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Mandola's Deli

4.5 (390 reviews)
InexpensiveDelis, Italian, Sandwiches
Closed • 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Updated 2 months ago

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Mandola's Deli Photos

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MANDOLA'S DELI ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Outdoor seating
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Mandola's Deli

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Reviews With Photos

Rex C.

Easy five star review! I've been going to Grace's for years and last week I bumped into Tony Carrabba. We talked about the history of Houston restaurants and everything like that. So it may be Google their family and all the different restaurants. I've been to Tony Mandola's before they closed plenty of times . However, I never heard of Mandola's deli, which is the cousins of that family. So I decided to give them a try today. I'm glad I did! I called about 10 minutes before closing today and I had the pleasure of talking with Joseph the owner. I had no idea he was the owner, but he was so nice over the phone. I asked if it was OK if I was ordering right before they close and he was like no problem at all. Just a great nice person answering the phone. It was such a pleasure to talk with him because that type of service these days is kind of a lost Art. So when I get there, we start to talk he shook my hand, asked my name treated me like family. Very personable nice guy running this establishment. Their entire family are just top-notch professionals and they understand how to treat people the right way. This is a lost Art. Food: I went with the deluxe, which is with their special. Absolutely amazing. Fresh bread, all the flavor with their homemade aïoli sauce. The meats were real good as well. I elected for the olives, which were great. Great food I will definitely come back here and try several things off their menu. Being that I live in downtown, this is gonna be one of my go to Spots. I've lived in Houston my entire life for 43 years. I'm not sure how I've never stumbled upon this place. I talked to Joseph and he said he's been eating here for 43 years as he's 43 years of age as well. What a nice guy and a great family. They're doing an awesome job here. I can't wait to keep coming back and try more things off the menu, bringing clients there and becoming a regular. This is my first time ever eating at this establishment and Joseph made me feel like I've been going there for 20 years. Thank you, sir!

Small Deluxe (Ham/Salami/Mozz) Po Boy, side of spaghetti and side of italian sausage.
Mike R.

Decided to make a trip to Mandola's Deli for lunch after they made it onto the Chronicle top 100 list and were featured on Chris Shepherd's "Eat Like a Local" TV show. Showed up on a Wednesday around 11:45 to a mostly empty restaurant. Its counter service ordering, but very friendly and efficient. My selection was a 5" Deluxe Po Boy which has Ham, Salami, Mozzarella lettuce tomatoes and Mandola's Italian spread. Simple sandwich, but oh so perfect. The bread was perfectly toasted, the cold cuts sliced just right and tasty and the italian spread was the perfect condiment. I'm not normally a cold deli sandwich person, but would order this sandwich over and over again. Since I was solo dining, but wanted to try more than just the sandwich on my first visit I opted for a side of spaghetti and the italian sausage. Dumped the italian sausage on my spaghetti and it was like a small side entree. The sausage was the highlight, but the spaghetti was well cooked and the traditional marinara was flavorful. While I expected the restaurant to be a little more bustling at lunch time, it was a very comfortable experience in the bright open dining area with a great deal of Houston Sports Memorabilia on the walls. I'm very glad to have visited this Houston Restaurant Icon.

Fried lasagna
Long T.

Finally made it to this Houston Italian institution... been meaning to make it out here for years but they are more of a lunch spot and I don't live in the area. Everything was super comforting from the fried ravioli to the chicken parm. The Sicilian pizza had a nice buttery undercarriage. The spaghetti and meatballs were nicely homestyle (though I would add 3 meatballs to the 3 included for a more meaty pasta). Overall, was really happy to finally visit Mandolas!

Jacob C.

I gotta admit I was very exited to try this place out. Classmates of mine had seriously recommended it and walking up to the restaurant and going inside only heightened those expectations. The outside is characteristic of what you'd like to see in a neighborhood sandwich shop. The inside felt even more on theme with UH and Houston sports paraphernalia. I must attest tho my chicken Parmesan sandwich was just good. Slightly above average but I wasn't really impressed. Solid meal though. The chicken seems to be marinated to the chicken as it Marinara stuck really well and didn't create too much of a mess. The bread and the chicken were soft and easy to the bite which is an advantage this sandwich has over most. But the flavor was only slightly above average. And the garlic Parmesan bread didn't really make an impact I assume they thought it was (didn't taste it at all). I wish I would've gotten a recommendation before coming here cause I feel like I might've just selected the wrong menu item. I definitely will come back after class one day and try again. It is most definitely worth coming back. The service was welcoming and gives off east-coast neighborhood sandwich shop which I like. Good prices

Diana J.

