Our group of 16 had lunch here after laying to rest a good friend of ours. We did not make any reservation but they were able to accommodate our big group. The host was very attentive and our glasses (wine for adults, water for kids) are never empty. The food are good and filling although some entrees like my penne ala Vodka is a bit bland. Hubby got the Chilean Sea Bass but it was overcooked and the red sauce was overpowering. The kids loved the complimentary bread and their fettuccine Alfredo. All the adults love the proscuitto appetizer. read more

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This is a difficult one in that many areas of rating are mixed. The service however was exceptional so I bumped a 3 to a 4 ENTRANCE- we were greeted promptly and quickly seated for lunch. We were the first diners but a small stream of patrons came within the hour. AMBIANCE - very rustic decor with many oil paintings of Italian landscapes. Very traditional looking. Old school but nice MENU - traditional fare with specials enough variety for everyone SERVICE- this was a 5 star item. Our waiter was quite congenial and had many amusing stories to share. FOOD - things were very mixed in this regard. The bread served was more like the kind you would get if you ordered a sandwich in a local deli. I mean they are next to one of the best bread stores on Arthur Avenue. For appetizers we had the octopus salad which had great oil and dressing but was slightly over cooked and a tad rubbery. Tried the mozzarella and tomato slices that were dressed well with balsamic and oil but the mozzarella was only ok. Again around the corner is Casa Mozzarella that has the best cheeses. ENTREES- I ordered the calamari fra diabolo that had a fantastic sauce but the calamari was also a tad over cooked. Wife had a a very delicious pasta dish with sausage and broccoli rabe. So overall I'm mixed on food rating. VINO - decent but nothing exceptional. They do pour a really full glass though PRICE - for the Bronx pretty reasonable. Two people a few drinks the bill was $120 ish. Like a high $$ low $$$ depending what you order. read more

Mario's - Nice table view of the oil paintings in the background - Italian Near Me - Bronx, New York

Traditional Italian food. Excellent hosting by the WHOLE staff! Excellent Sangria!! Delicious n juicy baked clams!!!! read more

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Food was excellent. Particularly the pasta in each individual dish had a homemade feel. Yes - I tasted each persons dish. The only dish I wasn't thrilled with was the calamari. A little chewy. But I've been warned to never get seafood from any restaurant on a Sunday. Fish markets are supposedly closed on Saturday and Sunday. Thus - seafood left from Friday. The waiter and the overall service was excellent. They had valet parking without a fee. That is definitely a bonus. The atmosphere was old school - liked that - allowed me to imagine of an era that has past and will not return. Extra touch - live singer that had great voice , sung loud enough to hear, but low enough to not disturb a table conversation. Overall - very satisfying experience. read more

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Fried Meatball are best meatballs we EVER HAD... wow. Great service, food, ambiance, and unmatched authenticity! read more

Our server was Val, he went above and beyond exceeding our expectations. We had an error during our order but he made it right. The portions were a little bit smaller than we hoped. The setting was easy on the eyes, a casual outfit would work for this location. If you go, I recommend Val! read more

Busy time of the year. Service was quick, menu selection is extensive, and as always well prepared and delicious. Prices have gone up specially for this restaurant. read more

After trying a lot of places around Arthur Avenue, Mario's is now in my top 3 favorite Italian restaurants in the neighborhood. For one the restaurant is quite charming. There are many cabinets filled with knickknacks, paintings on the walls and ceiling decorations. This charm even extends outside with outdoor cabinets filled with figurines. The whole place just gives off a very classic Italian restaurant vibe. When I was here with friends we joked about how much it feels like those Italian restaurants you see in movies or T.V shows like the Sopranos. The quality of the food is also good and the price is fantastic. We ate as a group of 4 the last time we visited and the bill only came out to around 115 or so. That is very good considering we all got entries. The quality wasn't bad either! We got the calamari, some pasta and Parmesan chicken. The calamari I had was pretty great considering I haven't eaten Italian style squid in years. I would highly recommend Mario's for anyone looking for a classic Italian restaurant experience. Whats nice is you don't need a suit and tie to join and we saw a people wearing both casual and formal clothing so its quite flexible for the mood your in. What you won't see though are overly loud Fordham kids which nearby restaurant cater too. That's a big plus. read more

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

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Chewiast, inedible calamari and clams oreganato I have ever had. Very small and non dressed antipasto. Eggplant rollitini was all mush. Will never go back. Avoid this place as there are way too many excellent restaurant. read more

