4. Restaurants

Mamma Luisa Italian Restaurant

2710 N Steves Blvd, Flagstaff, AZ, 86004
  • (928) 526-6809
  • Store is closed

Mamma Luisa Italian Restaurant Menu

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Visit below restaurant in Flagstaff for healthy meals suggestion.

Denny’s ( 2306 E Lucky Ln )
Chili’s ( 1500 S Milton Rd )

  • Marcee K.

    Overall the food was only so-so. The pasta sauce was just tomato, no hint of spices. I ordered eggplant parmesan, it was drowned by the tasteless red sauce The place was cute and the service was fabulous. I just wish the food tasted better then I make at home. The salad was fresh iceberg lettuce with some standard veggies. The housemade dressing was yummy. The bread was a bit dry and hard.

    (2)

  • Terry M.

    Our hotel recommended this little place that is tucked away in a little strip mall. My expectations were not very high. Food was above average, service was excellent and the place just had a nice intimate feel to it. When in Flagstaff, I would go back.

    (4)

  • Greg E.

    The beer was cold. The garlic bread out of this world. I had the cheese ravioli and it was average. My wife chose linguini with red clam sauce and was extremely bland. Olive Gardenesque at best.

    (3)

  • Fred S.

    This is a GREAT Italian restaurant. Small, cozy, friendly. The food is fantastic. My favorite dishes (I'm vegetarian) are eggplant parmesan with a tasty red sauce, cheese tortellini in a creamy pesto sauce, and pasta with shrimp in a lemon pesto sauce. Every meal comes with a full salad and bread. Tony, the chef, comes out every now and then to greet his customers. Its truly a family, friendly restaurant. If you close your eyes, you could even imagine being in Italy.

    (5)

  • Jenna P.

    Extremely courteous and friendly staff, yummy food, intimate atmosphere! Pesto linguine highly recommended! Complimentary night cap :)

    (5)

  • Gloria S.

    Came for a family bday dinner. We walked in and were seated quickly. We started off with a sad excuse for garlic bread. I thought the point of garlic bread was-you know- the garlic, which was no where to be tasted. I ordered a fried eggplant dish with a cream sauce on top. Eggplant could have been crispier, sauce tasted off to me. With this entree I got the choice of soup or salad. I chose soup-which was a mix between egg drop soup and soggy frozen spinach in water-needless to say it was disgusting. Got tiramisu for dessert-I think it was a little dry, but maybe I'm just being picky. The place was quiet, except for some dirty old men at the next table hitting on the waitress.

    (2)

  • Elizabeth E.

    Sitting in the foyer waiting to be seated, an older couple walked out, gripping their bellies, moaning to us about how we should be careful since the portions were large. "Ha!" I scoffed to my companion, "this is perfect I'm starving." And I was really hungry since we got into town later than expected and it had been one of those really long days. Little did I know that soon I would started to feel very ashamed that I'd scoffed at the wisdom of those diners who had been kind enough to try and warn me. After a salad and some tasty bruschetta, I had what must have been a truly authentic Italian dish with eggplant, prawns, prosciutto, mozzarella and all kinds of unwholesomely delicious flavors. I couldn't even finish half. So while the price appear high for dinner, the portions are large and I found the quality and method of preparation to be sublimely satisfying. The Tiramisu and friendly service was just....icing on the cake! Tip: don't be fooled about the restaurant's unassuming location in a strip mall -- this place is nothing but the most excellent in quality.

    (5)

  • Deb N.

    Thought with the rave reviews, would have been fabulous, it was mediocre at best. Maybe a California palate is different from an Arizona one. Ordered the Veal Scallopiniwith the tomato sauce with onions and peppers, over a bed of spaghetti. Came with a salad with italian dressing. And got the garlic bread. The sauce tasted like it came out of a jar (Ragu), there was no flavor. The salad was standard, lettuce, two cherry tomatoes, onion ring or two, the dressing was from Safeway. The veal itself, without the sauce was good, but the total experience was so so. $30 with a glass of merlot. Try Olive Garden instead.

    (2)

  • Bethie G.

    Fantastic italian. Eggplant parm is awesome!

    (4)

  • Jennifer P.

    Bland food. Garlic bread worse than I make at home ( eww). Lemon Garlic Chicken bland, needed salt, but good quality chicken. Marinara sauce good ( but I had to ask for some to spice up the garlic bread). Homemade Italian dressing on salad...you got it...bland.

    (2)

  • stephanie W.

    Okay, now I know that I've already reviewed an Italian Restaurant, but this is my favorite place of all time. The food is the BEST I have ever had. Everything is good so I don't really have a favorite dish to recommend. The restaurant has been there quite a long time, and is located in a strip mall on Route 66. I was a little sketchy the first time going there, but the food makes up for the ambiance. If ever in Flagstaff, this is a place that you must try, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Yenly M.

    I had the chicken marsala and it was so bland and oily. The texture of the chicken taste weird also. I can't believe their menu said thos is their best dish. It was so bad that my friends stop eating it even though they were hungry. My friends who ordered red sauces said their dishes were ok. Meatballs weren't seasoned enough.

    (1)

  • leslie m.

    This place is wonderful! They have homemade bread that is super, and the chicken marsala is delicious. Great for family get-togethers and is is also very romantic. Red and white table clothes, wine, etc. We were surprised at the quality and service-very good! I prefer to eat in family owned places, and this place deserves your business!

    (5)

  • Christine S.

    This place was recommended by the Best Western, and it's within easy walking distance. It's a small place, and it is warm...almost cozy. Service was prompt and friendly. I got a kick out of the waiter, Jake. He's great...attentive but not overbearing, and he's good at treating his customers like special people. He has a super attitude. Ok...so as usual, I ordered manicotti...(I just can't help it, I love that stuff) Once it cooled down to below boiling lava temperature, it was quite good...the sauce...not no much. Definitely tastes canned. The garlic bread...hey...it's bread with butter & garlic...I don't see what the fuss is over this. I got here right after opening, so I wasn't surprised to see the place empty...it fills up quickly, and everyone seems to be having a swell time. I'd definitely come back...although I certainly hope to NOT break down here again...still, a planned stop isn't out of the question.

    (4)

  • Taylor S.

    Dinned here tonight for the first time. The service was good and the atmosphere was nice. I had the chicken marsala. It wasn't the best marsala ever. There was way too much sauce on the plate.

    (2)

  • Andrew V.

    First time eating here. Came for dinner and ordered the eggplant parmesan. It was brought out hot and delicious. The texture of the eggplant was not over cooked and mushy, not was it undercooked and rubbery. My only critique is the cannoli. The pastry shell tasted like it was made from a site bought wonton, the chocolate-cheese filling was a little grainy, and the whipped cream was from a can. I would come back here again but would see what other desserts they had available.

    (4)

  • Doyle D.

    This restaurant is located in a small strip mall. It is like an old fashion type of Italian restaurant. Music of love and far away romance played throughout, sung by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and other famous 50-60's crooner's. Our order was taken quickly and served without error. The food was hot and delicious. The portions were more then ample and there was plenty of warm freshly baked bread for all 4 of us. We had the Italian Sausage Lentils soup, a nice tomato broth rich in Italian spices and a generous portion of sausage spiced perfect to match the full flavors of the broth. The house lasagna was a delightful blend of tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and a hint of anise. The meat and pasta were layered in the casserole filling but not overflowing the dish. A slice of mozzarella cheese meted on top to complete this great Italian standby. The only regret was that we did not look at the dessert menu. We will be returning for another great Italian dinner.

    (4)

  • Tatiana D.

    OK, in this case I'm pretty sure all the 5-star reviews are written by staff/friends/family because this place serves the worst Italian food you'll ever taste in your entire life! If you want to visit it for that kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience go ahead, otherwise stay clear of Mamma Luisa's! Also, bring a lot of money it's gonna cost you an arm and a leg, you'll leave hungry because you won't be able to finish your meal and you'll have to go somewhere else to eat that night. Seriously, I've never had anything more atrocious and disgusting than food at that restaurant. Here is why: What you think you are ordering: Lemon Pesto Chicken which is described as "Boneless chicken breast sauteed in pesto with white wine and lemon. Served over linguini garnished with pine nuts". What you actually get: a bunch of overcooked linguini swimming in unsalted warm dirty laundry water with traces of oil in it topped with chicken that's been bleached to get rid of any traces of chicken taste and then soaked in two bottles of fake lemon juice to mask the bleach taste. I couldn't finish the first piece of that "chicken". What you think you are ordering: Shrimp Milano which is described as "A seafood version of our Saltimbocca. Jumbo prawns layered with ham, mozzarella, eggplant & spinach for a divine taste perfectly complemented by a delicate wine sauce". What you actually get: prawns that have been run through the dishwasher a couple of times after the previous customers couldn't finish eating them, topped with ham that's been frozen for the last 30 years, topped with tasteless eggplant+spinach and an egg(!) on top. Again, swimming in some dirty bath water that's called sauce at Mamma Luisa's and served with a side of pasta in tomato (!) sauce. What you think you are ordering: Kids' meal for $7, yes $7 - meatballs with linguini. What you actually get: overcooked pasta topped with ONE meatball a bizarre gigantic size. They don't serve any bread with the meal, which for the kind of money it costs to eat there, they could. Although, it wouldn't be much of an improvement the food is so bad that I'll never forget visiting this place. I cannot believe that place has been in business for as long as they have been.

    (1)

  • Ashley I.

    Come on flagstaff :( this isn't even authentic Italian food yet it has been voted best of flagstaff since the beginning of time?? This was my first Yelp review let down. After explaining how great yelp is to my mother and using it to find this place she is definitely not sold on yelp. Our food was overpriced but honestly even at a more reasonable price it wouldn't of been considered " good." Service was great but you can't out serve bad food.

    (1)

  • Jenn Q.

    Good, not the best.

    (3)

  • Jerica N.

    Save your money, go to Olive Garden.... My husband and I were dying to check out this local Flagstaff Italian place and now we deeply regret it. The food was awful- over cooked and watery, not to mention HIGHLY over priced for the small portions. I added salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese to my dish and it was still bad. The servers were friendly at first, but hardly paid attention to us. We were not asked if we wanted refills or more bread, and had to ask for our check. There are no more than 20 tables in this hole-in-the-wall and we saw our server exactly four times. In addition to that my husband's Dr.Pepper was literally brought out in a plastic bottle. So tacky considering we're paying $16 a plate! The set up of the restaurant is crammed and awkward. The restrooms are located in the back, so you have to walk down a narrow hallway past the kitchen to get to them. I understand that is not their fault, but it still is annoying. Over all, I was greatly disappointed and will never be returning.

    (1)

  • Beth S.

    Best Western recommended this restaurant to us while we were visiting. It was a nice quaint little place with friendly staff. I had the vegetarian eggplant, my son had the fettucini Alfredo and my other son had the kids pizza and we were all very pleased with our meals. My husband, on the other hand, wanted to try something new. He got the chicken rolled with ham and cheese in a sweet wine and mushroom sauce. While he said it was very well prepared, he didn't care for it. But sometimes that's what you get when you try something new. All in all we were very happy with this restaurant and will put it on our list for when we travel this way again.

    (4)

  • barbara m.

    The only reason why we came here was because strombolis has sadly shut down. This place is in a little strip mall that doesn't even look like a safe area to be in. Service was good, the waitress was nice. But the food was so bland. I got the linguine with white clam sauce. My pasta was swimming in water. They didn't even bother to strain the pasta. Pasta was bland, even after adding salt and pepper it was bland. Boyfriend's chicken parm was ok. The soup was excellent. Very disappointed. I make better food at home and I am not even Italian.

    (2)

  • Morton Y.

    We did a ten day drive around AZ. This place is burned in our memory as the worst dinner of our entire trip. attentive service, but dreadful food. Those eating there apparently did not know how wonderful Italian food can be. And, to boot, it was expensive! Go to one of. A number of very good locally run pizza places instead. You will leave happier.

    (2)

  • Kim B.

    it was on a list of restaurants best western recommended in town and it's in a strip mall not too far from there. the soup was authentic tasting but just ok. i know the meal was good and the server was from the family who owns it. i prob would go back their with their cute italian old school ambience and b/c food was good other than the ok soup.

    (4)

  • joyce b.

    This is in a small strip mall restaurant but don't let that fool you. There was a nice selection of wine, my salad was fresh and the balsamic dressing excellent. I had veal Marsala, my dining companions had linguine with clam sauce and spaghetti with sausage and meatballs. All were hearty portions and all were delicious. We finished with excellent tiramisu and cheese cake. Alicia O. waited on us and she was fabulous. She Attended every request , orders were perfectly presented and she checked back often to make sure we were happy. Zak did a nice job too. We will be back and we will definetly recommend to friends.

    (5)

  • Shirley H.

    Great food, great service , poor location. Great inside

    (4)

  • Yelper D.

    Friendly hostess and waitress, portions too big to finish in one sitting. Yummy comp bread.

    (4)

  • Raiza C.

