The Original Mama D's Italian Kitchen — Restaurant in Newport Beach

Note: Get here EARLY and order PINK SAUCE.

We got here 30 minutes before open to find parking. It’s all street metered parking. But found out later that they have a small lot in the back. There were chairs outside and a menu located in the window. We were the first one in the chairs. A hostess came out five minutes prior and took down names. At this point, it didn’t matter who was there first because everyone gets to be seated at the same time when it opens at 4. But she does start taking names from the right side first where the glass window menu is located then to the other side of chairs. All the chairs filled up 15 minutes prior to open.

This place is packed and well known that they have a second location down the street.

We got seated and I counted 8 tables of 4 on our side so 40 people. Noticed the other side also seats 40 but different variations depending on party size.

The ambiance is of old Hollywood movies/actors like Elvis, gone with the wind, I love Lucy, Marilyn Monroe with an Italian feel.

I was it strict on wine pairing and ordered a Moscato. We also got complimentary focaccia bread dusted with garlic and parmigiana with an olive oil dip. The bread is amazing!

Calamari ($15) - Lightly crisp, cooked well, flaky with marinara sauce.

Large Meatball ($4)- One home made meat ball that’s bigger than a golf ball but smaller than a tennis size. Doesn’t taste processed, it tastes light probably because it’s made with more fat than lean meat. So good.

The classic under Mama D’S pasta - Boyfriend said “Bow tie with pink sauce is the way to go because it’s like a flavor of orgasm in your month”. Me: Bow tie is the way to go because of the way it’s shaped, it soaks up all the flavor in one bite and there’s no splatter.

Debor’s linguine and clams ($23) - I got this because I gravitate towards seafood. You get a choice of red sauce or Mama D’s clam broth. I went with the broth sauce because I wanted white sauce. Well, when it came out, it’s a broth like soup. I think it would be better with red sauce for thickness but the broth was pleasant, not fishy or salty.

If we go back, I would for sure order the home made ravioli or something else with pink sauce and not go against the norm.

We got full quickly and only took a few bites of our entrees before boxing it up. I was surprised they brought our dishes to the back to pack it for us when it’s COVID. I thought you’re supposed to box it yourself? We got complimentary mini chocolate cookies along with our check.

The service was exceptional. I wonder why it’s been voted best service. From start to finish, everyone was super cheery and friendly just like Italian...

Took my parents (in their 80s) here at the suggestion of a trusted friend. We were visiting from out of town and wanted to go to a local (not a chain) place that wasn't overly expensive. What a little gem!

We arrived at the Newport Beach location around 6:30 on a Monday evening. The wait was approximately 25 minutes. Parking nearby was limited, but around the block there were plenty of open spaces for parallel parking on the streets.

While waiting outside, an employee would occasionally bring out a tray of the cheesy bread. Delicious! Also a waitress would make the rounds outside as well taking drink orders.

Our waiter's name was John. He was very attentive and served us well. Definitely an asset to the owners. He answered any questions we may have had with confidence.

For drinks we didn't have anything special. My wife and I ordered the house chianti. It was well balanced, and I felt no need to spend any more on the more expensive variety.

For dinner I selected the Sausage and Chicken Capri, with the "famous" Pink Sauce. It was outstanding! Plenty of both Italian sausage and chicken breast, as well as pieces of fresh mozzarella, which had melted as it had been tossed along with the rest of the ingredients into a generous helping of spaghetti and pink sauce. I will have to try and duplicate the pink sauce at home!!!

My wife had the Manicotti. It came out very hot, with melted mozzarella and parmesan cheese on top. She said it was tasty!

My son ordered the stuffed shells. It was served in the same manner as the manicotti - very hot and covered with melted cheeses. He said it was delicious, unlike anything he's ever had before!

My father ordered the veal parmigiana. I wanted to grab a bite as it was being placed in front of him! My father is very picky, and he even was impressed. Veal was delicious and perfectly cooked.

There were no less than four birthday parties (young AND old) during the hour and a half we were there, so it seems to be a popular place for that.

Seating was tight, but not overly so. You just have to be careful not to grab the top of the chair behind you when sitting, as my dad did! Everyone was friendly, so no big deal!

Overall a very pleasant experience at a fine local establishment. I...

We're visiting for the week from Arizona. As small business owners ourselves, we always try to find local businesses and restaurants to go to. Especially now, given the way things have (not) been handled in California over the past year plus. We're constantly on the lookout for good Italian food, and came across Mama D's during a simple google search. We are thrilled we did! The incredible service began while we waited outside for our table, and only got better from there. Our server, Antonio was energetic, engaging and knowledgeable about the menu and history of the restaurant. He, along with everyone we came in contact with from the manager and hostess, to the very nice young lady with long braids who served us drinks while we waited for our table (apologies for not getting her name), to the server who made rounds with water refills all took ownership of the establishment. Because of this, the customer service was outstanding. This is not something we see very much anymore, and it was so refreshing. We strive to impart this in our own office staff, and these days it's difficult to achieve. And the food! Again, outstanding! Being married to an Italian, I tend to compare Italian food prepared by others to my wife's awesome cooking, and therefore am a bit partial. I can tell you that the food we ate at Mama D's is a very close second (my wife would agree). We will be returning to eat again before we go home in a few days. We highly recommend giving Mama D's your business. You will not be...