Old school southern Italian dishes here are nice size and very good Attentive Service Bar separate from Dining room All around positive experience read more

Meh! Wouldn't recommend for food but the service was great and the sun was shining on our outdoor table for some time. So that's good. Artichoke not in season but ordered anyway. And ... no meat on it. Clams oreganata were good. Bread is eh. Better from down the block at Madonia brothers. Shrimp marinara boring. Chicken scarpariello was more like Marsala. Saltimboca just ok. Cannoli tartufo was very good. Cappuccino too. It was nice to sit outside. But we will try somewhere else next time in the area. read more

My staple. Period. Food is always great. The cocktails are always fantastic. The price is great. My staple. read more

Foods were excellent service top notch and the ambiance felt like I was in Italy with the mini sculptures paintings and nice design. Definitely recommend dinner at Mario's if you are in the area. read more

It's a place you should check out because of the history and the decor. Food is solid, but I don't feel like anything stood out about it. Wasn't bad and it's worth going for the experience. read more

I had been here once before, when I had the lasagna which was the best I ever tasted. This time however, I gave five stars on the basis of the outstanding ambiance, service, drinks and dessert, however I really was not that impressed with the food. We had clams oreganata, stuffed ricotta with pesto, shrimp francese with linguini and red sauce. The clams were ok, the ricotta was just edible, the pesto tasted like it was out of a jar and the pasta was nothing to write home about; the shrimp were overcooked. The bread was good. My drink, an elderberry cosmopolitan, was outstanding as was the chocolate cake we had for dessert. The service was wonderful, so much so that I left more than I ordinarily would for a tip and couldn't find any fault whatsoever with that. read more

Wow - I hate leaving bad reviews, but the food was terrible. I had the chicken parm, and it was bad. It is REALLY hard to mess up chicken parm, and the pasta was straight out of a box. I think I could get better at my local pizza shop. And the bread wasn't even good (again, pizza shop quality). My wife had the eggplant parm, and it was equally bad. For a restaurant that has been around for 80 years, it's mind boggling how the food could be so bad. This is our first time trying this restaurant (we have been to several others in Little Italy) and it will be our last. read more

Had watched some youtube vids about how great this place was and it was bland and tasteless. Our favorite Italian place in Manhattan closed a couple of years ago and we have been trying to find a new place to go. This is not it. read more

Mario's has been a family tradition for 30+ years-through 2 marriages, and myriad life changes. Coming here feels like we're joining the family for a meal-and the recipes, we have on good authority typically come from Grandma-and before. Anything red sauce, iterations of superb standards, pastas, the artichoke, hot antipasto, and my all time fave- chicken parm. Mario's is the gold standard- with service from what seems like old friends- Shaq has been serving us for 25 years. Fresh , flavorful, and knowingly , one of only 2 restaurants on Arthur Ave with an old line Italian chef in the kitchen. It shows. Like coming home. read more

I had went to this restaurant today and the service was awful. They kept giving me refills when I had not asked for anything, and the food was undercooked. My ceaser salad tasted sour. When I left the restaurant I left a 20 dollar tip and my waiter chased me outside and demanded more. This is insane. Chasing customers for money?? I am DISGUSTED. Do not recommend this place at all. Unacceptable. read more

The pizza was fantastic. Wonderful. The chicken parmigana was good. Service was top notch. Our waiter was very helpful and was there for whatever we wanted right away. Hope to visit Mario's again soon. Great Italian meal. read more

A historial restaurant! Beautiful and intimate restaurant for any occasion. Had an amazing time for dinner with my wife. The restaurant staff and service were impecable! read more

HORRIBLE. Sat at 6pm. Took almost 50 minutes for our awful cold appetizers to come out while we listened to a cheap karaoke singer. And 1hr and 45 minutes in, our food still didn't come. We had a show to catch at 8pm and told the owner, who rudely said she only had 1 chef and that it didn't matter if we arrived to our show at Botanical Gardens on time, because we "wouldn't get in anyway with the lines". We told her other tables that sat down 30 minutes after us got their food, and we didn't appreciate her attitude. We witnessed other tables talking to her about the same thing, while she gave attitude, no care, and no resolution. I will NEVER be coming back, and I will make sure my friends and family know to stay away. read more

