Mamma Melina Ristorante & Pizzeria

Great Italian place in the University Village neighborhood and more importantly, one that stays open past 10 pm on Saturday night, I guess closing early-ish must be Seattle special, which makes this one even more unique. We tasted the Italian classics, and they were just the way they should be, no complaints, along with reasonably priced Italian wine by the glass. Atmosphere was superb, majority crowd came after huge college football game, which beloved Huskies somehow won, against all ods. Lots of cheers that night... Service was superb, there were many of them, and they were literally flying around, treating and serving everyone with a genuine smile, really friendly. Notable mention, lift your eyes up from the gorgeous meal and wine, and you'll see the gorgeous set of painting reproductions, set on a couple of suspended ceilings... haven't seen that before, I admit!

The service was great and they checked on us often. Highly recommend the mocktail, Lollipop if you like sweater drinks! Their gnocchi and salmon Alfredo were amazing! The desserts were only okay, I felt and could be worked on!

The service is exceptional! The food overall is great and definitely worth going out of your way to eat here. The free bread with oil & vinegar alone would bring me back. Love the sausage and eggplant the most! Absolutely amazing and not what you’d expect. The texture of the risotto was disappointing and the tiramisu was just alright. Won’t be ordering those again but the rest is incredible. Lunch on a week day is great too! Good portion and cost effective. 2 choices for $22 per person. You choose an entree then either an appetizer or dessert. The pasta and the grilled veggies, yuuuum!

Mamma Melina Ristorante | Seattle @mammamelina Nestled in a charming corner, Mamma Melina Ristorante in Seattle welcomes guests with its cozy ambiance and surprisingly spacious interior. The restaurant’s cool decor, including paintings on the roof in the bar area, adds a touch of character to the dining experience. Mamma Melina maintains a relaxed vibe without feeling overwhelming. As we settled into our seats, we were greeted with delicious bread, setting a promising tone for the meal ahead. We opted for the Mushroom Truffle Pizza and Chicken Risotto from the menu. The Mushroom Truffle Pizza offered a delightful fusion of flavors, with the truffle adding a distinct and enjoyable taste. Meanwhile, the Chicken Risotto provided a comforting and satisfying dining experience, highlighting the kitchen’s adeptness in preparing tender and flavorful chicken. For dessert we ordered the delicious molten lava cake with ice cream that came with raspberry and chocolate sauce, it was delicious! We devoured it! They have some great options on the menu and can’t wait to try some more. Overall, Mamma Melina Ristorante offers a good dining experience with tasty food and a pleasant atmosphere.

I had a great time here. it is true that the place is a bit noisy, but the Italian cuisine is very tasty.

We love Mamma Melina. Great options for everyone in the family. Tasty food, drinks, and deserts. Our service is always super!!

First of all, this is a restaurant that is offering Italian style food and is very average at that. It is likely pretty good for a neighborhood restaurant but definitely is not worth a trip, if you don't live in the area. The design and ambiance are nothing to mention. The food was so so at best. We didn't try the pizzas though, but the risotto, salads, and gnocchi were just OK. The service staff are teenagers, so they are trying their best but far from being professional. Bottom line, for us first and last time.

We ate there during Happy Hour (3p-6p). One of the best happy hour menus in town. Most bar items are 50% off and most of them are full meals. We split a salad, two pasta dishes and a pizza between 3 of us and had food left over. Drinks also have special happy hour pricing. Note that you need to sit in the bar area for happy hour pricing.

