First and foremost, I have to say the bread and olive oil with herbs at this place is the best I have ever had. This is probably why they have a 5$ check minimum disclaimer at the bottom of their menu. I ate way too much because I just couldn't control myself. I also got the brand of the olive oil from the waitress: Pomus. I will be searching for it ASAP! The crab bisque for me was too thick and really rich, but other members of the table think it is the best on the island and crave it every year. Moving on to dinner. Its all good no matter what you like. There is a wide variety of items. From pizza to pasta to my boyfriend's favorite, veal marsala. He got it again and loved it again. This is the only meal at our table that had an appropriate amount of food for one human to consume at dinner. For me, I had something off the chef's nightly special menu, scallops with a mushroom sauce and fettuccine. It was highly recommended by the waitress, but it did not wow me unfortunately, the scallops lacked a sear and the sauce just wasn't for me. I tried the 2 other dishes at my table, both off the regular menu: Fettuccine Alfredo-WOW perfect, thats all I can say, it is a winner; and the final dish at my table, what I should have ordered the Mulberry Street Shrimp-with angel hair pasta and a tomato based sauce, I had a few bites and it was great. All pasta dishes had an absolutely ridiculous amount of pasta on the plate, I mean 4 times as much as I wanted or needed. Some dishes make good left overs, but some don't, and I hate to waste that much food. Anyway, I will certainly be back next time I visit Sanibel!
(4)
Bernadette S.
Being on vacation I was looking for pizza for the kids (teenagers) I called in an order for 3 pizzas and set on my way . I got there and it was pretty busy , someone directed me to the bar to pick up my pizza order. It takes about 10 minutes for the bartender to acknowledge me and when he finally did , he wasn't so friendly . I pay and set off with 3 pizzas . Upon arrival at the hotel I opened up the boxes and saw what looked like those cheap dollar pizzas from the freezer section . They were that small as well! The kids took a bite and not one of them could manage to choke any more than that down. By far the worst pizza I have ever tasted , go elsewhere.
(1)
Chelsea B.
As a local, I haven't been to Mazaluna's in years--I remembered it being solid but underwhelming food--but I was willing to give it a second try. It hasn't changed much in the last decade. While I was impressed by their drink selection (great local craft beers!) and the bread with herbed dipping oil (so yummy!), the entrees and service both were quite underwhelming. We had the Mulberry Street Shrimp and the Chicken Marsala. While both were cooked well, the sauces were bland and the shrimps' tasted almost like sauce out of a bottle. When my parents have had pizza in the recent past, they have been pretty underwhelmed by it at all, but that's pretty typical for island pizza. In a location like Sanibel where GREAT food is easily available, I won't be back to Mazaluna's--at least not this decade. It's another "lower price" option that sacrifices quality to achieve that price, and in my opinion it just isn't worth it.
(3)
Caitie K.
We were served really nice bread with olive oil and herbs while waiting for our food. The chicken parmesan is served with penne and was absolutely delicious. My boyfriend had chicken cacciatore over spaghetti which was also very good; the wine sauce was top notch. I also had a great strawberry daiquiri. Our server, Adam, was cool and attentive. No complaints whatsoever!
(5)
Laura R.
Excellent Italian food on Sanibel! Really wonderful pizza (had the Hawaiian and loved it!) along with other great entrees! Everyone raves about the bread/olive oil as well. Matzaluna has a comprehensive selection of craft beers, both on draft and in bottle - especially some local Southwest Florida breweries! They have a great happy hour special and TONS of parking, which always makes it convenient! I absolutely recommend it and they are also extremely accommodating for groups!
(5)
Ray H.
Food and service was amazing!! Pizza is possibly the best I have ever had!! Service was top shelve.
(5)
Greta D.
Yummmmm. They never disappoint. Again I had the chicken puttanesca and honestly, it doesn't need the chicken! Artichoke hearts, olives and capers ..... Why doesn't every Italian restaurant have this on their menu??? you Matzaluna for being so consistent!!!
(4)
Dan G.
I had a 10" pesto & pepperoni pizza while on vacation in Sanibel. It was good but, hard to live up to our favorite in Colorado. Was flavorful and I did eat it all. Our group overall happy with service and our food. We would return to Matzaluma on our next vacation in Florida.
(3)
Sarah S.
We found Matzaluna while driving down Periwinkle and were thinking about pizza. I was glad we stopped by because we liked it so much that we visited twice during our trip to Sanibel. Both times, we were seated right away and our service was great. The place is big with a large bar so it isn't subjected to the huge wait that some places in Sanibel have. The bread here is SO good! Fresh and hot, served with a high quality olive oil dip with yummy herbs mixed in. We ate it up. My husband had pizza both times. He really liked it. He also had the calamari, which he enjoyed. We had fried zucchini once, which was just ok for me. I had things I enjoyed both times. First I had the linguini primavera. It came with lots of fresh veggies and a garlic butter sauce. They have this romano cheese that they will sprinkle on everything. It's delicious! Salads, oil for dipping, pasta, pizza. Put it on everything. I did. The second time, I had stuffed shells. The shells had ricotta cheese inside and a creamy red pepper sauce, which was an unexpected but good flavor. Pasta dishes come with a salad, and they were fine. The frozen drinks here are really good. Best on the island in our experience. I highly recommend the strawberry colada. It's like a pina colada but has strawberry too. Yum!! I'll be back the next time I visit Sanibel.
(4)
Nicole W.
I've dined at Matzaluna a few times. It's not fine dining, but it's a step above Olive Garden and offers some affordable options for families! They also have a small, but reasonably priced wine list. The decor is very much Italian, with a relaxed vibe and friendly service. This meal started out with fresh warm bread served with the standard olive oil dip. We also ordered wine by the glass, stuffed mushrooms and calamari. I loved the calamari, but found the stuffed mushrooms to be a bit salty. I also didn't like the fact that they were sitting in a bowl of liquid. I wouldn't order that again. For the main course, we both ordered the Mulberry Street Shrimp. It's angel hair pasta, shrimp, prosciutto, mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach in a creamy sage sauce. The shrimp were plentiful and the sauce flavorful. It enjoyed it, and due to their very large portions, we took home enough for a second meal. Overall, this was great meal. Definitely worth a try if you're in the area!
(3)
Sara E.
We had the 10 inch pepperoni pizza. It was okay, nothing special. The service however, was fabulous. Our server was polite, friendly, and conscientious. All of the servers on the floor checked our drinks and refilled them exactly when they needed to. The servers checked in enough to meet our needs without being overbearing. The food came out surprisingly fast, but our server never rushed us. It was a great dining experience.
(4)
Bonnie W.
Had a great time here. The food was good. The atmosphere is lovely. The service was fast and friendly. Loved that we got to be creative on the table tops with crayon (like Jack Astor's) to pass the time. Our drinks came fast along with fresh warm bread with Italian herbs and olive oil for dipping. We ordered the garlic spread to share. It was superb. The garlic wasn't overpowering and it was fantastic with the fresh bread they give you. We also had the chicken masala with garlic mashed potatoes and veggies, pork chop with garlic mashed potatoes and veggies, the spinach dip, and the BBQ chicken pizza. The portion sizes were huge! The spinach dip was just creamy and cheesey enough to cause you to want to double dip. I had a slice of the BBQ chicken pizza and it was great! The BBQ sauce was fantastic an the crust was thin. I personally ordered the pork chop dish. It was amazing. The pork chop was huge. Cooked PERFECTLY. The garlic mashed potatoes were great and the veggies were cooked nicely. Like I mentioned before, the service there is super friendly and fast. They came by twice to see how everyone was doing and for refills. Would definitely go back here next year if I am in Sanibel again!
(4)
Margaret G.
We had takeout pizza. Pizzas are small and there is little to them. Better pizza at frozen section of grocery. $45 for 3 small pizzas and calamari. The inside looked nice with full bar, so might be better to eat in. Staff very nice.
(1)
Cait A.
Went here for an early dinner and we were really happy with the service. My father ordered a Cesar salad and the Chicken Siciliano pizza. He said the pizza was good and that the Cesar salad was close to the best one he ever had. I ordered angel hair pasta with pesto sauce and opted for the salad instead of soup. I really enjoyed the variety of choices this restaurant offers with their pasta and sauces. The pesto was delicious but my one complaint was they put too much on the pasta, so maybe ask for less if you choose to order this. Overall the entrees were delicious! Dessert is where we ran into a bit of a problem. We had pistachio ice cream, tartufo ice cream, and two espressos. The pistachio ice cream was really good with real pistachios mixed in! However, my dad found a small piece of paper in his ice cream (not okay!!). My tartufo ice cream was satisfying but not what I was expecting, as I have had tartufo before and it was a bit different. The espresso was very good but the first cup they brought out was dirty (again, not okay!). The waitress was apologetic and brought me a new one (with fresh espresso). In conclusion, it's a great restaurant with a casual atmosphere. We really enjoyed our meal, despite a few minor problems.
(4)
Jordanna E.
I hate writing two star reviews, because I don't like to relive mediocre experiences. So a quick one. No, I don't want to hear that--- with limited dinner options in Sanibel, this place is fine stuff from anyone---because there aren't limited dinner options in Sanibel. There are tons...and neighboring Captiva has many, too...and the majority of the hotels have kitchens, so please...we have choices. This place just didn't do it for me. The bus boys? greeted us and were going to seat us, and gave us the wifi code--which didn't seem to be strong enough to connect--- but the hostess kinda snagged the menus off of them to seat us. We sat with a server, who was exactly a very old version of a "stereotypical hooters waitress." Note the quotation marks. I've had some great Hooters waitresses, so I am not knocking them...just knocking the ding bat ones you would see in a movie. :) Well our 50+ year old blonde bombshell couldn't handle more than one task at a time and it was quite humorous to watch. She gave us the play by play of service, which i hate. ex. "I am going to go and clear their dishes, and then I will take your order." Thanks! No play by play necessary, just multitask and keep it in your head chick. Well, we had the caprese salad for an appetizer. Julienne basil was dark, not vibrant and fresh.. they used some generic vinaigrette dressing on it, but there was barely any. I tried to make eye contact with the server multiple times, and said excuse me probably three times. I used to be in the business, so I was not rude at all about it, but she chose to ignore me, and so I asked someone else. Then our server returned with it....and of course a play by play story about why she didn't come by when I said excuse me to her as she was walking by. Then our salad/soups came. Blah. Nothing special, caesar and a crab bisque....blah. Our entrees came, and my husband specifically ordered the chicken puttanesca without the little salty fish dudes in it..and she commented that 9 out of 10 people order it that way, and the kitchen is probably more accustomed to making it without them than with them, and yep.. it had the anchovies in it when he got it. I ordered the chicken saltimbocca. Super bland and blah again, very small portion size, too. So, really, there are far more choices on Sanibel than the ones you see driving down Periwinkle way, so let YELP navigate you to another restaurant, unless you have a hankering for hospital/airplane food and want a cheaper option.
(2)
Jennifer M.
Food was pretty good. The pizza was just ok. The chicken Parmesan was really good. The staff was nice and service was great.
(4)
Shelly K.
I always like to start with something positive - so I'll say that the dipping sauce and fresh hot bread were a great start to the meal. We ordered appetizers, but that really wasn't necessary with the endless supply carbs. Our family of 5 was seated at a table for 4 - with an extra chair added to the end....even though several 6 and 8 tops were available. It took a few extra minutes to get a waiter and get things started and then all the food seemed to come at once. Bread, appetizers and salads all came together - the table for 4 was over crowded in no time. With all the chaos, we had a spill - which we had to scramble to clean up ourselves. We caught the waiter's attention to ask for napkins - which he brought 5 mins later, after we had cleaned up. After taking just a few bites of our salads and appetizers, the waiter returned with our meals. He was genuinely surprised that we weren't' ready for them yet. He took them away promptly and waited for a signal that we were finally ready for our meals. He came back with our meals before clearing the table (this seems to be epidemic in Sanibel, though). Now about the food. The salads were ok. The ravioli with pomodoro sauce was decent. Two of us ordered Chicken Marsala - which was disappointing, at best. I've never seen Marsala sauce the color of beef gravy. Color notwithstanding, the taste was not at all noteworthy. I would not have guessed that I was eating Chicken Marsala if my eyes were closed. The chicken wasn't pounded thin, there was no finesse to the sauce (no shallots, no herbs, etc) no effort with plating..... Overall, the meal was a miss. The waiter seemed well intentioned, but off the mark. The food was entirely unexceptional.
(2)
Stefan M.
Matzaluna is a great place for groups on the island. The food can be a little hit or miss. I lve their pizzas but I ussually have to specify that I want them cooked a little more but after that they are great. Good seafood pasta options and great craft beers on tap.
(3)
jose t.
Been coming here for almost 30 years and it's been consistently good. The fish specials are always great and very different than how fish is done one the rest of the island. the ravioli are really good and quite a good deal as they include a salad or soup and fresh bread with olive oil and spices. Really good selection of local beers and a very well priced house wine.
(4)
Becky C.
It was fine but I expected better. It's just pizza really there wasn't much flavor to it. The wait staff was efficient but our server went off on the person who delivered the pizza to re table because she didn't bring pepper flakes. It was a little awkward. Prob won't go back there ever.
(3)
B K.
