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Mangia Mangia
Categories: Restaurants Italian Event Planning & Services Caterers Italian, Caterers [Edit]
755 San Pablo Ave(between Portland Ave & Washington Ave)
Albany, CA 94706
(510) 526-9700
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
Sun 5 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Amanda L. said: "I went to a party catered by El Burrito Express and was amazed at how fresh and delicious the food was! I've been to both locations and have always been impressed by EBX's healthy, fresh, and affordable choices...and the catering…" read more »
103 reviews for Mangia Mangia
Review Highlights
"The penne alla norma came with a plethora of sausages."
(in 6 reviews)
"...the sauce for the al pepe nero, and the arugula insalata I..."
(in 4 reviews)
"I had a house specialty, crab and polenta lasagna."
(in 3 reviews)
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103 reviews in English
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Review from Randy S.
San Francisco, CA
12/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
Took a chance on the Yelp recommendations for a mid-week dinner. We arrived just before 6pm, which can be a little tricky (for a first timer!) finding with a small dark sign canopy. It just doesn't jump out amid some other lighted and bright neon signs around. Street parking can also be a challenge at times, but additional lots nearby can be found.
Upon, entering Mangia Mangia, we were welcomed immediately! The atmosphere is relaxing, casual feel with low noise[at least this visit!] to allow for table conversation. Tables are covered and even cloth napkins for dinner. Many entree choices were available, good wine list, and the wait staff is very friendly and making sure the beverages are kept full. The food was very good and well prepared; although seemed to take a while to get, even though they never did get very busy. They do take reservations so obviously it was an "off" night.
My only negative is the portion size. For the price, I felt that the portions could be larger. They are definitely on the list for a return visit. -
Review from Laura Iliana R.
Contra Costa, CA
11/9/2011
Stumbled upon this place on a saturday night after we found our original choice for dinning was closed.
this place was OK, not great but not bad either. the food was good, a lot of good wines to choose from and our waiter was very friendly.
We did have a 4 year old with us and as the description puts it there is no kids menu, but besides that she is very well behaved and loved her pasta with bolognese.
only thing I didn't like was we were kinda given a smug look when we walked in, sorta like "how dare we came in here with a kid" but it was all good and we enjoyed our food. -
Review from Judy K.
Berkeley, CA
12/4/2011
I really like the food, they have good wine, friendly service, interesting specials, but they have something amazing too.
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Review from Erik J.
El Cerrito, CA
11/22/2011
Delicious! Nice people too.
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Review from sunshine w.
Berkeley, CA
4/21/2011
First, the service was absolutely excellent. 5-star service. Very attentive, very sweet.
It was definitely the food that gets the points here. For the price and for what you get, it just seemed like a good deal as they were quite large. -
Review from Chad B.
Daly City, CA
5/14/2011
I took my Mom here for a Mother's Day dinner and we were not disappointed. They offer a great array of Italian dishes that meticulously prepared and the taste and quality of the food was good. I started with their Insalata Al Gorgonzola E Noci which is Arugula with sliced pear, gorgonzola cheese, and candied pecans tossed in lemon olive oil. It was very good and the serving was just right for me. That night I felt having a entree w/o meat so I went for their Ravioli Ricotta AI Pinole e Spinaci which consist of spinach, ricotta, and parmesan cheese ravioli in a light cilantro garlic pesto cream sauce.
Because it was a special occasion, I had my Mom order her own dessert and she their Chocolate Souffle and it was divine. One that would make one say, "Death by Chocolate". I tried their flan and it was equally good but not as rich as their souffle.
Overall, I like the atmosphere of the restaurant. The food is good and definitely not like your neighborhood Macaroni Grill or Olive Garden. The meals are slightly pricey so I would say check this place out for special occasions. -
Review from Angelo R.
Oakland, CA
6/26/2011
Went there about a week ago with a couple of friends for a quick bite before a movie on Solano.
Food was just ok, nothing really stood out. The bruschetta was not typical and had sliced tomatos but no basil. Not what I was expecting. I ordered the duck with pasta and it was bland, no flavor at all. Though it had the consistency of duck, if I were blind-folded, I wouldn't have been able to figure out what I was eating.