    This was probably one of the best restaurants we got to eat at while in flagstaff. Really glad it's away from all the hustle and bustle and yes, it's tucked away in a little strip mall near a circle k and other shops. We ordered to go so this doesn't reflect service though the lady who took our oder and helped us out was very nice and didn't forget about us or the amenities that came with ordering to-go. She even did a last check before she handed us our food. The setting: it's cozy and has a family feel to it, nothing too fancy or pretentious. They have Italian opera music playing which adds to the calm, laid back setting. The food: Really good! I got the meat lasagna which I ate very quickly. The portion was generous for one person and it's smothered in red sauce topped with melted cheese. The lasagna was a little heavy on the cheese, would've like more meat:cheese ratio to counter the sauce it's smothered in but you can always use the bread to sop up the sauce. Your order comes with salad or soup- salad was fresh and lettuce not soggy. The Italian dressing seems housemade and is definitely more on the tangy side, but I enjoyed it. SO got chicken stuffed with cheese and spinach covered in pesto sauce and comes with a side pasta (can't remember the name of the dish but you get two breasts and it was really good). The pasta was okay, it was just penne with red sauce, which he didn't really touch. He got soup with his dish which was nothing exciting as it was just broth with spinach and eggs. We also got the complementary roll- really good! It looks almost like a cinnabon without the glaze. You can break it apart and share easily. Overall: food was decent & but a little pricey. We got 2 items and total with tip came out to $39. I enjoyed the food here but I went with the safe choice. I'd recommend their lasagna if you're unsure of what to get!

    (4)

  • Ray D.

    Go to this place if you want a ton of the canned tomato paste, unseasoned meat and two teaspoons of cheese. As you can tell I was not impressed. I ordered lasagna, garlic bread, side salad and red wine. The lasagna was overly sauced preventing me from tasting the ricotta cheese and meat. The garlic bread was actually pretty good and the wine is just ok. The servers were really nice and attentive, you will not have a problem finding parking. This is a very small quaint place, you'll be close to other patrons (not an issue for me). The layout of the restaurant is awkward at best; once inside you maze past the receptionist desk making a right turn followed by a quick left turn. Now you're inside the setting area. If you want to use the restroom you'll have to walk down a small hall, during my walk the servers yelled "Bathroom" and the ladies hugged corners and walls getting out of my way. I can tell this is a fledgling restaurant owner and I want to see them prosper as I do for all; at this time I have to dock'em pretty hard on stars.

    (1)

  • Shelley S.

    Hesitant at first. Small hole in wall. The menus were a little messy, hand prints and a little maranera sauce. BUT THE FOOD WAS FANTASTIC! The girls are fast, sweet and hard working. Again you WILL NOT REGRET EATING HERE

    (4)

  • Bruce K.

    Mamma Luisa was the third Italian restaurant we tried in Flagstaff after the first one was only subs/pizza and the second one was just way too expensive. As the saying goes, Mamma Luisa was just right. Service from our waitress and her helper was quite good, keeping water glasses filled, getting us another basket of bread and the timing of the salads and entrees. We did not wait long for the check and did not wait long to pay it. I had the baked ziti which was different in that it included bits of eggplant. Which is not to say that it was bad, just that it was different. Extremely hot coming from the kitchen, it took a bit until it was at an edible temperature. Mom went for the proper eggplant parm and while she enjoyed it, she said that it was way too heavy on the red sauce and did not have nearly enough cheese. We opted not to have dessert here. I'd return to Mamma Luisa if I was in the mood for Italian.

    (3)

  • Larr G.

    My wife has food allergies. She has become very ill every time that we tried this place. We provide them with her allergy card on each visit, so there should be not excuse for mistakes. I really don't believe that they know the ingredients in the food they serve. Both the serving staff and the kitchen appear to be clueless about this. They apparent do not understand ADA or they don't care. If you have food allergies, stay away from this place. If you want mediocre Italian food, then you will like this place. It is not a patch on the a*s of the worst Italian Cafe that I have eaten at in either New Orleans or San Fran.

    (1)

  • Miller M.

    Not sure why everyone tries to bash on this place. I've come here 3 times now and had great, tasty food every time! The service is a little slow and the locations is old and not as clean as it could be. But the food is great! A little pricey for what you get, but that's just Flagstaff.

    (4)

  • Geno M.

    My girlfriend and I went there for a romantic dinner and had a great time! We started off with the Spinach/Artichoke dip and wow!!! It rocked. I had the Chicken Marsala and my GF had the Pasta Primavera with Shrimp!! Both cooked to perfection! Even the salads and bread was good...

    (5)

  • Graves D.

    Found on yelp and the pasta was good, but the veggie orzo was oily and not quite tender enough.

    (3)

  • M L.

    I really wanted to like this place. The best I can say is that the bread was good (but nothing special, really)... The salad left something to be desired, the 'housemade' italian dressing tasted like pretty mediocre bottled dressing and there were large flavorless tomato slices. Th lasagna was close to inedible, in my opinion. The sauce was sweet, it tasted like straight tomato sauce with sugar added. The mozzarella didn't taste fresh and the meats didn't do the dish any favors. I can make a better lasagna and I'm no chef, so that's about how great that was. On top of that, it isn't cheap. I would definitely suggest people eat elsewhere.

    (1)

  • Robert Y.

    I have lived just a few blocks from this place for 4 years and I always wanted to try it because I had heard good things about it. Finally, an opportunity arose last week and I decided to go for broke. The results? Not too good. This place is tucked in a corner of an old marketplace. Its not really a bad location, but its a little out of the way and a bit inconspicuous. The inside of this place looks fancy. There is red carpeting and there are flowers, the menu is in cursive like a fancy Italian restaurant, and they have a nice menu of alcoholic beverages to boot (I didn't drink so I can't comment on them). The prices also are high enough to indicate that I am in for a gourmet meal. All indications are that I am going to be in for a treat here. Alas, no, and this is where my review gets tricky, because despite my one star review, the food was edible here. Lets talk more about it. As is my custom when visiting Italian restaurants for the first time, I usually try to order chicken or eggplant parmigiana. I was glad to find both on the menu, so I sprung for the chicken since I needed the protein. But first they served a roll of complimentary bread and I ordered an appetizer, sautéed broccoli. The bread was enriched white bread, and it was served with butter. It was nice, and I enjoyed the fact that those who eat it could peel away their piece as it was prepared in a sort of braid. It was bread, and it was edible of course. Next came the broccoli. The broccoli was sautéed in a butter and garlic sauce. It was ok. It seemed as if the sauce was cheaply made because it lacked the subtlety and the freshness of similar dishes that I have had. I thought that it was possible that maybe they went overboard a little with the sauce, no matter. I looked forward to my chicken. One thing I would like to point out about the chicken, they fry the chicken here. Since I do not normally eat fried food, I asked them if they could possibly serve the chicken without the breadcrumbs. They were more than happy to accommodate this and to their credit, they did. However this is where the praise unfortunately ends. While the entree contained a nice large piece of chicken, and generous helpings of spaghetti and sauce, it seemed as if it was created by amateurs who have no idea what good Italian food tastes like. Being from NJ, and having visited Italy myself. I think I know a little bit about this. The chicken tasted ok, but looked as if it was previously frozen. Not that big a deal as long as the mozzarella and the sauce were good. Well, the sauce was ok, it tasted like it was cheap Ragu to me, which can be ok for a bachelor who is cooking a quick meal, but not at a restaurant. Not only did the sauce underwhelm me, but the cheese did too. I was expecting good mozzarella, and got what seemed to be some cheap stuff. In all, it was edible, but not worthy of its decor. It felt like a fancy McDonalds that served Italian food instead of Burgers to say the least. In all, the service was great, however the food was very lousy. Its rare when I can say the best part of my meal was the bread. As a consequence, I also wrestled with rating this place between a 1 and 2 star. I thought the service was fantastic. Although there were several patrons present, I always had my drinks filled by both the waitress and the hostess. I found that impressive to say the least and thought it was worth mentioning. However I really disliked the food here and I don't want people to waste their time with this place. However, given the cost and the quality of the food, I decided to give this place one star despite the five star service. What a shame, because now I can say that there is only one good Italian place in Flagstaff, and it is not even what I would consider a 5 star either.

    (1)

  • S H.

    Wow! We final found a place to return to. Husband had shrimp primavera and I had the eggplant parmesan. Fantastic! His sauce was super creamy and rich. The eggplant was sliced thin, not over breaded and not over done with cheese. The sauce look plain and thick but after one bite I was pleasantly surprised. The sauce was not overly acidic or over seasoned. The salads were fresh and the Italian dressing was phenomenal. The staff was extremely friendly and attentive. I was happy to see then take pride in the cleanliness. Will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Charles W.

    A delightful experience made all the more pleasant by the folks who served us. Excellent meal well presented

    (4)

  • C.M. F.

    Overpriced Olive Garden! Actually Olive Garden has better soup and never-ending salad and bread sticks! This is my second time here in the 13 years I have lived in Flagstaff and it's still as bad as I remembered. First off their dinners are $14-$21...for canned Italian? Service was prompt but arrogant. When my friend decided on the salad over the soup, our waiter's response was almost condescending. When I ordered the soup he became a waiter in a fine Manhattan restaurant with his head cocked back stating "excellent choice"! The soup was some sausage/spinach combo and it was not very good. I told him that I wasn't pleased with the soup and that the Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden is actually better than this to which I received a grunt of sorts. Now to the entrees: Chicken Cacaiatora (usually one of my favorites) had a bitter sour taste unlike any Cacaiatora sauce I ever had, the Veal Marsala was very chewy and the Manicotti was overcooked...in fact all of the pasta was mushy that if it wasn't for the chicken or the veal, you could have gummed it down. I see they get Best of Flagstaff from the Daily Sun readers. I'm not sure if that's because besides Pasto it's the only locally owned Italian restaurant that does not have a focus on pizza? Wake up Flagstaff...this is not good Italian food! I do not mind paying $20 for a good plate of Italian food, so I'll save my money and treat myself to Roma Garden when I am down in Phoenix! A place with real Italian food like Mamma used to make and real Italian ambiance somewhere far away from Mamma Luisa!

    (1)

  • Sara J.

    Oh my god!! Amazing! My husband, father-in-law, and i stopped here on our way from San Diego to GA. Top notch! My husband had the Chicken Marmalade, I had the chicken parmigiano and my father-in-law can't remember at the moment lol but it was amazing. Absolutely recommend stopping here.

    (5)

  • Susan S.

    We used to love this place but feel it has gone downhill, our sauce had no flavor and the shrimp was overcooked and rubbery.Unfortunately and with sadness, I would say it's comparable to Olive Garden. Whomever says this is a great Italian restaurant obviously didn't grow up in San Francisco, Boston, NYC! or they really need to get out more!!!.

    (2)

  • Dennis A.

    I've been here several times. I think after my most recent visit, I won't be back. I love "mom 'n pop" places and normally, mom 'n pop are here. On my previous visits, there were family members working as servers but not this time. Tonight, the waiter was maybe 19 years old. He reminded me of a high school kid pretending to play a waiter in his drama class. He had this ludicrous affectation of "sophistication" and spoke in a very obviously fake dramatic voice. Whatever. What I did not like was that he asked it we'd like bread. Having been here 3-4 times before, we knew they serve nice hot bread with the soup/salads. This time we got garlic bread. We were enjoying it and then realized we got "sold". I asked the guy playing our waiter if he charged us extra. He said yes, he thought we'd enjoy garlic bread so he served it and charged us for it. Not cool. My son took forever to eat his salad. Being the parent I am, I made him keep working on it. I am not kidding, I'll bet 10 times, I had to fend off the waiter and bus-girl who seemed to both suffer some obsessive-compulsive disorder that compelled them to fixate on this salad, rendering them incapable of functioning until it was removed. It got to the point that we all would laugh out loud each time they dwelled about it again, despite being asked over and over to leave it alone. The food was pretty good, not fantastic or anything, and quite pricey ($15-$20) for a plate of noodles. The $15 pasta would have been $8 in San Diego's Little Italy. One final stupid issue, The bus girl packed the leftovers into the containers upside down, in every instance. Don't you know which way is up? We enjoyed our food but given the annoying service and high prices, (4 ppl, no alcohol, no fancy meat dishes = nearly $100 with tax and tip) I think we're done here.

    (3)

  • Carol P.

    We love this local family owned Italian restaurant. When out of town guests visit, this is always a sure hit for dinner. The food is fabulous and the staff is knowledgable and friendly. Skip Olive Garden and chains, try Mama's!

    (5)

  • Sandra S.

    Although the food was Ok, the service was so slow that we were ready to go when the meal finally arrived. When we arrived the small local restaurant was partially filled. It took almost 70 minutes to be served and 40 minutes before we got our salads. We had been traveling all day and were looking forward to a good experience in a place that was local. Don't know what happened because we saw others come in after we arrived and leave before we were served!

    (2)

  • Joseph E.

    This place was recommended to me by a local. I won't be returning to this place. The food was sub par when it came to "home made" style. People told the waitstaff that they didn't like the food and they said sorry and charged them anyway. Stay away or maybe hit up a mainstream place like olive garden. OG may be not be the best but you'll definitely get more for your money.... $17 for chicken parmesan is a bit rich for a 6 ounce breast and pene noodles...

    (1)

  • Jeff F.

    Mushy mushy mushy. Why three mushy? Mushy spaghetti, mushy manicotti and mushy pasta in the soup. If you like your pasta aldenti do not eat here. I think the manicotti was cooked last week sometime, it was awful. Gag! Bread was good and meatball was just OK but not bad.

    (1)

  • Lori G.

