we are uwec alums back in eau claire for a night for the first time in a long time. Found Mona Lisa on Yelp read the reviews decided to give it a chance. Back when we went to school here, Water Street was nothing but bars, still has lots of them but this place is fantastic. My wife had homemade pasta in a cream sauce with prosciutto and I had their tenderloin. Really a terrific meal and the prices are reasonable. Wish there would have been a salad before the main course came out, a little surprised and disappointed that neither a salad nor bread or part of the meal, but all the same very satisfied with our meal. We'd go back again read more

Tasty food. Excellent ambience. I have a confession, sometimes when I'm at work I dream of being out on your patio sipping a white wine and eating your beet salad read more

Looked forward to celebrating my birthday at a local favorite recently. Had dined here several years ago and enjoyed it and understood it still held a reputation for being a very nice restaurant so was looking forward to sharing it with someone who hadn't been. Hostess and first impressions - Meh - "we couldn't care less why you are here, we're going to be busy regardless" and she appeared to feel about herself and her appearance similarly. Food was above average, served hot, with generous portion size and nice presentation. Menu selections and descriptions well done, pricing fair. Wine list was tacky with "sold out" - stamped on many offerings. Plenty of wait staff, and they hustled. I didn't expect to see them in t shirts with entrees priced in the $25-40, but whatever. Here's the part that should make ownership cringed - not once in the 5 times that we had a wait person at our table was there any suggestive selling. We would have ordered an appetizer, we would have had a 2nd glass of wine. We would have spent 20% more. Will I hurry back, not so much. I think resting on your laurels in the restaurant business is dangerous. Mona Lisa's needs to bring it up a notch in my opinion. read more

My favorite restaurant in Eau Claire! Best spot to go to celebrate, bring friends and family from out of town, or just to go get a great dinner. Menu rotates quite often, so you can always try something new. Italian fare, with lots of vegetarian/vegan options. Awesome dessert - the panna cotta is to die for! And their cocktails are great too! Definitely a must try if you like great food, chic atmosphere, and awesome service! read more

Great atmosphere and very tasty food, would highly recommend to anyone looking for a cool place in Niagara Falls area.

Worth it. Order anything from the menu and you will have a happy night. Been here 3 times and never a dull moment. $$$ but worth it for memories and fun. read more

Had a lovely dinner here on the eve of Eaux Claires festival. our waiter was absolutely wonderful. the atmosphere was chill and artsy, and I liked the layout as even though the place was pretty full it wasn't overly loud. As for the food- we both enjoyed our meals-- the boyfriend had a spicy chicken pasta-- but my entree, the burrata salad with an addition of flawlessly cooked, wonderfully fresh and tasty salmon, was perfect. Combine that with the bread plate (a must) and we were too full to sample what sounded like great desserts! Props to the bartender as well for making my dirty gin martini precisely how I like it. Wish we lived closer- will keep this in mind whenever we are in the area. read more

Mona Lisa's not only has top notch quality Italian but has one of the best atmospheres around. You won't be disappointed!

This is a tough one. After reading the reviews I really wanted to love this place, but in the end I was disappointed. After we were seated it took nearly 15 minutes to be waited on. That being said, once we were attended to the service was very good. We sat on the patio which was very nice. The food and drinks were expensive! Nothing was on the house with bread being listed as an appetizer. This is normally fine, but if I'm going to pay $19 for a pasta dish, it would be nice to have some bread on the side. The presentation of the food was awesome, but the flavor was disappointing. I had the homemade gnocchi which was beautifully presented but bland and uninspired. read more

A $28 Spicy scallop pasta that had 2 and a half scallops??? Yikes. If you want to get away with serving 3 scallops on a $28 plate pasta, please do it right and don't serve a half scallop. Anyways, what an awkward position to be put in - do you complain about it or not? I did at the risk of being branded a picky customer, and the waitress brought me an extra 'whole' one. I have to admit that the dish itself was very good. I guess you got to live with it when there isn't much competition in a small town like Eau Claire. read more

