Mandola's Italian Kitchen — Restaurant in Odessa

I just had a delightful lunch at Mandola’s and I wanted to tell you so you don’t let the few negative reviews deter you from going and enjoying this place yourself.

The restaurant is large, open, and airy. I walked in knowing I would be ordering at a counter so I grabbed a menu and went over to the counter and asked “how this place works.” Adam was friendly, pleasant, and helpful. He explained how I take my time to decide what I want, order with him at the counter, then I get a number to place on whatever table I choose (inside or out) where a server would bring me my food when it was ready. He showed me where to get my utensils (real flatware, not plastic) and drink. Adam even pointed out their lunch menu (Monday through Friday, I forget the hours) and that the ravioli dish I ordered would be half a dinner portion for the lunch portion. He said the lunch portion also came with a salad (I chose Caesar). He then asked me if I wanted the salad before or with the meal. That was a nice touch (I chose before).

I considered sitting at the bar with Daniel, who was also very pleasant and fun to chat with, but I chose to sit outside. They have a nice, large, covered outdoor seating area with fans overhead. I like to sit outside, but too many places don’t have a nice area like Mandola’s does.

I got my drink and utensils and went out to the patio and chose a table. Shortly thereafter Carter, my server, brought me my salad. It was a nice lunch portion of a crisp, tasty Caesar salad. As I was finishing that, Carter brought my ravioli. As he set it down he politely said, “I don’t think I asked you if you wanted any bread. Would you like some?” I said, “Oh, yes, please” and he brought me out three nice pieces of a bread I really cannot describe but it was very good. He also brought oil to dip it in.

The ravioli was five pieces, which is perfect for me for lunch. It was cooked al dente and was very tasty. I sat and enjoyed my meal, watching the crazy drivers on SR-54 (yeah, a quiet lakeside would have been better but you can’t have everything). When I was done I realized I didn’t have to wait for or flag down a server to get my check. I was done. I could sit and relax, get a refill on my iced tea if I wanted, or just get on with my day.

I cannot speak to ordering take-out from Mandola’s as I have not yet done that. I will say this is neither a full-service, fine dining establishment nor is it a quick take-out joint. If I want either of those, I will go to such places. If I want to cook at home (the gods help me!), I will do that, as well. This place is a great fit right in the middle. I could see people coming here with their friends and really enjoying a casual night out with good food in a nice environment.

Oh, and I also don’t like loud restaurants. That’s why I carry earplugs with me. Thanks for coming to...

Not good. Bad food, no service.

Went in for the first time for a casual dinner and to check out this newish restaurant near home. We were greeted promptly by a nice hostess who explained how their system works. From there it went down hill. First you order your food and drinks at a fast food counter. We ordered 2 entrees, a salad and 2 glasses of house Tuscan red. Cashier says $78.48 !!! I had to carry a large tray with 2 water glasses, 2 glasses of wine and service utensils, and a “Number” for them to drop our food off. Hope I don’t spill this.

Then we sat down at a table inside. The place is extremely noisy, kids are running around, people are going back and forth to the serve yourself food-court style drink machine. My first comment to my spouse “ I sure hope the food’s good here.” … Well it’s not.

First we received some so-called focaccia bread, with oil and herbs, I thought it was corn bread, dry and completely lacking any flavor at all. The oil and herbs were equally tasteless. The salad was an Italian chopped salad was actually pretty good, but drowning in dressing.

The wine tasted like water with some wine flavoring, dryish, but complete lack of flavor. 2 glasses of house red, $24.

The entrees came next, chicken parm and spaghetti and sausage. The chicken was a decent size, however lacking any sauce, and the the cheese topping was thin and cooked. The sauce had no flavor, lacked seasoning, and zero body, like watered down v8 juice. The spaghetti had the same sauce. Tasteless. The sausage had pretty good flavor, heavy on fennel, but tasted good. The spaghetti was the same as with my chicken parm. Tasteless. A young person came by and actually took our plates before we were finished, so we had to ask them to bring us some replacements. The service was fast food like and employees were just running around collecting plates.

All in all, we couldn’t wait to get out of this place, it’s noisy, the food is awful, and the service is useless. Our receipt stated a server, but we never spoke to anyone except the cashier and the busser who took our plates before we finished. 2 people for $78.48 is an abomination in this place.

Stay away and keep your money. There’s better ”fast food joints “ all over the place, and for a lot...

Food is below mediocre and the manager lacks basic customer and service skills. Suggest people to avoid this place and try Santelli’s - as they serve better Italian food

The dude with the mustache (I presume the manager) was very rude over something their website does not provide the option for. I do not eat sausage, and asked for swap to chicken on a pizza. I increased the tip for the inconvenience.

At my arrival, the guy wanted to talk and seemed mad about the price difference between sausage and chicken, he asked for $2. I did not mind and paid it even though I had called twice before my order to verify and they didn’t mention it then. (If the website had the option I would have paid it there itself)

He still kept telling me how I should have ordered a build your own pizza and raising his voice stopping me from leaving with the pizzas till he was done scolding me.

I would have ordered a build your own pizza but the issue is that sweet red onions offered in the Pugliese pizza are not an option on the build your own pizza.

Instead of giving me a chance to state my reason, he kept raising his voice at me while I stood at the to go door ready to leave with my pizza.

The extra cash requested for the change was presented right away but he proceeded to raise his voice and talk down to me.

The pizza was decent but I will stick with driving further away to Santelli’s pizza as they send you back home with a smile on their faces instead.

Good way to...