New as of July 2024: gluten free crostini appetizer!!!! Consistently great service, delectable food, yummy cocktails (try that blood orange martini from the bar!), a relaxed but 'polished' atmosphere PLUS gluten-free penne pasta that doesn't seem like it is - Mamma Melina is tops for always bringing this combination. I think my only 'complaint' from visiting Mamma Melina 2-3 times every year for the last 15+ was that they'd have more gluten free options (and maybe removing dairy from their bolognese ... and maybe a larger bar area for happy hour). Knowing the focaccia bread provided for the table was just perfect and doing my best to avoid the gluten (I'm developing 'character'?!) was a little bit of a challenge and then - behold! - they decided to make crostini with buttata (some kind of sprinkling with chili flakes, which I declined cause No Heat Please). Shoulda taken a picture but was too excited to just eat them! Soooo excellent - you'd think they have gluten: crispy-but-not-too-crispy edges and chewy centers, with some drizzled oil on top and dipping balsamic/oil on the side. Was there last night and am already wondering when I can go again. Oh, and the bolognese is divine. The salads are fresh. You really can't go wrong with anything at Mamma Melina.

went here for lunch on a Sunday around 12/1. They asked us if we wanted lunch or happy hour, happy hour is only allowed inside the restaurant but since it was a nice day we opted to sit outside. Both the inside and outside only had a few groups of people there and we were seated instantly. They refilled the complimentary bread once before our meals came. Overall the service was really good, we seemed to have two people at our table and it seems like one of them was new or being trained or something because a different server would come over and read our order back to us. The food was pretty hit or miss, and that seemed to be the general consensus for the group. We all got the 2 for 22 deal where you get a main and either an appetizer or dessert. I don't think any of us would go bad but it's not a bad spot. Espresso martini - 8.5/10 amazing espresso martini, might be the best I've had in Seattle. Was so shocked by this, not too bitter or anything. Just really good Affogato - 6/10. If was fine, I really liked the cream on the side. Risotto - 3/10. Really bad, tasted like mush of all the same flavor. Kinda felt like mushy tasteless gumbo Caprese salad - 7.5: just really good Raspberry sorbet - 8/10. It was really good and they gave way more then I expected Mushroom pizza - 5/10. I just thought it was ok, kinda bland for me Carbonara : 8/10. It was a really light version of carbonara or compared to what I've had before and I really enjoyed it, not too heavy wit anything

I love this location of mama Melina's! It's always super clean and well set, the outdoor seating area is a huge bonus and I love the open spaces/windows. We had a to go order but staff seemed friendly and was prompt through check out. Would have been nice if meal had come with a little side of bread (in hindsight I should have ordered some lol). The marg pizza was cooked perfectly, not too much crust of sauce, all the right portions of ingredients. Got a side of veggies too which was super fresh and delicious. Will be back to try some more pasta dishes and update review. Wouldn't take super young ones here but great vibe for adultsb

Everything we ordered was just ok (lack flavor), except for the Burrata con marinara e melanzane. That was the only appetizer that we all enjoyed. I was also disappointed with their limited dinner menu options. There were no filet mignon, carbonara, or chicken masala on dinner menu. Service was ok, not great.

Mamma Melina is a hidden gem in the University area. Most definitely my favorite place to treat myself to some yummy Italian food and cocktails. I love the vibe of the whole restaurant it has a lux, family, but still great for date night type of vibe. Great natural lighting, and very clean. At the bar though! There's paintings on the ceiling that just made me love the ambiance even more! My go to is the Penne Almafi, minus zucchini sub mushrooms. I tend to get extra sauce as well cause I'm just a saucy lady! It has a delicious combo of smoked salmon and shrimp, with a light garlic cream sauce, and fresh spinach! Their bread is always a yes with the balsamic vinegar-oil combo. So worth the carbs. I also enjoy their broccoli as an appetizer. Oh yes the Pesce Alla Griglia, is a great pasta too! Not heavy but hearty and a lot of protein. Their blueberry lemon rocks cocktail is yum, kind of their version of a blueberry lemon drop. But I love their mojitos they're made perfectly! If you have a sweet tooth their bread pudding is pretty good, I shared with someone who doesn't like bread pudding and look now they magically like bread pudding! Customer service from the host, to bartenders, to servers is always undoubtedly great!

The food is amazing and the happy hour is even better. I've only been to this place as a large group. They were able to accommodate us without problems. The staff is all friendly and helpful. I continue to return to this place because of the yummy dishes.