    We got a meal to go about a year ago when we first got to Flagstaff and it really wasn't that good. but there are some locals who like Mamma Luisa's so we decided to try it again and I took pictures this time as we ate in. The waitress was very attentive and friendly. The music was all Italian oldies so we could see that they are trying for good ambience. there was a fresh rose on the table but the plastic vines towards the front were dirty. we ordered veal Parmesan and eggplant parmesan that came with soup or salad and a loaf of warm bread and cold butter. my husband chose the salad which was very good. The minestrone soup was odd. it had potatoes in it rather than pasta, which is unlike any minestrone I've ever had before. it wasn't bad...it was just that with all the different vegetables it was more like vegetable soup with an "air" of minestrone about it. The veal in the Parmesan was tender but pretty tasteless. The eggplant was tasty but both of our entres' had the same sauce on top, so they pretty much tasted the same. The tomato sauce is just that, tomato sauce with not much other seasoning except for garlic. it doesn't taste bad but it doesn't make you want to have a lot more either. there is really nothing remarkable about this restaurant or the food. It's an Italian meal for an ok price. my husband ordered a raspberry Italian soda which was also so-so. We ordered a cannoli that had grated dark chocolate in the cheese and some orange-ish flavor which made for a very odd looking and tasting dessert. we would not order that again. i took pictures of everything so if you're interested take a look.

    (2)

  • beran h.

    Wow is all I can say get the artichoke Spanish dip amazing great service and great authentic food !!!!

    (5)

  • Tabitha N.

    Great little place. Our waiter Jake was on his game and did not disappoint. I recommend very highly!!!

    (4)

  • g s.

    After being rebuffed by The Fat Olive, we were still in the mood for Italian. We asked our Garmin for an Italian restaurant, and it found this place. What a gem! The bread was hot from the oven. Salad was included, and quite delicious. The spaghetti sauce was not overly spiced---very satisfying. I've heard that real Italian sauce tastes mostly like tomatoes. This fits that description deliciously well. The staff was friendly and accommodating. We loved the atmosphere. It seems like a place where friendly people come to eat! Nicely done.

    (5)

  • William T.

    Wonderful Italian food, especially the "house specials". Small family run restaurant. Not fancy but can be quite romantic. Quiet. Great wait staff. have some garlic bread!

    (5)

  • Amy H.

    There's a reason Flagstaff keeps voting this place the best Italian food in town. It has tasty, classic Italian dishes. It's the place to go for Veal Scallopine or Chicken Marsala, not the latest americanized version of Italian. Frankly I'm baffled by the bad reviews - we eat here a couple of times a year and we've never had anything but well-seasoned, delicious homemade food. Never watery or bland. Most recently my husband & I had Manicotti & Chicken Rollantini - delicious with portions so large we both had to go boxes. And the calamari appetizer was great - tender not at all rubbery, and just lightly breaded. Dinners are $10-$20 with most in the $12-$15 range. Service has been consistently good over the years. Yes, the decor and menu don't change much - Mamma Luisa's is a classic not trendy or pretentious.

    (5)

  • Sheri C.

    A small quaint family owned & operated gem in a dark strip mall. Excellent food and service. Amazing chicken broth, spinach and egg drop soup, fresh bread, chicken Marsala and eggplant parmigiana.

    (4)

  • Neena M.

    We came to see Sunset Crater near Flagstaff and were all very hungry. We found the restaurant on yelp and decided to check it out. Mamma Luisa's was great. Good food, excellent service and very welcoming. Shannon was an excellent server. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • George L.

    Sorry folks But this place was a big disappointment but The pasta was mushy And the Marsalis sauce gravy was canned the food was not edible!

    (1)

  • Jessica W.

    I found out about this place through yelp and an "italian food in flagstaff" search and thought i'd give it a try for my friend's birthday dinner. When we finally found the restaurant, we weren't sure it was SAFE to go inside. But we mustered up the courage and entered the tacky italain setting. Then many things went wrong. 1. the food was expensive and was NOT worth the price. it was either tasteless or tasted like it came from a can 2. our waitress kept asking us the same questions over and over 3. we told our waitress we did not want the order of garlic bread she offered but she brought it anyway and charged us for it! (and the only reason we didn't say anything when she dropped it at our table was because bread was included with the pasta dishes we ordered... in the end we were all thinking we should have gone to olive garden. and thats a low blow.

    (2)

  • Sarah Y.

    Mamma Luisa's is the best Italian food Flagstaff has to offer. The food is consistently delicious and the service is good. The atmosphere is quaint and conducive to enjoying your food and your company. It is good for nights on the town, dates, and celebrations... I have gone to Mamma Luisa's for all three. If you plan to eat at Mamma Luisa's, which I highly recommend, you should make reservations in advance. On weekends, during holidays, and during graduation it is usually hard to get a table.

    (4)

  • James G.

    OK ! So who is really writing these good reviews ? Sorry to inform you but this place is awful. The sign out front says " handmade pasta",the sign is Neon, so those dry tasteless Tortellini were made when, last year, and left on the countertop dry ? Next they have2 soups one they say is homemade., the night we went the homemade was ministry I and the other which was in front of it was "wedding soup" . If you want the good stuff you will need to lean over the large caldron of "blah" wedding soup in front of it to get something they actually made. Then came the food: Chicken Picata with rigatoni. My guest had the combination, Lasagna, Eggplant Parmesan. So, my friend asked me if they were busy, "yup". I am sure that most of the guests have never tasted good Italian food. I am being very liberal in giving this place 2 Stars. Someone please call Chef Ramsey !

    (2)

  • Michael R.

    I'm not sure what the competition is for authentic Italian in Flagstaff, but I'd have trouble believing there is any competition. Easily a new favorite.

    (4)

  • Kelly H.

    The service was spectacular. The food was amazing. I had meatball and Italian sausage parmigiana and a raspberry tea. I mention the tea because it is not the typical nestea, this was an unsweetened flavored with raspberry tea.

    (5)

  • Lee J.

    service: 3.5 stars food: 2.5 stars ambiance: 2.5 stars My coworkers love this place and visit every time we have a business trip to Flagstaff. The location is convenient, since it's located behind the hotel we're always staying at (Best Western Pony Soldier Inn & Suites). The place always looks so empty every time I drive by. It's a small hole-in-the-wall and dimly lit. Servers are friendly at least. There's only one stall for a bathroom, which is located behind the kitchen. The hallway to the bathroom is cramped, since it is lined with storage shelves. The food was okay, but nothing really stood out for me. The bread basket was just one large bread that looked like a huge cinnamon roll but wasn't. The pasta dishes were okay and were priced around $8-15 (or at least the dishes we had were around those prices). I enjoyed the Wedding Soup. I can only remember the Italian sausage, pasta, and greens that were in it. Whatever else the soup had made such a nice medley and really hit the spot for that cold night. It's not my choice for Italian, but I know my coworkers will drag me here every time we visit Flagstaff.

    (3)

  • Kyt R.

    After visiting this place several times I have come to the following conclusions: Food -Consistently mediocre. One of the other reviews mentioned that they didn't realize they were a food snob until visiting this place but I think that even those that are somewhat palette challenged will find the food to be way off balance compared to the prices that they charge. Appearance and details -After living here 8 years there has no been a single upgrade to the place. The decor is cheap, dark and dirty. There always seems to be a layer of greasy dust on everything and the bathroom is STILL in the kitchen area. The silverware is cheap and plain. I have seriously seen better forks in local coffee shops. There is all kinds of crap stored on messy shelves that are in plain sight from any table. Service -The service has been pretty good for the most part. However, the last time I was there I noticed alot of standing around and "gossipy" chatting about. This is nowhere near good Italian food.

    (2)

  • A. J.

    Looking back at my previous review, I guess I should have been thankful for the garlic. My second try at Mamma's was uber-bland. I was chewing food, but it could have been anything. At least the first time around I knew there was garlic in the food. Not good. Which is a shame since it is very close to my house and I like to support local stuff.

    (2)

  • R D.

    Loved the atmosphere, the servers, the food, etc; definitely a hidden gem since it's in a strip mall. Definitely worth waiting til they open at 4:30 to go eat there. My husband and i enjoyed the ambience and the awesome service. The chef/owner came out to check on our food and service, made us feel special. The food was delicious, right down to the fresh baked bread. Will definitely go back to try out their other entrées

    (5)

  • Tracey A.

    I love Mama Luisa! They have such great food. I love the pre-dinner salad (which is included) and uses all green fresh lettuce and has an excellent homemade Italian dressing. The sauteed artichokes are the best appetizer (although the cheese sticks are good but not unique). I love the tortelini primavera it is very rich but the vegetables are fresh and the sauce is delicious. My husband likes the lasagna and the large portions. The tirimisu is delicious as well. The service is good and prompt which is unusual for Flagstaff. The only thing is their menu is nowhere online so I uploaded it to menupix.com if anyone wants to see it.

    (5)

  • Dave W.

    My wife and I have eaten there twice. The first time we had food that I (a man) can cook and have cooked better. The second time was not much better...shrimp so overcooked that they were VERY tough. Mediocre food at best. If you want a place where prices are high and food is below par, this is the place.

    (2)

  • Gloria S.

    Came for a family bday dinner. We walked in and were seated quickly. We started off with a sad excuse for garlic bread. I thought the point of garlic bread was-you know- the garlic, which was no where to be tasted. I ordered a fried eggplant dish with a cream sauce on top. Eggplant could have been crispier, sauce tasted off to me. With this entree I got the choice of soup or salad. I chose soup-which was a mix between egg drop soup and soggy frozen spinach in water-needless to say it was disgusting. Got tiramisu for dessert-I think it was a little dry, but maybe I'm just being picky. The place was quiet, except for some dirty old men at the next table hitting on the waitress.

    (2)

  • Carol P.

    We love this local family owned Italian restaurant. When out of town guests visit, this is always a sure hit for dinner. The food is fabulous and the staff is knowledgable and friendly. Skip Olive Garden and chains, try Mama's!

    (5)

  • Susan S.

    We used to love this place but feel it has gone downhill, our sauce had no flavor and the shrimp was overcooked and rubbery.Unfortunately and with sadness, I would say it's comparable to Olive Garden. Whomever says this is a great Italian restaurant obviously didn't grow up in San Francisco, Boston, NYC! or they really need to get out more!!!.

    (2)

  • Christine S.

    This place was recommended by the Best Western, and it's within easy walking distance. It's a small place, and it is warm...almost cozy. Service was prompt and friendly. I got a kick out of the waiter, Jake. He's great...attentive but not overbearing, and he's good at treating his customers like special people. He has a super attitude. Ok...so as usual, I ordered manicotti...(I just can't help it, I love that stuff) Once it cooled down to below boiling lava temperature, it was quite good...the sauce...not no much. Definitely tastes canned. The garlic bread...hey...it's bread with butter & garlic...I don't see what the fuss is over this. I got here right after opening, so I wasn't surprised to see the place empty...it fills up quickly, and everyone seems to be having a swell time. I'd definitely come back...although I certainly hope to NOT break down here again...still, a planned stop isn't out of the question.

    (4)

  • Taylor S.

    Dinned here tonight for the first time. The service was good and the atmosphere was nice. I had the chicken marsala. It wasn't the best marsala ever. There was way too much sauce on the plate.

    (2)

  • Doyle D.

    This restaurant is located in a small strip mall. It is like an old fashion type of Italian restaurant. Music of love and far away romance played throughout, sung by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and other famous 50-60's crooner's. Our order was taken quickly and served without error. The food was hot and delicious. The portions were more then ample and there was plenty of warm freshly baked bread for all 4 of us. We had the Italian Sausage Lentils soup, a nice tomato broth rich in Italian spices and a generous portion of sausage spiced perfect to match the full flavors of the broth. The house lasagna was a delightful blend of tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and a hint of anise. The meat and pasta were layered in the casserole filling but not overflowing the dish. A slice of mozzarella cheese meted on top to complete this great Italian standby. The only regret was that we did not look at the dessert menu. We will be returning for another great Italian dinner.

    (4)

  • Andrew V.

    First time eating here. Came for dinner and ordered the eggplant parmesan. It was brought out hot and delicious. The texture of the eggplant was not over cooked and mushy, not was it undercooked and rubbery. My only critique is the cannoli. The pastry shell tasted like it was made from a site bought wonton, the chocolate-cheese filling was a little grainy, and the whipped cream was from a can. I would come back here again but would see what other desserts they had available.

    (4)

  • Dennis A.

    I've been here several times. I think after my most recent visit, I won't be back. I love "mom 'n pop" places and normally, mom 'n pop are here. On my previous visits, there were family members working as servers but not this time. Tonight, the waiter was maybe 19 years old. He reminded me of a high school kid pretending to play a waiter in his drama class. He had this ludicrous affectation of "sophistication" and spoke in a very obviously fake dramatic voice. Whatever. What I did not like was that he asked it we'd like bread. Having been here 3-4 times before, we knew they serve nice hot bread with the soup/salads. This time we got garlic bread. We were enjoying it and then realized we got "sold". I asked the guy playing our waiter if he charged us extra. He said yes, he thought we'd enjoy garlic bread so he served it and charged us for it. Not cool. My son took forever to eat his salad. Being the parent I am, I made him keep working on it. I am not kidding, I'll bet 10 times, I had to fend off the waiter and bus-girl who seemed to both suffer some obsessive-compulsive disorder that compelled them to fixate on this salad, rendering them incapable of functioning until it was removed. It got to the point that we all would laugh out loud each time they dwelled about it again, despite being asked over and over to leave it alone. The food was pretty good, not fantastic or anything, and quite pricey ($15-$20) for a plate of noodles. The $15 pasta would have been $8 in San Diego's Little Italy. One final stupid issue, The bus girl packed the leftovers into the containers upside down, in every instance. Don't you know which way is up? We enjoyed our food but given the annoying service and high prices, (4 ppl, no alcohol, no fancy meat dishes = nearly $100 with tax and tip) I think we're done here.

