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Mama Carolla's Old Italian Restaurant
Rating Details »
Neighborhood: Indy Metro
1031 E 54th St
Indianapolis, IN 46220
(317) 259-9412
1031 E 54th St
Indianapolis, IN 46220
(317) 259-9412
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good for:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
21 reviews for Mama Carolla's Old Italian Restaurant
Visited for the first time tonight. The service was top notch and the food was outstanding. I got the Alfredo pasta with shrimp, which were cooked perfectly. The flavor of the Alfredo sauce was quite possibly the best I've ever eaten. Not too thick and not too thin.
My wife got the Chicken Rosemary Lasagna which she was extremely pleased with. I helped finish it and would have to say it was a stand out dish. I couldn't pass up a cannoli for dessert ( even though I was already full). It was one of the best in terms of the filling and the fresh nuts. However the shell could have been just bit more fresh. All in all, this is now one of our new favorite Italian restaurants in Indy.
If for one night you're Italian, it's at Mama Corolla's. Mama Corolla's is very cozy in a sense that you feel you're actually at home eating a delicious home cooked Italian dinner. If you go, you must try the Rosemary Chicken Lasagna... it's delicious!! All the entrees here are pretty reasonable in price as well, ranging from around $12-$16. But when the food actually comes out, it will seem like $20 dishes. So it's worth it! The reason for the one star missing was that this place really didn't stand out to us. Yes, food, service, atmosphere were all good, but it just didn't give us the wow factor that 5 stars do.
My husband and I went here on my birthday with a group of friends. The restaurant is deceptive from the outside; it looks small but has many rooms both up and down. We ate in a small upstairs room with another large party and a couple--probably too many people for the space. That said, however, the service was quick and efficient if a bit lacking in warmth. We had a wonderful bottle of wine (well, actually SEVERAL wonderful bottles of wine!) which probably helped in considering the entrees. Let's just forget about the salads; clearly Mama has some work to do here. The limp lettuce and less-than-inspiring dressings did not bode well for the main event. However, we perservered. Everyone had pasta of various descriptions; mine was voted the best as I had veal medallions (a bit chewy--more wine!) with gargonzola sauce. It made an excellent lunch the next day! The old standby Fettucine Alfredo seemed also well-received, as were several of the chicken dishes. Nothing outstanding, but satisfying with proper portion sizes. We shared Creme Brulee for dessert, which was outstanding--very creamy and not too sweet. Everyone thought this was the best part of the meal. Mama Carolla's is easy to access and has lots of parking. the outside patio looked like a good idea for warmer weather. Prices were moderate and the evening was festive!
Food is good. Rooms are a bit cramped. Food was over priced for what it was. Closed on Mondays. Or at least they use to be. Seems like lots of Italian places are closed on Monday. Too loud to take a date. Too nice to take just friends. The service was good.
My husband and I were in town for his best friend's new baby baptism. Her and her husband took us here. It was a maze to get here - I was driving and absolutely no idea how we got here. Parked and it smelled wonderful even outside. Over 30 minute wait and it was 8:00 on a Saturday night! But it was so worth it. First had Fried Calamari and Mussells. The Fried Calamari had a unique light breading and different sauce. Great! and I never had mussells before, tried 2 - they were ok. Then homemade Italian Wedding soup - amazing. Then Chilean Sea Bass with Angel Hair pasta. just fantastic. What a great place! If we go back, would go there again in a second!
This was my first visit to the very very popular Mama Carolla's restaurant. My first impression was that the patio atmosphere is great in the Summer. There are several tables and it looks more like a backyard party than a restaurant.
My friend and I sat at the bar and I will just say we came at a good time. This place gets pretty busy pretty quickly. The hostesses to a great job of gathering the parties to their tables but you should expect a long wait.
The food...is worth the wait. The bartenders were great. The guest at the bar were entertaining. I really enjoyed it and will definitely return...I will just prepare myself for the wait.