It won't be the worst Italian food you have ever had and it won't be the best Italian food you ever had. I tried the pizza and found it to be just okay. I didn't particularly like the crust. I also tried the garlic spread. The presentation was lacking. It was just a yellowish glob put on a plate. I really enjoyed the tiramisu for dessert. The price of dinner was very reasonable compared to other restaurants on the island. They also offered a lot of different types of craft beers if you are in to that sort of thing.
(3)
Jack W.
Coming from the Northeast where the food is great, this place wasn't bad. Had the roasted pepper sauce on fettuccine w/sausage and liked it. Wife had shrimp in an alfredo and it was good. A bit pricey for Italian... $94 for 4 people for a slightly above average meal.
(3)
Bob G.
Last nite my wife and I were looking for a place to eat that had a relaxed atmosphere this place had everything the food was excellent ,our server Kimberly was very pleasant the nite before Miranda was the same as far as $ It was very reasonable compared to Doc Fords $$$ we will definitely go back for dinner
(5)
Sarah B.
Our first time visiting Sanibel, and we wanted to grab some pizza to-go for a late dinner our first night here. We ordered a veggie pizza and two side salads. When we got back to our room, we noticed there was only one salad in the bag. The salad we did get was tiny for the $3 price tag, with about a cup of lettuce, one grape tomato, one slice of cucumber, a tiny piece of onion and one black olive. Disappointing so far. Then we open the pizza box....I literally burst out laughing. It was pathetically small and thin with very few toppings. I was hoping it tasted better than it looked, but not the case. This was by far one of THE WORST pizzas I've ever had. It tasted like a frozen Party Pizza from the grocery store. No flavor at all, veggies undercooked and the same gross, mushy cheese they use at Dominos. I am shocked they would serve this. I was going to give 1 star but the balsamic salad dressing was worth another star. I actually put it on my pizza to give it some flavor. This was not only our first time here, but it was our last.
(2)
Patrick I.
We had a party of 9. Service was great food was exquisite. Crab bisque rocked. Try the mussels or calamari to start with veal Marsala.
(5)
Laura P.
Food is mediocre. We got two chicken dinners and a kids pasta. None of us finished it. My chicken dinner had gristle and hard pieces in it and it was oily. Nice ambiance They had a good choice of desserts. Staff is friendly. Priced reasonable.
(3)
Janice W.
The staff was very cordial and efficient. The pizzas were served hot and delicious. Honestly it was one of the best meals we have had on Sanibel. Will definitely return!
(4)
Meredith K.
When dinner options are limited in Sanibel Island you take what you can get! We found this gem from Yelp, walking distance from the Sanibel Inn. We had to wait about 20 minutes for a table but ordered drinks from the bar and browsed the menu (there are definitely worse things in the world to do). I asked the bartender to make me a Moscow Mule and to my dismay he didn't know how to make it but don't fret he had a drink book he whipped out! After much research in the drink book and my iPhone we found the recipe...success!! Food: was decent reminded me of Olive Garden, bigger portions and lots of bread and salad. Atmosphere: loud and very family friendly, tall ceilings and 2 floors makes noise carry
(3)
Dodi A.
Food was delicious overal but we had trouble connecting with the server. Other tables were getting olive oil and balsamic for the bread from our server, but not us. I had to get it myself and serve my family with it and refill the water for my kids. Thats what I do at home and try to have a break by going to the restaurant. Again, ladies should be served first, then kids men etc. The waiter needs to be a consumate host and make it a memorable experience for the customer. We will come back next year.
(3)
Bryan S.
Meal was good and enjoyed the atmosphere. Service was great for our group of 10. Food quality was good but nothing truly original. Being in this great location expected a unique meal and was fun. Liked the local craft beers. Enjoyed the night out. Plan for plenty of drive time if you are not staying on Sanibel. Traffic can be slow. Plan carefully.
(3)
Arthur H.
Sooooo what can I say. Italian, yes. Family friendly, yes. If you like to constantly hear a loud speaker while you eat and wait forever for your food you are in the right place. Our server was "very nice" which is code for not the best. She forgot a lot of stuff and was very slow. Food was good but maybe not worth the wait. Large portions. The spaghetti was good but the meatballs were more bread than meat. The tortellini special (veal and beef) was very very good and the beer selection was good and balanced.
(2)
Patrick B.
Dined with a party of four on a Saturday evening. The wait staff was pleasant and attentive. We did share meals so I got a sampling of several dishes. I had the Mulberry Street Shrimp with a Caesar side salad. My Caesar salad was at best underwhelming; the dressing seemed devoid of any garlic, anchovies (or Worcestershire sauce), parmesan, black pepper, or lemon - thus resembling a very bland mayonnaise. The Shrimp dish was adequate with enough large well-cooked shrimp, in an unremarkable sauce of capers, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, and prosciutto over angel hair pasta. House salad was just Ok, with a balsamic vinaigrette that was heavy on the vinegar and light on the oil. Linguini with Puttanesca; the sauce was bland with not a hint of anchovies, onions or garlic noted. Linguini with vodka sauce with side order of meatballs. Meatballs were non-descript; except for a too-smooth bready texture and an overwhelming measure of oregano. Chicken Parmesan with side of mashed potatoes, it looked good, but didn't taste it. Best part of meal was bread served hot with herbed oil. In that both of the salad dressings and three of the four main dishes were quite weak, considering the hike to Sanibel; we will not be returning
(2)
Jennifer J.
Had dinner here with my husband and three kids. Dinner was great! Service was also great! The menu has a lot of selections and large drink menu. Perfect for families!
(4)
Sara B.
Ok.... The food is pretty good. We got take-out. If you do this... Make sure you stand there after you pay- no matter if they say it'll be a few minutes. We didn't get the pizza because the BBQ pizza wasn't available (it's on the yelp reviews but it's a week special) BUT - they have a big wood fire pizza oven! If I could have gotten my daughter to agree on pizza then we would have gotten that! You do get bread with oil and herbs with your order/ dinner. Yum
(4)
Doc H.
Nice Italian decor. We had no wait for seating on a Thursday night around 7:00pm. This was a good change-of-pace from the seafood we had been enjoying all week. Staff was very friendly and attentive. Stuffed Mushroom appetizer was very good. Chicken Parmesan, Shrimp Fettuccine, and the Angelo Pizza were all delicious along with the Mulberry Street Shrimp.
(4)
Sam M.
This is the most mediocre Italian restaurant Ive ever eaten at. The food was utterly flavorless and lacked any real substance. It was clearly a quantity over quality kind of place. Would not recommend this place unless its the only restaurant on the island that is open
(2)
Colby M.
Pizza was small and shameful for the price. We were informed we would not be served since we were sitting on the patio and received an up charge due to not being served. Though it's not pizza, the island cow is great food, great service, great portions, great price. 3 minutes up the road.
(1)
Sarah M.
Very casual setting but the food was EXCELLENT. Despite the large portions there was no need for a box for leftovers, we inhaled it all. Before our meal the waitress brought out bread & chopped herbs with olive oil; astonishingly fresh and very delicious! I recommend the shrimp scampi over linguine.
(3)
Joseph B.
Really solid place. Everything was great. Our server Dennis was awesome! The gluten free crust was the best we've ever had, so was the Key Lime Pie. Great Craft Brews on tap. That's what we will remember the most. Everything else was really good but it won't go down as the most memorable. Would definitely return either way. You won't regret it if you need a solid meal with friends or family and need some variety (including vegetarian and gluten free options)
(4)
Paula H.
After a long day in the pool, there's nothing like a good family dinner at Matzaluna. Littles get an array of crayons to keep themselves busy drawing on the butcher paper tablecloths while you peruse the wine menu. We love the relaxed, casual atmosphere and we've always had terrific service. The selection of options is ample for all tastes, including picky children (customize your own pasta plate) and vegetarians (eggplant Parmesan). Our salads were fresh and delicious with mouth-watering tomatoes and mixed greens (no generic iceberg) and the tomato basil vinaigrette was really yummy. What keeps me dreaming about Matzaluna, though, is their robust and flavorful marinara! Seriously, I would buy bottles of it to bring home to Chicago. Get your serving of lycopene before you get out into the sun and load up tonight!
(5)
Mauresa S.
I think they have some of the best food on the island. The prices are really reasonable and most of the staff is great!
(4)
Nancy O.
Arrived on Sanibel after long travel day. Drove by Matzaluna at least three times in our search for own home away from home this week. Liked the look of it from the outside. Dinner time came early so we arrived along with other hungry, happy hour hunters at 4:25, and felt like Pamplona running of the hungry into the 4:30 opening/happy hour. Loved the olive oil and dipping herbs with the bread- loved the teriyaki black/white tuna with wasabi, garlic mashed and fresh veggies, the hub loved his chicken Marsala and the daughter her ravioli with marinara . Salads came with meals! Great beer, wine, cocktails, check out happy hour specials- great drink prices- word is obviously out because even at 5:30pm, the place was packed! We will be back!
(5)
Jocelyn K.
Decided that we wanted Italian for our last evening in Florida. Looked at the reviews on yelp and decided to give this a try. Appetizer wings were delicious. The problem was that it took forever to get them, and our server brought the bread, wings and salad all out at the same time. When this happened, I asked not to have the meal rushed out. There is nothing worse than being sped fed your meal! He was kind enough to hold the meal for a bit, but then when he delivered the meal, that was the last time we saw him for the entire meal. Entree food quality was a bit below average. Lacked flavor and pizazz. Needed a bit more garlic, and simply salt and pepper. Not sure if it deserves another go.
(2)
Jonathan C.
Pretty good pizza. Nice beer selection. Stuffed mushrooms weren't great and I probably wouldn't order them again. The best part of the meal was the pistachio ice cream. Service was fine.
(3)
Kevin H.
Good experience, had a party of 4, service was good, food was good, atmosphere was pleasant. Will most likely return on our next trip to Sanibel.
(4)
Alexis F.
My family has been coming to Sanibel for about 25 years. While having a small family reunion we decided to visit the Craft beer and brick oven pizza place on the main strip. We gave this 2 generous stars for the tasty craft beers and most of our food was good. The service was similar to other reviews and was very inconsistent. The hostess promptly sat our 8 top and we were greeted quickly. Some of the beers we ordered were not available due to the out of date menus at the hostess stand. We found this out after we ordered and some of us got drinks while the others had to reorder. The eight of us enjoyed the one basket of bread we shared and the one glass of water we got, we did not know that we wouldn't get another refill even after our server told us he would, we were only there for 2 hours waiting for the rest of our dinner!! Our server horribly timed our meals. It took about a hour to get our entrees even though only 2 of us ordered salads. Even then 2 orders were forgotten and never came out. We were told they would be ready in 3-5 minutes, so we waited to start eating. When the last of the entrees came after another 20 mins my wife's crab biscue was nasty, but the pizzas were still tasty. The server must of known there was something wrong but instead of fixing it, he ignored our table, didn't come by for any more beer or water refills, and didn't run out any of our food. My sister in law brought the manager over and he said that the service was not acceptable and comped some of the food off all our checks. Me and my wife's check was $60 for a small pizza, 2 salads, cold crab biscue, and a few beers. The prices on the menu were resonable but we were hoping for a better expierence. The server obviously made some mistakes without trying to correct them. The rest of the staff that ran our food and bussed the other tables looked at us and walked away when they overheard us trying to figure out what was going on. You could tell the staff wasn't concerned about us anymore as we went by the hostess stand and not even a smile, as everyone turned their heads the other way. I normally receive better service at Chik-fil-a than I did last night. Too bad because decent beer and decent food and a resonable menu could be a good expierence, but it wasn't. There are so many good restaurants in Sanibel it won't be hard to find other places to eat. After reliving the whole expierence again during this review I decided that 1 star sounded appropriate
(1)
Kyme R.
Their bread, roasted garlic spread and dipping oil was delicious and the service was great. The pizza not so much. They are individual sized and basically almost like a pita style. I would consider it more of a flatbread and not a pizza. I ordered a chicken dish and it was basically baked chicken tenders covered in cheese and sauce. My mother did have a pasta enjoyed though. If you're in the mood for pizza this is not the place but it would be great for appetizers.
(2)
John D.
We arrived after a fourteen hour car drive and five minutes before they were closing. They were very accommodating and we never felt rushed. The food was terrific and the service was perfect. I ordered a cheese pizza which was tasty and more than I could eat, and looking around the table at every else's plates, everything seemed generous. I tasted someone's scallops and there were cooked perfectly. All-in-all it was a pleasant welcome to Sanibel Island. Being out of the car after a long trip and the only party in the restaurant was probably why everything seemed perfect, but I'm giving five stars here.
(5)
Jim D.
Food was good, told us the wait was 40 minutes but it only took 10 which was nice. Waitress wasn't great, service was a little slow.
(4)
Varvara K.
Dennis our server was great. Food was good, basic Italian, nothing spectacular with the exception of the GLUTEN- FREE crust which was out of this world. Dessert was good. Great ambiance though, a really cool place with a cheerful, feel-good atmosphere (the crayons at the table help with this.) The bathrooms are clean with cool pottery sinks.
(4)
Heidi P.
Ordered chicken cacciatore and it was really good. Service was good too!
(4)
Debbie C.
I would have to say the food was just fine. Certainly not fantastic. My husband had the bolognese sauce which was ok ... not very flavourful as it should have been. I had the pesto with grilled chicken. We would return, but really just to be "fed" ... not for anything out of the ordinary in regards to Italian dining.
(2)
Chris M.