Service was also just ok. There were only a couple of other tables when we got there (since it was still fairly early), but the food still took longer than anticipated. We gave an hour and a half for dinner before the movie and we had to rush out of there because it took so long.
Wouldn't go back. Many other restaurants in the area to try out. -
Review from Manuela B.
Berkeley, CA
2/19/2011
On reading that this was authentic Italian, I was really excited, but this was not the case at all. The Executive Chef is Soraya Ghaemi and it appears her sisters (one in the kitchen with her) and the hostess.
I came here with my husband on a Saturday night and had a 7 pm reservation. When we arrived, I was very impressed with the quaint little restaurant that was surprisingly busy. The hostess greeted us and wanted us to sit next to the door. It was freezing and rainy so I asked if we could sit else where. She was clearly not happy that we wanted another table, and begrudgingly told us we'd have to wait. We were in no hurry so we waited.
Once we were seated we were really happy with our server. He was sooo nice and authentically friendly. I was really impressed how everyone here works together. Everyone ran food when it was ready, offered pepper and fresh parm, and even bussed the tables. I appreciate that very much.
Onto the food we had:
Appetizers:
Bruscetta
Whole slice of a grainy old tomato with parsley. Why wasn't the tomato diced and marinated in olive oil, balsamic vinegar and where is the fresh basil. It was served with some pesto sauce "fancily" drizzled on the plate. Not happy with this dish.
Smoked Trout Salad
This was the special which sounded interesting, but wasn't good. It was flaked trout that appeared to be out of a can. I was hoping for a fillet or nice medallions. There were green apples, mango, green papaya AND pomegranate seeds. WTF is fruit doing on the salad. Totally disgusting!
Entrees:
Linguine di Mare with Spicy Tomato Sauce
This was my favorite dish of the night, which our server recommended. The seafood was nicely cooked and tender. The clams were not chewy. There was a lot of salmon, only 2 prawns and a good amount of tender smaller scallops. The pasta was a little overcooked, but decent. I was glad to take the servers recommendation and request the tomato sauce to be spicy. That made the dish.
Veal Scaloppine Marsala
The texture of the veal was odd. It was a little soggy. A nice sear would've made a huge difference. It was served with on mashed potatoes with broccoli, carrots, squash and snap peas. The sides were fine, but what was most disappointing there was no mushrooms in the marsala sauce and not much of the sauce either.
The restaurant was really busy. I have no idea what we were missing. What brought so many people here. Thank GOD for our server he made the evening. Everything else was just plain old weird!!
I wish we would've liked this place, but sadly not the case. We probably won't be back. -
Review from Gigi G.
San Bruno, CA
1/21/2011
If you are looking for authentic Italian food, this place is MUY DELICIOSO! My BF and I shared the INSALATA CON FUNGHI E ACETO BALSAMICO, I had the LINGUINE DI MARE AL VINO BIANCO O POMODORO and my BF had the MANICOTTI. Each dish was amazing and flavorful. They serve the bread with 2 different kinds of spreads. One was a garlic spread that just seems to disappear and melt into your bread. I totally forgot what the other dip was but I definitely remember enjoying it as well.
It's not a very large restaurant and we got lucky to be seated within 5 minutes of arrival. As soon as we were seated customers seem to just keep entering the door nonstop. Our waiter of course was Italian and was extremely helpful and attentive. He helped us choose the perfect wine pairings with our dinners. Both wines recommended they were both ON HIT!! Both my boyfriend and I are sticklers for customer service and they definitely have our 4-thumbs up!!!
We are definitely coming back here for more Mangia Mangia!! -
Review from Danny L.
Mangia Mangia is a precious little gem in Albany. And as the name suggests, you'll want to "Eat Eat" to your hearts content.
Authentic Italian seems to be so rare these days... And this precious little gem is Italian owned and operated. You'll receive the warm Italian greeting and service and most importantly, you'll be served delicious and heart warming Italian meals that will leave you wanting more.
