My husband and I were looking for a place to grab dinner after the movies, and we stumbled upon Mama Lucia's--and what a great find! We ordered the Da Bruno thin-crust pizza, and it was absolutely superb! The crust had that perfect thin, crispy bite while still being flavorful and satisfying. Every bite was delicious, and it was exactly what we were looking for after a night at the movies. Sometimes the best restaurants are the ones you stumble upon unexpectedly, and Mama Lucia's was definitely a pleasant surprise. We really enjoyed our meal and would happily come back the next time! read more

Mamma Lucia of Bethesda - Da Bruno - Italian Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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OMG the rosemary sauce on the seafood special will send you to another level.... beyond yummy. others had eggplant parm best ever and made 3 meals!!! burrata rigatoni - love to create this but it was superb. not a chi chi place but DANG is the food amazing. staff treated us with great empathy in a pickle and I will go back ifim in Bethesda - you must try!!!! read more

This was the first time I dined at the Bethesda location. I was really happy to hear they have gluten free pizza. Our service was excellent. Our waitress always there when we needed her, but gave us plenty of time to eat and talk. The food was delicious. I got the egg plant parmigiana with a side of spaghetti. It tasted amazing and the portion size was generous. The gluten free pizza was very good too. There was none left to take home. That should tell you how tasty it was. It is a lovely location with a clean and friendly atmosphere. I highly recommend Mamma Lucia's of Bethesda. read more

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I really enjoyed this pizza!!! Thin ish crust very light and fluffy. Good ratio of sauce and cheese. Easy to eat! Good sized slice. The pasta and salad r also good! Not super spectacular, but not bad :) I'd eat here again. In my opinion, the pizza is also pretty good cold and reheated well! There was a special going on so we also got the pasta and salad and both were delicious read more

I dropped by Mamma Lucia's for a quick lunch. It was a famously simple, quick lunch stop. Service was fast, and I got a couple of large slices of pizza. They had quite a few different types, and I opted for two Blanco style pieces. The pizza wasn't anything to write home about, but it was good, and reasonable priced. read more

Mamma Lucia of Bethesda - Italian Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

I love getting the pizza here! It just tastes so good! I'm a meat lover and, even though it's not the cheapest, I prefer coming here rather than all of the other pizza places in Bethesda. read more

Mamma Lucia of Bethesda - My favorite pizza here! - Italian Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Representing before 2018 in alphabet series, M is for Mamma Lucia. I went Mamma Lucia twice, once here in Bethesda in February 2016 on a date, and once in Hanover for buffet in late 2013 or early 2014. Ironically, I'll be going to the Olney location tomorrow after nearly 10 years of not going. Mamma Lucia was never that convenient & a lot of other options. I thought pizza was solid in February 2016. Not the best, but a good flavorful pizza. Service was good. Overall, it was a positive experience although the date was underwhelming, but these things happen. read more

How this place gets less than 5 stars is beyond me. Everyone there was super nice and the place was very clean. I got a NY style pepperoni slice and they added hot honey, very good. My wife got the cheese slice and loved it. We also got garlic knots and all my wife could say is how much better pizza and garlic knots are better on the East Coast (we are from LA). We were super shocked when we saw the bill and it was $12.11. Wtf?! So cheap and so good. How is this possible. I freaking loved it! Must try. read more

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Meh. Nothing special. I ordered take out chicken fettuccine and garlic knots. The garlic knots were ice cold, but really good after I heated them. The Alfredo was sooo watery. The sauce was literally a soup so no flavor stuck at all. The chicken was like boiled chicken. No wonder there were zero people in the dining room at 7 pm. read more

Mediocre food. Crap food, crap service. That's all. Nothing special about this place or to write home about. read more

The meat Stromboli was great and well worth the $12. Also order penne vodka and chicken parm. Penne vodka was super greasy, I would not order again. Chicken parm was okay, too much cheese and sauce on top the chicken read more