Couldn't give less than a five-star rating for atmosphere, warmth, and attentiveness of manager, server, and even entertainer. Came with husband, son, daughter, son-in-law, and two grandgirls ages 3 and 4. The girls enthusiastically gobbled up the pizza and bread and danced to the music. Food was like the Mario's of years ago. We will be back. -Former Bronxite- carry it in my heart, and patron of many restaurants near Arthur Avenue. Love Marios. read more

Absolutely superb lunch with my sister and my son. Wonderful warm, attentive-but-not-annoying service. Calamari Fritti plate was a crispy and generous serving that pleased the family. Stuffed zucchini blossoms were perfectly prepared with (I think) two cheeses inside and a tasty batter. Sister says the Caesar Salad was one of the best she's ever had. Chicken Francese was delicious in a homemade lemony sauce and optional capers (bring them on!) Side of linguine and red sauce kept the young man full. Meatballs were a delectable blend and filling and light at the same time. We loved our visit and are eager to return. Wait staff graciously kept our water glasses filled and no pressure to up the bill. Waiter overheard mention of a birthday as we were paying the check and he insisted we pause while he brought us a delicious slice of cake topped with (amaretto?) whipped cream and a candle. Yummy finale to our great lunch. Bottom line: Prices are fair, space is comfortable, welcoming and super clean. Food outstanding. I'd even consider the street side tables and I normally never eat outside in NYC. Thank you Mario's team! read more

Menu has a wide selection of all the classics. Wine list is not large but has many choices of good value. Calamari batter was to perfection as was the marinara sauce. The pizza was delicious, crust was crisp and tasty. The sausage and peppers was delicious. The eggplant parmigiana was a little lacking in flavor but was OK. The wait staff was excellent and the table service was very good. read more

I grew up in the Bronx. I even went to high school (Go Rams) about a 10 or so minute walk from this place. And yet this is the first time I ever ate here. And I am upset with myself because I could have had this food for a while now. It is SO GOOD! My son recommended we go here since he wanted to try some of the best pizza in the Bronx while we visit family. We got a large pie and he raved about it...ate 6 slices. My deal though is the Chicken Francese. This is my favorite Italian dish and if a restaurant has it I'm going to order it. The issue is that the ones I've tried in most places don't compare to the original spot I first had the dish. Mario's, however, did not disappoint. It was delicious here. The sauce was great and the portions were generous. We also had some garlic bread with cheese because why not. That too was a good look. So when we come to visit family again, we are definitely stopping here. And when we have more time, we'll eat there as well. read more

Absolutely terrible, do not go here, literally anywhere else in the neighborhood has to be better. Expensive and just awful food. Ordered clams oregonata, mozzarella caprese, penne alla vodka and gnocchi sorrentina. The clams were ok, and the caprese was fine except that it was ice cold and had clearly come directly out of the fridge. Both pastas were abysmal. Overcooked, falling apart pasta, vodka sauce that seemed to be 90% cream with little detectable tomato flavor, just criminal, especially at $20/plate. Yuck. Gross. Do not recommend. read more

Well we had the entire place to ourselves and the food was very good and perfect service! Ordered linguini and clams, chicken francaise and spinach sautéed in OO and garlic. Bread was replenished with no questions asked, and authentic EVOO! Pleasant lunch and plan to return very soon! read more

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Came with a friend after spending the day at the NYBG. We sat outside and started off with the baked clams and calamari. Then we ordered the escargot and the gamberi francese (egg battered shrimp with lemon butter in a wine sauce). Everything was very good! read more

Mario's - Baked Clams Oreganate and Calamari Fritti - Italian Near Me - Bronx, New York

We've been going to Arthur Ave for a long time and been to many good restaurants on and around but never thought about going to Mario's although we've seen it many times and boy were we glad we stopped in because it was amazing We wanted to try the pasta so we asked what he recommended and said we should get the chefs specialty of clam sauce and that we should get Buffalo for app and boy it was probably one of the best red and white clam sauce (got both). Then pizza was great as well read more

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Skip it...Service is nice although we had a long wait between appetizers and entrees. We started out with bread and dipping oil and a plate of tasty marinated carrots. Then we had a sloppy mess of appetizers...soggy clams casino, mushy asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, and decent eggplant rollatini. Calamari was crispy and served with a spicy marinara sauce. Spiedini was awful..bread toasted with melted bland cheese - no anchovy flavor to be had. Meatballs - no taste and definitely not fried ...served with a sweet onion sauce. Veal Marsala - veal was tasty but the gravy was congealed and I swear it had pieces of liver in it. Also had something "crunchy" in it...The side of string beans was decent. I really wanted to like it... read more