The bruschetta was an absolute delight with an abundance of cheeses and fresh herbs. The server recommended the lamb chops so I took the bait and WOW... Definitely one of best lamb chops I have ever had. Succulent pieces of lamb on a bed of mashed sweet potato and grilled vegetables. Oh my.... this dish is amazing!
And, for dessert.... You MUST have the chocolate souffle which they prepare from scratch upon order. It comes out hot and blissfully divine. It wasn't too sweet and went perfectly with the cup of coffee at the end of the meal.
Next time, call ahead and reserve a table. This place fills up fast! -
Review from Gregg O.
El Cerrito, CA
2/24/2011
This is a favorite place of ours and we go here a few times a year. We don't eat out much bot when we do Mangia Mangia is always a treat and a truely relaxing escape.
We ate here last Saturday night with 5 relatives from out of town. What can I say - they all LOVED it; we had vegetarians, carnivores, "surprise me" and carb-free dietary requests and everyone was accommodated and really enjoyed their meals.
The Lamb - both entrees were delicious, as was the salmon and risotto. The special smoked trout salad was delicious and the fruit was an unexpected and welcome addition to the plate.
It was a great relaxing place and it was fun to share the restaurant and staff with my brothers/wives; they will definitely remember the meal.
Well done and we'll be back in the near future!! -
Review from Linda T.
Oakland, CA
2/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hey!
Albany boasts another delightful place for enjoying a nice and tasty dinner with a special person. I'd suggest that if you want to have a table for dinner that you make a reservation ahead of time. There's more to this place than the delicious food. The people care most about...
YOU...
So many times you dismiss bad service for good food. Luckily, under no circumstance will you feel neglected at this place. They sure create an amazing atmosphere with fun and attentive servers to keep you coming back! -
Review from Teo B.
East Bay, CA
8/2/2010
Aside from the food, this is how great the hospitality is from Mangia Mangia. I came here with my sister and her family about two weeks ago. The lady who runs the front of the house actually remembered my brother in law. Mind you, they haven't been here for years.
According to my brother in law, their menu haven't changed that much except they no longer carried his favorite.
For appetizers we had the antipasti mangia which everyone loved including the kids (ages 12 and under) and bruchetta (if you don't like goat cheese, don't order this because it has a little bit of it in it).
The kids had the spaghetti (the pickiest of the bunch actually finished his (=). My sister had the linguine de mare which comes in white or red sauce (one tip I have is if you like it on the savory/heavier side, order with the red sauce), I had the fettucini di spinaci al salmone ( it had lots of salmon flakes in it), my brother in law had the penne alla norma (the kids loved it too).
I was surprised that everything we ordered was proportioned just right and not too heavy (normally italian eateries are waay too heavy and you feel full with the first two bites. Also too much cream). You'll have enough room to get their AMAZING chocolate souffle -it's warm, gooooEEeey and not too sweet ( I think they use part semi sweet and part dark chocolate) with extra scoop of their smooth vanilla gelato..
YUM!!! If I was having a bad day, I would definitely come here and just order their souffle or the gelato itself..It's that good.. or do what my brother in law did. If you want to impress the girl of your dreams, keep on bringing her here and she'll fall in love with you and the food =P -
Review from Nick H.
Berkeley, CA
11/6/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Came here for my birthday. Italian food is often disappointing as I can make restaurant quality at home. Mangia Mangia was quite the opposite. Delicious food, attentive service, nice vegetarian options, good wine selection. I'll be back.
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Review from Kyle H.
La Jolla, CA
6/28/2010
Hidden between a liquor store and a laundromat, Mangia Mangia is the ultimate local place. The dedicated staff and owners have been working for years to create their own personal dining experience, and it shows, from the variety on the menu, the creative specials, and the tasteful but still informal atmosphere. The kitchen is in the very front of the restaurant, greeting you as you enter the small space with roasting smells as the owners greet you as you come in. There's a deep, wide-ranging wine list, and a fantastic, in house-prepared, dessert menu featuring tiramisu, flan, and their famous chocolate souffle.
If you here come twice you are remembered. Many people who have been coming for years are considered family. Locally owned, great tasting, five stars. -
Review from Troy M.