Was a real bummer. Had high expectations as I was lured in by the promise of pizza and craft beer from their sign posted on periwinkle. The beer list was ok. A few Florida staples like cigar city, Florida ave and lagunitas. Nothing unique. The pizza was a real let down too. Thin crust and was under cooked. We got the caprese and the crust was a little doughy. We also got the garlic spread for the bread and it was just gross. Stick with the free oil and herb dip. The pizza came out about 2 minutes after we got the bread. We were in and out after about 30 min. Was really hoping to have a nice sit down dinner and relax and chat a bit. We left very disappointed that we chose this place against all the other options on the island.
(1)
Andre P.
Your typical Italian food: full portions, bland sauces and easy on the palate. You will end up taking some home. Excellent beers on draft, especially the namesake. Fun atmosphere - your kids get a balloon - and a lot going on to keep boring conversations alive. Great wait staff.
(3)
Greg M.
Fabulous meals two nights in a row! Crab bisque soup is awesome, fresh grouper and linguini di mare are great and deserts are to die for! Matt, Ryan and Jen were all great; friendly servers! We will come back again and again!
(5)
Jay D.
Fair is a fair word to describe this place. Shelly was an excellent waitress, but food was Olive Garden wanna be. Prices were fair relative to rest of island, but food was bland. For foodie no reason to go back. Fine for young families.
(3)
Rafael C.
good place with great atmosphere lively crowd and good food 1. chicken parm is 16 bucks and solid 2. pizza's are for 1 hungry person, or two with small appetites priced between 10-13 bucks (good taste) 3. soups are ok, and salads are avg...for the island its a nice place to go if you don't want to break the bank, eat good food with healthy portions, and enjoy a nice crowd
(3)
Dio S.
Great place, great service and atmosphere . Will come back tomorrow and have some more of this good stuff. . How such F I do recommend this place to anyone that would like to have a nice meal.
(5)
Rhonda H.
Good family friendly Italian with a diverse menu to fit a variety of needs. We had chicken parm, pizza, and penne with spicy tomato sauce. The fresh baked bread was delicious. Our server, Michelle, was very nice and attentive. We visited at 6:45, the beginning of "prime dinner time" but were able to be seated right away. A great place for families and groups.
(4)
Virginia J.
Matzaluna is a good restaurant to go to when that type of food is what you are looking for. Most of the wait staff have been there for a long time and that says something about a business. But my big complaint is that there are no yellow crayons. I mean seriously - tons of orange and green but few blue and NO yellow. Please if you go there ask for yellow crayons! And lastly - get the tiramisu. That's a 5 but the crayon situation is really bad!
(4)
John B.
To say the service was slothful would be an insult to sloths. Moreover, the fare was pedestrian. Meatballs and sausage tasted as if they'd been sitting around for days and sauces seemed like from a can. Supposedly wood fired pizza was more like frozen. Do yourself a favor. Go somewhere else.
(1)
Christopher L.
This restaurant has a relaxed family atmosphere and the food is quite good. I made the mistake of ordering the Black and White Tuna, which is not a traditional Italian dish. My wife and Mother-in-law had the Eggplant and Chicken Parmesan respectively. They both were happy with their meals, as were my daughters, who had spaghetti and meatballs and pizza. The tuna was not bad, but a little tough and uninspired. The vegetables that came with it were a bit bland, though the mashed potatoes were good. They have a nice little selection of craft beer and wines. The Orange Blossom Pilsner was rather good: crisp with hints of orange. In all, this was a good, but not great restaurant; if you go, stick with the Italian fare they do best.
(3)
John L.
Food is very good, lots of favorites and a few specials to pick from plus plenty of pizza options. Full bar as well so beer with your pizza or something stronger if you like. I have to say I don't care for the white construction paper table "cloth" with crayons the waitstaff writes their name on the paper for you with. Coupled with the Italian herb and olive oil served with bread makes this a bit too close to a well known chain that serves Italian style dishes. Not someplace I like to be reminded of. Lost one star for that, otherwise it's that good!
(4)
Carrie F.
Really disappointing! They advertise wood fired pizza so we were hopeful- that didn't last long. They were using pre-made pizza rounds like you buy at a restaurant supply store. Why even bother with the wood fired grill? The pizza was no better than a frozen pizza- don't waste your money. I looked around and the other dishes really didn't look much better. Our waitress was a bit surly too. Bummer because the area really needs a good pizza spot and the restaurant is pretty cute.
(1)
Eric G.
Good solid home style Italian. Awesome oil/ pepper/cheese dip for the fresh baked bread. Always a good meal.
(4)
Kevin S.
Brick oven pizza, lump crab Alfredo a and some really good bread. It was the perfect meal. Some of my family that live in Sanibel come here often. Everything is fresh and cooked in the spot. You will take leftovers, portions are very good. Great draft beer selection also.
(5)
Izzy B.
Service was quick. Food came out promptly and hot. Roasted garlic spread was a deal at $1.95. House bread and herb oil dip were delicious. The sausage in the stuffed mushrooms was outstanding. The Matzaluna Pizza was a feast of flavors. The house sangria was average - but that could have just been in compassion to how amazing everything tasted! The Black Mangrove craft beer compared favorably to Guinness. Overall excellent and a true bargain in island dining.
(5)
Darci S.
My family really enjoyed Matzaluna. Not sure why all the negative reviews - no its not a fancy, romantic Italian restaurant, but its a good value by Island standards and definitely several steps up from your average Olive Garden! Our server, Tia, was fabulous and has a great sense of humor. The bread and oil was amazing - bread fresh out of the oven and the spices and cheese in the oil were so tasty. Several of us had pizzas and enjoyed them. They are a thin crust, wood fired style, personal size but no one finished theirs. I had the chicken putenesca which wasn't to die for but very tasty none the less. Our toddler had cheese ravioli which he devoured so it must have been good. We left with five takeout boxes for lunch the next day, and it was just as good heated up! In summary, great service, awesome bread, good food. Very family friendly. One of our favorite meals in Sanibel.
(4)
Bryan S.
Came here for some beer and pizza. Our party had 6 adults and 2 kids. It was a great place for kids (coloring on the paper tablecloths) and the food was decent. The beer selection was ok and our service was lacking. They were busy but forgot our salads and waters were hardly ever filled up. Overall it's a good place to dine just don't expect quick and attentive service.
(3)
Caitlin J.
Definitely the best dinner I had on Sanibel both times I've been! Great service, amazing bread with oil to start off, great food and atmosphere. Not a super fancy Italian restaurant, but very family friendly (table cloths are paper and they have crayons to color on them). Highly recommend it and it lives up to my expectations having gone there twice in one weekend the last time I was there 8 years ago!
(5)
Zelda P.
Entrees are inconsistent, I recommend sticking to the Italian basics such as spaghetti and meatballs. The portions are nice-sized, though $2 extra for whole wheat is excessive. Atmosphere is casual and relaxed, service is attentive and friendly.
(3)
Edward U.
I had a late dinner here Sunday, October 12, 2014 with my family. There was no wait time and we were seated promptly. Our waitress , Jen, was friendly and courteous. I ordered the Bruschetta as an appetizer. It was ok, I've had better. The Italian bread was not toasted and there was lots of melted cheese on top of the 4 pieces. The tomatoes seemed to have been marinated in Balsamic Vinegar. I then had "Mommas Italian or Homemade Chicken" with a cup of the Pasta Fagiolu soup. Soup was very well seasoned and satisfying - it had red kidney beans which Struck me odd? The Chicken a Dinner was not what I expected. The description lead me to believe it was similar to Carraba's " Chicken Bryan" - but it wasn't . Three grilled chicken tenderloins smothered in a medley of melted goat, mozzarella, and some other cheese was accompanied by a mound of red bliss mashed potatoes and seasonal veggies. The Veggies were bland, no taste. The meal itself was not my favorite. I skipped dessert. Not authentic Italian cuisine, but seemed popular with tourists.
(3)
David E.
The place was busy, tis the season when all us folks in Madison, WI go south to the island for the sun, sea and warmth! However, the place is worth the wait so wait...then enjoy. The pizza and local beer was better then average and hit the spot. The service was also above average.
(5)
Paige I.
Bread and olive oil dip were delicious! Pesto pasta was fantastic as well. Our waitress, Michelle, noticed my husband scribble on our table our wedding date (it was our anniversary). She brought out key lime pie with a candle to surprise us! We were very happy with our anniversary dinner and wonderful waitress.
(5)
Nick S.
My family's favorite restaurant on the islands. Terrific pasta and pizza. If you can't decide what to get, the weekly specials list always features great options and the freshest seafood. The Italian market atmosphere makes for an enjoyable setting, and service is always top notch. Very good wine and beer options!
(5)
Jess M.
My family and I came here while vacationing in Sanibel... Everything about my meal was just OK... I had the crab bisque and a caprese salad. The tomatoes in the salad were mushy and gross, and the manager came and apologized and took it off the bill, which was very nice. Everyone I was with really enjoyed their pizzas. We'll definitely be back next time we're in town.
(3)
Josh C.
Very quick! We had a party of 12 and the food came out super quick! The food/prices are what you would expect for an Italian restaurant on an island. Overall a good experience, but don't expect to be overly wowed.
(4)
Len B.
Chicken Parm and Fett Alfredo were solid 4 star, this is a great family atmosphere restaurant and they have a really good selection of micro-brews, I'm not a bread eater but I tore up there bread with oil/garlic/basil seasoning... I would definitely eat here again!
(4)
Jami T.
My husband and two kids ate dinner here while on vacation. We were promptly greeted and sat by a friendly hostess. My husband ordered the Mulberry St. Shrimp and I the Chicken parm. My kids shared a pepperoni pizza. The two dinner entrees were very good and came with a tasty garden salad (good blue cheese dressing). My kids enjoyed the bread and olive oil and herb dipping sauce a little too much as they barely ate the pizza. I tried the pizza and thought it was fair, but not life changing. Our service throughout was very good. We would come back again, when in the mood for some good Italian food.
(4)
Ryan P.
I was excited...Brick Oven Pizza!! Well that ended quickly when we got home. I have to say that coming from New England we are use to GOOD Pizza! NY and New Haven Pizza is among the very best.... It just wasn't what I expected.... we ordered 2 Pizza's to go and a caesar salad. The Pizza was 'Ok' but the crust was 'paper thin' almost cracker like... Hey if you like it like that enjoy! Had a Sangria while we waited...possibly the best on the island! Atmosphere seemed cool....we will be back but not for pizza :)
(3)
O.M. R.
Dont order the fish fest. Its calamari, scallops, shrimp, mussels, clams, and "fresh fish". Everything was either overcooked or not cooked enough (mussels). Also, the plater was HUGE. If it would've been any good, it would've been dinner for a week. The only good food i eat tonight here was the bread which was just out of the oven.
(2)
Tim M.
Good old school Italian, Adam our server was awesome. Defiantly a place to try while on the island.
(4)
Ania H.
Dinner was average, service was average. We went this evening with 2 kids before the dinner rush. When we arrived, there were plenty of open tables, but they made us wait 20 minutes. Not sure why they just didn't sit people. While we waited we decided to get wine from the bar - the Chianti was old and tasted like Vinegar. We were seated by the back room. We had to remind the waiter (Tom) for our bread. We ordered pizza and the angel hair linguine. The pasta was excellent but the pizza was average. I would not recommend this as a place to eat if you have other choices (e.g. Doc Ford is where we went yesterday and the food there is light years better than this place.)
(3)
Menza D.
My family was tired of seafood, so we decided to try Matzaluna and were pleasantly surprised. My family if six arrived a little before six and were seated immediately. Our server, Jen, was pleasant and provided quick service. The shrimp bisque was very tasty as were the remainder of our entrees. The portions were verry large. Several of us split meals and still had more than we can eat. I had the mahi mahi special. It was great. Again, the portion size was at least double the size of our previous night's meal In summary, Matzaluna serves quality food at reasonable prices. My family would return again.
(4)
Amy B.
OMG, the best pasta dish I have ever had; Shrimp Delicato!! Food, Service and Atmosphere. A+++
(5)
Melanie K.
Great service, great food! I love the Italian herb/olive oil that's served. My favorite dish is the gnocchi with the basil pesto.
(5)
K M.
We have been coming here for years, on each visit to Sanibel. The Italian food is consistently tasty and bountiful, to the point that we now split a dish if we don't want to take out a second meal. Their water is filtered and they add a slice of lemon, so even the water tastes good. With reasonable prices and a new policy of taking reservations, it's become more attractive than ever.
(4)
Mary C.
So when our hotel staff told us that there was a good pizza place - we were completely nonplussed because we're from the pizza capital of the world and a bit pretentious about it. (If you can admit you have a problem it's not as bad right?) so we go and the waitress is super nice, the banana daiquiris were SLAMMIN and the moment of truth.... The pizza arrives and it's absolutely beautiful. Crust was perfect, sauce wasn't too sweet - or salty, my mind was blown... We also had a veggie and pasta dish- fantastic! Absolutely loved this place!
(5)
Dan K.
For the south side of Sanibel, it's pretty good Italian. Pizza was okay, angel hair vodka creme sauce good, service pretty good, and yes opening bread with oil, cheese and herbs great touch. Atmosphere good cool Italian. Good for families.
(4)
Elaine B.
I live on Sanibel and in Connecticut so I don't expect much from the Italian food here. Matzaluna has always been consistent, although not great. We ate here tonight to beat the February crowds. Bread and oil were good, salad and soup mediocre. When my chicken parm came, it looked good with nicely melted cheese. I ate the ends first but the next bite didn't seem quite right and when I looked more closely, the chicken was RAW. This is unacceptable! They took it off the bill but I will never eat here again.
