ever seen they only had three meat items and one was a meatball appetizer that was ridiculously expensive if they expand the menu and adjust some of the price points on appetizers and actually have appetizers maybe some lamb not sure if that's their plan if this is their concept it's good food but what I go over and over again for a limited menu that was really pricing probably not so just to recap I enjoyed my meal I enjoyed the service but I don't know if I'll be back again unless they add some variety read more

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Great first experience!! We started off with some of the specialty cocktails, the burrata & arancini. Highly recommend both of those apps. Ordered the Rigatoni Salsiccia & Pappardelle Boscaiola, which were both so tasty and fresh. Cozy atmosphere inside (the outdoor space isn't a great vibe), and wonderful service. Can't wait to go back and try some of their other dishes! read more

Mamasamas Restaurant - Rigatoni Salsiccia - Italian Near Me - Neptune Beach, Florida

Amazing restaurant have an upcoming reservation,.....can't wait!! Service, food and just overall a wonderful experience read more

The food is a bit over priced service can be unpredictable wine selection not good. They should allow a small cork fee.

This place is it!! Look no further for the new local go-to Italian restaurant! Nic created something very special and unique that both locals and visitors of the area will enjoy and want to come back to. We were greeted with smiles and open arms from the moment we walked in until we left. The staff makes you feel like you're family and coming in for a family dinner. They're attentive, friendly and passionate about serving you their food - something truly hard to find and what I think takes a dining experience to the next level. We sat at the bar and Alex took care of us and he was spectacular!! He crafted amazing cocktails, was full of knowledge when it came to providing wines that fit our palate and paired well with our meals, and guided us through the menu for an amazing first visit. Alex truly added to our experience and I would come back just to sit at the bar and be served by him again. He knows the menu so well and is second to none when it comes to crafting cocktails and picking delicious wines! I asked for a fresh, crisp, minerally white wine and he served me the most delicious wine from Portugal which was exactly what I was looking for! It took me back to the streets of Porto last summer! Now for the food: the menu is straight forward and well thought out, what more could you ask for? The pastas and bread are made in house daily and you can absolutely tell! We ordered the beef carpaccio and Burrata to start. The carpaccio was different than what I've ever had with the honey drizzle. It went well with the savory meat and bites of cheese with the nuttiness of the walnuts. Such a nice blend of flavors that came together so well. The Burrata - so creamy and fresh with juicy, bright tomatoes in truffle olive oil served with fresh bread. Two amazing starters that left little to be desired, they were great! For dinner we ordered the Rigatoni Boscaiola which is a very rich, savory, earthy dish. If you like mushrooms, this is the dish for you! The pasta is al dente and perfectly cooked and the sauce is creamy, earthy, and soaks into the rigatoni exceptionally well! The other dish was Gnocchi Arrabbiatta and surprised me the most. I've never had gnocchi that was so soft, pillowy and airy. Yes, airy! It basically melted in your mouth - they weren't super doughy or heavy like a lot of the gnocchi I've had. The sauce was more of a red sauce with a cream addition to it, similar to a "pink" sauce with a nice spice element to it. Each dish could've easily been shared between two people as there was plenty leftover. I'm already planning my next visit and bringing more people that way I can try more of the dishes. I truly believe this place is a gem that locals will add into their regular rotation and not just visit one time. I'm so excited Nic brought something so genuine to the area that we all can enjoy for a long time to come! read more

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Had a delicious and lively girls night out dinner and was wow'd! The appetizers and bread were tasty (try the Frattini special), the homemade pasta was perfectly al dente, and the cocktails were spot on. I had the Pappardelle 24 hour Ragu and it was fabulous. Tender beef, delicious sauce, and wide noodles that had the perfect bite. We all shared bites around the table of 8 and everyone was pleased with the dishes. The vibe was trendy, upbeat, and lively for a Saturday evening. We will be back, for sure! read more

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I think I would recommend this restaurant if you had a reservation. We arrived fairly early on a Friday night for dinner, without a reservation. Many tables open, but we were told that they had reservations for those tables. If we wanted to eat outside, they had tables there. So we did. The food was good, hot and tasty. The service was also good. The ambience of sitting outside with a parking lot to look at was not good. Won't do that again. Maybe make a reservation next time. read more

Table of 12, could have been a problem but Alex made it happen. A little slow on the food service but everything else exceptional. We did not have the fish special because it was $54, but the mussels were superb, all the pasta dishes were delicious. It was a special occasion and they did not disappoint read more

Great dinner at the newest spot in Neptune Beach tonight. We started with the Pane Fresco (bread) and Arancini. Both were delicious. For my entree, I had the Gnocchi Arrabiatta. I was hesitant to order gnocchi, as sometimes it is too heavy for me, but this one was light, fluffy and delicious. To finish, our server convinced us to order a desert, that i admittedly didn't get the name of, but it was delicious. Definitely go check out this new spot! read more

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Nic Sama did an outstanding job with this restaurant!!! This might be the crème de la crème of Italian restaurants in the ENTIRE U.S. All the plates are made with love. You can feel it, see it, and taste the love. I personally recommend the frattini special for a starter and save room for dessert, as the Budino is incredibly scrumptious! read more

Pay $30 for mussels? Alright. Half the shells have nothing inside of them? Stop it. Food was a disappointment. Service was even worse. Dirty glasses left on the table the entire dinner. They found 6 20 year olds to run this place without any training. read more

Highly recommend! Multiple dining experiences, all great. Delicious food and top notch service! The carpaccio and the pistachio pesto pasta are my go-to's. Consistently pleasing. If you like cheese, order the Fratini appetizer. I've had the meatballs too and they were juicy and perfectly cooked. The pistachio pesto pasta + budino dessert with yummy crunchy layer = a texture lovers dream meal. They made a tiramisu cake for my birthday dinner with friends... multiple people commented that it was "the best tiramisu I've had" and noted the perfect balance of coffee flavors and sweetness. The aperol spritz is large and garnished with a branded orange peel. Nice touch. I also enjoy the Hugo Spritz and Espresso Martini. There is a fee for paying with credit card, but that makes sense. They are a newer small business. I get it. I don't mind. I'm excited to watch them grow and see what new items come out of the kitchen in the future! Also, I am a toddler mom and I appreciate that they are family friendly. The staff was kind and warm with my 2-year-old daughter. I've seen numerous other babies and toddlers there. read more

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Love Mamasamas! We are locals and we always bring family in town here. Pastas are so good perfect for sharing. Highly recommend 24HR Ragu and Budino for dessert! read more

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The absolute hottest restaurant I have ever been in. Like this place literally does not have AC. I went a second time to give it another chance, was still insanely hot. The chairs are extremely uncomfortable as well. The prices are also insane. I will go to NYC and go to a nice Italian restaurant and spend 30% less money at this place. The food is no better than other Italian in the area. Service was fine, but this place needs a serious overhaul. I was willing to give grace when it was new, but it has been open for a while now so no excuses. read more

The ambience is cute, the food was good, and our server was a joy! Only negatives are the tight spaces and stuffiness (bc of a poor functioning AC unit). read more