Mamasamas — Restaurant in Neptune Beach

I’d like to preface this with saying the service is fantastic and that it is a very nicely put together place. The restaurant is welcoming and comfortable for its location and the amount of seats they have squeezed in there. The server was knowledgeable, recommended great drinks, and knew the menu well. However, the food was very disappointing, even more so for the price. I won’t go as far and saying it’s awful, but for the price they are charging it should be outstanding and it was not. Spending $25 on 4 medium size meatballs warrants expectations of excellence. While they were cooked perfect, they were disappointingly bland in flavor. The 24 HR braised beef in the pappardelle was surprisingly very dry, and once again, for $29 and the only entré that includes a protein, it should be incredible and it was not. This place has so much potential and is on the right track, however for the price, the quality of food served has to go up.

My biggest gripe of this restaurant would be the 4% fee charged when paying with card. When receiving the check, I was surprised that the menu items had increased prices. Not until leaving and taking a second look at the menu did I see the fine print at the bottom informing you of this fee. It feels hidden, and thus after receiving sub par food, it just added to the...

An absolute gem- up there with the best restaurants in Jacksonville. It’s classy and boutiquey(?) like doro without the price tag. Don’t get me wrong- it’s not cheap, but you can tell you’re paying for high quality ingredients, craftsmanship, and a work environment that the employees genuinely enjoy- they truly seemed so happy which to me is the mark of a great establishment. Accessibility- They do squeeze quite a few people into the dining room so while I’m sure they’d accommodate someone in a wheelchair, it might be difficult to get around. Ambiance- boppin, the place for a date if you want to impress or to bring out of town guests who are used to scratch food and excellent service, also could be great for a apps/cocktails stop to kick off a girl’s night Food- amazing. Next question. Had one salad, one app, two pastas, one dessert between 3 adults and we were stuffed. Drinks- didn’t imbibe, but the list looked great. Classic Italian cocktails, beer, & wine. Service- exceptional. We didn’t have a reservation on a Friday night and were seated within like 10 min at the bar. Our entrees took a little longer than normal to come out as the restaurant filled up, but the bartender kept us updated, and it was well worth the wait Will be back. Probably...

Off the bat this place is not located in the most appealing area- in fact we thought we were lost when we were trying to find it… But upon entering the restaurant you are instantly transported to a different vibe- which is appreciated. I did find it to be quite tight, but nice style. In terms of service, it would’ve added to the atmosphere/vibe if all the staff at least wore coherent outfits. Our waitress was also pretty nonchalant … It was also pretty hot inside not sure if that’s typical or just the evening we visited. We tried a few plates- unfortunately I couldnt take the best photos as my husband was eager to try! The arancini were great, perfect texture. The meatballs (4) were also good, but the sauce it came with kind of tasted like something from a can… the pistachio pesto pasta was also good but felt like it was lacking something like garlic! Garlic wouldve definitely made it better. I also dont think it had basil which I think is the basis of a true pesto … the best plate was the 24hr ragu but even that - the meat didnt taste as good as we had hoped- maybe not the best quality… Overall I would rate this...