    (3)

  • Jerica N.

    Save your money, go to Olive Garden.... My husband and I were dying to check out this local Flagstaff Italian place and now we deeply regret it. The food was awful- over cooked and watery, not to mention HIGHLY over priced for the small portions. I added salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese to my dish and it was still bad. The servers were friendly at first, but hardly paid attention to us. We were not asked if we wanted refills or more bread, and had to ask for our check. There are no more than 20 tables in this hole-in-the-wall and we saw our server exactly four times. In addition to that my husband's Dr.Pepper was literally brought out in a plastic bottle. So tacky considering we're paying $16 a plate! The set up of the restaurant is crammed and awkward. The restrooms are located in the back, so you have to walk down a narrow hallway past the kitchen to get to them. I understand that is not their fault, but it still is annoying. Over all, I was greatly disappointed and will never be returning.

    (1)

  • Tatiana D.

    OK, in this case I'm pretty sure all the 5-star reviews are written by staff/friends/family because this place serves the worst Italian food you'll ever taste in your entire life! If you want to visit it for that kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience go ahead, otherwise stay clear of Mamma Luisa's! Also, bring a lot of money it's gonna cost you an arm and a leg, you'll leave hungry because you won't be able to finish your meal and you'll have to go somewhere else to eat that night. Seriously, I've never had anything more atrocious and disgusting than food at that restaurant. Here is why: What you think you are ordering: Lemon Pesto Chicken which is described as "Boneless chicken breast sauteed in pesto with white wine and lemon. Served over linguini garnished with pine nuts". What you actually get: a bunch of overcooked linguini swimming in unsalted warm dirty laundry water with traces of oil in it topped with chicken that's been bleached to get rid of any traces of chicken taste and then soaked in two bottles of fake lemon juice to mask the bleach taste. I couldn't finish the first piece of that "chicken". What you think you are ordering: Shrimp Milano which is described as "A seafood version of our Saltimbocca. Jumbo prawns layered with ham, mozzarella, eggplant & spinach for a divine taste perfectly complemented by a delicate wine sauce". What you actually get: prawns that have been run through the dishwasher a couple of times after the previous customers couldn't finish eating them, topped with ham that's been frozen for the last 30 years, topped with tasteless eggplant+spinach and an egg(!) on top. Again, swimming in some dirty bath water that's called sauce at Mamma Luisa's and served with a side of pasta in tomato (!) sauce. What you think you are ordering: Kids' meal for $7, yes $7 - meatballs with linguini. What you actually get: overcooked pasta topped with ONE meatball a bizarre gigantic size. They don't serve any bread with the meal, which for the kind of money it costs to eat there, they could. Although, it wouldn't be much of an improvement the food is so bad that I'll never forget visiting this place. I cannot believe that place has been in business for as long as they have been.

    (1)

  • g s.

    After being rebuffed by The Fat Olive, we were still in the mood for Italian. We asked our Garmin for an Italian restaurant, and it found this place. What a gem! The bread was hot from the oven. Salad was included, and quite delicious. The spaghetti sauce was not overly spiced---very satisfying. I've heard that real Italian sauce tastes mostly like tomatoes. This fits that description deliciously well. The staff was friendly and accommodating. We loved the atmosphere. It seems like a place where friendly people come to eat! Nicely done.

    (5)

  • Jessica W.

    I found out about this place through yelp and an "italian food in flagstaff" search and thought i'd give it a try for my friend's birthday dinner. When we finally found the restaurant, we weren't sure it was SAFE to go inside. But we mustered up the courage and entered the tacky italain setting. Then many things went wrong. 1. the food was expensive and was NOT worth the price. it was either tasteless or tasted like it came from a can 2. our waitress kept asking us the same questions over and over 3. we told our waitress we did not want the order of garlic bread she offered but she brought it anyway and charged us for it! (and the only reason we didn't say anything when she dropped it at our table was because bread was included with the pasta dishes we ordered... in the end we were all thinking we should have gone to olive garden. and thats a low blow.

    (2)

  • Sarah Y.

    Mamma Luisa's is the best Italian food Flagstaff has to offer. The food is consistently delicious and the service is good. The atmosphere is quaint and conducive to enjoying your food and your company. It is good for nights on the town, dates, and celebrations... I have gone to Mamma Luisa's for all three. If you plan to eat at Mamma Luisa's, which I highly recommend, you should make reservations in advance. On weekends, during holidays, and during graduation it is usually hard to get a table.

    (4)

  • James G.

    OK ! So who is really writing these good reviews ? Sorry to inform you but this place is awful. The sign out front says " handmade pasta",the sign is Neon, so those dry tasteless Tortellini were made when, last year, and left on the countertop dry ? Next they have2 soups one they say is homemade., the night we went the homemade was ministry I and the other which was in front of it was "wedding soup" . If you want the good stuff you will need to lean over the large caldron of "blah" wedding soup in front of it to get something they actually made. Then came the food: Chicken Picata with rigatoni. My guest had the combination, Lasagna, Eggplant Parmesan. So, my friend asked me if they were busy, "yup". I am sure that most of the guests have never tasted good Italian food. I am being very liberal in giving this place 2 Stars. Someone please call Chef Ramsey !

    (2)

  • Michael R.

    I'm not sure what the competition is for authentic Italian in Flagstaff, but I'd have trouble believing there is any competition. Easily a new favorite.

    (4)

  • Kelly H.

    The service was spectacular. The food was amazing. I had meatball and Italian sausage parmigiana and a raspberry tea. I mention the tea because it is not the typical nestea, this was an unsweetened flavored with raspberry tea.

    (5)

  • Sandra S.

    Although the food was Ok, the service was so slow that we were ready to go when the meal finally arrived. When we arrived the small local restaurant was partially filled. It took almost 70 minutes to be served and 40 minutes before we got our salads. We had been traveling all day and were looking forward to a good experience in a place that was local. Don't know what happened because we saw others come in after we arrived and leave before we were served!

    (2)

  • Joseph E.

    This place was recommended to me by a local. I won't be returning to this place. The food was sub par when it came to "home made" style. People told the waitstaff that they didn't like the food and they said sorry and charged them anyway. Stay away or maybe hit up a mainstream place like olive garden. OG may be not be the best but you'll definitely get more for your money.... $17 for chicken parmesan is a bit rich for a 6 ounce breast and pene noodles...

    (1)

  • Jeff F.

    Mushy mushy mushy. Why three mushy? Mushy spaghetti, mushy manicotti and mushy pasta in the soup. If you like your pasta aldenti do not eat here. I think the manicotti was cooked last week sometime, it was awful. Gag! Bread was good and meatball was just OK but not bad.

    (1)

  • Lori G.

    We got a meal to go about a year ago when we first got to Flagstaff and it really wasn't that good. but there are some locals who like Mamma Luisa's so we decided to try it again and I took pictures this time as we ate in. The waitress was very attentive and friendly. The music was all Italian oldies so we could see that they are trying for good ambience. there was a fresh rose on the table but the plastic vines towards the front were dirty. we ordered veal Parmesan and eggplant parmesan that came with soup or salad and a loaf of warm bread and cold butter. my husband chose the salad which was very good. The minestrone soup was odd. it had potatoes in it rather than pasta, which is unlike any minestrone I've ever had before. it wasn't bad...it was just that with all the different vegetables it was more like vegetable soup with an "air" of minestrone about it. The veal in the Parmesan was tender but pretty tasteless. The eggplant was tasty but both of our entres' had the same sauce on top, so they pretty much tasted the same. The tomato sauce is just that, tomato sauce with not much other seasoning except for garlic. it doesn't taste bad but it doesn't make you want to have a lot more either. there is really nothing remarkable about this restaurant or the food. It's an Italian meal for an ok price. my husband ordered a raspberry Italian soda which was also so-so. We ordered a cannoli that had grated dark chocolate in the cheese and some orange-ish flavor which made for a very odd looking and tasting dessert. we would not order that again. i took pictures of everything so if you're interested take a look.

    (2)

  • beran h.

    Wow is all I can say get the artichoke Spanish dip amazing great service and great authentic food !!!!

    (5)

  • Tabitha N.

    Great little place. Our waiter Jake was on his game and did not disappoint. I recommend very highly!!!

    (4)

  • William T.

    Wonderful Italian food, especially the "house specials". Small family run restaurant. Not fancy but can be quite romantic. Quiet. Great wait staff. have some garlic bread!

    (5)

  • Amy H.

    There's a reason Flagstaff keeps voting this place the best Italian food in town. It has tasty, classic Italian dishes. It's the place to go for Veal Scallopine or Chicken Marsala, not the latest americanized version of Italian. Frankly I'm baffled by the bad reviews - we eat here a couple of times a year and we've never had anything but well-seasoned, delicious homemade food. Never watery or bland. Most recently my husband & I had Manicotti & Chicken Rollantini - delicious with portions so large we both had to go boxes. And the calamari appetizer was great - tender not at all rubbery, and just lightly breaded. Dinners are $10-$20 with most in the $12-$15 range. Service has been consistently good over the years. Yes, the decor and menu don't change much - Mamma Luisa's is a classic not trendy or pretentious.

    (5)

  • Sheri C.

    A small quaint family owned & operated gem in a dark strip mall. Excellent food and service. Amazing chicken broth, spinach and egg drop soup, fresh bread, chicken Marsala and eggplant parmigiana.

    (4)

  • Neena M.

    We came to see Sunset Crater near Flagstaff and were all very hungry. We found the restaurant on yelp and decided to check it out. Mamma Luisa's was great. Good food, excellent service and very welcoming. Shannon was an excellent server. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • George L.

    Sorry folks But this place was a big disappointment but The pasta was mushy And the Marsalis sauce gravy was canned the food was not edible!

    (1)

  • Ashley I.

    Come on flagstaff :( this isn't even authentic Italian food yet it has been voted best of flagstaff since the beginning of time?? This was my first Yelp review let down. After explaining how great yelp is to my mother and using it to find this place she is definitely not sold on yelp. Our food was overpriced but honestly even at a more reasonable price it wouldn't of been considered " good." Service was great but you can't out serve bad food.

    (1)

  • Raiza C.

    This was probably one of the best restaurants we got to eat at while in flagstaff. Really glad it's away from all the hustle and bustle and yes, it's tucked away in a little strip mall near a circle k and other shops. We ordered to go so this doesn't reflect service though the lady who took our oder and helped us out was very nice and didn't forget about us or the amenities that came with ordering to-go. She even did a last check before she handed us our food. The setting: it's cozy and has a family feel to it, nothing too fancy or pretentious. They have Italian opera music playing which adds to the calm, laid back setting. The food: Really good! I got the meat lasagna which I ate very quickly. The portion was generous for one person and it's smothered in red sauce topped with melted cheese. The lasagna was a little heavy on the cheese, would've like more meat:cheese ratio to counter the sauce it's smothered in but you can always use the bread to sop up the sauce. Your order comes with salad or soup- salad was fresh and lettuce not soggy. The Italian dressing seems housemade and is definitely more on the tangy side, but I enjoyed it. SO got chicken stuffed with cheese and spinach covered in pesto sauce and comes with a side pasta (can't remember the name of the dish but you get two breasts and it was really good). The pasta was okay, it was just penne with red sauce, which he didn't really touch. He got soup with his dish which was nothing exciting as it was just broth with spinach and eggs. We also got the complementary roll- really good! It looks almost like a cinnabon without the glaze. You can break it apart and share easily. Overall: food was decent & but a little pricey. We got 2 items and total with tip came out to $39. I enjoyed the food here but I went with the safe choice. I'd recommend their lasagna if you're unsure of what to get!

    (4)

  • Ray D.

    Go to this place if you want a ton of the canned tomato paste, unseasoned meat and two teaspoons of cheese. As you can tell I was not impressed. I ordered lasagna, garlic bread, side salad and red wine. The lasagna was overly sauced preventing me from tasting the ricotta cheese and meat. The garlic bread was actually pretty good and the wine is just ok. The servers were really nice and attentive, you will not have a problem finding parking. This is a very small quaint place, you'll be close to other patrons (not an issue for me). The layout of the restaurant is awkward at best; once inside you maze past the receptionist desk making a right turn followed by a quick left turn. Now you're inside the setting area. If you want to use the restroom you'll have to walk down a small hall, during my walk the servers yelled "Bathroom" and the ladies hugged corners and walls getting out of my way. I can tell this is a fledgling restaurant owner and I want to see them prosper as I do for all; at this time I have to dock'em pretty hard on stars.

    (1)

  • Shelley S.

    Hesitant at first. Small hole in wall. The menus were a little messy, hand prints and a little maranera sauce. BUT THE FOOD WAS FANTASTIC! The girls are fast, sweet and hard working. Again you WILL NOT REGRET EATING HERE

    (4)

  • Bruce K.

