Loved the old Italian vibe when you arrive. Had the tortellini en brodo, escargots and salad. My husband has the Veal. Superb!

Was here with the family this weekend and was happy they were able to move the reservation a little earlier since we were ahead of schedule. The fried calamari was very good but the baked clams were a miss and no one at the table wanted to finish the last two. My veal Marsala also was some what of let down with the sauce having a watery and almost dirty dish flavor. The veal was not buttery tender as you would expect. All the pasta dishes were very good. A pretty average dinner when you break it down. read more

Very nice and comfy spot. valet parking available at entrance . Love the bread not too hard like most Italian spot. fast and friendly service. food taste fresh and good. The Calamari was very very good. not too salty and taste very light and not too oily. read more

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This is my first time at this establishment. It is very homey and I would try it again. The portions are a good size and the staff is very nice. This was a nice for my friends and I while we waited to attend a reception. I had their special which was a risotto with cantaloupe. Honestly I wouldnt try it again but I wouldn't mind going again to see what other dishes this place has to offer. read more

Mario's - Italian Near Me - Bronx, New York

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Adore this little spot. The price was very reasonable - I couldn't believe it! Incredible food, Lasagna was excellent without a doubt. This Lasagna was prepared just perfectly. Oh yes, also the staff is very friendly. Get there! read more

We had an awesome experience at Mario's last night!!' It was a rainy damp night, and we didn't know where to go. What a great choice it was . They accommodated us - they gave a suitable tent with appropriate heaters. We were two families with young kids, and it was very comfortable. The food and hospitality couldn't have been better ! What a gem! We will definitely be back to enjoy the 100 year old restaurant . The owner was so accommodating and made our experience memorable and fun. Support this family owned incredible Italian restaurant you won't be sorry! There is a reason it has been around for so long . read more

Mario's Restaurant you are really exceptional, I had a wonderful experience here yesterday. Love the ambiance of this place. My friend had quite a few items from their menu, but he feels that their Lasagna is just simply terrific. All of the staff are super welcoming - you really feel welcome and looked after. Mario's Restaurant is a really nice place, I will be back! read more

Nice waiter, fun old school Italian vibe, but couldn't make up for the seriously sub par food. Pasta sauce tasted like it was from a can but had lots of salt added to it. Homemade manicotti was filled with half dry ricotta and rubbery bits of flavorless prosciutto. Hot mixed appetizer was like 3 bites of unappetizing shellfish drenched in the overly salted red sauce. A disappointment. read more

You have to know what's up here. Order the pizza! It's not on the menu but they have all toppings and a large is good for two people at lunch. One star off because service was a bit slow, but it was still fun and it is a damn good pizza read more

Mama Mia! The best on Arthur Avenue! This is what Italian food in New York is about. Started with a salad and out came a freshly tossed crisp romaine/iceberg mixture accompanied with tomatoes, onions, peppers, and olives. The light house balsamic dressing added the final touch. The delicious seeded Italian bread didn't last long on our table either. I ordered the eggplant parmigiana and it didn't disappoint. The eggplant was light and flavorful (not bitter, tough, and seedy like other places). It was prepared perfectly and each forkful melted in my mouth. The sauce was reminiscent of my grandmas Sunday sauce. My father and sister ordered the chicken cacciatore and it was by far the most delicious rendition they had ever had. My father made sure he didn't leave one drop of sauce on his plate. What do you do when you eat all the chicken? Well, sop up all that sauce with some warm and yummy Bronx bread! We raved about this meal all the way home! Definitely found our go to place in the Bronx. No need to go anywhere else. The food did take a little longer to prepare than other establishments so you may have to wait for something that is cooked right. My meal was on par with many meals I had in Italy. This food is rustic and definitely has old world charm. Let's not forget the awesome staff. Customer service was incredible. We had the pleasure of having at least four people tend to our table for various things. Blendi (sp?) was super nice and accommodating. He made sure we were satisfied. I left feeling comfortable and content and, oh yeah, completely full and thats a good thing! read more

Mario's - Yum! Eggplant Parmigiana! I took a few bites before snapping a pic because it was incredibly irresistible! - Italian Near Me - Bronx, New York

