Mama Mia Trattoria — Restaurant in Portland

Mama Mia, that's one spicy meatball! Actually, it was the tomato sauce accompanying the complimentary Calamari (normally $12.95) that was spicy, having added a sprinkling of chili flakes on top before serving. As a new member of their "VIP Club", we got the royal treatment, including the free appetizer and free garlic bread (on every visit). I also received a $15 off coupon for our first visit.

The corner restaurant hits you in the face as you cross the SE Morrison Bridge into downtown from the east. There is no free parking or validation here, so pay $2/hour on the street, more in a lot, or arrive after 7pm as we did to park on the street for free. The old corner building (early 1900s) has high ceilings and an open feeling. The decor is tasteful, but not "obviously" Italian in any way, shape or form, more like a high end steak house than a trattoria.

Our server, Kelly, was prompt, efficient and courteous from the get-go. She dropped off the surprise calamari, then the garlic bread, and after bringing my son the Veal Parmigiana instead of the Veal Scallopine all Marsala ($25.95) he had ordered, told him to taste it and take it home while they prepared his marsala. The calamari was good, although the breading could have been crispier and it was a tad greasy, but we barely made a dent because my son is not a seafood lover and I did not want to fill up before my entree arrived.

I had the Veal Parmesan ($25.95), two decent size cutlets breaded, fried and topped with marinara and their "house made" mozzarella accompanied by a small bowl of linguini with marinara sauce (soup or vegetable can be substituted for pasta). The veal was the best I have had in a while and the portion size reasonable considering the price. A dinner salad and some bread would be inexpensive additions to the entrees, making them seem like a better value although $26 for a nice veal dish is not unreasonable. I tasted my son's Veal Marsala which was also a decent size portion as well as being one of the best marsalas I have tasted in recent memory, thick and rich ... HOOAH!

In the end, we had the calamari ($12.95), an order of garlic bread ($4.95) two veal parmesans ($51.90), a veal marsala ($25.95), nearly $100 worth of food for $36.90 (after the $15 coupon was deducted) plus a healthy $15 tip for Kelly, bringing the total to a whopping $52 ... what a bahgain!

We will not get free calamari, an extra meal, or $15 off every time we come, but members of their VIP Club do get free garlic bread every visit as well as other discounts and offers throughout the year. So far, this is the best Italian restaurant I have tried (out of three) and expect to be back soon, bringing my Italian born better half next time. If she gives them her seal of approval, a massive compliment, I will note it here first.

You may ask why I do not give my top rating, so let me briefly clarify. My ratings are based on value, bang-for-the-buck, taking price, quality, preparation, ambience, service and other key factors into account. To receive 10 Bombs Out Of 10, the meal, service, decor, and price must be impeccable, flawless, and the best value money can buy. To get 9 Bombs, one or two minor flaws are normally noted, but otherwise the experience is top-notch. Unlike many so called critics, I do not throw around 9s and 10s (5 Stars on Yelp) like candy, so when you see a rating that high, you can bet your booty that you will be pleased as punch. In order to improve their rating, I would recommend the following:

Validate parking Increase the temperature on the deep fryer (or do not let it sit too long before serving) for crispier calamari Include a small dinner salad and bread with every entree Make the side of pasta accompanying entrees a little bit larger Put ice in the water or cool it before serving - room temperature water is a bummer

CombatCritic Gives Mama Mia Trattoria 8 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More...

Service - 5 Stars! Our server was amazing! She was super sweet, patient, knowledgeable of her menu and flavor profiles of the cocktails as well. She was attentive to everyone at the table, from my grandma to my husband to me and my two kids (2years and 1 week old) She had fast friendly service and made the experience very enjoyable

Drink- 4 stars. I had the St John's martini. It was very Basil forward. I expected a bit more touch of the peach schnapps bit no biggie, it went well with the food. Not as strong as I expected of a $11 cocktail

Food - 4 stars. They only serve olive oil no vinegar for anyone wondering. We ordered manicotti and chicken parmigiana with the side of pasta DE olio. Pasta got 200 stars from me, perfectly al dente and wonderful seasoning. The chicken entree was good but nothing spectacular. They were just short of the "great" line. Could have used more depth of flavor in the sauce. Breading was decent. Portions were great although everyone still left a little hungry. As for the manicotti, my grandma said it was good but nothing special as well. I wouldn't take her opinion as "knowledgeable " but from what I tasted in my dish.... I don't doubt that hers was just up to par.

Ambiance was somewhat romantic and classy. Littered with chandeliers and dark accents (dark wood and Marron painted everything.

All in all pleasant experience. A bit pricey for what you're getting though. About $2-3 a plate too expensive. I'd come here again but I wouldn't go out of my way or make it top of the list. We wanted to go to ristornate Roma but...

This food is literally overpriced Applebees food. They got my order wrong and they also were overcharging me for a "dinner plate" when I had ordered lunch, which is a $9 difference. They said they had given me a bigger portion because they were under the impression I had ordered dinner. This portion is as much as I'd give a small chihuahua. The pasta is not cooked thoroughly and it is salty. This is worse than frozen food. $26 for worse than Applebees pasta is absolutely insane.

I also asked them if the lemonade they had was fresh lemonade or from concentrate. They told me it was fresh and they make it in house. That they "freshly squeeze the lemons and add syrup to it". I ordered two, at $6, and it is the nastiest concentrate lemonade. I can't even think of a worse lemonade from concentrate. The simply lemonade tastes better than this. Anyone who has ever had fresh lemonade knows the difference between freshly squeezed and concentrated.

I am so disappointed, I wanted to try a new restaurant out and have had my day ruined by coming here. Outside even smells like piss, it is in one of the worst parts of Portland.

Just a few blocks away is a great food court with amazing food trucks. Do not waste your money coming to this waste of space restaurant. Anyone who truly knows what fresh food is and is wanting it, this is NOT the place to get that. All reviews that deceived me must be from individuals who believe Applebees and Outback are fine dining.

I ended up just giving the food away to a houseless person because it's not right to throw...