Mama Leone — Local services in Vienna

⭐ 1 star – Appalling service that ruined an otherwise good meal

If I could give zero stars, I would. My friends and I tried to eat here twice, and both experiences were shockingly poor.

The first night, we arrived at 9:20 p.m. without a reservation — fair enough, that’s on us. But the restaurant was almost empty, and the man at the door still turned us away with a blunt “no.” We stood outside in the rain until 9:50 p.m., hoping a table might free up or that he’d change his mind, but no one else came in the entire time. The kitchen closed at 10, so it was clear there would be no other bookings that night. They just couldn’t be bothered to seat us.

Still, we decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and booked a reservation for the following evening. Big mistake. We arrived exactly on time and were seated in the worst possible corner — right next to a coat rack, where wet coats brushed against my friend’s shoulder. Every other table had a small lamp, while ours was left in near-darkness.

When I politely asked to move tables, I was met with sighs, curt nods, and a generally irritated attitude, as if I’d asked for something outrageous instead of basic comfort. When the waiter came over for our drinks order, we asked for two minutes since we’d just sat back down. His response? A dismissive “Yep,” followed by walking away without another word.

The rest of the service continued in the same tone — cold, unwelcoming, and downright rude. It completely ruined the atmosphere. When we finished our pizzas, we were left sitting for around twenty minutes with empty plates in front of us, ignored the entire time despite several staff members standing around chatting.

To top it off, despite being a small restaurant with several staff members present, they allowed a random man to come in and harass diners (including us) trying to sell roses. He clearly didn’t work there, yet no one intervened.

The pizza itself was nice — I’ll give them that — but no food is worth sitting through that kind of service. There are far better places in Vienna that actually value their customers. Save yourself the frustration and go somewhere that deserves your...

Yesterday (22.08.) we were at the place and it was the worst experience. I loved this place and brought my friends there around 10 times (maybe, even more). BUT I'll not come there anymore. This is too much already.

This explanation of situation is for the high management level of this restaurant, in case if they don't know what's going on at this place: Service is so rude and pocker face, they are interested on selling more (every 10 min suggest to buy a beverage) and TIPS (instead of bill, they give you a terminal for tips, and it doesn't matter what service they provided).

What happened yesterday: For this time, we decided not to leave tips because the service was really bad - no one gave us tap water (as usually they do for all customers) and forgot to bring the garlic sauce (but included it in the bill)! + no one gave us the real bill so we didn't see the real amount of payment!

The manager (on 22.08, later he confirmed that he is the manager) was so rude when he asked to leave tips and we told "not for today" (because of this service), with super unhappy face, he answered "very nice!". This is unbelievable - manager told 'very nice'! I really became angry about it, told that it's not ok to have this behaviour for customers, and then he started yelling at me, pointing on the door and told 'pay and go away from my restaurant'! Overall, we spent more than 100 euro.

This long review is for the highest management level. Please take care of your restaurant. Your cooks make amazing work, the pizza is incredibly tasty but service is awful - read your other reviews.. The manager of a restaurant has to be polite to customers and solve different situations, but this man was so unprofessional (22.08.), he definitely doesn't know what hospitality is; he was oriented on money. Don't let down your restaurant because of this type...

Mama Leone is a true hidden treasure that combines elegance, creativity, and incredible flavour in every detail. From the moment you’re seated, the restaurant’s warm atmosphere and stylish presentation set the tone for an unforgettable dining experience.

The standout dish has to be the Spicy Affairs pizza — an absolute triumph. The base is light and crisp, the toppings are perfectly balanced, and the spice level is just right to awaken your taste buds without overpowering them. Every bite bursts with vibrant flavour, making it one of the most memorable pizzas I’ve ever had.

Even the presentation deserves special mention. The golden cutlery adds a touch of luxury, while the gold scissors provided to cut the pizza are both unique and fun — a brilliant detail that turns a meal into an experience.

Service is attentive and friendly, with staff who genuinely care about your comfort and enjoyment. Mama Leone masterfully blends Italian passion with a modern twist, offering not just delicious food, but an atmosphere that feels celebratory and refined. A truly outstanding restaurant that I can’t recommend...