Great vibes and friendly, experienced service contributed to a really great dining experience. Sitting outside on a beautiful early fall night, we had an excellent family meal with a lot of shared appetizers. Calamari, grilled octopus and shrimp cocktail were some of the freshest and best prepared we ever had. Impeccably prepared Caesar salad and wonderful homemade soup with a generous breadbasket. read more

Mario's is my family's one go-to spot on Arthur Ave. We can't step foot in the Bronx without enjoying a meal here. The veal rollatini is absolutely to die for and don't forget to order one of their famous cappuccinos and pair it with a cannoli for dessert! I had the privilege of studying at Fordham University and after cheering at every home football and men's basketball games, my parents would treat me to a delicious meal here...lucky me! The customer service, food, ambience, and atmosphere had us returning not just occasionally, but EVERY WEEKEND. Now, fast forward ten years and we are still celebrating anniversaries, birthdays, and all of life's blessings here and Barbara and Joe have truly become like family to us. I can't think back on my time in the Bronx without thinking of Mario's amazing dishes, perfectly sweetened cappuccinos, and the amazing people who work here. Mario's has a special place in my heart - be sure to give it a try when you want to really eat like an Italian - enjoying food, family and friends, laughing, drinking wine, and cherishing every bite! ENJOY! read more

This has to be the worst experience ever ! Dispite the tasteless food, the drinks were weak. We waited a hour to recieve the food. My Daughter found plastic in her lasagna. The waiters response to the issue was "Its only plastic, can't hurt her!". No apologies was ever offered. Until my Yelp review was viewed by management ! read more

Been eating at mario's for years, always loved the food and service. Last time I went there food was horrible and the wait staff were rude. I'll be going across the street to enzos from now on. This place went down hill. I should have realized that when mario's was empty on a Saturday night and Enzos had a half hour wait!! See ya Mario's read more

Tried the personal Margherita Pizza Pie and Zuppa Di Pesce. Both delicious. The Zuppa Di Pesce is perhaps the best I've had, and I order this dish often at various places. The double espresso was a terrific way to cap off this meal. Un'ottima tazza di caffè. read more

I made a reservation for 4 . The waiter took our order right away. Our appetizer fried calamari did not come out until after we asked for it after 45 minutes. It was the best I ever had. They were very attentive refilling water glasses but it seemed our waiter was never by our table. We asked where is the food and the waiter said "can't you see, the restaurant is very busy". After a total of 1.5 hours later and not getting our main courses, we got up and left with hardly a comment from anyone. Very disappointed because we were looking forward to dinner. read more

Mario's Restaurant you are absolutely exceptional, I had a spectacular experience here yesterday. Was actually surprised with the area where this is located. I could not decided what to order, but I am so happy that I got Fried Calamari, it was absolutely great. Staff is very friendly and will help you with everything. Would love to come back another time. read more

100 years of cooking up Italian food and I don't know what more I could ask for. My boyfriend and I went here on a Sunday around 3pm. There were several tables, but nothing that made us experience any kind of wait. The bread brought to the table was standard Italian fare bread, if not a bit tastier than average. We ordered Peroni's because "when in Rome". To start, we split the Mario Salad, which was just your average salad with a dressing a bit heavy on the vinegar factor. Now I do not like raviolis, but when I was younger I worked at a place that used to take a van down to Arthur Ave once a month and load it up with as much frozen raviolis as could fit. After that, I realized that I only liked Arthur Avenue's raviolis. I tested it out here and I was not disappointed in the slightest. Mario's red sauce is to die for and I would go back in a heartbeat. I am going to be sure to check out if Mario's sell their sauce in any stores because it's so good I would bathe in it. read more

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They have the best pizza on the planet. No doubt without a doubt. Crazy to say that about an Italian restaurant? Try the brick oven and tell me that it's not true. read more

Very nice Arthur Avenue restaurant with excellent food and good service. Seems more Old School than some of the other establishments in the neighborhood read more

Mario's Restaurant is certainly really outstanding. Friendly ambience, fantastic service and tasty menu items. We are so glad that we have purchased Chicken Francese, it was really magnificent. Crew is super helpful and will help you with everything. Mario's Restaurant is such a great addition to area. read more