Los Gatos, CA
2/14/2011
I took a friend here for our third date. I am not familiar with the Albany area and was in desperate need of help from Yelp! Yelp came through again. This little restaurant is charming. The staff was friendly courteous and prompt.
The waiter made fabulous suggestions. There was a nice wine list and the decor provided a wonderful Italian dining experience. -
Review from Mac C.
East Bay, CA
11/1/2010
Based on the good Yelp! reviews for this little Italian place, Mangia Mangia seemed like a good place to try. Well, sort of.
First, the service was very good. She was prompt, courteous, friendly and informative.
THE GOOD: The pasta with duck was impeccable. The menu described the sauce as "pomegranate honey with balsamic. . ." which we were afraid would be too sweet. But it wasn't. It was perfectly sweet/sour balanced. The pappardelle was fresh and light. The pieces of duck were generous, moist and flavorful. I could've eaten two more plates of that.
The wine list is pretty good in terms of choice and price. No killer, greedy mark-ups.
THE BAD:
1. Grilled Salmon with gremolata (fresh diced tomato, capers, lemon zest, and olives) served on a bed of French lentils and spinach. The sauce and the lentils were excellent. Lentils are easily overcooked and turn mushy. These were cooked "au point". The spinach was very fresh too. The salmon, however, was NOT. It was NOT fresh and tasted it. No amount of good sauce could overcome that.
2. Pork loin braised in a grape port mustard sauce. This was disappointing because we expected either a one-piece cut of pork loin or some nice medallions of loin. Instead the pieces of pork literally scattered on the plate looked more like meat chunks in various shapes -- some falling apart. The pork had not been seasoned/marinated at all. The sauce was bland with no depth whatsoever.
SUMMATION:
Antipasti choices were limited and uninspiring.
Stick to the pasta dishes -- at least the duck one, anyway.
We skipped desserts but a passing warm chocolate souffle (order ahead) looked and smelled wonderful.
Prices are reasonable compared to other Italian eateries but then the quality of the entrees do not reflect a good price-to-value ratio. -
Review from Alana M.
Greenville, SC
5/29/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
fabulous! fettucini de salmone is amazing! the red snapper is delish! brushetta is different then the tradtional one but it has these wonderful sauces drizzled on top and its a nice twist on the classic appetizer. chocolate souflee is to die for.
they have a great staff and are very friendly!!
just make sure to make your reservation ahead of time as they do get very busy and it sucks to sit at a table for 2 with 3 people. -
Review from Joe B.
7/15/2008
Went here last week for JP's birthday and had a wonderful time. I had the insalata al gorgonzola e noci to start, she the insalata caprina. I had the spaghettini al pepe nero for an entree and she had the manicotti. It was all delicious - I especially liked the sauce for the al pepe nero, and the arugula insalata I had with candied pecans was excellent as well. The shared tiramisu and a tiny glass of port topped it all off for a decadent finish.
Family-run, they're often dining with you in the front of the store. I know, because they were dining with us when we visited, and then the next day, because *somebody* left their sunglasses there in a fit of culinary orgasmic amnesia, I had to take a quick motorcycle trip back to get them. And there la famiglia was, dining with a glass of wine. You can tell they really live with and take pride in their work. -
Review from Jessica P.
Emeryville, CA
7/15/2008
The problem with Yelp is that I oftentimes go with someone to an establishment...that someone being Joe B. As soon as we finish, it's a race to the lap top to see who can review it first. I admit I've slacked on reviewing things right after my ass has left the seat of a place, so now I'm stuck with leftovers...no one wants to hear the same thing twice about a place.
I enjoyed my meal very much at Mangia. The staff was very pleasant and attentive. I came here for the b-day, bc any girl knows that cheese, chocolate and wine make for a perfect evening (unless you're lactose intolerant. In that case, I feel for you).
I want to say it was a strange Latin/Italian flare with my manicotti. It almost appeared to be a small burrito, with cilantro basil pesto....very interesting.
Dessert was scrumptious. I played the role of the typical yelper photographing her food..but this time I was smart. I had the boy do it. The tiramisu was sooo good and moist, I wanted it all for myself.