(1)
Dave D.
Diner for 3 tonight was very enjoyable. The bread was soft and warm ( truly the best part of the meal) . My Garlic Shrimp Ravioli was outstanding. My wife's Shrimp Milano was very tasty. My mother in law sChicken Parm was dry and uneventful. I don't know if 2 out of 3 is ok in the restaurant business. I will however give them another chance at a later date.
(4)
Jeff C.
Excellent food! Great staff! I can't wait to go back. My wife and I had the pizza and salad one evening and chicken Marsala, as suggested by our bartender and a Caesar salad another evening - both meals were very good!
(5)
Barry W.
The food was really not very special - it wasn't bad, but I have better italian food at chain restaurants. I had seafood pasta di mare - while the shrimp was great, everything else was just ok. The fish in the pasta was like eating bad throwaway fish at a red lobster. Mussels and clams were ok. But the sauce? You'd think an Italian restaurant would work hard to make good sauce - this was barely mediocre. My wife had eggplant parmesan, basically a thin layer of eggplant with a pile of ricotta cheese under it. Not very good at all. The pizza was decent. I've been to Sanibel half a dozen times, and I'm sure we've had better food here - but maybe I was wrong. Nice atmostphere, nice staff, but overall not enough staff to serve properly. With all of the choices on the island, don't waste your time waiting 30 minutes for a table here.
(2)
Howard S.
I was really skeptical with some of the reviews. However, I decided to go anyways. It was EXCELLENT! I had Ziti with pomodora and it was great! The bread is very fresh as well. Pizza was excellent and all my 3 kids loved it! Well worth trying and really great service which I was surprised being in a tourist area! I wish I lived here as I would dine weekly and really affordable for a family of 5!
(5)
Dave J.
What a disappointment. we have had better food at a Olive Garden. We ordered angel hair pasta with pesto and chicken and their 5 cheese pizza. I don't know where they got there pesto receipe but it didn't taste like any pesto I have ever had. There pizza had a weird dough and the toppings were not fresh. We are from Chicago and know good pizza, this place wouldn't last a week serving this pizza.
(1)
Steve B.
Food was fine, service was bad - I would have been fine with the food (my expectations were met), but the service was quite bad. It was hard to get drinks refilled, we had to ask twice on two occasions and a refill was never offered, even with empty ice tea/ diet coke glasses on the table. The waitress seemed uninterested. After two quick visits immediately after a server brought out the food (once when the food was brought out and 45 seconds later, asking how it was before we even tasted it), we had to work to get her attention. The staff taking names and seating people were also not friendly, barely making eye contact or speaking to you when entering or leaving. We went to Matzaluna because our kids really wanted seafood alfredo. They enjoyed their food. The bread was good, our salads were fine, nothing special. I am not a big fan of italian, so it was not unusual for me to find the fettucine and pomodoro sauce boring and ordinary. The sausage was decent. My wife, who likes italian food, found her ravioli underwhelming. The food was fine, the service was not.
(2)
Sara G.
We had a bad experience a couple of years ago and decided to give it another chance last night. We placed a very specific carry out because I am gluten free/ Vegan. The first pizza we got was pepperoni not veggies..first mistake. We complained, they made it again, opened it up right there and it gf veggie covered in cheese. We were just appalled by the situation so we were going to leave, but the lady that took the order really wanted to make it right. They remade it AGAIN and we got the rest of our order which we did not have to pay for. All seemed well until after I ate the pizza and suffered the remaining of the night. The crust was either not gf or they cross contaminanted. Will never ever go back!
(1)
H S.
It's edible but not good.
(2)
Anthony R.
Reasonable but unremarkable Italian food - I came here with three friends the first night we were on Sanibel after deciding that Jacaranda across the street was a bit pricey. The highlight of the meal for my group was definitely the bread with roasted garlic that comes with all entrees -- probably a whole head of roasted garlic doused in a quarter cup of olive oil with warm bread makes for a good start to any meal. That, or the $14 special on bottles of Sangiovese. The rest of the food was standard Italian pasta-ish fare. I had the chicken puttanesca, which was, well, fine - the chicken wasn't the best, it was a lot more sparing on the olives, capers, and anchovies than anything I would make at home, and for $17 I'd hope for a bit more. In the end we all left full and satisfied, but it certainly wasn't a dining highlight.
(3)
John s.
Slow service with little effort to remedy. I would not recommend for large groups of four or more. Waitress was making little effort. No refills without requesting multiple times food was cold.
(1)
Will V.
This is the best place to get pizza in Sanibel. The hostesses, bartenders, and waiters are always friendly when I am there. The bar is a great place to hang out and catch a game or wait for your table. They have a decent selection of beer (for Sanibel) and some good wines. They also do a happy hour pizza by the slice special, but it's been about a year since I have been there. The food is excellent, I have never been disappointed with anything I've ordered there, whether it's appetizers, pizza, pasta, or seafood. The only problem is, the bread, garlic, and olive oil they serve at the table is so good, you may fill up before your food ever arrives. You're almost guaranteed to have leftovers.
(4)
Wayne H.
Great cracker-crust pizzas. Good service and a very friendly atmosphere make this a must return restaurant for us each year. This year seemed more pleasant than ever!
(5)
Maureen B.
Sat at the bar. It was busy and the bartender/servers were very efficient, more or less like robots. The food was mediocre at best. Skip it and go across the street.
(1)
Maddie W.
Was really disappointed with Matzaluna. The building is really nice, but the service and food are lacking. Our server was nice, but very slow. We ordered an appetizer and a pizza to split, but were really unhappy with the pizza and left over half of it. The tables, which were covered in paper and have boxes of crayons on them, were entertaining to doodle on while waiting on our drinks (which took forever!). This place is definitely designed with kids in mind, and had I realized that I probably would have picked somewhere else for dinner. But it's probably a great place on the island if you're traveling with kids. As for couples, I would try somewhere else!
(2)
Brian L.
Was in Sanibel for an Industry Conferece and this was the location chosen by a group of people so I tagged along for the ride. We were late in the evening during the week so I'm not sure how they handle the crowds anymore (per Kelly's review) as we walked in with 10 people and were seated immediately. Waitress was Lacey and she was great. Gave us plenty of time to look at the menues and chat (she wasn't overly pushing about having to do her job, versus us enjoying our night out). Great bread and roasted garlic delivered to the table. If I wasn't with business folk I likely would have downed the entire thing myself. We ordered up some appy's as well. Calamari, Shrimp Scampi and Bruschetta. All were very good and the bruschetta was a little different in that they melted cheese over the top almost making it a pizza bread. I really like that touch. I did a "mix your own" pasta and ordered the penne with the vodka cream sauce ($11.95) and then added in some grilled chicken to boot (+$3). Huge portion, wonderfully made. The vodka cream sauce had some ham in it but it was just regular ham. Would have been lovely if it were pancetta or prosciutto but then it wouldn't have been an $11.95 dish ;-p No room for desserts and every seemed to really enjoy their meals. On each side of me folks had the Veal Marsala and the Chicken Parmesan and they both loved it. I'd highly recommend it if you're visiting the island. Good service, good food and although that's expected at EVERY restaurant, it really helps when you're on vacation/business.
(4)
Laura T.
Ever heard of yeast !? Now I understand the name... HORRIBLE PIZZA
(1)
Kate F.
it's Italian food on an island off Florida...what do you expect? stick with the seafood joints.
(3)
D T.
We had a great meal there - our first day in Sanibel. The pizza was really perfect thin pizza style. Great Ceasar salad, and very good service.
(4)
Annie W.
This restaurant had a fun atmosphere, but the food was very mediocre. We came here because we were in the mood for pizza, and could not in good conscience recommend it. The bread and garlic mentioned in several other reviews looked tasty, but ours never arrived. Also, avoid the house wines- there's a reason they're only $5.50. The $7.00 glass was fine.
(2)
Dimitri D.
A Review of Matzuluna Italian Kitchen. By Dimtri D. I didn't think it was possible but there are other Italian restaurants that are better than Olive Garden. I came here two nights in a row. The first night I ordered my favorite Italian cuisine chicken parmesan and the next night, since I was my last night on Sanibel Island I decided to order something else: the lasagna. First the food. The chicken parmesan was like licking the Lord Almighty's feet. The chicken was fried perfectly. Crispy, tender, hot, and flavorful. The sauce was like a nuclear bomb of flavor exploded in your tongue. I swear they must have used every Italian seasoning known to man to flavor that sauce. And on top the warm, thick parmesan cheese melted on top of it all. It was probably one of the most delicious things I have ever tasted. The lasagna was very good, don't get me wrong but it doesn't even come close to how damn good that chicken parm was. I've never been a HUGE fan of lasagna (I still like it though) so that's probably why I wasn't nuts for it. But if you really like it then I think you'll find a gem. The sauce was the same; delicious and flavorful, the meat was pretty good (beef if you're wondering), and the pasta was tasty. Also I would like to say that the wait staff was very friendly and pleasant. No complaints really. Also before the meal they give you toasted bread and olive oil which I thought was pretty good. P.S. For fans of Stephen King (me being one) it may interest you to know that he visited this restaurant. His autograph and a sauce-stained self portrait drawn on the restaurant's paper place mat, hangs to the right of the door when you first walk in.
(5)
Movie L.
We ordered pizzas to take to the beach and loved them. Just be warned, they are a bit small (when feeding a family). We liked them so much we went back the second night and ordered the same thing (just ordered double). Very nice!
(4)
Robert W.
Short review, i guess its not that memorable. Had shrimp scampi and chicken marsala. They were good. Nice baked bread. Was not too found of the roasted garlic in oil.. looked weird and tasted that way. Simple olive oil with some salt and pepper would have been better. Overall good service and atmosphere.
(4)
R T.
Affordable and delicious Italian food. Sometimes a longer wait but this is common on the island. The menu is diverse with traditional Italian dishes, wood fired oven pizzas and fish entrees. I can recommend the pizzas and the ravioli. One attribute keeping this from a fourth star would be the service. As is all to frequent on the island, restaurant employees always seemed annoyed during the high season.
(3)
Manish J.
Great pizza! was shocked it was that good. it's the thin crust kind. we got the 5 cheese one. very good. bread w garlic and oil was also outstanding. definitely go here if you have a hankering for pizza! service was also very good. it's a personal pizza but you can probably share one pizza among 2 people.
(5)
kelly w.
When you are dining "island style" it typically is a MUST to call ahead and get a reservation. I called about 20 minutes before our party of three was about to head on over to this Italian Kitchen. When I asked how long the wait was, she responded with, " We do not disclose that information over the phone." Come on, I am not asking for the social security numbers of their first born... seemed a little strange to me. Well when we got there the gentleman (host) was about to seat us when this other woman came crashing into the hostess stand slamming a buzzer in our hands saying, "it should be between 15 and 20 minutes). Pardon me, but I was a tad confused. So we went to the bar where the bartender made a spendid margarita. It was the perfect amount of pucker for a tasty marg. Our 15 minute waiting span came to a close (mind you, no one left and they sat us at a table that had been clear since we got there), and we were seated in a comfortable booth. Now, most places on the island have paper table cloths and come equipped with crayons- even if it is a nicer restaurant. They started off with bringing us some bread with freshly minced garlic in oil. No vampires were going to step foot near our condo that evening thats for sure. I ordered the Sirloin Mataluna ($17.95). I would give it a "B." The meat was cooked to perfection but the mushroom glaze was a little "Applebees" for my liking. The garlic mashers that came with.. now that is something to go home and write about. My mom order the 5 cheese personal pizza. Excellent choice and I was a little bummed I didn't order it. It had 5 cheeses (gouda, provolone, mozarella, etc) as well as artichokes on it. I am a sucker for artichokes on pizza... and this pizza definitely hit the spot. The prices were decent for island dining and I would definitely go back, I am still a little confused about the "wait."
(4)
Brian K.
In a land of midgets, the short man is king. That's my reaction to the other reviews that give this place four stars. Food: Utterly mediocre. The sole flavoring they seem to have mastered is garlic by the pounds. I grew up on Korean food, so I know garlic, and this was too much for me - think Stinking Rose in LA without the quality or novelty. I had Eggplant Parm - tactical error on my part. After the first bite, I turned to my wife and said, "Think Sbarro." Weird, dense, acidic, sour sauce over soggy, overly-thick breading both done by Sysco if I were to bet. I think there might have been eggplant in there, but I'm not sure. Literally, breading was equally thick on both sides of the "eggplant". My wife had the scampi. Yes, it was supposed to be garlicky, but she couldn't be with herself afterward. Pasta was fine. My father in law had an odd shrimp and asparagus dish that was flavorless. I'm being harsh in an attempt to balance the other, incomprehensibly positive reviews. In reality, it was solid mall food. If that, or Appleby's, Houlihan's, etc., do it for you, then by all means go for it. If you travel with your trusty copy of Zagat's Top Restaurants in the US or have a subscription to Fine Cooking, then expect to have a disappointing meal. Service: I made a point of asking our server if they pooled tips. The answer was no, and it was clear. Our server was relatively attentive for a busy place, but the others seemed to deliberately avoid eye contact or ignore signs for assistance. My personal favorite were the two buspeople who didn't seem to have enough to do but then took it as a personal affront when I asked for more napkins. Basically, pick your poison. So, in summary, know what you're getting into. There are a couple truly tasty places on Sanibel - Doc Ford's and Gramma Dot. Doc Ford in particular has creative, delicious food with good service.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : 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 : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
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.