    Mamma Luisa was the third Italian restaurant we tried in Flagstaff after the first one was only subs/pizza and the second one was just way too expensive. As the saying goes, Mamma Luisa was just right. Service from our waitress and her helper was quite good, keeping water glasses filled, getting us another basket of bread and the timing of the salads and entrees. We did not wait long for the check and did not wait long to pay it. I had the baked ziti which was different in that it included bits of eggplant. Which is not to say that it was bad, just that it was different. Extremely hot coming from the kitchen, it took a bit until it was at an edible temperature. Mom went for the proper eggplant parm and while she enjoyed it, she said that it was way too heavy on the red sauce and did not have nearly enough cheese. We opted not to have dessert here. I'd return to Mamma Luisa if I was in the mood for Italian.

    (3)

  • Larr G.

    My wife has food allergies. She has become very ill every time that we tried this place. We provide them with her allergy card on each visit, so there should be not excuse for mistakes. I really don't believe that they know the ingredients in the food they serve. Both the serving staff and the kitchen appear to be clueless about this. They apparent do not understand ADA or they don't care. If you have food allergies, stay away from this place. If you want mediocre Italian food, then you will like this place. It is not a patch on the a*s of the worst Italian Cafe that I have eaten at in either New Orleans or San Fran.

    (1)

  • Miller M.

    Not sure why everyone tries to bash on this place. I've come here 3 times now and had great, tasty food every time! The service is a little slow and the locations is old and not as clean as it could be. But the food is great! A little pricey for what you get, but that's just Flagstaff.

    (4)

  • Geno M.

    My girlfriend and I went there for a romantic dinner and had a great time! We started off with the Spinach/Artichoke dip and wow!!! It rocked. I had the Chicken Marsala and my GF had the Pasta Primavera with Shrimp!! Both cooked to perfection! Even the salads and bread was good...

    (5)

  • Graves D.

    Found on yelp and the pasta was good, but the veggie orzo was oily and not quite tender enough.

    (3)

  • M L.

    I really wanted to like this place. The best I can say is that the bread was good (but nothing special, really)... The salad left something to be desired, the 'housemade' italian dressing tasted like pretty mediocre bottled dressing and there were large flavorless tomato slices. Th lasagna was close to inedible, in my opinion. The sauce was sweet, it tasted like straight tomato sauce with sugar added. The mozzarella didn't taste fresh and the meats didn't do the dish any favors. I can make a better lasagna and I'm no chef, so that's about how great that was. On top of that, it isn't cheap. I would definitely suggest people eat elsewhere.

    (1)

  • Robert Y.

    I have lived just a few blocks from this place for 4 years and I always wanted to try it because I had heard good things about it. Finally, an opportunity arose last week and I decided to go for broke. The results? Not too good. This place is tucked in a corner of an old marketplace. Its not really a bad location, but its a little out of the way and a bit inconspicuous. The inside of this place looks fancy. There is red carpeting and there are flowers, the menu is in cursive like a fancy Italian restaurant, and they have a nice menu of alcoholic beverages to boot (I didn't drink so I can't comment on them). The prices also are high enough to indicate that I am in for a gourmet meal. All indications are that I am going to be in for a treat here. Alas, no, and this is where my review gets tricky, because despite my one star review, the food was edible here. Lets talk more about it. As is my custom when visiting Italian restaurants for the first time, I usually try to order chicken or eggplant parmigiana. I was glad to find both on the menu, so I sprung for the chicken since I needed the protein. But first they served a roll of complimentary bread and I ordered an appetizer, sautéed broccoli. The bread was enriched white bread, and it was served with butter. It was nice, and I enjoyed the fact that those who eat it could peel away their piece as it was prepared in a sort of braid. It was bread, and it was edible of course. Next came the broccoli. The broccoli was sautéed in a butter and garlic sauce. It was ok. It seemed as if the sauce was cheaply made because it lacked the subtlety and the freshness of similar dishes that I have had. I thought that it was possible that maybe they went overboard a little with the sauce, no matter. I looked forward to my chicken. One thing I would like to point out about the chicken, they fry the chicken here. Since I do not normally eat fried food, I asked them if they could possibly serve the chicken without the breadcrumbs. They were more than happy to accommodate this and to their credit, they did. However this is where the praise unfortunately ends. While the entree contained a nice large piece of chicken, and generous helpings of spaghetti and sauce, it seemed as if it was created by amateurs who have no idea what good Italian food tastes like. Being from NJ, and having visited Italy myself. I think I know a little bit about this. The chicken tasted ok, but looked as if it was previously frozen. Not that big a deal as long as the mozzarella and the sauce were good. Well, the sauce was ok, it tasted like it was cheap Ragu to me, which can be ok for a bachelor who is cooking a quick meal, but not at a restaurant. Not only did the sauce underwhelm me, but the cheese did too. I was expecting good mozzarella, and got what seemed to be some cheap stuff. In all, it was edible, but not worthy of its decor. It felt like a fancy McDonalds that served Italian food instead of Burgers to say the least. In all, the service was great, however the food was very lousy. Its rare when I can say the best part of my meal was the bread. As a consequence, I also wrestled with rating this place between a 1 and 2 star. I thought the service was fantastic. Although there were several patrons present, I always had my drinks filled by both the waitress and the hostess. I found that impressive to say the least and thought it was worth mentioning. However I really disliked the food here and I don't want people to waste their time with this place. However, given the cost and the quality of the food, I decided to give this place one star despite the five star service. What a shame, because now I can say that there is only one good Italian place in Flagstaff, and it is not even what I would consider a 5 star either.

    (1)

  • S H.

    Wow! We final found a place to return to. Husband had shrimp primavera and I had the eggplant parmesan. Fantastic! His sauce was super creamy and rich. The eggplant was sliced thin, not over breaded and not over done with cheese. The sauce look plain and thick but after one bite I was pleasantly surprised. The sauce was not overly acidic or over seasoned. The salads were fresh and the Italian dressing was phenomenal. The staff was extremely friendly and attentive. I was happy to see then take pride in the cleanliness. Will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Charles W.

    A delightful experience made all the more pleasant by the folks who served us. Excellent meal well presented

    (4)

  • C.M. F.

    Overpriced Olive Garden! Actually Olive Garden has better soup and never-ending salad and bread sticks! This is my second time here in the 13 years I have lived in Flagstaff and it's still as bad as I remembered. First off their dinners are $14-$21...for canned Italian? Service was prompt but arrogant. When my friend decided on the salad over the soup, our waiter's response was almost condescending. When I ordered the soup he became a waiter in a fine Manhattan restaurant with his head cocked back stating "excellent choice"! The soup was some sausage/spinach combo and it was not very good. I told him that I wasn't pleased with the soup and that the Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden is actually better than this to which I received a grunt of sorts. Now to the entrees: Chicken Cacaiatora (usually one of my favorites) had a bitter sour taste unlike any Cacaiatora sauce I ever had, the Veal Marsala was very chewy and the Manicotti was overcooked...in fact all of the pasta was mushy that if it wasn't for the chicken or the veal, you could have gummed it down. I see they get Best of Flagstaff from the Daily Sun readers. I'm not sure if that's because besides Pasto it's the only locally owned Italian restaurant that does not have a focus on pizza? Wake up Flagstaff...this is not good Italian food! I do not mind paying $20 for a good plate of Italian food, so I'll save my money and treat myself to Roma Garden when I am down in Phoenix! A place with real Italian food like Mamma used to make and real Italian ambiance somewhere far away from Mamma Luisa!

    (1)

  • Sara J.

    Oh my god!! Amazing! My husband, father-in-law, and i stopped here on our way from San Diego to GA. Top notch! My husband had the Chicken Marmalade, I had the chicken parmigiano and my father-in-law can't remember at the moment lol but it was amazing. Absolutely recommend stopping here.

    (5)

  • Morton Y.

    We did a ten day drive around AZ. This place is burned in our memory as the worst dinner of our entire trip. attentive service, but dreadful food. Those eating there apparently did not know how wonderful Italian food can be. And, to boot, it was expensive! Go to one of. A number of very good locally run pizza places instead. You will leave happier.

    (2)

  • Kim B.

    it was on a list of restaurants best western recommended in town and it's in a strip mall not too far from there. the soup was authentic tasting but just ok. i know the meal was good and the server was from the family who owns it. i prob would go back their with their cute italian old school ambience and b/c food was good other than the ok soup.

    (4)

  • Jenn Q.

    Good, not the best.

    (3)

  • Lee J.

    service: 3.5 stars food: 2.5 stars ambiance: 2.5 stars My coworkers love this place and visit every time we have a business trip to Flagstaff. The location is convenient, since it's located behind the hotel we're always staying at (Best Western Pony Soldier Inn & Suites). The place always looks so empty every time I drive by. It's a small hole-in-the-wall and dimly lit. Servers are friendly at least. There's only one stall for a bathroom, which is located behind the kitchen. The hallway to the bathroom is cramped, since it is lined with storage shelves. The food was okay, but nothing really stood out for me. The bread basket was just one large bread that looked like a huge cinnamon roll but wasn't. The pasta dishes were okay and were priced around $8-15 (or at least the dishes we had were around those prices). I enjoyed the Wedding Soup. I can only remember the Italian sausage, pasta, and greens that were in it. Whatever else the soup had made such a nice medley and really hit the spot for that cold night. It's not my choice for Italian, but I know my coworkers will drag me here every time we visit Flagstaff.

    (3)

  • Kyt R.

    After visiting this place several times I have come to the following conclusions: Food -Consistently mediocre. One of the other reviews mentioned that they didn't realize they were a food snob until visiting this place but I think that even those that are somewhat palette challenged will find the food to be way off balance compared to the prices that they charge. Appearance and details -After living here 8 years there has no been a single upgrade to the place. The decor is cheap, dark and dirty. There always seems to be a layer of greasy dust on everything and the bathroom is STILL in the kitchen area. The silverware is cheap and plain. I have seriously seen better forks in local coffee shops. There is all kinds of crap stored on messy shelves that are in plain sight from any table. Service -The service has been pretty good for the most part. However, the last time I was there I noticed alot of standing around and "gossipy" chatting about. This is nowhere near good Italian food.

    (2)

  • A. J.

    Looking back at my previous review, I guess I should have been thankful for the garlic. My second try at Mamma's was uber-bland. I was chewing food, but it could have been anything. At least the first time around I knew there was garlic in the food. Not good. Which is a shame since it is very close to my house and I like to support local stuff.

    (2)

  • R D.

    Loved the atmosphere, the servers, the food, etc; definitely a hidden gem since it's in a strip mall. Definitely worth waiting til they open at 4:30 to go eat there. My husband and i enjoyed the ambience and the awesome service. The chef/owner came out to check on our food and service, made us feel special. The food was delicious, right down to the fresh baked bread. Will definitely go back to try out their other entrées

    (5)

  • Marcee K.

    Overall the food was only so-so. The pasta sauce was just tomato, no hint of spices. I ordered eggplant parmesan, it was drowned by the tasteless red sauce The place was cute and the service was fabulous. I just wish the food tasted better then I make at home. The salad was fresh iceberg lettuce with some standard veggies. The housemade dressing was yummy. The bread was a bit dry and hard.

    (2)

  • joyce b.

    This is in a small strip mall restaurant but don't let that fool you. There was a nice selection of wine, my salad was fresh and the balsamic dressing excellent. I had veal Marsala, my dining companions had linguine with clam sauce and spaghetti with sausage and meatballs. All were hearty portions and all were delicious. We finished with excellent tiramisu and cheese cake. Alicia O. waited on us and she was fabulous. She Attended every request , orders were perfectly presented and she checked back often to make sure we were happy. Zak did a nice job too. We will be back and we will definetly recommend to friends.

    (5)

  • Shirley H.

    Great food, great service , poor location. Great inside

    (4)

  • Yelper D.

    Friendly hostess and waitress, portions too big to finish in one sitting. Yummy comp bread.

    (4)

  • Terry M.

    Our hotel recommended this little place that is tucked away in a little strip mall. My expectations were not very high. Food was above average, service was excellent and the place just had a nice intimate feel to it. When in Flagstaff, I would go back.

    (4)

  • Greg E.

    The beer was cold. The garlic bread out of this world. I had the cheese ravioli and it was average. My wife chose linguini with red clam sauce and was extremely bland. Olive Gardenesque at best.

    (3)

  • Tracey A.

    I love Mama Luisa! They have such great food. I love the pre-dinner salad (which is included) and uses all green fresh lettuce and has an excellent homemade Italian dressing. The sauteed artichokes are the best appetizer (although the cheese sticks are good but not unique). I love the tortelini primavera it is very rich but the vegetables are fresh and the sauce is delicious. My husband likes the lasagna and the large portions. The tirimisu is delicious as well. The service is good and prompt which is unusual for Flagstaff. The only thing is their menu is nowhere online so I uploaded it to menupix.com if anyone wants to see it.

    (5)

  • Fred S.

    This is a GREAT Italian restaurant. Small, cozy, friendly. The food is fantastic. My favorite dishes (I'm vegetarian) are eggplant parmesan with a tasty red sauce, cheese tortellini in a creamy pesto sauce, and pasta with shrimp in a lemon pesto sauce. Every meal comes with a full salad and bread. Tony, the chef, comes out every now and then to greet his customers. Its truly a family, friendly restaurant. If you close your eyes, you could even imagine being in Italy.