Book reservations on Open Table! They offer standard, outdoor, bar, or high top seating as options. Great selection of wine, pasta, and pizza! Some dressed casual, others dressed up for New Years but overall a great vibe inside! We loved both our pastas, but preferred the Bucatini over the Rigatoni. Rigatoni was a lot more cheesy. The Margherita pizza was like 10inches - good to share! Could use some more basil tho. Ended it with Tiramisu, really delicious!!! FYI they do charge a 3% automatic fee. We would come again!

Had a little mixup with the front girl about my table. But the manager worked it out smoothly. This place is good. I think the reviews are a little unfair. But. I've been coming here since I was in college back in 2014. They have good food and bread. I would definitely recommend this place if you wanted Italian near the University of Washington or Sandpoint neighborhood. Spread

I've been here twice now, and both times, I've had an outstanding experience. Service is spot-on. Ambience is lovely. And food is divine. Great happy hour too! Highly recommend!

I'll start with the basics: there is ample parking around here. I village is right across the street and there is street parking as well as it's own garage connected to the apartments above. The happy hour is a great time to come here, there is some pretty great deals, we heard some couples working us say they come once a week! Lastly on the basics, the staff is very nice! My husbands pasta was great, it was a large portion especially for HH, and Great flavors. I got the polenta with sausage and honestly it was really terrible. Neither of us liked it, so that was unfortunate. We also got a margherita pizza and that was perfection. Perfect crust and a sauce that wasn't overly sweet. We will definitely be back!

Everything in this photo was under their happy hour menu. If you're looking for a nice dine-in restaurant that's affordable with great portions, this is the place to go. Probably one of the best happy hours I've tried in the area & really awesome Italian food! Also they have ALL day happy hour Sundays & Mondays which is so convenient!

My friends and I came last night for a birthday dinner and it was perfect :) the menu is more on the expensive side, but when service is good, I really don't mind! I'm really appreciative to our waiter who was so kind and patient with all of us, and also gave my friend a birthday cake shot for his 21st birthday. The ambience was great and I'll definitely be back for dinner one day :) not to mention the drinks being really delicious

One the best Italian meals that I've had in years. There were three of us there for dinner... Everyone loved their dishes (bucatini, ravioli, and pork); as well as their desserts (gelato, tiramisu, and bread pudding ). The bread, wine, and bruschetta were great too. I highly recommend this joint and look forward to going back

This place has been one of my favorites to go to in seattle for happy hour for the last few years. The value of the meals and portions is great! Service is great and it feels like you get to dine in a nice place for a good cost. For two people, we got my usual - the focaccia bread, a pizza and tortellini. It was delicious and so filling! Definitely try a few options and share to see what you like.

The food here is good, but they must think their customers are idiots as the menu does not reflect the real prices. They have a sneaky 3% additional surcharge, which is added to the bill rather than honestly show their prices. The full 3% goes to the restaurant, I wouldn't return as long as they try to play that game with their customers

Wonderful staff, delicious food, and a great place for a celebration, date night, or great happy hour. Their happy hour pricing is AMAZING & there are so many great menu options available. Highly recommend!

Review is based on happy hour. Happy hour is only available at the bar area, we arrived between 3-6pm, and purchase of a beverage is required to sit in the bar area/during happy hour. Service: attentive and friendly Bar area: one long communal table, multiple tables, bar with seats -- overall a good space for happy hour with friends Spaghetti all ortolano = delicious cheese at the top and pretty tasty overall, I would probably get this dish again Margherita pizza = wish it had more basil and the cheese hardened up pretty fast, overall tomato sauce was tasty Corydon pizza = favorite out of the two we tried, tasty pepperoni cups (wish it had more!), solid tomato sauce Pizza dough I think could have more salt or maybe it sat too long and got hard and less enjoyable to eat?? Crust had pretty good texture and chew overall. I honestly wanted to dip the crust in ranch, although I would probably get dirty looks because I have the pizza crust eating habits of a teenager.

Our server was great and it appeared that the service was good all around. I wanted to like this place more then I did but it was only so-so. The meal was spicy but wasn't supposed to be spicy. The focaccia also had a sauce with it that everyone thought was spicy. I would not come back for anything but pizza and salad.