Very friendly and helpful staff. Italian food, but menu also included a cajun spiced pasta dish. Bread was authentic and delicious. Wine list was too big and looked like it was meant for the wine snobs, so I ordered a Manhattan. Big mistake. Drink was weak. When in Rome .......... I should have stuck with the wine. I did not even see any beer on the menu. I had a spinach penne pasta dish and it was delicious. Good atmosphere to visit in and a very unique history to the building. read more

The reviews took us here, but we were disappointed. The fact that their salmon and shrimp are farm raised seemed incongruous with their mantra of "buy local, eat fresh, etc etc". The waiter had to check with someone to answer two of our questions. We asked for bread and were told it would be gratis, but normally they charge for it. The tortellini and the spinach pasta were over cooked. read more

The patio was lovely. The food was good, delicious actually. I wouldn't say it is overpriced for what you get, it's comparable to other restaurants featuring local food. My 2 issues- limited menu and I'm a picky eater, so I ended up going with the $36 steak. Service, our actual server was great. But when we first got there, for our reservation, we were ignored for a good couple of minutes. I would understand this if it was busy but over 1/2 of the tables were empty. Waiters walked by and barely gave us a glance. The hostess finally appeared and didn't even address us until she was behind the counter, she literally walked right in front of me. But whatever, for an anniversary date night, the drinks and atmosphere made it all worth it read more

Not as good as it used to be. I'm very sad. No free bread anymore. Sangria had one orange slice.. That's it. The menu said mixed fruit. My husband had chicken breast and risotto but it didn't say bone in chicken. Our waitress was very awesome, her name is jessica. read more

Really great find in Eau Claire. Great fresh ingredients used. You can always find something fun and delicious no matter what mood you are in. Servers are pleasant and the ambience is nice. read more

Great food. They mixed up a few orders but staff did a great job with making up for the mistake.

We were just picking up our drycleaning in Eau Claire, when we decided to look fot a bite to eat. A quick Google search and we both decided on trying some italian food at Mona Lisa's. This choice was definitely an experience. We were seated very quickly, at a table of our choice. The decor was very eye catching, and modern. I'd also like to take a moment and give kudos to our waiter David. Excellent server, and great personality. He was above average, and gave us time ordering food and drinks. We ordered The Board Game as an appetizer, very pleasant arrangement. I had the Gnocchi, and my friend had the Chicken Tortellini. Excellent presentation and flavor. I would most definitely order again. For dessert we had the Apple Crisp and Sorbet Trio. All around an excellent meal. We will be returning again at a later time. read more

Food a bit too salty, although flavors were good. Bartender didn't make drink according to menu. Had to tell bartender to use the type of bourbon listed on the menu and also didn't use the morello-soaked cherries in the Manhattan. Waiter was slow to take order and when asked for bread was told we would have to wait awhile. Are you kidding?? The food and atmosphere are good so I will be back despite these negatives. read more

If you are ever traveling north and happen to be threw Eau Claire, WI. This is a great spot to stop for dinner. There are two restaurants owned by Lisa. The second is Stella Blues (5*) in my reviews. I really love the atmosphere. The exposed brick, the local artist and the lay out is fun. It has a big city feel in a small town feel. The recipe box in this place is amazing as are the martinis. The food here leans Italian with Lisa flare. The service is always fun and plenty of eye candy. They know how to up-sell. A bat of the eyes and our favorite lowered them self to eye level... Good for a bottle of red. Great house selections on the list and if you are traveling and use to the city. Great deal for a great lay over. Perhaps desert near the fire place. You will also be in the heart of the University's famous "Water St." either direction out the door is a great time. Allot of live music on weekends. Fun unexpected stop on the way to the cities. read more