I'm always getting pizza from here. I usually get the supreme which is my absolute favorite. It's super fresh and I love the fact that they don't overload the sauce. Fresh veggies, meats, and crunchy crust! The service is quick and on point. I've never actually sat down here but it's cute. Cozy little spot in Bethesda. There is street parking. And this street is very congested so watch out lol. read more

Mamma Lucia of Bethesda - Italian Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

In town on a Business trip. Was craving Italian. Less than a 10 min walk from my hotel. Decided to check out and so glad I did! Food was fresh, delicious, came out fast, and had big portions! One of the BEST mushroom ravioli I've ever had! Customer service was great! And the outdoor seating was relaxing. Will definitely come here again when I'm back in Bethesda! read more

Mamma Lucia of Bethesda - Calamari, garden salad, and the AMAZING mushroom ravioli! Delicious - Italian Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

One of my favorite pizza places growing up had the same name so I wondered if there was any affiliation between the two. They have many locations in Maryland but there was no connection between this one and the one I grew up on. The restaurant smelled amazing. I was greeted right away with a smile. There was room for dining in but the restaurant was already full. I ordered a slice of the barbecue chicken pizza and a slice of their white pizza. The flavor on the barbecue chicken was decent but the white pizza didn't taste like anything at all. The price point was on par with other pizza places. You can tell that the restaurant is family owned so that's a nice touch. They have many more offerings than pizza so If I do return, I would try something else. read more

Came here for The Ovi. Damn good chicken Parm. Pasta tasted homemade and the marinara was fire read more

Great little Italian American restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is pleasant, although it can be busy and noisy depending on time of day. My waitress provided excellent service. On her recommendation I got the chef special gnocchi trio, which was incredibly delicious and one of the best things I've had in a while. Came with a Caesar side salad, and I got a wine to go with. Very filling, and a good value! I look forward to going back. If I could Change one thing, I wish they served some nice Italian espresso or coffee for after the meal. read more

Mamma Lucia of Bethesda - Gnocchi trio - Italian Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Generous Pizza Slices! Today I tried Manma Lucia's pizza slices. The restaurant offers several choices: Cheese, Cheese/Pepperoni, "Meat" (sausage, pepperoni, bacon & ham). I ordered a slice of Cheese/Pepperoni & "Meat". Delicious! Fresh ingredients. Wow generous pizza slices! Prompt Courteous Customer Service. See Photo! read more

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Stopped by here after shopping in the area and was pleasantly surprised! We tried the Calamari, Shrimp Bada Bing (a wonderful specialty sauce), Greek Pizza, Mussels and Linguine, Shrimp and Linguine, and Seafood Asparagus pasta with pink sauce. Everything was flavorful and incredible - the pink sauce was so addicting. The dish sizes are generous and everyone was satisfied after the meal. The servers were nice and attentive and we were checked on by what seems to be the store manager - he was walking around and making friendly conversation with all of the customers. Definitely would return! read more

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Absolutely delicious. True family pizzeria. Dads making the pizza, son & daughter up front. Outdoor seating & dog friendly. Son even got some water for my doggie dude & the daughter (manager) was awesome & checked on everything. I got 2 cheese slices & a cannoli. The 2 slices were delicious reminding of back home in Boston. Thin, good crisp, quality cheese, sauce had great flavor & crust was flavorful, crunchy outside & soft inside. The cannoli was absolutely delicious cream shell, good mix of sweet & range from filling. Can't wait to be back to try a fresh pie. 1 bite, everybody knows the rules read more

Mamma Lucia of Bethesda - Cheese Pizza Slice - Italian Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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Nice, friendly greeting with a big smile. Our server was kind enough to split our garden salad even though we didn't ask her to do it. The salad was zesty and crunchy! Delicious greens, yellow peppers, green bell peppers, pepperoncini, olives, onions and Cherry tomatoes. Love the vinaigrette dressing! The medium Mama's Special looked more like a large pizza. The this crust was loaded with pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, ham, mushroom, olives, onions and chopped green peppers. It had just the right balance of cheese and red sauce. Also, the thin crust was evenly baked. It wasn't too doughy. It had just the right blend of crisp and flakiness. read more

Mamma Lucia of Bethesda - The Mama's Special! - Italian Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

I wish I had gotten my pizza from Costco! This is a meat lovers pizza. Tasted like garbage.