The kicker of the night though was that I had left my beloved sunglasses at the restaurant. Upon returning home, I had a voice mail from the hostess telling me so. They kept them for me until my kind enough boyfriend went to retrieve them the following day.
Now that's service. Very welcoming, homey and put together. I'd go back for sure to try the rest of the menu! -
Review from Andi T.
7/23/2007 1 photo
This is a 3.5 star review. I'm rounding up because of the chocolate souffle, but more on that in a minute...
MM is a cute, cozy little place with pleasant and attentive service. The wine recommendations were good, and the food tasted very fresh. I was happy to learn they cook everything to order and can make most dishes without nuts. The menu was more creative/interpretive Italian than traditional Italian, and the resulting entrees were OK but not superlative.
The real standout was the chocolate souffle. I'd give it about 12 stars. From the hot-from-the-oven aroma down to the last crispy-gooey spoonful, that thing was divine. If I go back, I'll just order about 5 of them and some moscato and call it a night.Listed in: Brownie, you're doing a…
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Review from Rachel S.
Eugene, OR
2/10/2008
4 stars for the food. -1 star for the healthy dose of attitude that I get 3 of the 4 times that I have eaten here. Unfortunately, I seemed to be double-teamed by both the hostess and the waiter, so this review might be a little cranky. The restaurant is tastefully decorated, and the food is wonderful if predictable.
No, we did not have reservations.
Yes, the boyfriend and I were both wearing sweatshirts and jeans.
Yes, the boyfriend's sweatshirt and jeans happened to be covered in mud.
No, thank you, no wine tonight.
Uh oh. 0/4. The waiter looked at Goober and I like we had come out of some hole to get us some Eye-talian food. We really didn't see much of him again. Two other servers took over. The hostess brought dessert. Apparently, I'm a real delight.
The manicotti crepe ($14) looked delicious -- and apparently was, as I didn't get a bite. The cassoulet ($17) was particularly savory, even if the cannellini beans were a little underdone (good broth for sopping up with bread). A bread basket comes with two spreads: one with white bean, parsley, and garlic, and the other with garlic, herbs, and roasted tomatoes. We also had the roasted beet salad (not sure if it's worth $10) and the zabaglione ($8). Topped off with Pellegrino, it makes for one nice meal. -
Review from Cathie W.
San Ramon, CA
6/25/2011
It's a charming place, comfortable and welcoming. The wait staff were friendly and right on with the service. I got the Pappardele with Duck (I forgot the name of the dish) but it was wonderful.
I enjoyed the Tiramisu. It's homemade and came with a side of Raspberry sauce. Unusual but good. -
Review from Jen S.
Berkeley, CA
1/17/2008
The owners have created a really nice atmosphere here. The restaurant is very small and some of the space they use for an "exposed kitchen". The restaurant had empty tables last night so I guess they can afford the space.
I found it really unfortunate that the waiter's and bread boy's English weren't very good. My friend asked what zabaglione (sp) is and the waiter couldn't provide an intelligble answer, while another friend asked what the dark colored spread was that was served with our bread and I could not understand his response because it wasn't in English. We found out that the dark red spread seemed to be a sundried tomato tapenade and the other was garlic (more obvious from the smell, of course).
The food was pretty good. I felt like the linguini di mare vino blanco was a small serving with little pesce; however my friend's sausage pasta in tomato sauce was a heaping serving. The white wine and cream sauce on my linguini was nice and light, far from over powering, but I felt like it could've used more garlic or wine for flavor. The walnut/arugula/gorogonzola/pear salad was insultingly small for the price. The chocolate souffle is undercooked, but tasty.
All in all a decent place and I wouldn't mind going back but it won't stick in my mind as a favorite. -
Review from paul w.
Sunnyvale, CA
10/4/2011
This weekend we went with friends after a day at the track.
There were 9 of us and they were all ready for us...no confusion about the reservation.
We found the service to be very good. They took care of all the little things that make a big difference, like keeping the water glasses full.
The staff was very friendly and engaging.