We went here for a date night with pretty high expectations based on a recommendation from a friend. It's nestled nicely near University Village so decent parking options and other things to do before or after. The food was pretty good, big portions, but nothing overly impressive. We got the burrata app and bucatini, and gnocchi. A bit spicy, must have been something in the sauce. Unfortunately, the service wasn't all that great and neither was the ambiance. Server was very transactional, didn't feel personal at all, and they weren't even that busy for a Friday night. On top of that they add a 3% charge for the kitchen. Confused as to what that is for if their food is already pretty expensive, and part of their job is to make the food? Why not just up the prices on the food? Super Seattle thing I've noticed. As for the ambiance, it was nice inside but nothing amazing. I think maybe some dimmer lights, or other decorations would be nice. I also noticed napkins on the floor beside some tables. Everything felt rushed and transactional. Don't think we'll be going ba

Great food! We had an amazing time absolutely looking forward to forward to returning.

Plenty of outdoor seating next to heaters and indoor seating. Went on a Tuesday evening and was not very busy. Our waitress periodically checked in on us which was nice. I was quite hungry and pizza was large enough to fill me up and have leftovers. I could really taste and smell the truffle on the pizza which was nice. The gnocchi was very soft and tender. Cocktail was very fruity and not too strong. Location wise, it is easily accessible by 372 bus and is across the street from the UVill area. Was a little on the pricier end but didn't mind due to the atmosphere and food.

Hands down, this is my favorite HH spot. Mamma Melina's has the best Italian food when it comes to flavor, portion, service, and price!! I've gotta admit, I've only come here for their all day happy hour on Monday )or happy hour time during the weekday) but quite honestly, nothing beats it. It's 50% off everything on the menu (excluding their hamburger) and focaccia bread. I regularly come here and order a bottle of their house wine ($28), rigatoni, focaccia bread, meatballs, and Caesar salad. It's fun to go with friends and do family style so you can try a bit of everything. Other dishes (not pictured) are the Italian sausage, and the gnocchi. Pass on the broccoli as you can make it at home, but do not miss out on this place when you're in the area! It can get busy during 5-6pm so plan to wait 10-15 mins to snag a table in their bar area for happy hour. They also have a free parking garage around the corner so there's no reason not to go :)

Lovely happy hour spread! The meatballs and polenta are my favorite. Great wine as well on the happy hour menu.

My experience here is limited to their happy hour offerings but I highly highly recommend! It was a bit confusing because the menu says that the happy hour menu is for the bar only, but my friend and I ended up sitting in the dining area and still being able to order from it. I want to note that each person needs to order a drink (non alcoholic is ok too) in order to get the hh prices which is something to remember! We got the focaccia ($3) and the margherita pizza ($12). The focaccia with the oil and balsamic was SO GOOD and was perfectly seasoned. It comes with 4 pieces and we were both full from 2 pieces each because it's a pretty filling bread. The margherita pizza is also HUGE and really good for it being $12. It's definitely not the best margherita pizza i've had, but the portions are incredibly generous and I didn't really have any complaints with it. Would definitely recommend coming here for their hh or a casual date night!

Not great. The food isn't great. The ambiance feels like a bad mall. I'm sure everyone who works there is great, but it's not for me.

This would have been 5 star. But was there with a group where there is a 20% top included plus a 3% service charge. I accepted both willingly but dislike the 20% vs 15 in a town with a high minimum wage. And the 3% for cost of stuff. Gimme a break! But as I said I would have given. 5 for the food and service. Out total pretax was 575.00 and the tip we paid before being asked for more was 123.00. And the tip was taxed too as is the legal requirement when a tip is charged by the restaurant. I had signed up for this and was OK. What pissed me off was when it came time to pay the usual tip options on the screen appeared and nobody, I mean nobody said that the tip was already included. They would have happily double dipped had I not been attentive after a celebratory meal and a couple drinks. This is WRONG. Either preferably remove the tip option from the screen or vocally use your words and tell diners who have paid their tip that they have done so. Greed is not good servers! We see you!