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Aly S.
First and foremost, I have to say the bread and olive oil with herbs at this place is the best I have ever had. This is probably why they have a 5$ check minimum disclaimer at the bottom of their menu. I ate way too much because I just couldn't control myself. I also got the brand of the olive oil from the waitress: Pomus. I will be searching for it ASAP! The crab bisque for me was too thick and really rich, but other members of the table think it is the best on the island and crave it every year. Moving on to dinner. Its all good no matter what you like. There is a wide variety of items. From pizza to pasta to my boyfriend's favorite, veal marsala. He got it again and loved it again. This is the only meal at our table that had an appropriate amount of food for one human to consume at dinner. For me, I had something off the chef's nightly special menu, scallops with a mushroom sauce and fettuccine. It was highly recommended by the waitress, but it did not wow me unfortunately, the scallops lacked a sear and the sauce just wasn't for me. I tried the 2 other dishes at my table, both off the regular menu: Fettuccine Alfredo-WOW perfect, thats all I can say, it is a winner; and the final dish at my table, what I should have ordered the Mulberry Street Shrimp-with angel hair pasta and a tomato based sauce, I had a few bites and it was great. All pasta dishes had an absolutely ridiculous amount of pasta on the plate, I mean 4 times as much as I wanted or needed. Some dishes make good left overs, but some don't, and I hate to waste that much food. Anyway, I will certainly be back next time I visit Sanibel!
(4)Bernadette S.
Being on vacation I was looking for pizza for the kids (teenagers) I called in an order for 3 pizzas and set on my way . I got there and it was pretty busy , someone directed me to the bar to pick up my pizza order. It takes about 10 minutes for the bartender to acknowledge me and when he finally did , he wasn't so friendly . I pay and set off with 3 pizzas . Upon arrival at the hotel I opened up the boxes and saw what looked like those cheap dollar pizzas from the freezer section . They were that small as well! The kids took a bite and not one of them could manage to choke any more than that down. By far the worst pizza I have ever tasted , go elsewhere.
(1)Chelsea B.
As a local, I haven't been to Mazaluna's in years--I remembered it being solid but underwhelming food--but I was willing to give it a second try. It hasn't changed much in the last decade. While I was impressed by their drink selection (great local craft beers!) and the bread with herbed dipping oil (so yummy!), the entrees and service both were quite underwhelming. We had the Mulberry Street Shrimp and the Chicken Marsala. While both were cooked well, the sauces were bland and the shrimps' tasted almost like sauce out of a bottle. When my parents have had pizza in the recent past, they have been pretty underwhelmed by it at all, but that's pretty typical for island pizza. In a location like Sanibel where GREAT food is easily available, I won't be back to Mazaluna's--at least not this decade. It's another "lower price" option that sacrifices quality to achieve that price, and in my opinion it just isn't worth it.
(3)Caitie K.
We were served really nice bread with olive oil and herbs while waiting for our food. The chicken parmesan is served with penne and was absolutely delicious. My boyfriend had chicken cacciatore over spaghetti which was also very good; the wine sauce was top notch. I also had a great strawberry daiquiri. Our server, Adam, was cool and attentive. No complaints whatsoever!
(5)Laura R.
Excellent Italian food on Sanibel! Really wonderful pizza (had the Hawaiian and loved it!) along with other great entrees! Everyone raves about the bread/olive oil as well. Matzaluna has a comprehensive selection of craft beers, both on draft and in bottle - especially some local Southwest Florida breweries! They have a great happy hour special and TONS of parking, which always makes it convenient! I absolutely recommend it and they are also extremely accommodating for groups!
(5)Ray H.
Food and service was amazing!! Pizza is possibly the best I have ever had!! Service was top shelve.
(5)Greta D.
Yummmmm. They never disappoint. Again I had the chicken puttanesca and honestly, it doesn't need the chicken! Artichoke hearts, olives and capers ..... Why doesn't every Italian restaurant have this on their menu??? you Matzaluna for being so consistent!!!
(4)Dan G.
I had a 10" pesto & pepperoni pizza while on vacation in Sanibel. It was good but, hard to live up to our favorite in Colorado. Was flavorful and I did eat it all. Our group overall happy with service and our food. We would return to Matzaluma on our next vacation in Florida.
(3)Sarah S.
We found Matzaluna while driving down Periwinkle and were thinking about pizza. I was glad we stopped by because we liked it so much that we visited twice during our trip to Sanibel. Both times, we were seated right away and our service was great. The place is big with a large bar so it isn't subjected to the huge wait that some places in Sanibel have. The bread here is SO good! Fresh and hot, served with a high quality olive oil dip with yummy herbs mixed in. We ate it up. My husband had pizza both times. He really liked it. He also had the calamari, which he enjoyed. We had fried zucchini once, which was just ok for me. I had things I enjoyed both times. First I had the linguini primavera. It came with lots of fresh veggies and a garlic butter sauce. They have this romano cheese that they will sprinkle on everything. It's delicious! Salads, oil for dipping, pasta, pizza. Put it on everything. I did. The second time, I had stuffed shells. The shells had ricotta cheese inside and a creamy red pepper sauce, which was an unexpected but good flavor. Pasta dishes come with a salad, and they were fine. The frozen drinks here are really good. Best on the island in our experience. I highly recommend the strawberry colada. It's like a pina colada but has strawberry too. Yum!! I'll be back the next time I visit Sanibel.
(4)Nicole W.
I've dined at Matzaluna a few times. It's not fine dining, but it's a step above Olive Garden and offers some affordable options for families! They also have a small, but reasonably priced wine list. The decor is very much Italian, with a relaxed vibe and friendly service. This meal started out with fresh warm bread served with the standard olive oil dip. We also ordered wine by the glass, stuffed mushrooms and calamari. I loved the calamari, but found the stuffed mushrooms to be a bit salty. I also didn't like the fact that they were sitting in a bowl of liquid. I wouldn't order that again. For the main course, we both ordered the Mulberry Street Shrimp. It's angel hair pasta, shrimp, prosciutto, mushrooms, tomatoes and spinach in a creamy sage sauce. The shrimp were plentiful and the sauce flavorful. It enjoyed it, and due to their very large portions, we took home enough for a second meal. Overall, this was great meal. Definitely worth a try if you're in the area!
(3)Sara E.
We had the 10 inch pepperoni pizza. It was okay, nothing special. The service however, was fabulous. Our server was polite, friendly, and conscientious. All of the servers on the floor checked our drinks and refilled them exactly when they needed to. The servers checked in enough to meet our needs without being overbearing. The food came out surprisingly fast, but our server never rushed us. It was a great dining experience.
(4)Bonnie W.
Had a great time here. The food was good. The atmosphere is lovely. The service was fast and friendly. Loved that we got to be creative on the table tops with crayon (like Jack Astor's) to pass the time. Our drinks came fast along with fresh warm bread with Italian herbs and olive oil for dipping. We ordered the garlic spread to share. It was superb. The garlic wasn't overpowering and it was fantastic with the fresh bread they give you. We also had the chicken masala with garlic mashed potatoes and veggies, pork chop with garlic mashed potatoes and veggies, the spinach dip, and the BBQ chicken pizza. The portion sizes were huge! The spinach dip was just creamy and cheesey enough to cause you to want to double dip. I had a slice of the BBQ chicken pizza and it was great! The BBQ sauce was fantastic an the crust was thin. I personally ordered the pork chop dish. It was amazing. The pork chop was huge. Cooked PERFECTLY. The garlic mashed potatoes were great and the veggies were cooked nicely. Like I mentioned before, the service there is super friendly and fast. They came by twice to see how everyone was doing and for refills. Would definitely go back here next year if I am in Sanibel again!
(4)Margaret G.
We had takeout pizza. Pizzas are small and there is little to them. Better pizza at frozen section of grocery. $45 for 3 small pizzas and calamari. The inside looked nice with full bar, so might be better to eat in. Staff very nice.
(1)Cait A.
Went here for an early dinner and we were really happy with the service. My father ordered a Cesar salad and the Chicken Siciliano pizza. He said the pizza was good and that the Cesar salad was close to the best one he ever had. I ordered angel hair pasta with pesto sauce and opted for the salad instead of soup. I really enjoyed the variety of choices this restaurant offers with their pasta and sauces. The pesto was delicious but my one complaint was they put too much on the pasta, so maybe ask for less if you choose to order this. Overall the entrees were delicious! Dessert is where we ran into a bit of a problem. We had pistachio ice cream, tartufo ice cream, and two espressos. The pistachio ice cream was really good with real pistachios mixed in! However, my dad found a small piece of paper in his ice cream (not okay!!). My tartufo ice cream was satisfying but not what I was expecting, as I have had tartufo before and it was a bit different. The espresso was very good but the first cup they brought out was dirty (again, not okay!). The waitress was apologetic and brought me a new one (with fresh espresso). In conclusion, it's a great restaurant with a casual atmosphere. We really enjoyed our meal, despite a few minor problems.
(4)Jordanna E.
I hate writing two star reviews, because I don't like to relive mediocre experiences. So a quick one. No, I don't want to hear that--- with limited dinner options in Sanibel, this place is fine stuff from anyone---because there aren't limited dinner options in Sanibel. There are tons...and neighboring Captiva has many, too...and the majority of the hotels have kitchens, so please...we have choices. This place just didn't do it for me. The bus boys? greeted us and were going to seat us, and gave us the wifi code--which didn't seem to be strong enough to connect--- but the hostess kinda snagged the menus off of them to seat us. We sat with a server, who was exactly a very old version of a "stereotypical hooters waitress." Note the quotation marks. I've had some great Hooters waitresses, so I am not knocking them...just knocking the ding bat ones you would see in a movie. :) Well our 50+ year old blonde bombshell couldn't handle more than one task at a time and it was quite humorous to watch. She gave us the play by play of service, which i hate. ex. "I am going to go and clear their dishes, and then I will take your order." Thanks! No play by play necessary, just multitask and keep it in your head chick. Well, we had the caprese salad for an appetizer. Julienne basil was dark, not vibrant and fresh.. they used some generic vinaigrette dressing on it, but there was barely any. I tried to make eye contact with the server multiple times, and said excuse me probably three times. I used to be in the business, so I was not rude at all about it, but she chose to ignore me, and so I asked someone else. Then our server returned with it....and of course a play by play story about why she didn't come by when I said excuse me to her as she was walking by. Then our salad/soups came. Blah. Nothing special, caesar and a crab bisque....blah. Our entrees came, and my husband specifically ordered the chicken puttanesca without the little salty fish dudes in it..and she commented that 9 out of 10 people order it that way, and the kitchen is probably more accustomed to making it without them than with them, and yep.. it had the anchovies in it when he got it. I ordered the chicken saltimbocca. Super bland and blah again, very small portion size, too. So, really, there are far more choices on Sanibel than the ones you see driving down Periwinkle way, so let YELP navigate you to another restaurant, unless you have a hankering for hospital/airplane food and want a cheaper option.
(2)Jennifer M.
Food was pretty good. The pizza was just ok. The chicken Parmesan was really good. The staff was nice and service was great.
(4)Shelly K.
I always like to start with something positive - so I'll say that the dipping sauce and fresh hot bread were a great start to the meal. We ordered appetizers, but that really wasn't necessary with the endless supply carbs. Our family of 5 was seated at a table for 4 - with an extra chair added to the end....even though several 6 and 8 tops were available. It took a few extra minutes to get a waiter and get things started and then all the food seemed to come at once. Bread, appetizers and salads all came together - the table for 4 was over crowded in no time. With all the chaos, we had a spill - which we had to scramble to clean up ourselves. We caught the waiter's attention to ask for napkins - which he brought 5 mins later, after we had cleaned up. After taking just a few bites of our salads and appetizers, the waiter returned with our meals. He was genuinely surprised that we weren't' ready for them yet. He took them away promptly and waited for a signal that we were finally ready for our meals. He came back with our meals before clearing the table (this seems to be epidemic in Sanibel, though). Now about the food. The salads were ok. The ravioli with pomodoro sauce was decent. Two of us ordered Chicken Marsala - which was disappointing, at best. I've never seen Marsala sauce the color of beef gravy. Color notwithstanding, the taste was not at all noteworthy. I would not have guessed that I was eating Chicken Marsala if my eyes were closed. The chicken wasn't pounded thin, there was no finesse to the sauce (no shallots, no herbs, etc) no effort with plating..... Overall, the meal was a miss. The waiter seemed well intentioned, but off the mark. The food was entirely unexceptional.
(2)Stefan M.
Matzaluna is a great place for groups on the island. The food can be a little hit or miss. I lve their pizzas but I ussually have to specify that I want them cooked a little more but after that they are great. Good seafood pasta options and great craft beers on tap.
(3)jose t.
Been coming here for almost 30 years and it's been consistently good. The fish specials are always great and very different than how fish is done one the rest of the island. the ravioli are really good and quite a good deal as they include a salad or soup and fresh bread with olive oil and spices. Really good selection of local beers and a very well priced house wine.
(4)Becky C.
It was fine but I expected better. It's just pizza really there wasn't much flavor to it. The wait staff was efficient but our server went off on the person who delivered the pizza to re table because she didn't bring pepper flakes. It was a little awkward. Prob won't go back there ever.
(3)B K.