The food was very, very good...served simultaneously and steaming hot. I had the Pasta Mangia Mangia (all veggies and pasta) and really enjoyed it. The arugula salad with pears had a very nice lemon/olive oil dressing and I really recommend it. Portions were on the large side. The group had a range of the dishes on the menu and everybody liked what they had. They push the chocolate soufflé and for good reason. We shared two of them and everybody was satisfied. The wine selection was OK but very reasonably priced...both bottles under $40 each. We were stuffed and happy for under $50/person, including tip.
We would strongly recommend this restaurant and will go again in the future. -
Review from That Girl -.
Oakland, CA
4/22/2007
Nothing amazing. This was about my third visit.
The manicotti were all right-- good, dependable, and honestly, I would've preferred that they were all cheese, rather than chicken and cheese. The cheese wasn't the best quality-- I love rich, thick, riccotta with a creamy, milky flavor, and this was on the grainy side.
Husband had the spaghetti with swiss chard and gorgonzola, and he said it was lacking an element; pepper or salt, something basic.
What really stunk was the service...the waiter never came back to check on us, and by the time we found him, I was annoyed that I had one bite of my meal left and I still needed a beverage.
All in all, nothing outstanding: the decor is classic "Look! It's Tuscany via Home Depot!" and the food and service were mediocre. -
Review from Chelsea P.
Berkeley, CA
1/10/2010 2 photos
What a cute little addition to Albany! Mangia Mangia is a small Italian restaurant which is pretty casual, noticably authentic and moderately priced.
The salmon and polenta lasagna I had was pretty good. The dish was loaded with sliced onions and bell peppers and topped with mussels in a thick red sauce, and it was no short of intense. I ended my meal with a fantastic chocolate souffle which was decadent and just simply outstanding.
Friendly, curteous service, great food and local. As an added bonus, they often feature 1000 point reservation times on OpenTable, so, what better time to check it out?Listed in: Albaneeezy
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Review from Ken W.
Richmond, CA
11/11/2009
This is a great place to go and just based on the service and atmosphere, I would definitely give this place 4 stars. However, the food was only around 3.5 stars. We started with the bruschetta. It was made with cheese! Who puts cheese on bruschetta? I was completely confused and a little disgusted. I'm not some authentic snob but cheese one of my favorite appetizers! Blasphemy.
For the main course, I ended up getting the manicotti and my gf got the penne alla norma. Both were pretty good. The penne alla norma came with a plethora of sausages. Everything tasted pretty fresh and definitely hot. The staff was all extremely friendly and patient. I have to preface this next statement by saying that I am not a big fan of chocolate. Yes, I'm that weird but it just doesn't do it for me. At the end of the night, we ordered the chocolate souffle and boy was it worth it. The outside had just the right texture with the middle oozing with yummy chocolate filling. It was delicious even for a non-chocolate eater. Definitely make sure to put that order in just before you are done with dinner since it takes about 15 min to cook.
Overall, it was a great experience but without the service, I probably wouldn't rounded the food down to a 3. Please, go easy on the cheese! -
Review from Catherine F.
San Ramon, CA
9/4/2011
What a gem! Went with friends to try out a new spot, it was great. Nice people, great service. Everyone loved there meals.. MooBuzz Pinot was a great bottle of wine.. And yes the dessert...chocolate souflee was awesome...
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Review from Wendy G.
Richmond, CA
8/20/2009
The food has always been delicious and fresh every time that I've dined here. My husband took me here on one of our few date nights and since then, every time we have a date night I want to go here! It's great for couples since the ambiance is quite romantic with dimmed lights and candles. However I have seen families celebrating events here. The restaurant is a bit small so I highly recommend reservations.
I love the fact that this restaurant is family-owned restaurant. They have staff who are very knowledgable about the menu and the wine pairings. The seafood has always been fresh. The meat's fork tender. My mouth is watering now. And yes, I too have had the chocolate souffle everytime I've been here! -
Review from Jean K.