The ambiance is nice. It feels like a nice intimate date night dining restaurant inside. The outside seating under the canopy with the heaters and lights is cute too. I think that would be nice to sit out there when its warmer out. I came here with my family and the only table available was outside in the fall... and the tables were kinda crammed together. I certainly don't recommend having a nice intimate or wanting to have a nice quiet dinner outside because you will get to hear all the multi conversations from the other tables in close proximity to you. The outside feels like a different realm compared to dining inside in my opinion. On the other hand. Service was great! We had a really nice waitress who got to know us and offered great suggestions in what to try off the menu. Very real, genuine and lively human being. :) Food-wise i give it a solid B. I liked the appetizer bread a lot and the bruschetta was good. The bruschetta was refreshing. I liked the good crunch on the toast. The pasta I ordered was pretty good. I wasn't like in awe of it but I enjoyed it. I think it may have been the way the pasta was cooked. I just wasn't in love with it. I think overall the food was satisfying but it didn't really strike me as a go to place for Italian food in the area. But that's just based on my taste bud preferences. It does seem like lots of Seattleites like this place and while it wasn't my fav i don't want to discourage others from trying it!

Went to this wonderful Italian restaurant as part of a party of ten for a birthday celebration. The guest of honor selected the courses in advance, and they did not disappoint. The mains were a choice of steelhead and tenderloin--both were fabulous. The beef practically melted in my mouth and the steelhead was expertly prepared without overcooking. We loved the antipasto and dessert tray as well. It's difficult to serve a group of ten and get everything ready on time. Our server did an fabulous job and made our celebration even more enjoyable. I'll definitely be back.

First off, food dish was great. If I based only on the meal specific dishes I would prob rate this place a 4.5-5. Great chef. Rating takes into account food, but 4 other items are why I rated it lower than I would have based on quality of the food. 1. Place had like 10 open tables outside and the entire 2 hr visit they remained open but said they were booked when we asked about sitting inside. (Annoying but I'll deal -0.5 star) 2. Inside was fairly busy (more larger tables). Service was a bit slow (slower than normal PNW slow service). (not the worst, but slightly annoying when we wait like 15 min for the check) -0.5 star 3. Cocktails were meh and not made correctly. Waste of $15. (Hire a better bartender) -0.5 4. This is the heaviest weighted reason the score is low by far. They add something like a 3% mandatory service fee. In addition, their payment system adds the tip based on the full receipt that includes Both TAX & the 3% service fee. This is ridiculous and maxes me want to leave an extremely low team for trying to cheat people out of their money. This sucks for good service staff, but it's crap so fix it and be honest on pricing. This is one reason why people are so sick of tipping including me. Take note.

Super disappointed. I've been coming to this restaurant for about 11 years now long before it was as busy as it is now& for the life of me, I cannot understand why they higher one crappy bartender after another. There used to be one older lady with red hair that was so awful and even employees I talked to there prior had issues with her. Now, they've gone and hired another terrible bartender. A younger girl with long dirty blond hair, not really put together and now she's just as bad. I took my friend Cass there yesterday ( 8/29/24) for the first time and the vibe the entire time was totally unwelcoming. Particularly from the bartender and her little bar-back boy. I'm sooooo disappointed by mamma M's continual lack in hiring the the right person for the job. To have to little kids working the bar and just being totally rude the entire dinner well.... that pretty much summed up my night---Specifically the bartender being dismissive, making minimal effort to check in on my friend and I, and I literally had to ask for my drink 3 times before it was even made--meanwhile this little girl was literally making other drinks left and right. I would love to tell you about the food and drinks but gosh I don't think this review deserves that at all. I will never sit at the bar top again during happy hour. For any person of color going to this restaurant (esp the bar area) just be ready for the unwelcomeness and do your best to ignore it. It's just sooooo disappointing that even in 2024, it seems like being a person of color gets you even worse treatment than ever before. I cannot say enough how frustrating it is to make all the efforts to drive to Mamma M (living further away) and then being treated soooo poorly. Pls whoever is managing this restaurant, look for another bartender because the one you have now is no better than that old redhead that was there for years. PLSSSS