Please read the entire review in order to understand the 1 star. Let me begin by saying that Mario's is a New York institution, well respected establishment that I have enjoyed for many,many years and now that i don't live in NY look forward to eating here when I visit. The food is always phenomenal and the atmosphere is fun an authentic. Last night was no different except for a very disturbing incident with a member of the wait staff. This individual took exception of being hand signaled ( in a noisy restaurant) to come over to take an order. He stood in front of the table lecturing and scolding me and my guests on proper restaurant etiquette. I won't go into the details, but truly a BIZARRE incident. Our night and holiday dinner was ruined. Again, the food continues to be top shelf and most of the staff is attentive, cheerful and pleasant. Not sure what the issue was with this one individual, but if Mario's doesn't take some action, I'll probably look for another Arthur Ave restaurant to spend my money. I should add that management quickly stepped in and tried to "make it up to us." But at that point all we wanted to do was leave. read more

Been going here for years, great place to go with your family. They currently have really good outdoor seating and service is great, very friendly. They'll treat you like family & they have their own parking lot right around the corner. I suggest the calamari & baked clams to start. For a main, I suggest getting the gnocchi with vodka sauce...some of the most "pillow-y" gnocchis you'll ever try, I swear. The cheese ravioli with vodka sauce is also really great, at first the cheese seemed a little dry inside the raviolis, but after a few more bites I realized I actually enjoyed the texture of the cheese. The shrimp francese, veal francese, & eggplant parm were also favorites at my most recent dinner there. for dessert, go for the cannoli or tiramisu! for drinks, my boyfriend & I each order 2 cocktails & unfortunately by the end of dinner neither of us were even slightly buzzed, so that was quite disappointing after two $14 cocktails, especially since they tasted strong. Again, a great place to go with family or a nice date night. Get to know the staff, bc next time you go it's very likely they'll remember you! read more

Mario's - cannoli & tiramisu - Italian Near Me - Bronx, New York

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I've heard rumors of Arthur Avenue ... tales of Little Italy days gone by. It's where all the "real" Italian restaurants and shops moved to after staying in Little Italy no longer became feasible. Yesterday, after the Yankee game, we decided to head north instead of back to Manhattan to explore rumors of this area (she knew more than I did, though that's not even the slightest bit unusual) and all the food goodness it purported to contain. And I'm in love with the whole area. We walked up and down the Italian flag-draped streets, stopped in shops, ate salty mozzarella* ** on some of the best bread I've ever tasted and when it came time to actually get some food, Mario's was the place we were suggested to visit. Now, I admit we got there at 4:30, which is not usually the prime time for dinner unless you're my Nana and it's winter in Boca. That said, the interior gave me the distinct feeling that 4:30 p.m. dinners were exactly their specialty. If you're at all like me, dinner with your grandparents in Florida was something you grew up experiencing, and all the Italian restaurants down there look exactly like Mario's. Long rows of two and four-tops along one long bench, with chairs in the middle. Over-the-top chandeliers that don't really give off that much light. And taupe. A lot of taupe. After checking my coat (appears to be something they heavily "suggest" so bring a few bucks to tip the coat person), our waiter took our order, and since we had been eating the aforementioned muzzurellu-and-bread, we opted for one dish to split, along with a bottle of wine. "Gnocchi" we said. "What kind of sauce?" he replied. Now, that's a fair question. My lovely dining companion suggested she'd had something other than marinara there before, and as the waiter suggested spinach gnocchi, which is apparently not on the menu, she exclaimed 'Yes!'*** and we decided on that. Our waiter informed us that it might be a little heavy, because of the ladle-fulls of alfredo sauce in it, we considered the possibility, and then said "let's get it anyway, it's an adventure"****. He left, and returned by thudding the bottle of wine on the table. Now, I'm industrious and quite able to open a bottle of wine on my own, but this seemed a little odd to me. Was it a screwtop? Is there a new way of serving wine to bubbes that allows them to pour their own and avoid a corkage fee? So I started to try and open it, much to the shock and horror of the person seated across from me. Apparently he just left us the bottle to peruse until he came back with glasses and opened it for us. Silly me. It was tasty, though. So we sit and nosh on the bread (also crackalicious) and the food comes out in a super-hurry. Excpet the gnocchi is red, and not white. Since last I checked, alfredo's not red, we inquired as to why we had received this one instead of the one we ordered. Our waiter replied that we had thought the other two heavy, and this was the one we had requested. It was still good (I didn't think it was anything special), but we had a good time in an authentic Italian restaurant. I reserve the right to upgrade my star rating on this place if (when) I go back, hopefully closer to dinner time and with the strict understanding that I won't try to open my own wine bottle. * - Apparently, when you're really Italian, there are like 85 'u's in there. Muzurellu. Ok, maybe just three. But there were more u's than I was used to. ** - Also? Crackilicious. *** - Not like Meg Ryan. This isn't Katz's, after all. **** - There are no calories on adventures. read more