Overpriced for skimpy dishes. Disappointing that my boyfriends $25 shrimp pasta dish, while plentiful in pasta, had a total of 5 TINY shrimp in it and was very bland to both of us. My scallop pasta was a bit better, but still very skimpy with the meat to pasta ratio. The house wine was fine. The service was friendly but a bit slow. read more

Went there on a first date with my current bf a while ago and refuse to return. Our server was friends with one of her tables so we no attention. I ordered lasagna and it came out as a soupy sauce and when I brought it up nothing was said so I just asked for some bread to dip in the soupy marinara. I ended up being charged for the bread and very unsatisfied read more

Really yummy food! However, our service was awful! Our server didn't even stop by our table until 6-7 minutes after we sat down. He barely checked in with us throughout our dining experience. And to top it off I had only eastern half of an expensive entree, he offered to box my food which I agreed. About 10-15 minutes goes by and he says a fellow employee threw it away. Accidents happen and that's completely agree but he never offered to at least comp half of the food they threw away. Needless to say it was fun to eat local but I don't want to go back because of the service. Save the money and go somewhere else. read more

Bourbon scallops is hands down my most favorite dish at Mona's, but you can't go wrong with anything! Start with the shisito peppers app or if they have dates or figs on the menu, those never disappoint. I've had pizzas, pasta, and everything is always absolutely delicious. Dessert is a must have too! The molten lava cake is guaranteed to be delicious and enough to share. Mona's is my first choice whenever I'm dining out for a nice evening. Service can be hit and miss but usually it's pretty great. read more

Mona Lisa's - Bourbon sea scallops, risotto, and haricots verts, w/shisito peppers - Italian Near Me - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

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Ordered the bourbon scallops on top of basil risotto. Amazing!!! Not one smidge of food left on my plate. Affordable wines. Admirable craft beer list. I eat here every time I'm in town and am always impressed. I will miss this gem when my project at UWEC is complete. Charming atmosphere, friendly bar tender (John), and fantastic food! read more

We recently celebrated a special family event at Mona Lisa's with our 4 children, ages 15 to 23. We hadn't eaten there before but we'd heard great things. We wanted the meal to be as special as the occasion so we chose a restaurant that (we thought) was more upscale. Sadly, we were disappointed. First, we made our reservation a week in advance but arrived to find that our table was in the bar, right next to the hostess station. By making a reservation, we thought we might at least be seated in the dining room! And by "table" I actually mean two tables of uneven height shoved together, no tablecloth, leaving the people seated in the center with a space too uneven to set a plate down. Then there was our waiter who was rude and inappropriate the entire night. Even after we mentioned that we were celebrating a family occasion, which should have been obvious from our formal attire, he continued to treat us like college kids out on the bar scene. We couldn't figure out if he was trying to be funny or flirt with our daughters or what, but it didn't sit well with us. He also promised to bring us free dessert to celebrate the occasion, but then asked at the end of the meal if we wanted to order dessert and seemed surprised when we declined. The door to the restaurant was open to the night air and as the evening cooled down, we all started to get cold. We asked if the door could be closed and were told "no" without explanation, despite the fact that we were literally seated right inside the door and there were ceiling fans above the whole bar area to keep the air moving. Why?! Finally, we were surprised that at a restaurant that seems to be going for a fine dining experience, nothing was included with the meal...not a salad, not a warm basket of bread, nothing. No little "extras" to make the meal feel special. We are pretty easy to please so it takes a lot for us to complain. But this was a special occasion for us and we thought a restaurant of this caliber could have somehow treated it accordingly. After dropping a ton of cash for an "experience" we could have had at our local family restaurant for half the price, I can definitely say we won't be going back any time soon. What I will say is that the food was delicious so these two stars are specifically for the chef and the kitchen staff who are turning out great food. It's not their fault that the service is not at the same level. read more

Terrific atmosphere a little pricey +20 but worth it. Had the scallops with basil risotto delicious