The ambience of this place was comfortable. Not too posh which i love. Its also not super quiet or loud, just honestly very soothing and chill. Definitely a good place if you want some brunch or a small dinner thats pretty elegant. My table ordered appetizers but i dont know the menu names of them. It was just bread and meatballs. They were super delicious! The service was amazing. The waiters kept coming by to check up on us and would always be patient when we were taking a bit more time. I ordered the Brasato d'agnello but didn't even realize I received the Misto di carne until i went home and read the menu again (my fault so the stars were not docked because of this). I assumed if it was under the "pasta" section of the dinner menu then there would be pasta with it but it didn't (I also just checked and it says "carne e pesce" right after the "pasta," so it seems kind of confusing if you dont know italian or dont pay attention to details). So we ordered a side of pasta to eat with the Misto di carne. My only complaint was that the chicken was super dry and bitter. It was also super bland even though it looked seasoned. As for everything else it was delicious, including the veggies. The desserts were amazingggg. The chocolate cake with ice-cream was mouth watering. The affogato was also delicious but i melted my ice cream because i just dump them in together haha. I got a strawberry daiquiri mocktail. It was really good but i feel like it tastes like a sparkling strawberry lemonade. Still good regardless. Overall, my experience was really nice! I will definitely recommend this place if you want something a bit more fancy but not too posh. Food: 4/5 Service: 4.5/5 Ambiance: 5/5

Amazing happy hour!! The margarita pizza was super fresh and light with a delicious thin crust. My sister just lived in Florence for a semester and said the pizza tasted exactly the same there. The pasta had a good bolognese sauce. The happy hour prices were super reasonable!! Staff was super friendly and the ambiance was very relaxing and spacious.

UGH YES YES YES!!! GO HERE. Ambiance: great for date night. Beautiful wine case and chandeliers on the inside. Great outdoor seating area!!!! White tablecloths. Feels so nice and clean and slightly upscale but not intimidatingly so! Service: quick. Friendly. Super attentive , not too much to say here. FOOD*****: Wow I'm just going to go through everything. Starter bread. Foccacia. Wow I dream of this bread. Free right when you sit down. Omg this was the most moist and delicious bread I've ever gotten as a starter!!!!!! And deliciously seasoned. I'd come back just for this. Rigatoni: 8/10, pasta was a bit soft and the sauce wasn't crazy good, but still solid Pork chop and triangular gnocchi: 12/10!!!! The mushroom sauce was absolutely amazing and I loved this dish. So balanced. I've never had gnocchi like this but wow it was so savory, squishy and ugh amazing. Siciliana Pizza: BEST PIZZA IVE HAD IN SO LONG!!! The pesto base with the arugula and chicken sausage sprinkled everywhere was just absolute perfection. Ugh must order. MUST! Tiramisu: 7/10. I think we got the end piece so it was mostly cream but still good! Wine selection is pretty awesome too! We got the house red and for white, we got the Riesling. Both were delicious! MUST RECOMMEND! They also have happy hour that I'll check out soon. SO GOOD!

Food is delicious. Try everything. Happy hour amazing try everything. Hugo spritz. Amazing and big. Gnocchi. Amazing. Rigatoni don't miss. You cannot go wrong this is THE place