We left. The service is slower than an octogenarian with ankle weights. Went there for lunch on a Sat. It was around noon. There were 5 waiters and 5 of the 30 or so tables were occupied. We were seated 2 tables from the wait station in front and asked to move to a more cozy romantic table (since the place was virtually empty). The owner (hostess) agreed, but wasn't particularly welcoming. Ok, the bus boy brings nice warm bread and 15 minutes go by -- no sign of a waiter. Finally we flag down a busboy and ask him to send over the waiter. He comes back and says "the waiter is busy, can I take your drink order?" WTF? The waiter is busy?! There is no one in the joint! OK, we order drinks and 10 minutes later the waiter finally wanders over. No apologies, nothing. We say "eff it", pay for the drinks and go across the street for lunch. This place is lame. P.S. Half the restaurants on Arthur Ave have a "B" in the window from the Board of Health?! I don't get it, that's a well connected street (allegedly). All I can think of is that the owners of some of those establishments haven't been making payments on time (allegedly). read more

WELCOME BACK MARIO'S!!! We had our first dinner al fresco since Mario's reopened after the pandemic closures. Amazing pizza cooked to perfection... the best in NYC!! Enjoyed mussels marinara, osso bucco with risotto and cannoli tartuffo dessert too. If you are anywhere in the Bronx don't miss Mario's ! Thanks to Regina and her professional, friendly, attentive staff ...can't wait to be back with more friends and family!!! read more

We really enjoyed our New Year's Eve meal here! We started with a stuffed artichoke and calamari. The calamari was superb! I think it was one of the lightest, tastiest calamari dishes I've ever had - and I've had this dish a lot! I ordered the veal saltimbocca and Lili ordered pesto rigatoni. Both dishes were fantastic. We actually just ate the leftovers and it was just as good today - so I'm writing with the flavor in my mouth and am feeling happy! We also saved the desserts for now - a cannoli and another orange flavored pastry...wow!!!! If I lived here I would eat here often. Go!! We chatted with the owner Joe for a while - really nice guy. The restaurant has been in his family a long time. Check out all the oil paintings! I think he said they were his uncle's. read more

While it is a trek getting all the way to Arthur Ave. the Italian food in this little Italy is well worth the trip. The neighborhood is a bit dodgy, and the decor is a bit much, but the food is fantastic. The stuffed peppers and mushrooms antipasti are mouthwatering, and the veal scaloppine entree is excellent. As a fairly typical New York Italian restaurant, you really can't go wrong with any of the food choices. Where one can go wrong is by thinking that this place is anything special. Considering how pricey some of the menu items are, special should be expected. If you're in the neighborhood and you need a place to eat, Mario's is an excellent choice, but I don't know if I can say it in particular is worth special trip up to the Bronx. read more

A great restaurant is the sum of its parts. Mario's is one such place. You walk into a symphony of service, aromas and warmth. You could be at a family dinner (albeit without the drama) or a memorable first date. You are suspended in a happy flavorful memory. Mario's is old school in the best possible way. Nothing disappointed. From the starters to desserts - subtle flavors - fresh ingredients - each course counted. So many choices - the freshness of the pasta - could not pass up the gnocchi in vodka sauce - little pillows melting in your mouth. Eggplant rolatini, fettucini Alfredo, and spiedini were savored and discussed. A dessert trolley - double espressos require it - filled with pastries and sweets made choosing dessert a group effort. St. Joseph's cake with custard filling was as good as remembered. Mario's is an experience to be savored. For us it was a destination from Brooklyn and Connecticut and I for one did not want to leave as we passed tables fragrant with more culinary treats. It had felt good to immerse ourselves in a meal. We left with promises to return. read more