Mona Lisa's might be the only place worth eating at in Eau Claire. The food and service are excellent. The only thing I would change is that they are closed on Sunday and Monday. read more

Definitely surpassed the expectations I held for fine dining in Eau Claire. Man-of war cocktail: delicious. Scallops with risotto: worth every penny. One of the more enjoyable meals I've had in some time. read more

A restaurant that can draw a crowd on a Tuesday evening is a good sign that there is something worthwhile happening there. I'm sure that te free wine tastings probably have something to do with it but the food was very good. Our group of three people was served quickly and efficiently. The entree prices are in the $16-25 range. read more

Another one of those very few restaurants where anything you order, pending food allergens, is going to be to your liking. We order multiple courses each time my friends and I have gone, and our food has always seemed to come out perfect and in a timely manner. Located somewhat near campus, I suggest students to take their time between visits as it may get a bit costly, but oh is it worth it! read more

The food was amazing and the cocktails were phenomenal. The seating could have been better. My chair was bumped on numerous occasions by the wait staff. It was very unpleasant. I was especially annoyed because I had made reservations long in advanced and was seated at a table right in the middle of foot traffic. I am sad to say that it negatively affected my experience there. read more

So much fun and so tasty! I love the big fireplace, jazz music, tasty adult beverages and really unique menu. D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S sweet Old Fashioned! The beet pasta was particularly memorable and, unfortunately, I had to keep stealing bites from my table mate, but she's my sister and the portion was REALLY generous. Cocoa pasta (can't remember what it was called) was delicious for the first 5 bites, but got kind of old after that and the color was really off-putting. If you're visiting Eau Claire, definitely check out Mona Lisa's (and Zanzibar in Menomonie!) read more

Great beet salad but I substituted blue cheese for goat cheese. Amazing basil risotto! Impressive eau clairie eatery!

Aug 9th Our Anniversary, 6:30 reservation, Nice interior. Great menu. When the waitress offered free desserts (due to poor service) we said, No, we just want to "Get Out of Here" because it was so LOUD, unsettling. Not a place for a relaxed dinner, Fair food. read more

Went there for my birthday with family. We started with the baked feta, and it was phenomenal. I couldn't get over it, and was trying to scrape the plate clean. Then I ordered the Shitaki Penne pasta, and wasn't in love with it, so I traded plates with my mom who had ordered the lamb. It was, just like the feta, PHENOMENAL!!! I would definitely recommend Mona Lisa to everyone, and cannot wait to go back. read more

While I agree with others that the pricing was a little steep overall I really liked this place. Listen, you are in Eau Claire, it is not exactly a plethora of fine dining eating establishments but this one stood out (along with Stella Blues) on Yelp and the Parents and I were very pleased with both places. I ordered the Spicy Scallops ($21). The scallops were excellent, there were 5 decent sized scallops. They were served on a bed on linguine and tons of veggies. The portion was HUGE so I sent it home for my Dad to eat the next day since I was traveling. I made sure to eat all the Scallops :-) I wasn't drinking that night but it looked like they do specialize in wine. The decor was cute and welcoming. If back in the area, I would definitely go back. read more

Great menu and wine list. The Sambuca shrimp is amazing! Good service, table side and @ the bar. One of my favorite Eau Claire fine dinning restaurants & I recommend! read more

One of my Favorite restaurants in Eau Claire. The menu changes often, but everything I've had there has been excellent. Very nice atmosphere and a nice wine list too! read more

This is definitely one of the best places in Eau Claire. My wife had the bourbon scallops and I had the seafood pasta, and we also had the calamari for an appetizer. Both entrees were a-mazing, and the calamari was very tasty as well. Atmosphere is really good too right down on Water St. read more

we ordered four things off the menu and none of them met our expectations. No one else seemed to be bothered by this restaurant. We've visited this restaurant before and the atmosphere is good but that's it. lots of weird mixtures and horrible recipes. Would not recommend. read more