    (5)

  • Jenna P.

    Extremely courteous and friendly staff, yummy food, intimate atmosphere! Pesto linguine highly recommended! Complimentary night cap :)

    (5)

  • Beth S.

    Best Western recommended this restaurant to us while we were visiting. It was a nice quaint little place with friendly staff. I had the vegetarian eggplant, my son had the fettucini Alfredo and my other son had the kids pizza and we were all very pleased with our meals. My husband, on the other hand, wanted to try something new. He got the chicken rolled with ham and cheese in a sweet wine and mushroom sauce. While he said it was very well prepared, he didn't care for it. But sometimes that's what you get when you try something new. All in all we were very happy with this restaurant and will put it on our list for when we travel this way again.

    (4)

  • barbara m.

    The only reason why we came here was because strombolis has sadly shut down. This place is in a little strip mall that doesn't even look like a safe area to be in. Service was good, the waitress was nice. But the food was so bland. I got the linguine with white clam sauce. My pasta was swimming in water. They didn't even bother to strain the pasta. Pasta was bland, even after adding salt and pepper it was bland. Boyfriend's chicken parm was ok. The soup was excellent. Very disappointed. I make better food at home and I am not even Italian.

    (2)

  • Deb N.

    Thought with the rave reviews, would have been fabulous, it was mediocre at best. Maybe a California palate is different from an Arizona one. Ordered the Veal Scallopiniwith the tomato sauce with onions and peppers, over a bed of spaghetti. Came with a salad with italian dressing. And got the garlic bread. The sauce tasted like it came out of a jar (Ragu), there was no flavor. The salad was standard, lettuce, two cherry tomatoes, onion ring or two, the dressing was from Safeway. The veal itself, without the sauce was good, but the total experience was so so. $30 with a glass of merlot. Try Olive Garden instead.

    (2)

  • Bethie G.

    Fantastic italian. Eggplant parm is awesome!

    (4)

  • Jennifer P.

    Bland food. Garlic bread worse than I make at home ( eww). Lemon Garlic Chicken bland, needed salt, but good quality chicken. Marinara sauce good ( but I had to ask for some to spice up the garlic bread). Homemade Italian dressing on salad...you got it...bland.

    (2)

  • Dave W.

    My wife and I have eaten there twice. The first time we had food that I (a man) can cook and have cooked better. The second time was not much better...shrimp so overcooked that they were VERY tough. Mediocre food at best. If you want a place where prices are high and food is below par, this is the place.

    (2)

  • stephanie W.

    Okay, now I know that I've already reviewed an Italian Restaurant, but this is my favorite place of all time. The food is the BEST I have ever had. Everything is good so I don't really have a favorite dish to recommend. The restaurant has been there quite a long time, and is located in a strip mall on Route 66. I was a little sketchy the first time going there, but the food makes up for the ambiance. If ever in Flagstaff, this is a place that you must try, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Yenly M.

    I had the chicken marsala and it was so bland and oily. The texture of the chicken taste weird also. I can't believe their menu said thos is their best dish. It was so bad that my friends stop eating it even though they were hungry. My friends who ordered red sauces said their dishes were ok. Meatballs weren't seasoned enough.

    (1)

  • leslie m.

    This place is wonderful! They have homemade bread that is super, and the chicken marsala is delicious. Great for family get-togethers and is is also very romantic. Red and white table clothes, wine, etc. We were surprised at the quality and service-very good! I prefer to eat in family owned places, and this place deserves your business!

    (5)

  • Elizabeth E.

    Sitting in the foyer waiting to be seated, an older couple walked out, gripping their bellies, moaning to us about how we should be careful since the portions were large. "Ha!" I scoffed to my companion, "this is perfect I'm starving." And I was really hungry since we got into town later than expected and it had been one of those really long days. Little did I know that soon I would started to feel very ashamed that I'd scoffed at the wisdom of those diners who had been kind enough to try and warn me. After a salad and some tasty bruschetta, I had what must have been a truly authentic Italian dish with eggplant, prawns, prosciutto, mozzarella and all kinds of unwholesomely delicious flavors. I couldn't even finish half. So while the price appear high for dinner, the portions are large and I found the quality and method of preparation to be sublimely satisfying. The Tiramisu and friendly service was just....icing on the cake! Tip: don't be fooled about the restaurant's unassuming location in a strip mall -- this place is nothing but the most excellent in quality.

    (5)

  • Elizabeth E.

    Sitting in the foyer waiting to be seated, an older couple walked out, gripping their bellies, moaning to us about how we should be careful since the portions were large. "Ha!" I scoffed to my companion, "this is perfect I'm starving." And I was really hungry since we got into town later than expected and it had been one of those really long days. Little did I know that soon I would started to feel very ashamed that I'd scoffed at the wisdom of those diners who had been kind enough to try and warn me. After a salad and some tasty bruschetta, I had what must have been a truly authentic Italian dish with eggplant, prawns, prosciutto, mozzarella and all kinds of unwholesomely delicious flavors. I couldn't even finish half. So while the price appear high for dinner, the portions are large and I found the quality and method of preparation to be sublimely satisfying. The Tiramisu and friendly service was just....icing on the cake! Tip: don't be fooled about the restaurant's unassuming location in a strip mall -- this place is nothing but the most excellent in quality.

    (5)

  • Deb N.

    Thought with the rave reviews, would have been fabulous, it was mediocre at best. Maybe a California palate is different from an Arizona one. Ordered the Veal Scallopiniwith the tomato sauce with onions and peppers, over a bed of spaghetti. Came with a salad with italian dressing. And got the garlic bread. The sauce tasted like it came out of a jar (Ragu), there was no flavor. The salad was standard, lettuce, two cherry tomatoes, onion ring or two, the dressing was from Safeway. The veal itself, without the sauce was good, but the total experience was so so. $30 with a glass of merlot. Try Olive Garden instead.

    (2)

  • Bethie G.

    Fantastic italian. Eggplant parm is awesome!

    (4)

  • Jennifer P.

    Bland food. Garlic bread worse than I make at home ( eww). Lemon Garlic Chicken bland, needed salt, but good quality chicken. Marinara sauce good ( but I had to ask for some to spice up the garlic bread). Homemade Italian dressing on salad...you got it...bland.

    (2)

  • Kim B.

    it was on a list of restaurants best western recommended in town and it's in a strip mall not too far from there. the soup was authentic tasting but just ok. i know the meal was good and the server was from the family who owns it. i prob would go back their with their cute italian old school ambience and b/c food was good other than the ok soup.

    (4)

  • Jenn Q.

    Good, not the best.

    (3)

  • joyce b.

    This is in a small strip mall restaurant but don't let that fool you. There was a nice selection of wine, my salad was fresh and the balsamic dressing excellent. I had veal Marsala, my dining companions had linguine with clam sauce and spaghetti with sausage and meatballs. All were hearty portions and all were delicious. We finished with excellent tiramisu and cheese cake. Alicia O. waited on us and she was fabulous. She Attended every request , orders were perfectly presented and she checked back often to make sure we were happy. Zak did a nice job too. We will be back and we will definetly recommend to friends.

    (5)

  • Shirley H.

    Great food, great service , poor location. Great inside

    (4)

  • Yelper D.

    Friendly hostess and waitress, portions too big to finish in one sitting. Yummy comp bread.

    (4)

  • Dave W.

    My wife and I have eaten there twice. The first time we had food that I (a man) can cook and have cooked better. The second time was not much better...shrimp so overcooked that they were VERY tough. Mediocre food at best. If you want a place where prices are high and food is below par, this is the place.

    (2)

  • stephanie W.

    Okay, now I know that I've already reviewed an Italian Restaurant, but this is my favorite place of all time. The food is the BEST I have ever had. Everything is good so I don't really have a favorite dish to recommend. The restaurant has been there quite a long time, and is located in a strip mall on Route 66. I was a little sketchy the first time going there, but the food makes up for the ambiance. If ever in Flagstaff, this is a place that you must try, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Yenly M.

    I had the chicken marsala and it was so bland and oily. The texture of the chicken taste weird also. I can't believe their menu said thos is their best dish. It was so bad that my friends stop eating it even though they were hungry. My friends who ordered red sauces said their dishes were ok. Meatballs weren't seasoned enough.

    (1)

  • leslie m.

    This place is wonderful! They have homemade bread that is super, and the chicken marsala is delicious. Great for family get-togethers and is is also very romantic. Red and white table clothes, wine, etc. We were surprised at the quality and service-very good! I prefer to eat in family owned places, and this place deserves your business!

    (5)

  • A. J.

    Looking back at my previous review, I guess I should have been thankful for the garlic. My second try at Mamma's was uber-bland. I was chewing food, but it could have been anything. At least the first time around I knew there was garlic in the food. Not good. Which is a shame since it is very close to my house and I like to support local stuff.

    (2)

  • R D.

    Loved the atmosphere, the servers, the food, etc; definitely a hidden gem since it's in a strip mall. Definitely worth waiting til they open at 4:30 to go eat there. My husband and i enjoyed the ambience and the awesome service. The chef/owner came out to check on our food and service, made us feel special. The food was delicious, right down to the fresh baked bread. Will definitely go back to try out their other entrées

    (5)

  • Marcee K.

    Overall the food was only so-so. The pasta sauce was just tomato, no hint of spices. I ordered eggplant parmesan, it was drowned by the tasteless red sauce The place was cute and the service was fabulous. I just wish the food tasted better then I make at home. The salad was fresh iceberg lettuce with some standard veggies. The housemade dressing was yummy. The bread was a bit dry and hard.

    (2)

  • Beth S.

    Best Western recommended this restaurant to us while we were visiting. It was a nice quaint little place with friendly staff. I had the vegetarian eggplant, my son had the fettucini Alfredo and my other son had the kids pizza and we were all very pleased with our meals. My husband, on the other hand, wanted to try something new. He got the chicken rolled with ham and cheese in a sweet wine and mushroom sauce. While he said it was very well prepared, he didn't care for it. But sometimes that's what you get when you try something new. All in all we were very happy with this restaurant and will put it on our list for when we travel this way again.

    (4)

  • barbara m.

    The only reason why we came here was because strombolis has sadly shut down. This place is in a little strip mall that doesn't even look like a safe area to be in. Service was good, the waitress was nice. But the food was so bland. I got the linguine with white clam sauce. My pasta was swimming in water. They didn't even bother to strain the pasta. Pasta was bland, even after adding salt and pepper it was bland. Boyfriend's chicken parm was ok. The soup was excellent. Very disappointed. I make better food at home and I am not even Italian.

    (2)

  • Morton Y.

    We did a ten day drive around AZ. This place is burned in our memory as the worst dinner of our entire trip. attentive service, but dreadful food. Those eating there apparently did not know how wonderful Italian food can be. And, to boot, it was expensive! Go to one of. A number of very good locally run pizza places instead. You will leave happier.

    (2)

  • James G.

    OK ! So who is really writing these good reviews ? Sorry to inform you but this place is awful. The sign out front says " handmade pasta",the sign is Neon, so those dry tasteless Tortellini were made when, last year, and left on the countertop dry ? Next they have2 soups one they say is homemade., the night we went the homemade was ministry I and the other which was in front of it was "wedding soup" . If you want the good stuff you will need to lean over the large caldron of "blah" wedding soup in front of it to get something they actually made. Then came the food: Chicken Picata with rigatoni. My guest had the combination, Lasagna, Eggplant Parmesan. So, my friend asked me if they were busy, "yup". I am sure that most of the guests have never tasted good Italian food. I am being very liberal in giving this place 2 Stars. Someone please call Chef Ramsey !

    (2)

  • Michael R.

    I'm not sure what the competition is for authentic Italian in Flagstaff, but I'd have trouble believing there is any competition. Easily a new favorite.

    (4)

  • Lee J.

    service: 3.5 stars food: 2.5 stars ambiance: 2.5 stars My coworkers love this place and visit every time we have a business trip to Flagstaff. The location is convenient, since it's located behind the hotel we're always staying at (Best Western Pony Soldier Inn & Suites). The place always looks so empty every time I drive by. It's a small hole-in-the-wall and dimly lit. Servers are friendly at least. There's only one stall for a bathroom, which is located behind the kitchen. The hallway to the bathroom is cramped, since it is lined with storage shelves. The food was okay, but nothing really stood out for me. The bread basket was just one large bread that looked like a huge cinnamon roll but wasn't. The pasta dishes were okay and were priced around $8-15 (or at least the dishes we had were around those prices). I enjoyed the Wedding Soup. I can only remember the Italian sausage, pasta, and greens that were in it. Whatever else the soup had made such a nice medley and really hit the spot for that cold night. It's not my choice for Italian, but I know my coworkers will drag me here every time we visit Flagstaff.

    (3)

  • Kyt R.

    After visiting this place several times I have come to the following conclusions: Food -Consistently mediocre. One of the other reviews mentioned that they didn't realize they were a food snob until visiting this place but I think that even those that are somewhat palette challenged will find the food to be way off balance compared to the prices that they charge. Appearance and details -After living here 8 years there has no been a single upgrade to the place. The decor is cheap, dark and dirty. There always seems to be a layer of greasy dust on everything and the bathroom is STILL in the kitchen area. The silverware is cheap and plain. I have seriously seen better forks in local coffee shops. There is all kinds of crap stored on messy shelves that are in plain sight from any table. Service -The service has been pretty good for the most part. However, the last time I was there I noticed alot of standing around and "gossipy" chatting about. This is nowhere near good Italian food.