It won't be the worst Italian food you have ever had and it won't be the best Italian food you ever had. I tried the pizza and found it to be just okay. I didn't particularly like the crust. I also tried the garlic spread. The presentation was lacking. It was just a yellowish glob put on a plate. I really enjoyed the tiramisu for dessert. The price of dinner was very reasonable compared to other restaurants on the island. They also offered a lot of different types of craft beers if you are in to that sort of thing.
(3)Jack W.
Coming from the Northeast where the food is great, this place wasn't bad. Had the roasted pepper sauce on fettuccine w/sausage and liked it. Wife had shrimp in an alfredo and it was good. A bit pricey for Italian... $94 for 4 people for a slightly above average meal.
(3)Bob G.
Last nite my wife and I were looking for a place to eat that had a relaxed atmosphere this place had everything the food was excellent ,our server Kimberly was very pleasant the nite before Miranda was the same as far as $ It was very reasonable compared to Doc Fords $$$ we will definitely go back for dinner
(5)Sarah B.
Our first time visiting Sanibel, and we wanted to grab some pizza to-go for a late dinner our first night here. We ordered a veggie pizza and two side salads. When we got back to our room, we noticed there was only one salad in the bag. The salad we did get was tiny for the $3 price tag, with about a cup of lettuce, one grape tomato, one slice of cucumber, a tiny piece of onion and one black olive. Disappointing so far. Then we open the pizza box....I literally burst out laughing. It was pathetically small and thin with very few toppings. I was hoping it tasted better than it looked, but not the case. This was by far one of THE WORST pizzas I've ever had. It tasted like a frozen Party Pizza from the grocery store. No flavor at all, veggies undercooked and the same gross, mushy cheese they use at Dominos. I am shocked they would serve this. I was going to give 1 star but the balsamic salad dressing was worth another star. I actually put it on my pizza to give it some flavor. This was not only our first time here, but it was our last.
(2)Patrick I.
We had a party of 9. Service was great food was exquisite. Crab bisque rocked. Try the mussels or calamari to start with veal Marsala.
(5)Laura P.
Food is mediocre. We got two chicken dinners and a kids pasta. None of us finished it. My chicken dinner had gristle and hard pieces in it and it was oily. Nice ambiance They had a good choice of desserts. Staff is friendly. Priced reasonable.
(3)Janice W.
The staff was very cordial and efficient. The pizzas were served hot and delicious. Honestly it was one of the best meals we have had on Sanibel. Will definitely return!
(4)Meredith K.
When dinner options are limited in Sanibel Island you take what you can get! We found this gem from Yelp, walking distance from the Sanibel Inn. We had to wait about 20 minutes for a table but ordered drinks from the bar and browsed the menu (there are definitely worse things in the world to do). I asked the bartender to make me a Moscow Mule and to my dismay he didn't know how to make it but don't fret he had a drink book he whipped out! After much research in the drink book and my iPhone we found the recipe...success!! Food: was decent reminded me of Olive Garden, bigger portions and lots of bread and salad. Atmosphere: loud and very family friendly, tall ceilings and 2 floors makes noise carry
(3)Dodi A.
Food was delicious overal but we had trouble connecting with the server. Other tables were getting olive oil and balsamic for the bread from our server, but not us. I had to get it myself and serve my family with it and refill the water for my kids. Thats what I do at home and try to have a break by going to the restaurant. Again, ladies should be served first, then kids men etc. The waiter needs to be a consumate host and make it a memorable experience for the customer. We will come back next year.
(3)Bryan S.
Meal was good and enjoyed the atmosphere. Service was great for our group of 10. Food quality was good but nothing truly original. Being in this great location expected a unique meal and was fun. Liked the local craft beers. Enjoyed the night out. Plan for plenty of drive time if you are not staying on Sanibel. Traffic can be slow. Plan carefully.
(3)Arthur H.
Sooooo what can I say. Italian, yes. Family friendly, yes. If you like to constantly hear a loud speaker while you eat and wait forever for your food you are in the right place. Our server was "very nice" which is code for not the best. She forgot a lot of stuff and was very slow. Food was good but maybe not worth the wait. Large portions. The spaghetti was good but the meatballs were more bread than meat. The tortellini special (veal and beef) was very very good and the beer selection was good and balanced.
(2)Patrick B.
Dined with a party of four on a Saturday evening. The wait staff was pleasant and attentive. We did share meals so I got a sampling of several dishes. I had the Mulberry Street Shrimp with a Caesar side salad. My Caesar salad was at best underwhelming; the dressing seemed devoid of any garlic, anchovies (or Worcestershire sauce), parmesan, black pepper, or lemon - thus resembling a very bland mayonnaise. The Shrimp dish was adequate with enough large well-cooked shrimp, in an unremarkable sauce of capers, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach, and prosciutto over angel hair pasta. House salad was just Ok, with a balsamic vinaigrette that was heavy on the vinegar and light on the oil. Linguini with Puttanesca; the sauce was bland with not a hint of anchovies, onions or garlic noted. Linguini with vodka sauce with side order of meatballs. Meatballs were non-descript; except for a too-smooth bready texture and an overwhelming measure of oregano. Chicken Parmesan with side of mashed potatoes, it looked good, but didn't taste it. Best part of meal was bread served hot with herbed oil. In that both of the salad dressings and three of the four main dishes were quite weak, considering the hike to Sanibel; we will not be returning
(2)Jennifer J.
Had dinner here with my husband and three kids. Dinner was great! Service was also great! The menu has a lot of selections and large drink menu. Perfect for families!
(4)Sara B.
Ok.... The food is pretty good. We got take-out. If you do this... Make sure you stand there after you pay- no matter if they say it'll be a few minutes. We didn't get the pizza because the BBQ pizza wasn't available (it's on the yelp reviews but it's a week special) BUT - they have a big wood fire pizza oven! If I could have gotten my daughter to agree on pizza then we would have gotten that! You do get bread with oil and herbs with your order/ dinner. Yum
(4)Doc H.
Nice Italian decor. We had no wait for seating on a Thursday night around 7:00pm. This was a good change-of-pace from the seafood we had been enjoying all week. Staff was very friendly and attentive. Stuffed Mushroom appetizer was very good. Chicken Parmesan, Shrimp Fettuccine, and the Angelo Pizza were all delicious along with the Mulberry Street Shrimp.
(4)Sam M.
This is the most mediocre Italian restaurant Ive ever eaten at. The food was utterly flavorless and lacked any real substance. It was clearly a quantity over quality kind of place. Would not recommend this place unless its the only restaurant on the island that is open
(2)Colby M.
Pizza was small and shameful for the price. We were informed we would not be served since we were sitting on the patio and received an up charge due to not being served. Though it's not pizza, the island cow is great food, great service, great portions, great price. 3 minutes up the road.
(1)Sarah M.
Very casual setting but the food was EXCELLENT. Despite the large portions there was no need for a box for leftovers, we inhaled it all. Before our meal the waitress brought out bread & chopped herbs with olive oil; astonishingly fresh and very delicious! I recommend the shrimp scampi over linguine.
(3)Joseph B.
Really solid place. Everything was great. Our server Dennis was awesome! The gluten free crust was the best we've ever had, so was the Key Lime Pie. Great Craft Brews on tap. That's what we will remember the most. Everything else was really good but it won't go down as the most memorable. Would definitely return either way. You won't regret it if you need a solid meal with friends or family and need some variety (including vegetarian and gluten free options)
(4)Paula H.
After a long day in the pool, there's nothing like a good family dinner at Matzaluna. Littles get an array of crayons to keep themselves busy drawing on the butcher paper tablecloths while you peruse the wine menu. We love the relaxed, casual atmosphere and we've always had terrific service. The selection of options is ample for all tastes, including picky children (customize your own pasta plate) and vegetarians (eggplant Parmesan). Our salads were fresh and delicious with mouth-watering tomatoes and mixed greens (no generic iceberg) and the tomato basil vinaigrette was really yummy. What keeps me dreaming about Matzaluna, though, is their robust and flavorful marinara! Seriously, I would buy bottles of it to bring home to Chicago. Get your serving of lycopene before you get out into the sun and load up tonight!
(5)Mauresa S.
I think they have some of the best food on the island. The prices are really reasonable and most of the staff is great!
(4)Nancy O.
Arrived on Sanibel after long travel day. Drove by Matzaluna at least three times in our search for own home away from home this week. Liked the look of it from the outside. Dinner time came early so we arrived along with other hungry, happy hour hunters at 4:25, and felt like Pamplona running of the hungry into the 4:30 opening/happy hour. Loved the olive oil and dipping herbs with the bread- loved the teriyaki black/white tuna with wasabi, garlic mashed and fresh veggies, the hub loved his chicken Marsala and the daughter her ravioli with marinara . Salads came with meals! Great beer, wine, cocktails, check out happy hour specials- great drink prices- word is obviously out because even at 5:30pm, the place was packed! We will be back!
(5)Jocelyn K.
Decided that we wanted Italian for our last evening in Florida. Looked at the reviews on yelp and decided to give this a try. Appetizer wings were delicious. The problem was that it took forever to get them, and our server brought the bread, wings and salad all out at the same time. When this happened, I asked not to have the meal rushed out. There is nothing worse than being sped fed your meal! He was kind enough to hold the meal for a bit, but then when he delivered the meal, that was the last time we saw him for the entire meal. Entree food quality was a bit below average. Lacked flavor and pizazz. Needed a bit more garlic, and simply salt and pepper. Not sure if it deserves another go.
(2)Jonathan C.
Pretty good pizza. Nice beer selection. Stuffed mushrooms weren't great and I probably wouldn't order them again. The best part of the meal was the pistachio ice cream. Service was fine.
(3)Kevin H.
Good experience, had a party of 4, service was good, food was good, atmosphere was pleasant. Will most likely return on our next trip to Sanibel.
(4)Alexis F.
My family has been coming to Sanibel for about 25 years. While having a small family reunion we decided to visit the Craft beer and brick oven pizza place on the main strip. We gave this 2 generous stars for the tasty craft beers and most of our food was good. The service was similar to other reviews and was very inconsistent. The hostess promptly sat our 8 top and we were greeted quickly. Some of the beers we ordered were not available due to the out of date menus at the hostess stand. We found this out after we ordered and some of us got drinks while the others had to reorder. The eight of us enjoyed the one basket of bread we shared and the one glass of water we got, we did not know that we wouldn't get another refill even after our server told us he would, we were only there for 2 hours waiting for the rest of our dinner!! Our server horribly timed our meals. It took about a hour to get our entrees even though only 2 of us ordered salads. Even then 2 orders were forgotten and never came out. We were told they would be ready in 3-5 minutes, so we waited to start eating. When the last of the entrees came after another 20 mins my wife's crab biscue was nasty, but the pizzas were still tasty. The server must of known there was something wrong but instead of fixing it, he ignored our table, didn't come by for any more beer or water refills, and didn't run out any of our food. My sister in law brought the manager over and he said that the service was not acceptable and comped some of the food off all our checks. Me and my wife's check was $60 for a small pizza, 2 salads, cold crab biscue, and a few beers. The prices on the menu were resonable but we were hoping for a better expierence. The server obviously made some mistakes without trying to correct them. The rest of the staff that ran our food and bussed the other tables looked at us and walked away when they overheard us trying to figure out what was going on. You could tell the staff wasn't concerned about us anymore as we went by the hostess stand and not even a smile, as everyone turned their heads the other way. I normally receive better service at Chik-fil-a than I did last night. Too bad because decent beer and decent food and a resonable menu could be a good expierence, but it wasn't. There are so many good restaurants in Sanibel it won't be hard to find other places to eat. After reliving the whole expierence again during this review I decided that 1 star sounded appropriate
(1)Kyme R.
Their bread, roasted garlic spread and dipping oil was delicious and the service was great. The pizza not so much. They are individual sized and basically almost like a pita style. I would consider it more of a flatbread and not a pizza. I ordered a chicken dish and it was basically baked chicken tenders covered in cheese and sauce. My mother did have a pasta enjoyed though. If you're in the mood for pizza this is not the place but it would be great for appetizers.
(2)John D.
We arrived after a fourteen hour car drive and five minutes before they were closing. They were very accommodating and we never felt rushed. The food was terrific and the service was perfect. I ordered a cheese pizza which was tasty and more than I could eat, and looking around the table at every else's plates, everything seemed generous. I tasted someone's scallops and there were cooked perfectly. All-in-all it was a pleasant welcome to Sanibel Island. Being out of the car after a long trip and the only party in the restaurant was probably why everything seemed perfect, but I'm giving five stars here.
(5)Jim D.
Food was good, told us the wait was 40 minutes but it only took 10 which was nice. Waitress wasn't great, service was a little slow.
(4)Varvara K.
Dennis our server was great. Food was good, basic Italian, nothing spectacular with the exception of the GLUTEN- FREE crust which was out of this world. Dessert was good. Great ambiance though, a really cool place with a cheerful, feel-good atmosphere (the crayons at the table help with this.) The bathrooms are clean with cool pottery sinks.
(4)Heidi P.
Ordered chicken cacciatore and it was really good. Service was good too!
(4)Debbie C.
I would have to say the food was just fine. Certainly not fantastic. My husband had the bolognese sauce which was ok ... not very flavourful as it should have been. I had the pesto with grilled chicken. We would return, but really just to be "fed" ... not for anything out of the ordinary in regards to Italian dining.
(2)Chris M.