"Welcome to Generic Italian Restaurant #2109, where like every other stereotypically named Italian restaurant on Arthur Ave. (Enzo's, Giovanni's, Pasquale's, Dominick's, Mario's), we offer mediocre 'authentic' Italian dishes that you can just as easily (and cheaply) find at any pizzeria such as Chicken Parmigiana, Fried Calamari, Veal Scallopine, and Penne Vodka. We cater largely to out-of-towner Fordham University students and their parents, whose idea of Italian food is spaghetti and meatballs served by bald, mustachioed Italian men and are impressed by pictures on the wall of the owners and cast members of The Sopranos, of which we have many scattered around our newly (read: 1978) renovated premises. Our waiters are arrogant, pushy, and full of shit, much like used car salesmen. This restaurant has been on Arthur Ave. for over 80 years, which means we used to be good when Italian people actually lived around here and we had to make good food or go out of business. Now we mail it in and charge you double what you'd pay at one of those 'newer' Italian restaurants in the city and quadruple what you'd pay at your local pizzeria (as if they could make generic vodka sauce or eggplant rollatini any differently than us!). Buon appetito!" read more

It was a dark and rainy night during Fordham University's family weekend. My parents and I made the trek down Arthur Avenue to our dinner reservations at Mario's. We were taken about 10 minutes later than our reservation but that was to be expected on Arthur on family weekend. All the restaurants were packed with parents and their children. Despite the crowd, once we were seated, the wait staff was very attentive and gave us very good service. The water was friendly, although maybe a bit too pushy for ordering an appetizer. I didn't mind much since it was family weekend and my parents were paying. The food was fantastic. I ordered the veal marsala for my entire and was very satisfied. The cannoli cake I had for desert was not the best I've ever had, but still pretty good. I would gladly return to Mario's again in the future. The food was great, the people were great, and I loved the overall ambience of the restaurant. It is a must-visit staple in the restaurant scene on Arthur Avenue. read more

I'll start off with the good since that is what the 2 stars are for; the bread was great and the waiter was pleasant. The bad; So i work off Arthur Ave and have the opportunity to try other restaurants on the block. We came in a group of 12 for lunch and wound up having to wait an hour for our food. Mind you, only 2-5 other tables were occupied. The appetizers were ok, Some folks complained that some items were cold, i just didn't like the taste of the Eggplant Rotini in the Antipast platter, which scared me a bit cause i ordered the Eggplant Parm as a lunch special. I'm not going to judge on dishes i didn't eat, just my own. The Eggplant Parm is ok, underwhelming if anything. I felt i could have had a better dish at a local pizzeria. I ate about half the dish. Sauce was not that tasty and it didn't wow me. I'm not big on the wow factor, if it tastes good all is forgiven but it tasted decent. Like someone attempting for the first time. The place is outdated yes but i don't let that bother me, especially with all the accolades all around the restaurant but in this case the outdated style goes hand in hand with the food, which was disappointing. The soda was flat, type you'd get from an old soda fountain. There were a ton of accolades all throughout the restaurant so i'm sure at one point this place was grand but there are others on the block that can best it. Bathroom was clean, but thing that stuck was that one of the members of the party asked for angel hair spaghetti as a side and the waiter said they ran out. Now here is my thing, your on Arthur Ave, there's about 20 restaurants and about 12 Italian food stores and wholesalers; you couldn't just 1) get it on the fly and say you have it or 2) better prepare your inventory. I will be back in 6mo and will try again. Hate to knock a place without a second chance unless i personally saw something unsanitary. I hope they get better. read more

Holy crap, some of the waiters here DO have an attitude, those prissy little pricks. But the FOOD, oh man. This is real food. This is ITALIAN. I don't know what you rest of New Yorkers are shoving down your throat tonight (I'm afraid what I might find out, actually) but it sure ain't gonna be as good as what you could get at Mario's. Just make sure to find the right waiter is all. I hate to do it, but I'm taking away -1 star because of service. Damn Jim, you cold! read more

I took my wife and my best friend and his wife to Mario's on Arthur Ave in the Bronx for Valentines Day 2/14/15 . I've never been there before although it got good reviews but my review is not good it's GREAT that's right Great, I'm not the only one who thinks so all four of us agree. We started with the hot Antipasto for four which was absolutely amazing it had a little bit of everything followed by Veal Rollitini Again Amazing everyone's dish the same review, I would highly recommend Mario's to everyone some of the best Italianblood I've ever had RUN don't walk there. read more