Easy, reasonably priced and pretty good pizza. More of a fast casual place in my book. Service can vary depending on an adult serving you or the local teen/college kid trying to fill the bank account. Never had a bad experience and if there's a mix up the manager fixes the problem no questions asked. read more

This was such an exceptional find. The portobello mushroom ravioli was so good that I kept eating even after I was full. And the service was outstanding. read more

Mamma Lucia of Bethesda - Portobello Mushroom Ravioli D - Italian Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Ordered several pizzas from Mamma Lucia for a work meeting. When ordering online, the first delivery available was 12:15pm, but I needed the pizzas earlier. I called the store and they assured me they can deliver my order by 11:45am the following morning (add a note and call to confirm if you need your order by a different time). Other than that slight hiccup, placing an order online was easy. My pizza order arrived on time, with Mamma Lucia texting me when my ordered arrived. This was my first time trying pizza from here, and it was pretty good. My coworkers agreed! We ordered cheese, pepperoni, and combo (choose 3 toppings- I chose pepperoni, meatballs, and mushrooms) pizzas. They were all NY-style pizza- slices were large/wide enough to fold, thin crust, and crispy yet chewy at the same time. My favorite was definitely the combo pizza. I was expecting the meatball to like look an actual meatball, but it was a thin slice of meat that almost looked liked gyro meat. Two sizes are available (14" and 18"). They mentioned an 18" was a large when I asked, but seemed more like an XL. Either way, the pizza was delicious! Great service and good pizza from this Mamma Lucia location. I'd definitely order from them again. read more

We're visiting from out of town, and while I know there are lots of great places to eat in Bethesda, I was hungry for Italian. A quick Google search led us to Mamma Lucia, a five minute walk from our hotel. We passed many trendy looking places on our walk, and a quick glance at Mamma Lucia's interior made me think briefly that we should turn back and go for something trendier. We did not, though, and I'm so glad we stayed for our wonderful meal. Our server, Kevin, suggested the chicken rigatoni..."a little heat, but not too spicy " and it was marvelous! Generously portioned, too, so I'll have the leftovers tonight. Served with a side salad and good bread for dipping, we were both very happy with Kevin's recommendation. They serve wine also, though I didn't see it on the menu. Oh, and did I mention that our server, Kevin, was awesome? We'll be back on our next visit to Bethesda! read more

Today i return to MAMA LUCIA and purchase seafood asparagus for about 23.00 prepped by DONNA It was GOOD as usual.ENJOY THE PHOTOS read more

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Great dinner... always love it- a neighbourhood gem! I always love the linguine white clam, and also the chicken piccata yum! Really piping hot!! Also love the spaghetti squash with pesto and meatballs! Jeff is great! Always personable ! Love the new brick wall- feels really cool Inside! Summer is nice too when you can sit outside! read more

Good Italian food for Good prices (@lunch) when shopping in Bethesda. We have eaten here before and it was a larger store then. I had a review but it must have been lost or deleted when the store downsized. I had the Meat mania $16. A good mix of vegetables and meat with a light tomato flavor. My wife had her favorite Salmon Piccata $16 and ate it all up. My daughter had the chicken Francess that is in a similar lemon sauce as the piccata. All of it was very good as usual and definitely is a great place to get some Italian food when in Bethesda. read more