Was a real bummer. Had high expectations as I was lured in by the promise of pizza and craft beer from their sign posted on periwinkle. The beer list was ok. A few Florida staples like cigar city, Florida ave and lagunitas. Nothing unique. The pizza was a real let down too. Thin crust and was under cooked. We got the caprese and the crust was a little doughy. We also got the garlic spread for the bread and it was just gross. Stick with the free oil and herb dip. The pizza came out about 2 minutes after we got the bread. We were in and out after about 30 min. Was really hoping to have a nice sit down dinner and relax and chat a bit. We left very disappointed that we chose this place against all the other options on the island.
(1)Andre P.
Your typical Italian food: full portions, bland sauces and easy on the palate. You will end up taking some home. Excellent beers on draft, especially the namesake. Fun atmosphere - your kids get a balloon - and a lot going on to keep boring conversations alive. Great wait staff.
(3)Greg M.
Fabulous meals two nights in a row! Crab bisque soup is awesome, fresh grouper and linguini di mare are great and deserts are to die for! Matt, Ryan and Jen were all great; friendly servers! We will come back again and again!
(5)Jay D.
Fair is a fair word to describe this place. Shelly was an excellent waitress, but food was Olive Garden wanna be. Prices were fair relative to rest of island, but food was bland. For foodie no reason to go back. Fine for young families.
(3)Rafael C.
good place with great atmosphere lively crowd and good food 1. chicken parm is 16 bucks and solid 2. pizza's are for 1 hungry person, or two with small appetites priced between 10-13 bucks (good taste) 3. soups are ok, and salads are avg...for the island its a nice place to go if you don't want to break the bank, eat good food with healthy portions, and enjoy a nice crowd
(3)Dio S.
Great place, great service and atmosphere . Will come back tomorrow and have some more of this good stuff. . How such F I do recommend this place to anyone that would like to have a nice meal.
(5)Rhonda H.
Good family friendly Italian with a diverse menu to fit a variety of needs. We had chicken parm, pizza, and penne with spicy tomato sauce. The fresh baked bread was delicious. Our server, Michelle, was very nice and attentive. We visited at 6:45, the beginning of "prime dinner time" but were able to be seated right away. A great place for families and groups.
(4)Virginia J.
Matzaluna is a good restaurant to go to when that type of food is what you are looking for. Most of the wait staff have been there for a long time and that says something about a business. But my big complaint is that there are no yellow crayons. I mean seriously - tons of orange and green but few blue and NO yellow. Please if you go there ask for yellow crayons! And lastly - get the tiramisu. That's a 5 but the crayon situation is really bad!
(4)John B.
To say the service was slothful would be an insult to sloths. Moreover, the fare was pedestrian. Meatballs and sausage tasted as if they'd been sitting around for days and sauces seemed like from a can. Supposedly wood fired pizza was more like frozen. Do yourself a favor. Go somewhere else.
(1)Christopher L.
This restaurant has a relaxed family atmosphere and the food is quite good. I made the mistake of ordering the Black and White Tuna, which is not a traditional Italian dish. My wife and Mother-in-law had the Eggplant and Chicken Parmesan respectively. They both were happy with their meals, as were my daughters, who had spaghetti and meatballs and pizza. The tuna was not bad, but a little tough and uninspired. The vegetables that came with it were a bit bland, though the mashed potatoes were good. They have a nice little selection of craft beer and wines. The Orange Blossom Pilsner was rather good: crisp with hints of orange. In all, this was a good, but not great restaurant; if you go, stick with the Italian fare they do best.
(3)John L.
Food is very good, lots of favorites and a few specials to pick from plus plenty of pizza options. Full bar as well so beer with your pizza or something stronger if you like. I have to say I don't care for the white construction paper table "cloth" with crayons the waitstaff writes their name on the paper for you with. Coupled with the Italian herb and olive oil served with bread makes this a bit too close to a well known chain that serves Italian style dishes. Not someplace I like to be reminded of. Lost one star for that, otherwise it's that good!
(4)Carrie F.
Really disappointing! They advertise wood fired pizza so we were hopeful- that didn't last long. They were using pre-made pizza rounds like you buy at a restaurant supply store. Why even bother with the wood fired grill? The pizza was no better than a frozen pizza- don't waste your money. I looked around and the other dishes really didn't look much better. Our waitress was a bit surly too. Bummer because the area really needs a good pizza spot and the restaurant is pretty cute.
(1)Eric G.
Good solid home style Italian. Awesome oil/ pepper/cheese dip for the fresh baked bread. Always a good meal.
(4)Kevin S.
Brick oven pizza, lump crab Alfredo a and some really good bread. It was the perfect meal. Some of my family that live in Sanibel come here often. Everything is fresh and cooked in the spot. You will take leftovers, portions are very good. Great draft beer selection also.
(5)Izzy B.
Service was quick. Food came out promptly and hot. Roasted garlic spread was a deal at $1.95. House bread and herb oil dip were delicious. The sausage in the stuffed mushrooms was outstanding. The Matzaluna Pizza was a feast of flavors. The house sangria was average - but that could have just been in compassion to how amazing everything tasted! The Black Mangrove craft beer compared favorably to Guinness. Overall excellent and a true bargain in island dining.
(5)Darci S.
My family really enjoyed Matzaluna. Not sure why all the negative reviews - no its not a fancy, romantic Italian restaurant, but its a good value by Island standards and definitely several steps up from your average Olive Garden! Our server, Tia, was fabulous and has a great sense of humor. The bread and oil was amazing - bread fresh out of the oven and the spices and cheese in the oil were so tasty. Several of us had pizzas and enjoyed them. They are a thin crust, wood fired style, personal size but no one finished theirs. I had the chicken putenesca which wasn't to die for but very tasty none the less. Our toddler had cheese ravioli which he devoured so it must have been good. We left with five takeout boxes for lunch the next day, and it was just as good heated up! In summary, great service, awesome bread, good food. Very family friendly. One of our favorite meals in Sanibel.
(4)Bryan S.
Came here for some beer and pizza. Our party had 6 adults and 2 kids. It was a great place for kids (coloring on the paper tablecloths) and the food was decent. The beer selection was ok and our service was lacking. They were busy but forgot our salads and waters were hardly ever filled up. Overall it's a good place to dine just don't expect quick and attentive service.
(3)Caitlin J.
Definitely the best dinner I had on Sanibel both times I've been! Great service, amazing bread with oil to start off, great food and atmosphere. Not a super fancy Italian restaurant, but very family friendly (table cloths are paper and they have crayons to color on them). Highly recommend it and it lives up to my expectations having gone there twice in one weekend the last time I was there 8 years ago!
(5)Zelda P.
Entrees are inconsistent, I recommend sticking to the Italian basics such as spaghetti and meatballs. The portions are nice-sized, though $2 extra for whole wheat is excessive. Atmosphere is casual and relaxed, service is attentive and friendly.
(3)Edward U.
I had a late dinner here Sunday, October 12, 2014 with my family. There was no wait time and we were seated promptly. Our waitress , Jen, was friendly and courteous. I ordered the Bruschetta as an appetizer. It was ok, I've had better. The Italian bread was not toasted and there was lots of melted cheese on top of the 4 pieces. The tomatoes seemed to have been marinated in Balsamic Vinegar. I then had "Mommas Italian or Homemade Chicken" with a cup of the Pasta Fagiolu soup. Soup was very well seasoned and satisfying - it had red kidney beans which Struck me odd? The Chicken a Dinner was not what I expected. The description lead me to believe it was similar to Carraba's " Chicken Bryan" - but it wasn't . Three grilled chicken tenderloins smothered in a medley of melted goat, mozzarella, and some other cheese was accompanied by a mound of red bliss mashed potatoes and seasonal veggies. The Veggies were bland, no taste. The meal itself was not my favorite. I skipped dessert. Not authentic Italian cuisine, but seemed popular with tourists.
(3)David E.
The place was busy, tis the season when all us folks in Madison, WI go south to the island for the sun, sea and warmth! However, the place is worth the wait so wait...then enjoy. The pizza and local beer was better then average and hit the spot. The service was also above average.
(5)Paige I.
Bread and olive oil dip were delicious! Pesto pasta was fantastic as well. Our waitress, Michelle, noticed my husband scribble on our table our wedding date (it was our anniversary). She brought out key lime pie with a candle to surprise us! We were very happy with our anniversary dinner and wonderful waitress.
(5)Nick S.
My family's favorite restaurant on the islands. Terrific pasta and pizza. If you can't decide what to get, the weekly specials list always features great options and the freshest seafood. The Italian market atmosphere makes for an enjoyable setting, and service is always top notch. Very good wine and beer options!
(5)Jess M.
My family and I came here while vacationing in Sanibel... Everything about my meal was just OK... I had the crab bisque and a caprese salad. The tomatoes in the salad were mushy and gross, and the manager came and apologized and took it off the bill, which was very nice. Everyone I was with really enjoyed their pizzas. We'll definitely be back next time we're in town.
(3)Josh C.
Very quick! We had a party of 12 and the food came out super quick! The food/prices are what you would expect for an Italian restaurant on an island. Overall a good experience, but don't expect to be overly wowed.
(4)Len B.
Chicken Parm and Fett Alfredo were solid 4 star, this is a great family atmosphere restaurant and they have a really good selection of micro-brews, I'm not a bread eater but I tore up there bread with oil/garlic/basil seasoning... I would definitely eat here again!
(4)Jami T.
My husband and two kids ate dinner here while on vacation. We were promptly greeted and sat by a friendly hostess. My husband ordered the Mulberry St. Shrimp and I the Chicken parm. My kids shared a pepperoni pizza. The two dinner entrees were very good and came with a tasty garden salad (good blue cheese dressing). My kids enjoyed the bread and olive oil and herb dipping sauce a little too much as they barely ate the pizza. I tried the pizza and thought it was fair, but not life changing. Our service throughout was very good. We would come back again, when in the mood for some good Italian food.
(4)Ryan P.
I was excited...Brick Oven Pizza!! Well that ended quickly when we got home. I have to say that coming from New England we are use to GOOD Pizza! NY and New Haven Pizza is among the very best.... It just wasn't what I expected.... we ordered 2 Pizza's to go and a caesar salad. The Pizza was 'Ok' but the crust was 'paper thin' almost cracker like... Hey if you like it like that enjoy! Had a Sangria while we waited...possibly the best on the island! Atmosphere seemed cool....we will be back but not for pizza :)
(3)O.M. R.
Dont order the fish fest. Its calamari, scallops, shrimp, mussels, clams, and "fresh fish". Everything was either overcooked or not cooked enough (mussels). Also, the plater was HUGE. If it would've been any good, it would've been dinner for a week. The only good food i eat tonight here was the bread which was just out of the oven.
(2)Tim M.
Good old school Italian, Adam our server was awesome. Defiantly a place to try while on the island.
(4)Ania H.
Dinner was average, service was average. We went this evening with 2 kids before the dinner rush. When we arrived, there were plenty of open tables, but they made us wait 20 minutes. Not sure why they just didn't sit people. While we waited we decided to get wine from the bar - the Chianti was old and tasted like Vinegar. We were seated by the back room. We had to remind the waiter (Tom) for our bread. We ordered pizza and the angel hair linguine. The pasta was excellent but the pizza was average. I would not recommend this as a place to eat if you have other choices (e.g. Doc Ford is where we went yesterday and the food there is light years better than this place.)
(3)Menza D.
My family was tired of seafood, so we decided to try Matzaluna and were pleasantly surprised. My family if six arrived a little before six and were seated immediately. Our server, Jen, was pleasant and provided quick service. The shrimp bisque was very tasty as were the remainder of our entrees. The portions were verry large. Several of us split meals and still had more than we can eat. I had the mahi mahi special. It was great. Again, the portion size was at least double the size of our previous night's meal In summary, Matzaluna serves quality food at reasonable prices. My family would return again.
(4)Amy B.
OMG, the best pasta dish I have ever had; Shrimp Delicato!! Food, Service and Atmosphere. A+++
(5)Melanie K.
Great service, great food! I love the Italian herb/olive oil that's served. My favorite dish is the gnocchi with the basil pesto.
(5)K M.
We have been coming here for years, on each visit to Sanibel. The Italian food is consistently tasty and bountiful, to the point that we now split a dish if we don't want to take out a second meal. Their water is filtered and they add a slice of lemon, so even the water tastes good. With reasonable prices and a new policy of taking reservations, it's become more attractive than ever.
(4)Mary C.
So when our hotel staff told us that there was a good pizza place - we were completely nonplussed because we're from the pizza capital of the world and a bit pretentious about it. (If you can admit you have a problem it's not as bad right?) so we go and the waitress is super nice, the banana daiquiris were SLAMMIN and the moment of truth.... The pizza arrives and it's absolutely beautiful. Crust was perfect, sauce wasn't too sweet - or salty, my mind was blown... We also had a veggie and pasta dish- fantastic! Absolutely loved this place!
(5)Dan K.
For the south side of Sanibel, it's pretty good Italian. Pizza was okay, angel hair vodka creme sauce good, service pretty good, and yes opening bread with oil, cheese and herbs great touch. Atmosphere good cool Italian. Good for families.
(4)Elaine B.
I live on Sanibel and in Connecticut so I don't expect much from the Italian food here. Matzaluna has always been consistent, although not great. We ate here tonight to beat the February crowds. Bread and oil were good, salad and soup mediocre. When my chicken parm came, it looked good with nicely melted cheese. I ate the ends first but the next bite didn't seem quite right and when I looked more closely, the chicken was RAW. This is unacceptable! They took it off the bill but I will never eat here again.