Been a while since I've had any Italian food and for good reason cause I'm getting fat from going to all these restaurants. Definitely eating well! Haha! You will eat pretty well here too cause the food is about quality here. A very nice selection of specials and a bigger selection of entrees in the main menu. I went with the salmon special recently with my family whom, for the majority of them, also ordered the salmon with me. It's a very satisfactory choice even though the fish seemed small to me. Came along with some pasta and veggies which keeps the entree pretty balanced. It tasted pretty good. There was complimentary bread for the table as well but I did not take part in it cause "bread makes you fat" in case you didn't know. Heard from my fam that it was pretty good too. And of course I had to get a glass of wine since it's an Italian restaurant. So I went with a Pinot Grigio from Italy. White wine goes well with fish after all. There were some specs of something in my glass, but I didn't get a new glass until a small fly flew into it. I immediately got it replaced without any hassle. So props to the service. Now, they have indoor and outdoor seating and I was sitting right next to the entrance to the outdoor tables. So I'm not surprised a fly flew in and wanted to get drunk on some wine. But dang it, why did it have to be my glass?!?! Anyways service was great, food was great, price is a bit much, restaurant feels a bit upscale. So if you want to fit in, maybe wear something a bit nicer than the usual casual-wear. Also, garage parking and street parking is available. Check it out if you got the time, money, and hunger.

Kind of disappointed coming here, not because the restaurant was terrible but after reading such positive reviews I had high expectations and sadly Mamma Melina fell short. Although the service and ambience of the restaurant match up to a 5 star restaurant, I was surprised that their ~expensive dishes were lacking in flavor all around. We started off with a pesto pizza and it had no pesto flavor and although the dough was light and airy, it didn't make up for the lack of flavor in the sauce and toppings, felt like we were eating pizza dough topped with arugula. I ordered the gnocchi and my friend ordered one of the seafood linguinis. My friends dish was alright and said that the pasta felt undercooked (and not just al dente). As for my dish, I was really underwhelmed with the sauce they used for the gnocchi. Obviously I don't know how they make their sauce and if it's homemade but if someone gave you that sauce and a jarred sauce from the grocery store, I dont think anyone would be able to tell which one is which. Maybe some people like going to a fancy Italian place and having pasta that they could have put together at home but personally if I'm paying that much I would want to atleast feel like I'm having something that was special and unique to the restaurant. I would have given Mamma Melina 3 stars because the food was average and the service and ambience were good however as it's advertised as a more "upscale" restaurant I had to give it 2 stars because I feel like the bill for the food was nowhere near justified. This was for a special occasion dinner and after not finishing either of our dishes fully I regretted not going to some place like Carmine's instead.

Amazing pizza and drink selection - staff is really friendly and polite too. One of my favorite spots in the U district.

Came here for happy hour with a friend! It was a gem in the UD! Kind of fancy actually IMO for the area BUT i guess it's near the village side. She ordered the meat ball dish which was a must-try and the gnocchi looked amazing as well. Mine was okay... I don't like red sauce typically and should have confirmed. The description didn't say anything about my pasta having marinara sauce so that's my bad cause I typically lean away from it if I know a head of time! Overall it was an amazing time, great company! We sat by the bar. The waiter kept filling up our drinks. Not sure if that meant they all got added to the bill... We weren't really asked if we wanted another one Must get a drink if you want to order off of the haopy hour menu which I believe was half off for the dishes!

I went there for dinner on Mothers Day. Great food and ambiance. I had the mushroom risotto with homemade sausage. The risotto was perfectly done. Topped it off with an espresso martini. Highly recommend!

i had heard great things about Mamma Melina for a few years and only was able to make my way there this past summer for the first time (and have been back since multiple times!) The happy hour if you can make it is pretty awesome - all bar menu items at 50% off - and drink specials. We went in the summer and to have happy hour on a beautiful patio made it all the better! Loved the rigatoni, the meatballs, and the focaccia! The pizzas are good - nothing super original or specials, but good nonetheless! There is a taste of authenticity about their menu which I love, and given the number of pastas and pizzas they have on their menu, I def will be back for more!

One of the most affordable HH in town! I remember it being pretty good a few years back with dinner. With the pandemic going on for so long and now reopen we decided to explore some HH in town and have been trying out quite a few places so far each week. I'd say for pizza and well drinks, come here for their happy hour. There are 3 pizzas on the HH menu for only $10 bucks and it's wood fire pizzas. Folks, you didn't hear me wrong, decent wood fire pizzas for 10 bucks in Seattle! Where else do you find deals like this! They have a much larger dinner menu I haven't tried yet but definitely recommend their HH pizzas and drinks. If you are shopping at U village, stop by and enjoy their HH.