I really wanted to give Mario's a higher rating but in all honesty I just can't. There was five of us in my party and I was excited to once again eat on Arthur Avenue. We arrived and was promptly seated and fresh, warm bread and sauteed carrots placed on our table. The bread was absolutely delicious. It was warm and crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside. We devoured the entire basket. Let me just say that the service was very good. Our waiter answered any questions we had, made recommendations on what we should try and kept our glasses filled without us having to ask. So I ordered a toss salad to start (it was ok as salads go) and the shrimp fra diavolo served over spaghetti. The first thing I noticed was that the portion was a little on the smaller side - I could barely see the spaghetti underneath the shrimp and sauce. My meal tasted ok - nothing more, nothing less, but what I was most disappointed with was that the sauce didn't stick to my pasta and was on the runny side. The other thing that I noticed is that I wasn't full like I normally am when I eat Italian. Everyone else in my party felt the same way - the food was just ok. Not sure if I will go back again. read more

this place was very good. i got the spaghetti marinara. and it was amazing. i ate everything! big pieces of tomato, garlic, and basil. loved the bread and olive oil for the table. loved the marinated carrots for the table. clean bathrooms. welcoming staff. they had a guy singing different tunes which was cute. the only con is that the service is a bit slow at times. mainly when we wanted the check. we couldn't find out waiter. they have different people to pour water, bring food, take plates away etc. its like we just want to leave now lol. wheres the check? but it was very good and i would come back. read more

Absolutely delicious food with outstanding service. My husband and I loved everything about Mario's. We visited mid-afternoon after spending the day at the Botanical Gardens. The ambiance was lively and we just missed the singer. He was starting as we were leaving. We will definitely be back with our entire family. Mario's did NOT disappoint. Do not skip the cappuccino!!! read more

Food overall was good. Deserts were bomb - we also got a cannoli cake that was delish. I loved the spot - many of the paintings were of the old country and created a nostalgic atmosphere. Even the glassware had a post-war feel. There were many large parties that were dining simultaneously which added to a familial vibe. My main gripe was the heavy use of oil on the dishes, but the food was prepared in a very traditional way - so that makes sense. read more

Mario's - Front : butternut squash ravioli with cinnamon; center: broccoli rabe; back: gnocchi with pomodoro sauce - Italian Near Me - Bronx, New York

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Just excellent food, excellent service. We had a big appetizer plate with rolled eggplant, stuffed mushrooms, clams calamari and eggplant. The veal scallopini wrapped in prosciutto over spinach was quite spectacular. read more

The food was good and the entertainment was great, but I understand why they have it- to distracts customers from noticing how long to takes for the food to get to you. I came at an hour where about 40% of seats were filled and it took 45+ minutes to get my order. Aside from that this place was great and I would recommend for people who like to get a good bang for their buck. read more

Impeccable service. These guys know what they're doing. They treated me well and I noticed that they treated every customer very well. These types of restaurants are rare. Good service is vastly different from impeccable service... I had a salad and the eggplant parmigiana and wow...amazing. Their wines were superb as well. I had a Merlot, Pinot, and a Cab Sav. I've not had such a great experience at a restaurant like this in a while. This is for the books. Think what you will. But I say well done. read more

This is an amazing family owned restaurant! The food is to die for! My favorite is the rigatoni alla vodka & the bread! My husband likes the lasagna which has a good portion of meat! The food is fresh and flavorful! The service was great and friendly, restaurant is very clean with comfortable seating! I love their outdoor area! The only thing I could say is I wish that they offered a lunch menu or lunch prices as it's just a set menu for any time you go. It is worth the money but prices may be expensive for some in comparison to other restaurants. I'd highly recommend this place to everyone and I will definitely return! read more

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Stopped by for lunch after a long morning at the zoo. We started with refreshing white sangria which was perfect on a warm summer day. I had the delicious Caesar salad and stuffed clams (and about half the loaf of house bread dipped in olive oil). I loved the Caesar dressing - you could tell it was house made, lemony, fresh and delicious. The stuffed clams were classic and just what I wanted. My husband got the angel hair in vodka sauce and I of course had a taste and it was a perfect classic. I would go back in a heartbeat for an a deliciously comforting old school Italian meal. read more

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