(1)Dave D.
Diner for 3 tonight was very enjoyable. The bread was soft and warm ( truly the best part of the meal) . My Garlic Shrimp Ravioli was outstanding. My wife's Shrimp Milano was very tasty. My mother in law sChicken Parm was dry and uneventful. I don't know if 2 out of 3 is ok in the restaurant business. I will however give them another chance at a later date.
(4)Jeff C.
Excellent food! Great staff! I can't wait to go back. My wife and I had the pizza and salad one evening and chicken Marsala, as suggested by our bartender and a Caesar salad another evening - both meals were very good!
(5)Barry W.
The food was really not very special - it wasn't bad, but I have better italian food at chain restaurants. I had seafood pasta di mare - while the shrimp was great, everything else was just ok. The fish in the pasta was like eating bad throwaway fish at a red lobster. Mussels and clams were ok. But the sauce? You'd think an Italian restaurant would work hard to make good sauce - this was barely mediocre. My wife had eggplant parmesan, basically a thin layer of eggplant with a pile of ricotta cheese under it. Not very good at all. The pizza was decent. I've been to Sanibel half a dozen times, and I'm sure we've had better food here - but maybe I was wrong. Nice atmostphere, nice staff, but overall not enough staff to serve properly. With all of the choices on the island, don't waste your time waiting 30 minutes for a table here.
(2)Howard S.
I was really skeptical with some of the reviews. However, I decided to go anyways. It was EXCELLENT! I had Ziti with pomodora and it was great! The bread is very fresh as well. Pizza was excellent and all my 3 kids loved it! Well worth trying and really great service which I was surprised being in a tourist area! I wish I lived here as I would dine weekly and really affordable for a family of 5!
(5)Dave J.
What a disappointment. we have had better food at a Olive Garden. We ordered angel hair pasta with pesto and chicken and their 5 cheese pizza. I don't know where they got there pesto receipe but it didn't taste like any pesto I have ever had. There pizza had a weird dough and the toppings were not fresh. We are from Chicago and know good pizza, this place wouldn't last a week serving this pizza.
(1)Steve B.
Food was fine, service was bad - I would have been fine with the food (my expectations were met), but the service was quite bad. It was hard to get drinks refilled, we had to ask twice on two occasions and a refill was never offered, even with empty ice tea/ diet coke glasses on the table. The waitress seemed uninterested. After two quick visits immediately after a server brought out the food (once when the food was brought out and 45 seconds later, asking how it was before we even tasted it), we had to work to get her attention. The staff taking names and seating people were also not friendly, barely making eye contact or speaking to you when entering or leaving. We went to Matzaluna because our kids really wanted seafood alfredo. They enjoyed their food. The bread was good, our salads were fine, nothing special. I am not a big fan of italian, so it was not unusual for me to find the fettucine and pomodoro sauce boring and ordinary. The sausage was decent. My wife, who likes italian food, found her ravioli underwhelming. The food was fine, the service was not.
(2)Sara G.
We had a bad experience a couple of years ago and decided to give it another chance last night. We placed a very specific carry out because I am gluten free/ Vegan. The first pizza we got was pepperoni not veggies..first mistake. We complained, they made it again, opened it up right there and it gf veggie covered in cheese. We were just appalled by the situation so we were going to leave, but the lady that took the order really wanted to make it right. They remade it AGAIN and we got the rest of our order which we did not have to pay for. All seemed well until after I ate the pizza and suffered the remaining of the night. The crust was either not gf or they cross contaminanted. Will never ever go back!
(1)H S.
It's edible but not good.
(2)Anthony R.
Reasonable but unremarkable Italian food - I came here with three friends the first night we were on Sanibel after deciding that Jacaranda across the street was a bit pricey. The highlight of the meal for my group was definitely the bread with roasted garlic that comes with all entrees -- probably a whole head of roasted garlic doused in a quarter cup of olive oil with warm bread makes for a good start to any meal. That, or the $14 special on bottles of Sangiovese. The rest of the food was standard Italian pasta-ish fare. I had the chicken puttanesca, which was, well, fine - the chicken wasn't the best, it was a lot more sparing on the olives, capers, and anchovies than anything I would make at home, and for $17 I'd hope for a bit more. In the end we all left full and satisfied, but it certainly wasn't a dining highlight.
(3)John s.
Slow service with little effort to remedy. I would not recommend for large groups of four or more. Waitress was making little effort. No refills without requesting multiple times food was cold.
(1)Will V.
This is the best place to get pizza in Sanibel. The hostesses, bartenders, and waiters are always friendly when I am there. The bar is a great place to hang out and catch a game or wait for your table. They have a decent selection of beer (for Sanibel) and some good wines. They also do a happy hour pizza by the slice special, but it's been about a year since I have been there. The food is excellent, I have never been disappointed with anything I've ordered there, whether it's appetizers, pizza, pasta, or seafood. The only problem is, the bread, garlic, and olive oil they serve at the table is so good, you may fill up before your food ever arrives. You're almost guaranteed to have leftovers.
(4)Wayne H.
Great cracker-crust pizzas. Good service and a very friendly atmosphere make this a must return restaurant for us each year. This year seemed more pleasant than ever!
(5)Maureen B.
Sat at the bar. It was busy and the bartender/servers were very efficient, more or less like robots. The food was mediocre at best. Skip it and go across the street.
(1)Maddie W.
Was really disappointed with Matzaluna. The building is really nice, but the service and food are lacking. Our server was nice, but very slow. We ordered an appetizer and a pizza to split, but were really unhappy with the pizza and left over half of it. The tables, which were covered in paper and have boxes of crayons on them, were entertaining to doodle on while waiting on our drinks (which took forever!). This place is definitely designed with kids in mind, and had I realized that I probably would have picked somewhere else for dinner. But it's probably a great place on the island if you're traveling with kids. As for couples, I would try somewhere else!
(2)Brian L.
Was in Sanibel for an Industry Conferece and this was the location chosen by a group of people so I tagged along for the ride. We were late in the evening during the week so I'm not sure how they handle the crowds anymore (per Kelly's review) as we walked in with 10 people and were seated immediately. Waitress was Lacey and she was great. Gave us plenty of time to look at the menues and chat (she wasn't overly pushing about having to do her job, versus us enjoying our night out). Great bread and roasted garlic delivered to the table. If I wasn't with business folk I likely would have downed the entire thing myself. We ordered up some appy's as well. Calamari, Shrimp Scampi and Bruschetta. All were very good and the bruschetta was a little different in that they melted cheese over the top almost making it a pizza bread. I really like that touch. I did a "mix your own" pasta and ordered the penne with the vodka cream sauce ($11.95) and then added in some grilled chicken to boot (+$3). Huge portion, wonderfully made. The vodka cream sauce had some ham in it but it was just regular ham. Would have been lovely if it were pancetta or prosciutto but then it wouldn't have been an $11.95 dish ;-p No room for desserts and every seemed to really enjoy their meals. On each side of me folks had the Veal Marsala and the Chicken Parmesan and they both loved it. I'd highly recommend it if you're visiting the island. Good service, good food and although that's expected at EVERY restaurant, it really helps when you're on vacation/business.
(4)Laura T.
Ever heard of yeast !? Now I understand the name... HORRIBLE PIZZA
(1)Kate F.
it's Italian food on an island off Florida...what do you expect? stick with the seafood joints.
(3)D T.
We had a great meal there - our first day in Sanibel. The pizza was really perfect thin pizza style. Great Ceasar salad, and very good service.
(4)Annie W.
This restaurant had a fun atmosphere, but the food was very mediocre. We came here because we were in the mood for pizza, and could not in good conscience recommend it. The bread and garlic mentioned in several other reviews looked tasty, but ours never arrived. Also, avoid the house wines- there's a reason they're only $5.50. The $7.00 glass was fine.
(2)Dimitri D.
A Review of Matzuluna Italian Kitchen. By Dimtri D. I didn't think it was possible but there are other Italian restaurants that are better than Olive Garden. I came here two nights in a row. The first night I ordered my favorite Italian cuisine chicken parmesan and the next night, since I was my last night on Sanibel Island I decided to order something else: the lasagna. First the food. The chicken parmesan was like licking the Lord Almighty's feet. The chicken was fried perfectly. Crispy, tender, hot, and flavorful. The sauce was like a nuclear bomb of flavor exploded in your tongue. I swear they must have used every Italian seasoning known to man to flavor that sauce. And on top the warm, thick parmesan cheese melted on top of it all. It was probably one of the most delicious things I have ever tasted. The lasagna was very good, don't get me wrong but it doesn't even come close to how damn good that chicken parm was. I've never been a HUGE fan of lasagna (I still like it though) so that's probably why I wasn't nuts for it. But if you really like it then I think you'll find a gem. The sauce was the same; delicious and flavorful, the meat was pretty good (beef if you're wondering), and the pasta was tasty. Also I would like to say that the wait staff was very friendly and pleasant. No complaints really. Also before the meal they give you toasted bread and olive oil which I thought was pretty good. P.S. For fans of Stephen King (me being one) it may interest you to know that he visited this restaurant. His autograph and a sauce-stained self portrait drawn on the restaurant's paper place mat, hangs to the right of the door when you first walk in.
(5)Movie L.
We ordered pizzas to take to the beach and loved them. Just be warned, they are a bit small (when feeding a family). We liked them so much we went back the second night and ordered the same thing (just ordered double). Very nice!
(4)Robert W.
Short review, i guess its not that memorable. Had shrimp scampi and chicken marsala. They were good. Nice baked bread. Was not too found of the roasted garlic in oil.. looked weird and tasted that way. Simple olive oil with some salt and pepper would have been better. Overall good service and atmosphere.
(4)R T.
Affordable and delicious Italian food. Sometimes a longer wait but this is common on the island. The menu is diverse with traditional Italian dishes, wood fired oven pizzas and fish entrees. I can recommend the pizzas and the ravioli. One attribute keeping this from a fourth star would be the service. As is all to frequent on the island, restaurant employees always seemed annoyed during the high season.
(3)Manish J.
Great pizza! was shocked it was that good. it's the thin crust kind. we got the 5 cheese one. very good. bread w garlic and oil was also outstanding. definitely go here if you have a hankering for pizza! service was also very good. it's a personal pizza but you can probably share one pizza among 2 people.
(5)kelly w.
When you are dining "island style" it typically is a MUST to call ahead and get a reservation. I called about 20 minutes before our party of three was about to head on over to this Italian Kitchen. When I asked how long the wait was, she responded with, " We do not disclose that information over the phone." Come on, I am not asking for the social security numbers of their first born... seemed a little strange to me. Well when we got there the gentleman (host) was about to seat us when this other woman came crashing into the hostess stand slamming a buzzer in our hands saying, "it should be between 15 and 20 minutes). Pardon me, but I was a tad confused. So we went to the bar where the bartender made a spendid margarita. It was the perfect amount of pucker for a tasty marg. Our 15 minute waiting span came to a close (mind you, no one left and they sat us at a table that had been clear since we got there), and we were seated in a comfortable booth. Now, most places on the island have paper table cloths and come equipped with crayons- even if it is a nicer restaurant. They started off with bringing us some bread with freshly minced garlic in oil. No vampires were going to step foot near our condo that evening thats for sure. I ordered the Sirloin Mataluna ($17.95). I would give it a "B." The meat was cooked to perfection but the mushroom glaze was a little "Applebees" for my liking. The garlic mashers that came with.. now that is something to go home and write about. My mom order the 5 cheese personal pizza. Excellent choice and I was a little bummed I didn't order it. It had 5 cheeses (gouda, provolone, mozarella, etc) as well as artichokes on it. I am a sucker for artichokes on pizza... and this pizza definitely hit the spot. The prices were decent for island dining and I would definitely go back, I am still a little confused about the "wait."
(4)Brian K.
In a land of midgets, the short man is king. That's my reaction to the other reviews that give this place four stars. Food: Utterly mediocre. The sole flavoring they seem to have mastered is garlic by the pounds. I grew up on Korean food, so I know garlic, and this was too much for me - think Stinking Rose in LA without the quality or novelty. I had Eggplant Parm - tactical error on my part. After the first bite, I turned to my wife and said, "Think Sbarro." Weird, dense, acidic, sour sauce over soggy, overly-thick breading both done by Sysco if I were to bet. I think there might have been eggplant in there, but I'm not sure. Literally, breading was equally thick on both sides of the "eggplant". My wife had the scampi. Yes, it was supposed to be garlicky, but she couldn't be with herself afterward. Pasta was fine. My father in law had an odd shrimp and asparagus dish that was flavorless. I'm being harsh in an attempt to balance the other, incomprehensibly positive reviews. In reality, it was solid mall food. If that, or Appleby's, Houlihan's, etc., do it for you, then by all means go for it. If you travel with your trusty copy of Zagat's Top Restaurants in the US or have a subscription to Fine Cooking, then expect to have a disappointing meal. Service: I made a point of asking our server if they pooled tips. The answer was no, and it was clear. Our server was relatively attentive for a busy place, but the others seemed to deliberately avoid eye contact or ignore signs for assistance. My personal favorite were the two buspeople who didn't seem to have enough to do but then took it as a personal affront when I asked for more napkins. Basically, pick your poison. So, in summary, know what you're getting into. There are a couple truly tasty places on Sanibel - Doc Ford's and Gramma Dot. Doc Ford in particular has creative, delicious food with good service.
(2)