My girlfriend and I love Mamma Melina! We love it so much that it's become our celebratory spot for graduations, milestones, anniversaries. The restaurant is always so welcoming, gives you a calm sense when you walk into the building, and plays a nice melody overhead. You never feel like you're yelling at your party because everyone knows the vibe of the restaurant. It's a nice touch hanging art pieces above tables and really makes the ambiance feel Italian. I'm a big fan of all of their desserts (especially their deliciously sweet bread pudding). This time around, our server made some great suggestions when I mentioned wanting to get out of my pasta comfort zone. He described the deliciousness of the risotto to a tee! My only slight dissatisfaction was that it was incredibly heavy handed in the mushrooms and I'm a new mushroom eater. If you're a mushroom lover, this dish is for you! 9.5/10 for sure! We will be back soon!

Mamma Melina is your neighborhood staple Italian restaurant. The ambiance is a low-key, slow pace restaurant, and a great place to go on a date or to catch up with friends. Every time I've been here the staff has always been friendly with me and very accommodating to any dietary restrictions my party has. While this restaurant atmosphere is "slow pace" the service is incredibly fast. I have never had to wait long to be seated or for my food to come out. I've only had their happy hour here which is limited to the bar area only. Mamma Melina's happy hour (HH) is hard to beat with a substantial food menu with full entrees where almost everything was 50% during HH. When ordering off the HH menu keep in mind that a one drink minimum is required from everyone in your party but it can me non-alcoholic. I recommend coming here with parties of four or less for HH. Everything we ordered in our pictures was included in the HH menu and delicious for its price point! I usually get the rigatoni and pizza which are both great and hearty. My friend got the gnocchi which I tried for the first time and they were some of the fluffiest and airy gnocchi I've ever had! I highly recommend you check this place out if you are ever in the neighborhood during HH.

Loved it!! Came here for a birthday dinner with my roommates. Used to live a 10 minute walk from here and never thought much of it but it had been on my to-try list. It did not disappoint! We came on a Sunday night so it wasn't too crowded. We did have a reservation which we had to unfortunately push back a few times. The staff was still incredibly nice about it. We ordered a bruschetta, melina pizza and mafalda a la vodka pasta. Each dish was very good! The one dish that really stuck out was the mafalda a la vodka pasta. This was a special dish that our server had recommended we try and wow this alone would be enough for me to come back! I will say there's not a huge variety when it comes to vegetarian options but the ones they have are quite good. Would recommend checking this place out if you haven't already!

Best happy hour in Seattle! Love the food and staff here. Very nice at the bar, but also a good place for a family dinner or date.

Stumbled upon Mamma Melina hungry for a late dinner around 830pm. To our surprise their happy hour picks back up again at 8pm if you sit in the bar area. The selections are great...pizza is awesome (this coming from a huge pizza snob). I wish I knew the bartenders name that helped us the last two times visiting, but she makes a great dirty martini Love that this place is so close to our new home!

Understaffed which made for slow service and little follow-up. Food was okay but unexceptional. Waiter was friendly and helpful, but obviously had way too much to do. Not likely to return.

I go here once or twice a week for business and personal lunches. The food, service and ambience are all excellent, but above all it is reasonably quiet. I am hearing impaired so I can't go to most restaurants simply because there is too much background noise for me to hear the people I'm with. Mamma Melina plays pleasant music that's not too loud and overall the acoustics of the space are very good. Other people I've met with there (not hearing impaired) have often commented on how calm and peaceful the environment is. With it so close to UW it has become kind of a default faculty club since the UW Club on campus closed a few years ago. I often see other UW faculty and leaders at business lunches there and it's a perfect place for that.

Everything was fantastic. I had the Linguine Di Mare, which is an updated version of the Spaghetti alla Vongole, but in a tomato cream sauce instead. Also greatly enjoyed the choice of several interesting and tasty cocktails. Service was top notch, and the ambiance was upscale but modern and very pleasant. Highly recommended, and a short walk from the University area.