Mama Carolla's served up the best Italian I have had in Indianapolis. The restaurant was packed with couples, so prepare to both wait and feel a little odd if you arrive with more than two in your party. The service was adequate, but nothing to write home about. Don't expect to walk out of here for under $50 if you're buying drinks and dinner for two. I felt the food and atmosphere was worth the price. Overall, I had an excellent experience.
Yay! I'm a fan.
The food here is amazing (and reasonably priced for a nice Italian place!)
We had the artichoke fritters (or something like that) for an appetizer. It was delicious!
I had the rosemary chicken lasagna. I wish it had a bit more chicken, but it was deliciously flavored.
My friends swear they put crack in their bread. It's tasty! And they will bring you as much as you can eat.
The $25 carafe of their house wine was good and well worth it.
The tiramisu, complete with a birthday candle, was delicious and big enough to share.
One comment on the service:
We had a group of 7. We told the hostess and were informed that we would be seated when the whole party arrived. (I do not like, but I do understand this practice) After some wine and an appetizer, our whole party had arrived. My group went to the hostess while I paid the bartender for the wine and apps. She refused to sit them until "the whole party was there". After being informed that I was indeed in the restaurant, just paying at the bar (which took a few minutes), the hostess still refused to sit them! The hostesses were rude, looked kind of angry, and didn't really seem to care about customer service...
Luckily, the wait staff seemed to be the polar opposite of the hostesses (nice, attentive, good at their job), and you only have to deal with the hostesses for a few minutes.
Well this may not be the best Italian food I have ever eaten in my life. The food become much better because you are eating it in this place! The wait may be to long but the wine is great, and the people around you are all happy to be there and waiting also. The heart and soul of a great place all fall into place here and make for a great time! This may not be the best food but it really good food.
Remember to eat well and live well and please no chains!
This is one of the best, if not the best, Italian restaurants in town. My favorite is the rosemary chicken lasagna.
Why so cheesy Indianapolis? Ya know more cheese is not better.
Everything had cheese on top, the salad, the pasta, the bruschetta, half expecting the terra misu to have cheese on it.
Very nice atmosphere, very pleasant garden, will go back.
This is hands down my favorite Italian restaurant in the United States. It's in a small house, has a beautiful patio, a nice bar area for while you're waiting for table. And it's tucked away such that you believe you've uncovered a wonderful secret.
I have tried other dishes, but my go-to is the Misto Mare. I only get to go there when I'm in Indiana, so I've got to get the good stuff.
They put crack in their bread. It's so tasty, I would go just for that.
I highly recommend, but don't get too turned off by the hostess chicks. They need an attitude adjustment.
Hands down the best place for Italian food in Indy. The fried ravioli here is to die for. The restaurant is located in an old house so it feels intimate, but it can get very crowded at times. Be prepared to wait for a long time because this restaurant does not take reservations. However, it is well worth the wait!
This is a family owned restaurant. They open at 5:00p every day so do not go here expecting to have lunch.
"It's her birthday!" my friend exclaimed to the waitress, pointing at me. The waitress smiled faintly, wished me a happy birthday and went on her way; it seemed as if she wondered why exactly my friend was telling her this.
While it was, in fact, my actual birthday - my friend also had an ulterior motive, she was pining over a piece of tiramisu our "neighbor" had and was hoping to wrangle a free birthday treat out of the deal for me that she could then indulge in). No such luck. Our server promptly arrived with the bill, wished me a happy birthday again & went on her merry way.
Sooo... I guess this might not be the stop you want to make if you're on a "free birthday dessert" hunt.
Anyhoo. The patio was very pleasant. Individual umbrealls cover every table (and there are a lot) and the place is surrounded by a white brick wall that's covered in ivy; it's definitely got character.
We started with the bruschetta appetizer - four pieces ($6.95) were a nice starter for our group, fresh tomatoes and smoky cheese gave it good flavor. There were only two vegetarian entrees available (pasta primavera or manicotti). The manicotti was a generous portion (1/2 was plenty for me). The filling was good but the sauce was nothing to write home about. The pasta primavera had some good fresh veggies and a garlic oil dressing. All entrees came with a soup or salad. For $13.95 & up entrees I'd like to see a mixed field greens salad instead of iceberg lettuce... but maybe that's just me.