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Some back story on this one: I'm a die hard Washington Capitals fan. On my Capitals blog, it's famous among Capital's fans that star player, Alex Ovechkin, has gotten Mama Lucia's chicken parm delivered to every home game for a few years. With that being said (as a chicken parm snob with a 7 year recipe) was it worth it? Hell yeah it was. We probably rode the Metro for 30 minutes from Arlington to get here. Did it live up to the hype? Let's break it down: Pros: - Food is delicious. It's that classic Italian taste you get up North. - It's saucy. I like my chicken parm drowning in sauce, so for me this one gets it. (Personal preference) - Portions. You get an Ovechkin size plate. Yes, I finished it. - it's nothing fancy. Why is this a pro? In my 30's I'm getting tired of fine dining for Italian. Just give me a big portion of good chicken parm and let me eat it. Cons: - just a tad expensive. It doesn't break the bank, but just a tad expensive. - Spaghetti noodles are a little thick for me. Again, totally personal preference, but nothing major of a con. So yeah. I went way out of my way to come here and it was a fun journey. I really enjoyed it. Is it the best chicken parm I've ever had? No. Mine is. Mine takes like 2 1/2 hours to prep and make and I'm extra with it. Is it a really good chicken parm? You bet it is. It's massive, cheesy, saucy, and has that perfect "Northern America" flavor. Mama Lucia's is worth the trek. Go Caps. read more

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Jonas was our server this evening and he set the tone for a most wonderful homecoming! Mamma Lucia is our favorite Italian restaurant in the nation, when we used to live in Bethesda; and having been all over the USA during my travels as a freelance consultant, now living in the OC for the past 14 years. But this is still home sweet home for us when come to the DMV and we want Fettuccine Bolognese and its awesome sauce! Jonas was so thoughtful to put the serving on 2 plates so it was easy for us to share and split the meal, because the portions are so big. A delight to talk with the owner too, the story of this restaurant's love for its delicious cooking is legendary! read more

Pretty much the definition of standard, generic Italian with convenient location in Bethesda Row. Came for a late lunch on a Saturday and service was fast and friendly. Kids enjoyed the Alfredo pasta and butter pasta. Dine in experience is sparse but efficient. Fairly small location like most downtown. read more

The pizza was amazing. I mean so delicious. Get some extra sauce to dip it in. The staff was great. Very friendly. read more

The food, service, and ambiance of this place is amazing. Love the staff, love the food. I am from Pittsburgh and visit here occasionally. This is a must-go every time we come. Please come here if you want good Italian, some good characters, and a great time. VERY GOOOODDDD!!!! read more

Mamma Lucia of Bethesda - Beautiful mural with food and baby in the background - Italian Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Very nice casual Italian restaurant. They have a great menu and very friendly service. (B)

Food and service was fantastic! Everyone loved their entrees and appetizers. Food came out fast and fresh read more

Picked up dinner to go after shopping in the area. Chicken parm sandwich was not worth the effort. Paid $20 and waited over 20 minutes to get a tiny sandwich that had what seemed to be microwaved chicken tenders -- they were rubbery and flavorless. The food that went past me as I waited looked good, so perhaps I just ordered wrong. read more

Mamma Lucia of Bethesda - Italian Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

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The food here is perfectly fine. I got the fettuccine bolognese and my partner ordered the tilapia francaise. Both were tasty. The poor overall review is due to two other factors. First, when we walked into the restaurant, all three of the staff members present ignored us, choosing instead to carry on a conversation at the expense of proper customer service. Second, this restaurant charges a "privilege of dining with us" surcharge. That's obnoxious. Even more obnoxious, they do NOT disclose that surcharge until the check arrives. We will NOT be going back despite enjoying the food. read more

The old man/manager is rude! He has moments he yells and has attitudes with customers I've experienced it myself I won't be returning here! The customer service sucks. I literally just got Yelp just to make this review. read more

Great food, atmosphere and staff! Jeff was awesome and a great conversationalist to make our experience absolutely top notch.

The food was INCREDIBLE! So delicious and hot! It is 100% real Italian food! The service was wonderful too. Everyone was friendly and pleasant. I would come back here time and time again. Good job Mamma Lucia team! read more