Oakland, CA
4/29/2011
3 on food - nowhere near as good as Riva Cucina, less charming/quirky than Venezia. 1 star for a waiter who was clearly off his game. They weren't busy but he was neither attentive nor alert, and ended the evening by bringing me a latte instead of the cappuccino I ordered.
This place hit a low point with us in 2008 but we thought three years was time for us to visit again. The meal was better, but still not quite at the level of its competition. Soups lack depth, but salads are good again, lightly dressed.
Black pepper spaghettini al pepe nero was good but inferior to Lalime's Spaghetti nero with squid-ink noodles and a more complex, less rich sauce. Lamb shank was tender if nothing different than what everyone else serves. Veal Marsala was rather tangy, but DH liked it and we don't find it often.
Chocolate souffle is on the sweet side but mango sorbet is on the tart side - and both were that way three years ago, so nothing's changed there.
Not a bad place if you're in the area, but certainly not a destination restaurant worth going out of your way for. -
Review from Jennifer H.
Burlingame, CA
3/19/2007
Don't really venture over to Albany much, but I was meeting a friend in the East Bay to watch the Namesake. Figured we should grab some food before the movie. It was a very cozy place and the service was quite nice.
I had the linguine with seafood and the pasta was prepared al dente. The shrimp, mussels, and scallops were cooked just right and the tomato base sauce was delish. AG had the tortellini and she woofed it down too. Even caught her taking the bread and sopping up some of the leftover sauce. DT ordered the linguine with scallops. It must have been yum delish because when I looked over there was not one drop of sauce left on his hefty plate. That guy had gotten it all up with the bread.
Oh, I mentioned to the waitress that we had tickets for the 7 pm movie. She got our food out quick, fast, and a hurry. The lady really took care of us without making it feel rushed. Great experience! -
Review from Julie C.
Dublin, CA
7/8/2008
My husband and I love this place. This quaint and charming place we frequent when we can. We love the ambiance, food and service! We're never disappointed and we come again.
We love the chocolate souffle! You guys need to try this place! You get great italian food for a reasonable price! I've had numerous dishes here and these are my favorite:
PENNE ALLA "NORMA" 15
Pasta tubes with Italian sausage, roasted garlic, eggplant, fresh tomatoes, basil, and mushrooms (Spicy upon Request)
PETTO DI POLLO ALLA GRIGLIA 16
Chicken breast covered with sun dried tomatoes, pine nuts, and fresh mozzarella cheese in a light tomato sauce (All of the above dinners served with house potatoes and vegetables)
You just can't go wrong here! -
Review from Carolina C.
Vineyard Haven, MA
4/12/2008
Yum, Yum, Yum! We really enjoyed this place. I had a very tasty, spicy-but-not too spicy penne with sausage, and mi amore had some sort of linguine with scallops and a red sauce. Both were very pleasing. We started with a pear & arugula salad, and finished with their famous -- and divine -- chocolate souffle.
Our waitress was totally polite and attentive, and the entire staff seemed really on it. I like the decor and atmosphere, with the kitchen situated in the middle of the restaurant so you can watch and hear the sizzle. I also was pleased that they were playing tasteful Ilatian music, not cheese pop like you hear at so many other nice-ish restaurants these days.
I also liked the bread and the two sauces they served with it. All in all, Mangia Mangia was a very pleasant experience and we look forward to returning. -
Review from Craig G.
Emeryville, CA
7/23/2010
I don't know how I missed this place for all the years I've lived nearby. Maybe it's the weird location, tucked between a liquor store and a nail salon, across the street from a transmission shop. Don't come for the view.
Come for the food and the service. Richard was also my waiter tonight, and he was great. I had a house specialty, crab and polenta lasagna. The nights they offer it, it sells like crazy. Now I know why. The house salad that started my meal had the tasty twist of warm mushrooms. Very nice.
But that chocolate soufflé. Merciful heaven. They told me it would take fifteen minutes. It took twenty. I would have waited thirty and still called it worth the wait.
The place has a lot of regulars. For good reason. -
Review from Marja M.
Fremont, CA
4/28/2007
I sooooo wanted to love this place. Read the raves and believed the hype, I guess. Mea culpa. Clearly, they want to be upscale and just a wee bit fussy about their food. So, get this.