BOTTOM LINE: The food was okay, but seemed a little overpriced for what it was. The very inviting patio is what might draw me back to give it another shot...
This is probably my favorite Italian restaurant in Indy. The atmosphere is terrific. The food is authentic and reasonably priced. They have a large selection of fine wines and beers. I promise you'll be stuffed when you leave!
I definitely think this is place for couples and small families. Large groups seem to be difficult to accommodate as the restaurant is small. I don't believe they accept reservations, either.
I love Mama Carolla's. I'm from New York and we have great Italian places, and I think this one stands out just as well. It's always crowded and is in a little house. I've eaten downstairs and upstairs as well. I think it has a great atmosphere, the food is good and someone else mentioned my favorite - artichoke fritters. Delicious. I'm pretty protective of Indy since it is my second home and such a great place but I can tell you, I've lived in California and it ain't all that. I moved away if that tells you anything. So sad to hear Janelle had such a bad experience.
I agree with Andy. The atmosphere makes this one of the best places in Indianapolis for Italian food.
The service can be hit or miss depending on which Butler student is working that day. The patio is definitely nice on a pretty day. There is a pretty good parking lot, which is nice for a Broadripple restaurant.
Another cool thing is that Mama Carolla's is very close to the Monon, so it would be easy to have a stroll and dinner on a nice evening..
Italian restaurants are everywhere and I'm of the opinion that the only thing that really distinguishes the best ones is atmosphere. Food-wise you know exactly what you're going to get if the restaurant is like 95% of all other Italian places.
Mama Carolla's has great atmosphere. It's located in an old house which gives it a great neighborhood feel and lots of character. The brick patio in back is great for having a drinks outside while waiting for a table and each room inside has its own personality.
It's a shame Mama Carolla's doesn't take reservations. It's popular and if you show up after 6:30 on a weekend, you'll likely have to wait. In the cold months this is especially hard because the waiting room is basically a hallway and a small bar area.
The prices are comparable to other mid-range Italian restaurants. Most dishes are $12-20 and all of the food is good quality. If you're looking for a less expensive date place, this is a great choice.
Recommendations: Mediterranean Pasta
The food and atmosphere here is terrific as previous reviews suggest. The only reason I give Mama Carolla's only 3 stars is because they have limited hours of business for the type of restaurant. They are closed on Sunday and Monday and do not stay open as late as other restaurants.
great restaurant! i took my girlfriend there for a nice evening out, and it was really nice. when we got there, there was an hour's wait, but we were able to get appetizers or drinks while waiting outdoors or in the lobby/bar area. when we were brought our food, we both thought that our food was incredible (served hot, but not scalding, in a reasonably timely manner and presented in a way that made it look nice), and ate until we were as full as we could be without getting sick. the atmosphere was great, and the staff was VERY friendly. my only disappointment was that there was no way to procure a reservation (they do not have reservations). would recommend this to anyone and everyone who wants a great meal at a mid-range budget.
this place is just awful. i visit indy often and people said it was the "best". well that is a sad standard if this is the best....sure it has an outdoor area/garden that is more or less in a carpark. ok, its indiana -- what do you expect ? its no cafe med or il sole in west hollwyood. so lets review the food.
1. salad was awful box croutons, iceberg only lettuce, and i think bottle dressing or something that was NOT good. they even had those shredded carrots and cabbage you get in bag salad from del monte. nasty. how can you fuck up a salad that bad ? they did.
2. penne primavera -- frozen veggie mix tossed w/ not fresh garlic and penne w/ olive oil. um olive garden might do better.
3. wine, got some overmarked up $6 bottle of california cab for $45 that was fine red table wine
4. every one raves about their chicken lasagne -- i have to say...it looked like they made huge batches and froze it cause it just looked off.
5. portions are large but the food sucks so who cares ?
oh -- the bathrooms were clean. i suppose all the other places i have been in this broadripple area have dirty bathrooms so they at least clean theirs. one star for that.
um...indiana...please get a decent place to get pasta -- you are not that far from chicago...cmon!