    (2)

  • Terry M.

    Our hotel recommended this little place that is tucked away in a little strip mall. My expectations were not very high. Food was above average, service was excellent and the place just had a nice intimate feel to it. When in Flagstaff, I would go back.

    (4)

  • Greg E.

    The beer was cold. The garlic bread out of this world. I had the cheese ravioli and it was average. My wife chose linguini with red clam sauce and was extremely bland. Olive Gardenesque at best.

    (3)

  • Tracey A.

    I love Mama Luisa! They have such great food. I love the pre-dinner salad (which is included) and uses all green fresh lettuce and has an excellent homemade Italian dressing. The sauteed artichokes are the best appetizer (although the cheese sticks are good but not unique). I love the tortelini primavera it is very rich but the vegetables are fresh and the sauce is delicious. My husband likes the lasagna and the large portions. The tirimisu is delicious as well. The service is good and prompt which is unusual for Flagstaff. The only thing is their menu is nowhere online so I uploaded it to menupix.com if anyone wants to see it.

    (5)

  • Fred S.

    This is a GREAT Italian restaurant. Small, cozy, friendly. The food is fantastic. My favorite dishes (I'm vegetarian) are eggplant parmesan with a tasty red sauce, cheese tortellini in a creamy pesto sauce, and pasta with shrimp in a lemon pesto sauce. Every meal comes with a full salad and bread. Tony, the chef, comes out every now and then to greet his customers. Its truly a family, friendly restaurant. If you close your eyes, you could even imagine being in Italy.

    (5)

  • Jenna P.

    Extremely courteous and friendly staff, yummy food, intimate atmosphere! Pesto linguine highly recommended! Complimentary night cap :)

    (5)

  • Gloria S.

    Came for a family bday dinner. We walked in and were seated quickly. We started off with a sad excuse for garlic bread. I thought the point of garlic bread was-you know- the garlic, which was no where to be tasted. I ordered a fried eggplant dish with a cream sauce on top. Eggplant could have been crispier, sauce tasted off to me. With this entree I got the choice of soup or salad. I chose soup-which was a mix between egg drop soup and soggy frozen spinach in water-needless to say it was disgusting. Got tiramisu for dessert-I think it was a little dry, but maybe I'm just being picky. The place was quiet, except for some dirty old men at the next table hitting on the waitress.

    (2)

  • Ashley I.

    Come on flagstaff :( this isn't even authentic Italian food yet it has been voted best of flagstaff since the beginning of time?? This was my first Yelp review let down. After explaining how great yelp is to my mother and using it to find this place she is definitely not sold on yelp. Our food was overpriced but honestly even at a more reasonable price it wouldn't of been considered " good." Service was great but you can't out serve bad food.

    (1)

  • Raiza C.

    This was probably one of the best restaurants we got to eat at while in flagstaff. Really glad it's away from all the hustle and bustle and yes, it's tucked away in a little strip mall near a circle k and other shops. We ordered to go so this doesn't reflect service though the lady who took our oder and helped us out was very nice and didn't forget about us or the amenities that came with ordering to-go. She even did a last check before she handed us our food. The setting: it's cozy and has a family feel to it, nothing too fancy or pretentious. They have Italian opera music playing which adds to the calm, laid back setting. The food: Really good! I got the meat lasagna which I ate very quickly. The portion was generous for one person and it's smothered in red sauce topped with melted cheese. The lasagna was a little heavy on the cheese, would've like more meat:cheese ratio to counter the sauce it's smothered in but you can always use the bread to sop up the sauce. Your order comes with salad or soup- salad was fresh and lettuce not soggy. The Italian dressing seems housemade and is definitely more on the tangy side, but I enjoyed it. SO got chicken stuffed with cheese and spinach covered in pesto sauce and comes with a side pasta (can't remember the name of the dish but you get two breasts and it was really good). The pasta was okay, it was just penne with red sauce, which he didn't really touch. He got soup with his dish which was nothing exciting as it was just broth with spinach and eggs. We also got the complementary roll- really good! It looks almost like a cinnabon without the glaze. You can break it apart and share easily. Overall: food was decent & but a little pricey. We got 2 items and total with tip came out to $39. I enjoyed the food here but I went with the safe choice. I'd recommend their lasagna if you're unsure of what to get!

    (4)

  • Ray D.

    Go to this place if you want a ton of the canned tomato paste, unseasoned meat and two teaspoons of cheese. As you can tell I was not impressed. I ordered lasagna, garlic bread, side salad and red wine. The lasagna was overly sauced preventing me from tasting the ricotta cheese and meat. The garlic bread was actually pretty good and the wine is just ok. The servers were really nice and attentive, you will not have a problem finding parking. This is a very small quaint place, you'll be close to other patrons (not an issue for me). The layout of the restaurant is awkward at best; once inside you maze past the receptionist desk making a right turn followed by a quick left turn. Now you're inside the setting area. If you want to use the restroom you'll have to walk down a small hall, during my walk the servers yelled "Bathroom" and the ladies hugged corners and walls getting out of my way. I can tell this is a fledgling restaurant owner and I want to see them prosper as I do for all; at this time I have to dock'em pretty hard on stars.

    (1)

  • Shelley S.

    Hesitant at first. Small hole in wall. The menus were a little messy, hand prints and a little maranera sauce. BUT THE FOOD WAS FANTASTIC! The girls are fast, sweet and hard working. Again you WILL NOT REGRET EATING HERE

    (4)

  • Bruce K.

    Mamma Luisa was the third Italian restaurant we tried in Flagstaff after the first one was only subs/pizza and the second one was just way too expensive. As the saying goes, Mamma Luisa was just right. Service from our waitress and her helper was quite good, keeping water glasses filled, getting us another basket of bread and the timing of the salads and entrees. We did not wait long for the check and did not wait long to pay it. I had the baked ziti which was different in that it included bits of eggplant. Which is not to say that it was bad, just that it was different. Extremely hot coming from the kitchen, it took a bit until it was at an edible temperature. Mom went for the proper eggplant parm and while she enjoyed it, she said that it was way too heavy on the red sauce and did not have nearly enough cheese. We opted not to have dessert here. I'd return to Mamma Luisa if I was in the mood for Italian.

    (3)

  • Larr G.

    My wife has food allergies. She has become very ill every time that we tried this place. We provide them with her allergy card on each visit, so there should be not excuse for mistakes. I really don't believe that they know the ingredients in the food they serve. Both the serving staff and the kitchen appear to be clueless about this. They apparent do not understand ADA or they don't care. If you have food allergies, stay away from this place. If you want mediocre Italian food, then you will like this place. It is not a patch on the a*s of the worst Italian Cafe that I have eaten at in either New Orleans or San Fran.

    (1)

  • Miller M.

    Not sure why everyone tries to bash on this place. I've come here 3 times now and had great, tasty food every time! The service is a little slow and the locations is old and not as clean as it could be. But the food is great! A little pricey for what you get, but that's just Flagstaff.

    (4)

  • Geno M.

    My girlfriend and I went there for a romantic dinner and had a great time! We started off with the Spinach/Artichoke dip and wow!!! It rocked. I had the Chicken Marsala and my GF had the Pasta Primavera with Shrimp!! Both cooked to perfection! Even the salads and bread was good...

    (5)

  • Kelly H.

    The service was spectacular. The food was amazing. I had meatball and Italian sausage parmigiana and a raspberry tea. I mention the tea because it is not the typical nestea, this was an unsweetened flavored with raspberry tea.

    (5)

  • Graves D.

    Found on yelp and the pasta was good, but the veggie orzo was oily and not quite tender enough.

    (3)

  • M L.

    I really wanted to like this place. The best I can say is that the bread was good (but nothing special, really)... The salad left something to be desired, the 'housemade' italian dressing tasted like pretty mediocre bottled dressing and there were large flavorless tomato slices. Th lasagna was close to inedible, in my opinion. The sauce was sweet, it tasted like straight tomato sauce with sugar added. The mozzarella didn't taste fresh and the meats didn't do the dish any favors. I can make a better lasagna and I'm no chef, so that's about how great that was. On top of that, it isn't cheap. I would definitely suggest people eat elsewhere.

    (1)

  • S H.

    Wow! We final found a place to return to. Husband had shrimp primavera and I had the eggplant parmesan. Fantastic! His sauce was super creamy and rich. The eggplant was sliced thin, not over breaded and not over done with cheese. The sauce look plain and thick but after one bite I was pleasantly surprised. The sauce was not overly acidic or over seasoned. The salads were fresh and the Italian dressing was phenomenal. The staff was extremely friendly and attentive. I was happy to see then take pride in the cleanliness. Will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • Charles W.

    A delightful experience made all the more pleasant by the folks who served us. Excellent meal well presented

    (4)

  • Andrew V.

    First time eating here. Came for dinner and ordered the eggplant parmesan. It was brought out hot and delicious. The texture of the eggplant was not over cooked and mushy, not was it undercooked and rubbery. My only critique is the cannoli. The pastry shell tasted like it was made from a site bought wonton, the chocolate-cheese filling was a little grainy, and the whipped cream was from a can. I would come back here again but would see what other desserts they had available.

    (4)

  • Carol P.

    We love this local family owned Italian restaurant. When out of town guests visit, this is always a sure hit for dinner. The food is fabulous and the staff is knowledgable and friendly. Skip Olive Garden and chains, try Mama's!

    (5)

  • Sandra S.

    Although the food was Ok, the service was so slow that we were ready to go when the meal finally arrived. When we arrived the small local restaurant was partially filled. It took almost 70 minutes to be served and 40 minutes before we got our salads. We had been traveling all day and were looking forward to a good experience in a place that was local. Don't know what happened because we saw others come in after we arrived and leave before we were served!

    (2)

  • Robert Y.

    I have lived just a few blocks from this place for 4 years and I always wanted to try it because I had heard good things about it. Finally, an opportunity arose last week and I decided to go for broke. The results? Not too good. This place is tucked in a corner of an old marketplace. Its not really a bad location, but its a little out of the way and a bit inconspicuous. The inside of this place looks fancy. There is red carpeting and there are flowers, the menu is in cursive like a fancy Italian restaurant, and they have a nice menu of alcoholic beverages to boot (I didn't drink so I can't comment on them). The prices also are high enough to indicate that I am in for a gourmet meal. All indications are that I am going to be in for a treat here. Alas, no, and this is where my review gets tricky, because despite my one star review, the food was edible here. Lets talk more about it. As is my custom when visiting Italian restaurants for the first time, I usually try to order chicken or eggplant parmigiana. I was glad to find both on the menu, so I sprung for the chicken since I needed the protein. But first they served a roll of complimentary bread and I ordered an appetizer, sautéed broccoli. The bread was enriched white bread, and it was served with butter. It was nice, and I enjoyed the fact that those who eat it could peel away their piece as it was prepared in a sort of braid. It was bread, and it was edible of course. Next came the broccoli. The broccoli was sautéed in a butter and garlic sauce. It was ok. It seemed as if the sauce was cheaply made because it lacked the subtlety and the freshness of similar dishes that I have had. I thought that it was possible that maybe they went overboard a little with the sauce, no matter. I looked forward to my chicken. One thing I would like to point out about the chicken, they fry the chicken here. Since I do not normally eat fried food, I asked them if they could possibly serve the chicken without the breadcrumbs. They were more than happy to accommodate this and to their credit, they did. However this is where the praise unfortunately ends. While the entree contained a nice large piece of chicken, and generous helpings of spaghetti and sauce, it seemed as if it was created by amateurs who have no idea what good Italian food tastes like. Being from NJ, and having visited Italy myself. I think I know a little bit about this. The chicken tasted ok, but looked as if it was previously frozen. Not that big a deal as long as the mozzarella and the sauce were good. Well, the sauce was ok, it tasted like it was cheap Ragu to me, which can be ok for a bachelor who is cooking a quick meal, but not at a restaurant. Not only did the sauce underwhelm me, but the cheese did too. I was expecting good mozzarella, and got what seemed to be some cheap stuff. In all, it was edible, but not worthy of its decor. It felt like a fancy McDonalds that served Italian food instead of Burgers to say the least. In all, the service was great, however the food was very lousy. Its rare when I can say the best part of my meal was the bread. As a consequence, I also wrestled with rating this place between a 1 and 2 star. I thought the service was fantastic. Although there were several patrons present, I always had my drinks filled by both the waitress and the hostess. I found that impressive to say the least and thought it was worth mentioning. However I really disliked the food here and I don't want people to waste their time with this place. However, given the cost and the quality of the food, I decided to give this place one star despite the five star service. What a shame, because now I can say that there is only one good Italian place in Flagstaff, and it is not even what I would consider a 5 star either.

    (1)

  • C.M. F.