Nice little mom and pop deli. You order at counter and they'll bring food to table. The staff is super nice. Food comes out pretty quickly and steaming hot. The spaghetti comes with 3 meatballs so we got extra. Garlic bread is crispy on the outside and soft on the middle. The pizza has a really nice buttery crust and crispy edges. The fried lasagne is so flavorful you don't even need marinara. Deviled eggs are normal. The chicken Parmasean comes out hot and crispy and fully sauced up. And the pieces of chicken are huge. They do not skimp. The deluxe poboy was just your standard sandwich but didn't feel deluxe and like a tomato the size of a cherry tomato, bread was nicely toasted tho. Overall great for lunch. Would come here often if it were in my neighborhood.

Fountain drinks
Jacob D.

This is absolutely one of those places, where if ya know ya know. Mandola's seems to have been around for a while now serving the lunch crowd and Coogs faithfully. Walk up counter service with some desserts and chips pre packed as well. It's a casual environment, if not a bit dated. It's just a well preserved spot to watch a game or grab some Italian staples. Wood panel walls and drink coasters above the urinals we're all I needed to see to know what they're about here. The food is standard lunchy fare. I was digging the flavors on the deluxe sandwich, they're called Poboys, but that's not an Italian thing in my brain. They have mandola cola on the drink fountain, seems like a fun inside joke that I don't have a chance to ask about. We also ordered some of their pastas that really didn't leave much to right about. They kinda hit the struggle meal vibe in terms of quality with pasta, totally passable but not restaurant level. Employees are nice and the vibes are college town reminiscent, and the food is priced appropriately.

Jason Z.

Old school one-off sandwich spot in the Eastend area , just north of UH. The interior is very retro and something that you really don't see much of anymore in the city. Parking is available in their gated parking lot. The menu is simple, it's an Italian style deli with sandwiches and pasta dishes. I got their deluxe poboy sandwich and our table shared a pasta brocato and pasta mandola. The sandwich was simple and fine. The bread was pretty tasty but I found the toppings to be very simple and a bit average. Their pasta was fine as well but nothing extraordinary; the dishes definitely used pre-made pasta that you can buy from a store and the sauces were fine but ordinary, like a home cooked meal than a restaurant grade entree. Pricing on the dishes were fairly reasonable considering 2025 post inflation prices. Overall, the vibe and environment is a 4/5, the food is a 3/5, and the old school factor is a 5/5.

Mark W.

Solid as it gets. Reminds me of a few joints in Chicago that my wife and I eat at when traveling. Can't believe I've missed out on this joint while living in Houston for 43 years.

Claudia F.

Went for the Italian sub as a recommendation but left much to be desired. Pizza was ok, if we go back I'd definitely try a pasta dish or meatball sub. Desserts were good and service was also quick and staff was nice. Spacious place and not too loud.

1/2 Chicken Mandola

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Reviews are largely positive. People highlight the fresh, flavorful food, especially the lasagna and meatball sub, along with the friendly, welcoming staff and a nostalgic, casual atmosphere.

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5 years ago

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5 years ago

Good food. Spaghetti with meatballs was pretty good. Location is decent. My wife had the pool sandwich. It was good.

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5 years ago

Amazing pre houston marathon meal!!! Everyone loved it and great service. Very big layout. Word of advice chicken parietal is huge.

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6 years ago

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3 years ago

My first and I will be back! The soup, italian sausage and white beans. The service was awesome. I cant wait to try the coffee! :)

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11 years ago

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4 years ago

Great food and service! Can't go wrong with anything On the menu! Delicious authentic Italian cuisine

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Really good food convenient honestly one of the best things in the area that you can grab quick consistent

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Mandola's Deli - delis - Updated October 2026

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