The soup of the day is a butternut squash with apple. I tell the waitress/server/staff person that I'm not sure, because of the apple, so may I get a small sample. She gave me the wrinkled brow and chewed lip look and said "maybe." I took pity and ordered some anyway, WITHOUT TASTING IT. It comes, and I don't like it. I barely touch it. It's too appley and not squashy enough. The consistency resembles applesauce. Some time later a man comes to clear away some dishes. I tell him that I didn't care for the soup; that it was too appley.
Here's what should have happened, given the "niceness" of the joint: Oh, I'm sorry that you didn't care for it. I'll get it removed from your bill. Here's what did happen: chirp chirp. The sound of wind whistling in the tall wheat fields. Nothing.
The polenta and (special) calamari steak appetizers were sorely lacking in flavor. The polenta was swimming in a tomato sauce, which is not listed in the menu. Also unappealing to my dinner companions was the spaghettini al pepe nero: fresh black pepper spaghettini served with a combination of Swiss chard, mushroom and green peas in a light gorgonzola walnut cream sauce. They felt the walnuts were unwelcome and gave an odd nutty taste to the dish. I didn't mind it but I didn't love it either.
The service from our waitress bit, but our water glasses stayed full, so kudos to the water boy.
What was good? The salad with gorgonzola and sliced pears and candied pecans; and the salad with warm goat cheese coated in walnuts, served on baby greens. Plus, the special of the evening: boneless beef shortribs over mashed potatoes, served with (practically) raw vegetable medley. Oh, and the chocolate souffle smelled heavenly, and tasted sublime. That requires a pre-order of 15 minutes. I think Janice had the lamb and liked it. At least, her plate came up clean. I tried a slice and I thought it was tasty-tender and only a little gamey.
Bill for a couple of drinks, 2 appetizers, 3 salads, 1 soup, 2 entrees, 1 pasta, tip and tax: $150.00.
Parking is available on the street and in the little lot by the Royal Cafe.
Will I go back? No. I'll head back to my old haunt: Nizza La Bella, a few doors down. -
Review from jane v.
Sacramento, CA
10/17/2011
I ate at this restaurant last month with some friends from out of town. The reviews sounded promising. However, we found the food mediocre. One of my friends had the soup and it was boring. My other friend had a pasta dish that was OK and my caprese salad had NO fresh basil in it-now how can it be a caprese salad without fresh basil?!? I asked for some fresh basil and was told there was none in the entire restaurant. This place didn't do it for me....
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Review from Tiffany H.
Berkeley, CA
4/8/2008
Actually quite disappointing. The food really wasn't that great. My friend had a fish, and it was overcooked with minimal flavors. I can't even remember what I got, since it was that memorable. I did remember the vegetables that came with it, utterly flavorless. I think they just boiled it--I mean anyone can do that.
I will say this though, the one positive thing was the chocolate souffle! I really would love to go back to have the dessert, but just can't stomach sitting through an entirely average dinner before the finale. -
Review from irina a.
Pinole, CA
Updated - 2/25/2010
Had another dinner here this evening.
Just like the previous time it was superb.... in every way.
Everything we ordered was prepared perfectly.
I am not going to list every dish we ordered again, but i must say that the salmon entree that I had was by far the best cooked salmon I've had in a restaurant in a long time.
I believe we found our new favorite dining spot.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/21/2010
We've had some bad eating experiences recently in different restaurants & were really hoping to… Read more »
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Review from ruby r.
El Cerrito, CA
5/15/2011
2.5 stars for completely average food: the spag bol was edible and not unpleasant but tasted exactly like a jar of cheap and watery marinara sauce dumped onto a pile of minced beef.
1 star for ambiance: the kitchen hood makes an incredibly loud and head-invading noise.
2 stars for service: our waiter seemed new but he was friendly enough. the hostess seemed slightly disgusted by us. not sure why.
1 star for prices: nothing wrong with boring italian food, but $14 plus tax and tip for a mediocre plate of spaghetti is just ridiculous.
why are there no decent cheap italian restaurants in the bay area???