Mario's - Me and the boys - Italian Near Me - Bronx, New York

Came here for dinner prior to visiting the Orchid Show. This restaurant is definitely a family owned restaurant as it seemed like everyone in the family was working here, real Italians. Inside, the restaurant doesn't look like it's been updated since it opened. You have your greek columns, nude statuettes, and some old family photos. Inside the restaurant is dark, almost too dark as it was difficult to read the menu. The menu, like the restaurant looks completely unchanged since it was opened. To start off, we were brought a nice half loaf Italian bread with sesame. Included was olive oil and butter. The bread was awesome, a nice light crunch but the olive oil included was not the best, probably the stuff they use to cook with since it lacked any distinguishing characteristics. We ordered the hot antipasti, I had the lobster ravioli and the gf had the broccoli rabe with rigatoni. The hot antipasti was a rip off for $8.50/person. It came with two shrimp, two mussels, two clams, one strip of eggplant, a button mushroom, and two strips of stuffed peppers, everything was drowned in marinara sauce nothing of which was noteworthy other than the marinara sauce. The lobster ravioli was equally flat and boring only slightly accentuated by a better vodka sauce, equally disappointing was the rigatoni broccoli rabe. Honestly, I've had much better lobster ravioli from Agata & Valentina. With the lack luster (and sticky) menu, this place is probably a small step above an olive garden. I love that this place is family owned, but I've been to family owned Italian restaurants that would blow this place out of the water. On the positive side, service was good (waitstaff and the kitchen). I would say given the neighborhood and the food, this place is a bit overpriced. read more

Words cannot express how much I love going to Mario's. Tonight's lasagna was out of this world which I believe is the best in the city. The great thing about Mario's is that it is always on the menu which means when I go there I can always order this wonderful dish. The cold antipasto hit the spot thanks to our waiter Blendy who made all the right choices of shrimp cheese salami and various Italian meats. The veal Marsala was seasoned perfectly with just the right amount of salt. Joe and his family with a Regina at the helm makes this a wonderful dining experience that I highly recommend. Go there and u won't be disappointed. read more

Mario's - Italian Near Me - Bronx, New York

I am shocked this place has only 3.5 stars. What is wrong with you people? We are huge fans of old school Italian and seek it out wherever we travel to. The menu isn't fancy or original but the food is freaking great and extremely affordable. Our stuffed artichoke was great. My arugula salad was not the freshest and is the only reason I am not giving this place five starts. My husband had red snapper with clams and mussels. We both wanted to sneak into the kitchen and watch the chef make it so we could try to recreate it at home. I am not a big fish person but this is among the best fish I have ever eaten. I wanted to lick the plate. My pasta was note worthy too. Great sauce and flavors. Not over cooked. Had a nice tooth. I love the old decor and they are not trying to be trendy and fancy. read more

I know that I knew better than to fall for it, but I went anyway. Terrible and Expensive... Me and my date... We hardly ate anything and two cheap bottles of wine for $200... absurd. The salad was a salad, hard to screw up. The calimari was good, but also hard to screw up. The entrees Redfish in a red-sauce, tasteless and $30. The shrimp primavera (including... count them... FOUR Medium-sized Shrimp) $27. What a waste, but we had a good time laughing at how silly we were to even think about it. If it was cheap, then it would have been great, but what a joke. read more

Great food sadly Arthur ave is dwindling down to a stretch of just a few genuine authentic Italian restaurants. Come here, enjoy the food and the lunch specials for $13.95 are a great deal. Come and enjoy the bronx authenticity at its finest here at Mario's. Let's support these restaurants! read more

Mario's - Lunch specials - Italian Near Me - Bronx, New York

A recent jaunt north to Arthur Avenue prompted a Saturday lunch at Mario's. It was excellent! Simply put, if you're craving Italian-American favourites and an old-time setting, this place delivers. Penne ala vodka, eggplant parm and the like are all delicious, reasonably priced and served with warm and professional service. As a dedicated Manhattan resident, the occasional craving for low-brow pasta is difficult to satisfy. Little Italy is a thoroughfare of Ecuadorian guys harassing tourists to try their spot. For the real Italian-American experience check out Marios and you wont be disappointed. read more