Mamma Mia — Restaurant in Riverside

After hearing an advertisement on the radio about this restaurant, I checked out their website and looked at the menu. The photos of the food and other reviews impressed upon me that this was definitely worth the excursion from Hemet to this establishment that my wife and I would like to visit. Upon entering the restaurant we were immediately greeted by a friendly staff and the savory aroma of garlic and fresh herbs indicating great food was being prepared. The dining room was fairly full however we were seated right away. Our server, Travis was exceptional with full knowledge of the menu and offered help with suggestions and descriptions to help us decide between the many options. Our meal included an appetizer of Fried Calamari and entrees of Shrimp Scampi for my wife, and the Chicken Marsala for myself. Dessert was a generous portion of Spumoni. While waiting for our dinner to arrive I could see other dishes bring served and the visual appeal of them matched exactly the photos presented on the website, which further enhanced our dining anticipation. All the food came out very quickly and was fresh made. First up was the Calamari. The texture was nice and light and crispy, not oily at all, and the warm marinara dipping sauce was excellently seasoned pairing well with the appetizer. The Shrimp Scampi was amazing beginning with the pasta which looked to be freshly made and cooked to a perfect Al Dente, Shrimps plump and not under or over cooked. The Marsala was made with the most tender chicken that was nice and juicy, not dried out without fat and grizzle. I was not too big a fan of the fresh tomato wedges included in the sauce, but that is only a personal preference of mine, not necessarily liking hot tomatoes, otherwise it complimented the dish quite well, I also was missing a traditional pasta side instead of their standard mashed potato however they were prepared quite nicely and did pair nicely with the creamy marsala sauce. There is an option on the menu that you could opt for the pasta side for any entree but I wanted to experience the chef's intended vision and I am not disappointed at all. Overall, I am exceedingly pleased by the selections we chose. The sauces for both the Scampi and Marsala were fresh and made with care and attention to detail. There were no salt and pepper shakers on the table which is a good indication of the chef's confidence in his seasoning. At first bite we found the flavors to be nice and subtle, but the more you eat, the flavors continue to increase and enhance perfectly. No additional seasoning was required. Quite enjoyable. At the end of the meal, the executive chef made a personal appearance at our table to ensure our meal was up to expectations. A very nice gesture to show how much he cares about his customers and make sure everything was up to his standards. All in all we are very pleased with our dining experience and cannot wait to return to this restaurant again to try the other offerings on the menu. My kudos to Travis our waiter and the kitchen staff for a very enjoyable night...

Where do I start with this review? How much my family and I loved the above and beyond, fantastic customer service? How much my family and I really enjoyed our food? How much of a special time this place and their staff made sure we had celebrating my wife's birthday? If you've read my reviews before you know how I'm always throwing it out there I'm an Italian American from New York and I can't find good Italian food in Los Angeles. Now this place isn't in Los Angeles, it's in what I call the country, but this place is hands down my new go-to Italian restaurant outside of LA. A few weeks ago my family and I along with family friends celebrated my wife's birthday here. My mother in-law lives in the area so to make it convenient for her and my wife's friends to attend, I made a reservation here after Google and Yelp searching. And man, am I glad I chose them. From making the reservation for our big party, allowing my wife's best friend to arrive early to decorate and myself to drop off a cake, everyone we dealt with was amazing. I do not remember all of the amazing staffers names unfortunately, but if they read this or are told about this review, they'll know who they are. And I hope their manager and owner gives them the love and credit the all deserve. The interior is really nice. Definitely reminds me of a New York neighborhood Italian spot which was a great treat for me. Their in a shopping plaza which was a odd surprise to me. A nice restaurant in a shopping plaza is not a New York thing. But whatever, more parking right? haha Now let's talk about the food. My party ordered a bunch of menu items and of course shared family style. Everything was delicious! Now, I will be honest as only I know how to. The food was more American than Italian. First sign was them not having chicken parmesan on their menu. They weren't even able to make it for me. Which sucked because that's my go-to dish. Especially since I like to try how different places make it. Overall I can not rave enough about this place. I absolutely love this place, their, food, staff and ambience. And I'd never thought I'd say that about any country side restaurant haha My family and I will be back soon and plenty of more times. Until then, I highly recommend them to say the least. Be hungry and ready for a good time with your...

This place is FANTASTIC. As others have shared, the outside, and even the plaza this restaurant finds itself in, is deceiving.

With that said, it's an interesting combination of casual and formal dining. You're met with table cloths, glass drinkware, ceramic plates and bowls and silver tableware. The prices are also that of a more formal restaurant. Maybe not ultra-high-end, but definitely a touch higher than a casual Italian spot.

With that said, the food does NOT disappoint. My party ordered a cheese pizza, eggplant parmesan, cheese ravioli with a rose sauce and a 'plain' spaghetti with butter and herbs. We also ordered the garlic bread, but I failed to get any photos of that.

Let me say this, the servings are generous and definitely help justify the price for the experience and amount of food. Additionally the food was well prepared and truly delicious!

The pastas were all cooked al dente, and not too mushy or too firm. The sauces seemed completely homemade and were truly delicious, and the pizza was delicious.

I wouldn't order the breadsticks again, as they weren't as impressive as the other entree items.

The service is also worth mentioning. It was truly amazing. We were given plenty of attention, but without it feeling overwhelming. Our beverages were regularly refilled, and the servers kept a watchful eye as to the different transition points in the meal, ensuring we had plates cleared as needed and togo boxes for our generous leftovers.

I've been told the next time I go I should try the Summer Salad w/ Salmon, Caprese salad, chicken picata, and the lasagna.

All in all, this place is a wonderful local experience if you're in Riverside, especially in the La Sierra area. I highly recommend it for a casual dinner with family, a romantic outing with a partner, or for any event you'd like delicious Italian food prepared with...