    Overpriced Olive Garden! Actually Olive Garden has better soup and never-ending salad and bread sticks! This is my second time here in the 13 years I have lived in Flagstaff and it's still as bad as I remembered. First off their dinners are $14-$21...for canned Italian? Service was prompt but arrogant. When my friend decided on the salad over the soup, our waiter's response was almost condescending. When I ordered the soup he became a waiter in a fine Manhattan restaurant with his head cocked back stating "excellent choice"! The soup was some sausage/spinach combo and it was not very good. I told him that I wasn't pleased with the soup and that the Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden is actually better than this to which I received a grunt of sorts. Now to the entrees: Chicken Cacaiatora (usually one of my favorites) had a bitter sour taste unlike any Cacaiatora sauce I ever had, the Veal Marsala was very chewy and the Manicotti was overcooked...in fact all of the pasta was mushy that if it wasn't for the chicken or the veal, you could have gummed it down. I see they get Best of Flagstaff from the Daily Sun readers. I'm not sure if that's because besides Pasto it's the only locally owned Italian restaurant that does not have a focus on pizza? Wake up Flagstaff...this is not good Italian food! I do not mind paying $20 for a good plate of Italian food, so I'll save my money and treat myself to Roma Garden when I am down in Phoenix! A place with real Italian food like Mamma used to make and real Italian ambiance somewhere far away from Mamma Luisa!

    (1)

  • Sara J.

    Oh my god!! Amazing! My husband, father-in-law, and i stopped here on our way from San Diego to GA. Top notch! My husband had the Chicken Marmalade, I had the chicken parmigiano and my father-in-law can't remember at the moment lol but it was amazing. Absolutely recommend stopping here.

    (5)

  • Susan S.

    We used to love this place but feel it has gone downhill, our sauce had no flavor and the shrimp was overcooked and rubbery.Unfortunately and with sadness, I would say it's comparable to Olive Garden. Whomever says this is a great Italian restaurant obviously didn't grow up in San Francisco, Boston, NYC! or they really need to get out more!!!.

    (2)

  • Christine S.

    This place was recommended by the Best Western, and it's within easy walking distance. It's a small place, and it is warm...almost cozy. Service was prompt and friendly. I got a kick out of the waiter, Jake. He's great...attentive but not overbearing, and he's good at treating his customers like special people. He has a super attitude. Ok...so as usual, I ordered manicotti...(I just can't help it, I love that stuff) Once it cooled down to below boiling lava temperature, it was quite good...the sauce...not no much. Definitely tastes canned. The garlic bread...hey...it's bread with butter & garlic...I don't see what the fuss is over this. I got here right after opening, so I wasn't surprised to see the place empty...it fills up quickly, and everyone seems to be having a swell time. I'd definitely come back...although I certainly hope to NOT break down here again...still, a planned stop isn't out of the question.

    (4)

  • Taylor S.

    Dinned here tonight for the first time. The service was good and the atmosphere was nice. I had the chicken marsala. It wasn't the best marsala ever. There was way too much sauce on the plate.

    (2)

  • Doyle D.

    This restaurant is located in a small strip mall. It is like an old fashion type of Italian restaurant. Music of love and far away romance played throughout, sung by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and other famous 50-60's crooner's. Our order was taken quickly and served without error. The food was hot and delicious. The portions were more then ample and there was plenty of warm freshly baked bread for all 4 of us. We had the Italian Sausage Lentils soup, a nice tomato broth rich in Italian spices and a generous portion of sausage spiced perfect to match the full flavors of the broth. The house lasagna was a delightful blend of tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and a hint of anise. The meat and pasta were layered in the casserole filling but not overflowing the dish. A slice of mozzarella cheese meted on top to complete this great Italian standby. The only regret was that we did not look at the dessert menu. We will be returning for another great Italian dinner.

    (4)

  • Sheri C.

    A small quaint family owned & operated gem in a dark strip mall. Excellent food and service. Amazing chicken broth, spinach and egg drop soup, fresh bread, chicken Marsala and eggplant parmigiana.

    (4)

  • Neena M.

    We came to see Sunset Crater near Flagstaff and were all very hungry. We found the restaurant on yelp and decided to check it out. Mamma Luisa's was great. Good food, excellent service and very welcoming. Shannon was an excellent server. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Dennis A.

    I've been here several times. I think after my most recent visit, I won't be back. I love "mom 'n pop" places and normally, mom 'n pop are here. On my previous visits, there were family members working as servers but not this time. Tonight, the waiter was maybe 19 years old. He reminded me of a high school kid pretending to play a waiter in his drama class. He had this ludicrous affectation of "sophistication" and spoke in a very obviously fake dramatic voice. Whatever. What I did not like was that he asked it we'd like bread. Having been here 3-4 times before, we knew they serve nice hot bread with the soup/salads. This time we got garlic bread. We were enjoying it and then realized we got "sold". I asked the guy playing our waiter if he charged us extra. He said yes, he thought we'd enjoy garlic bread so he served it and charged us for it. Not cool. My son took forever to eat his salad. Being the parent I am, I made him keep working on it. I am not kidding, I'll bet 10 times, I had to fend off the waiter and bus-girl who seemed to both suffer some obsessive-compulsive disorder that compelled them to fixate on this salad, rendering them incapable of functioning until it was removed. It got to the point that we all would laugh out loud each time they dwelled about it again, despite being asked over and over to leave it alone. The food was pretty good, not fantastic or anything, and quite pricey ($15-$20) for a plate of noodles. The $15 pasta would have been $8 in San Diego's Little Italy. One final stupid issue, The bus girl packed the leftovers into the containers upside down, in every instance. Don't you know which way is up? We enjoyed our food but given the annoying service and high prices, (4 ppl, no alcohol, no fancy meat dishes = nearly $100 with tax and tip) I think we're done here.

    (3)

  • Joseph E.

    This place was recommended to me by a local. I won't be returning to this place. The food was sub par when it came to "home made" style. People told the waitstaff that they didn't like the food and they said sorry and charged them anyway. Stay away or maybe hit up a mainstream place like olive garden. OG may be not be the best but you'll definitely get more for your money.... $17 for chicken parmesan is a bit rich for a 6 ounce breast and pene noodles...

    (1)

  • Jeff F.

    Mushy mushy mushy. Why three mushy? Mushy spaghetti, mushy manicotti and mushy pasta in the soup. If you like your pasta aldenti do not eat here. I think the manicotti was cooked last week sometime, it was awful. Gag! Bread was good and meatball was just OK but not bad.

    (1)

  • Tatiana D.

    OK, in this case I'm pretty sure all the 5-star reviews are written by staff/friends/family because this place serves the worst Italian food you'll ever taste in your entire life! If you want to visit it for that kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience go ahead, otherwise stay clear of Mamma Luisa's! Also, bring a lot of money it's gonna cost you an arm and a leg, you'll leave hungry because you won't be able to finish your meal and you'll have to go somewhere else to eat that night. Seriously, I've never had anything more atrocious and disgusting than food at that restaurant. Here is why: What you think you are ordering: Lemon Pesto Chicken which is described as "Boneless chicken breast sauteed in pesto with white wine and lemon. Served over linguini garnished with pine nuts". What you actually get: a bunch of overcooked linguini swimming in unsalted warm dirty laundry water with traces of oil in it topped with chicken that's been bleached to get rid of any traces of chicken taste and then soaked in two bottles of fake lemon juice to mask the bleach taste. I couldn't finish the first piece of that "chicken". What you think you are ordering: Shrimp Milano which is described as "A seafood version of our Saltimbocca. Jumbo prawns layered with ham, mozzarella, eggplant & spinach for a divine taste perfectly complemented by a delicate wine sauce". What you actually get: prawns that have been run through the dishwasher a couple of times after the previous customers couldn't finish eating them, topped with ham that's been frozen for the last 30 years, topped with tasteless eggplant+spinach and an egg(!) on top. Again, swimming in some dirty bath water that's called sauce at Mamma Luisa's and served with a side of pasta in tomato (!) sauce. What you think you are ordering: Kids' meal for $7, yes $7 - meatballs with linguini. What you actually get: overcooked pasta topped with ONE meatball a bizarre gigantic size. They don't serve any bread with the meal, which for the kind of money it costs to eat there, they could. Although, it wouldn't be much of an improvement the food is so bad that I'll never forget visiting this place. I cannot believe that place has been in business for as long as they have been.

    (1)

  • g s.

    After being rebuffed by The Fat Olive, we were still in the mood for Italian. We asked our Garmin for an Italian restaurant, and it found this place. What a gem! The bread was hot from the oven. Salad was included, and quite delicious. The spaghetti sauce was not overly spiced---very satisfying. I've heard that real Italian sauce tastes mostly like tomatoes. This fits that description deliciously well. The staff was friendly and accommodating. We loved the atmosphere. It seems like a place where friendly people come to eat! Nicely done.

    (5)

  • Amy H.

    There's a reason Flagstaff keeps voting this place the best Italian food in town. It has tasty, classic Italian dishes. It's the place to go for Veal Scallopine or Chicken Marsala, not the latest americanized version of Italian. Frankly I'm baffled by the bad reviews - we eat here a couple of times a year and we've never had anything but well-seasoned, delicious homemade food. Never watery or bland. Most recently my husband & I had Manicotti & Chicken Rollantini - delicious with portions so large we both had to go boxes. And the calamari appetizer was great - tender not at all rubbery, and just lightly breaded. Dinners are $10-$20 with most in the $12-$15 range. Service has been consistently good over the years. Yes, the decor and menu don't change much - Mamma Luisa's is a classic not trendy or pretentious.

    (5)

  • George L.

    Sorry folks But this place was a big disappointment but The pasta was mushy And the Marsalis sauce gravy was canned the food was not edible!

    (1)

  • Jessica W.

    I found out about this place through yelp and an "italian food in flagstaff" search and thought i'd give it a try for my friend's birthday dinner. When we finally found the restaurant, we weren't sure it was SAFE to go inside. But we mustered up the courage and entered the tacky italain setting. Then many things went wrong. 1. the food was expensive and was NOT worth the price. it was either tasteless or tasted like it came from a can 2. our waitress kept asking us the same questions over and over 3. we told our waitress we did not want the order of garlic bread she offered but she brought it anyway and charged us for it! (and the only reason we didn't say anything when she dropped it at our table was because bread was included with the pasta dishes we ordered... in the end we were all thinking we should have gone to olive garden. and thats a low blow.

    (2)

  • Sarah Y.

    Mamma Luisa's is the best Italian food Flagstaff has to offer. The food is consistently delicious and the service is good. The atmosphere is quaint and conducive to enjoying your food and your company. It is good for nights on the town, dates, and celebrations... I have gone to Mamma Luisa's for all three. If you plan to eat at Mamma Luisa's, which I highly recommend, you should make reservations in advance. On weekends, during holidays, and during graduation it is usually hard to get a table.

    (4)

  • Lori G.

    We got a meal to go about a year ago when we first got to Flagstaff and it really wasn't that good. but there are some locals who like Mamma Luisa's so we decided to try it again and I took pictures this time as we ate in. The waitress was very attentive and friendly. The music was all Italian oldies so we could see that they are trying for good ambience. there was a fresh rose on the table but the plastic vines towards the front were dirty. we ordered veal Parmesan and eggplant parmesan that came with soup or salad and a loaf of warm bread and cold butter. my husband chose the salad which was very good. The minestrone soup was odd. it had potatoes in it rather than pasta, which is unlike any minestrone I've ever had before. it wasn't bad...it was just that with all the different vegetables it was more like vegetable soup with an "air" of minestrone about it. The veal in the Parmesan was tender but pretty tasteless. The eggplant was tasty but both of our entres' had the same sauce on top, so they pretty much tasted the same. The tomato sauce is just that, tomato sauce with not much other seasoning except for garlic. it doesn't taste bad but it doesn't make you want to have a lot more either. there is really nothing remarkable about this restaurant or the food. It's an Italian meal for an ok price. my husband ordered a raspberry Italian soda which was also so-so. We ordered a cannoli that had grated dark chocolate in the cheese and some orange-ish flavor which made for a very odd looking and tasting dessert. we would not order that again. i took pictures of everything so if you're interested take a look.

    (2)

  • beran h.

    Wow is all I can say get the artichoke Spanish dip amazing great service and great authentic food !!!!

    (5)

  • Tabitha N.

    Great little place. Our waiter Jake was on his game and did not disappoint. I recommend very highly!!!

    (4)

  • William T.

    Wonderful Italian food, especially the "house specials". Small family run restaurant. Not fancy but can be quite romantic. Quiet. Great wait staff. have some garlic bread!

    (5)

  • Jerica N.

    Save your money, go to Olive Garden.... My husband and I were dying to check out this local Flagstaff Italian place and now we deeply regret it. The food was awful- over cooked and watery, not to mention HIGHLY over priced for the small portions. I added salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese to my dish and it was still bad. The servers were friendly at first, but hardly paid attention to us. We were not asked if we wanted refills or more bread, and had to ask for our check. There are no more than 20 tables in this hole-in-the-wall and we saw our server exactly four times. In addition to that my husband's Dr.Pepper was literally brought out in a plastic bottle. So tacky considering we're paying $16 a plate! The set up of the restaurant is crammed and awkward. The restrooms are located in the back, so you have to walk down a narrow hallway past the kitchen to get to them. I understand that is not their fault, but it still is annoying. Over all, I was greatly disappointed and will never be returning.

    (1)

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Map

Opening Hours

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Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Categories

Italian Cuisine

The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.

Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.

If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.

Mamma Luisa Italian Restaurant

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