Mama Louisa's

I’ve been coming here since the early 2000s, back when Frank was the owner. It used to be a neighborhood staple — reliable, consistent, and worth the visit. Last week, I ordered a sandwich on a roll — first mistake: they put it on a hero. Then the bread was so hard I could barely take two bites before tossing it. I still gave them the benefit of the doubt, thinking maybe it was just an off day. Today I came back and ordered French toast with scrambled eggs and beef sausage. 1. What kind of beef sausage is this? It looked and tasted like “brown and serve” — completely unacceptable for a deli that used to take pride in quality ingredients. 2. The eggs? Nothing scrambled about them. They looked like they were meant for a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich — flat, overcooked, and lifeless. I’ve been coming here since I was a little girl, and it’s honestly sad to say — never again. The quality has gone downhill, and it’s just not the same place anymore.

Passed this place and thought how rare it was to see a “hero shop” so I thought I’d try and it would be more respectable than a bodega sandwich. There were a lot of people in there so it seemed like a good choice now I’m realizing it was construction workers, hospital workers and transplants from all the new construction who have limited lunch choices or just don’t know any better. $12 normal hero had a strange sweet like vinegar taste that ruined the whole thing. It was mostly lettuce and there was barely any meat. The bread is also sad yoga mat bread. Overpriced and underwhelming. Maybe the hot sandwiches are better. Everyone in there works hard but its no “hero shop”.

We saw an article in Bon Appetit magazine about the artichoke parm hero, and we had to try it. So delicious!! The staff is really nice too. Mama Louisa's is an old-school Bklyn sandwich shop. We will be back!

Used to be great, so leaving 3 stars in hopes they fix whatever is going on there. Last two times I have gotten sandwiches there it’s been very weak. Just got a turkey sandwich with literally one thin slice of deli turkey on it. Any random corner store will make it better.

Amazing sandwiches, finally got the artichoke parm and I already cannot wait to come back! The staff are super friendly and kind. Classic Brooklyn deli!

Came for the artichoke parm after reading an article about it. It did not disappoint. Indescribably delicious. Lots of delicious drinks to choose from.

this place has so much good vibes going on in it. Really love having this place here in their new taco shop is super awesome right next to the place.

Est. 1984 Layout/atmosphere *Corner deli/convenience store Food/drink *Artichoke Parmigiana (large) - Good; the taste of artichoke different/nice offset to the sauce and cheese; good bread

I went for the artichoke parmesan sandwich, I had seen on social somewhere. Ordered online and my sandwich was ready to go. Medium sized was plenty big, and a great deal at $9. I enjoyed it very much. It is like a bodega, but the guys there were nice enough to let me use their bathroom to wash my hands. No seating I don't think.

Pretty average bodega with yummy heros. Went for the artichoke parm hero I had seen on TikTok. They were quick and stocked with snacks, also well priced. If you're in the neighborhood, check it out!

Visited this PLG sandwich shop because of the Bon Appetit article about the artichoke parm sandwich. I might be the first person that traveled to this part-deli part-bodega because of a food magazine article, and was definitely treated as such. The deli is very unassuming and you probably wouldn't know it was here unless you were looking for it. Came by with a friend and split two medium sandwiches - the classic Italian combo and the artichoke parm. The italian combo was the typical cold cut sandwich you'd get most places, not very distinguishable but hit the spot. The artichoke parm was definitely a one-of-a-kind sandwich, but as far as taste and experience goes, just "ok". It tasted like jarred artichokes, steeped in marinara sauce with mozzarella cheese on it.

Artichoke parm was 10/10, staff was nice and service was quick. will definitely be back

Came here years ago when I lived in PLG and never got to review until now. Seems like it needs some more reviews thus the follow up here. Contrary to older reviews which characterized this as an Italian deli, it did change hands and thus is a bit different. Weird place overall. Since the ownership switch, Mama Louisa's still has some things may seem out of place--toys, toiletries--in a hero shop. Knowing the history explains this. It was deserted coming here, but a nice woman came out of the back to help me. Prices were reasonable. I kept it simple and ordered a chicken parm. What I got was pretty good overall. Chicken was very nice and crisp. Cheese was a bit old and sauce was muted, but the bread was fresh. It was pretty big too, although it took awhile for the food to come out. You can do a lot worse than this at a deli. Would come back if I was in the area still.

The perfect breakfast sandwich shop of PLG. Mama Louisa's is excellent-- I've ordered a three foot hoagie, egg and cheeses, and chicken parm and not once has there been any issue. Everything is delicious and made fresh at the shop, including the 3ft hoagie they made for my son's birthday which got tons of compliments. I have a lot of restrictions and the staff has always been very helpful and made any changes I've asked. Definitely a neighborhood gem in PLG.

"Great customer care from Mr.Octavio and crew. The food is beyond compare. Thank you,Pasco!

Breakfast is so good! Great neighborhood shop for lunch as well. And tucked in the back on Rutland is her coffee shop. The coffee is awesome and they have espresso is also good. BUT you must try any of the baked goods they have. They make the most awesome fruit tarts and croissants. All are made fresh and I am homemade.

Despite the mixed reviews about this place, I decided to try it for myself. I was hungry and wanted something to eat before the concert began at Wingate Park. I entered the store a few minutes before the scheduled closing of 5pm. Since it was my first time here, I was unsure of where to place my order for a sandwich which at other businesses it normally takes place where they are making them. However, after about five minutes the man behind the counter asks customers in front of me and myself, what did we want to order? He could've saved us all five minutes by doing that when we first entered. I told him that I wanted the regular Italian Combo which is one of my favorite sandwiches. Normally, it is procedure to ask the customer what they would like on their sandwich but that wasn't the case here. After waiting for about ten minutes, my hero was finally ready and I purchased a few snacks as well which he forgot to put my M&M peanuts in my bag. I will be going back there today to get my candy. The gentleman did thank me as he passed me my bag which was good because most business owners do not thank you for your business. However, I was pleased with my sandwich even though it had tomatoes on it that was not included in the description of the sandwich but it could've used some mayonnaise on it as well. They should include packets of mayonnaise or mustard if they aren't going to put it on the sandwich. I would go back there to purchase another Italian Combo sandwich because my regular hero spot doesn't make them.

Stopped by a couple days ago. My boyfriend and had the chicken parm hero and the Cuban sandwich. 10/10. They were absolutely delicious. The two men working the register were super friendly and kind.

This morning (Delivery) ordered a Pancakes Platter with bacon and received 2 pancakes smaller than a saucer. Won't be ordering anymore from MLHS.

I've been happily eating sandwiches from here for a long time. The bread is always fresh and good in my experience. I always order pick up and I try to not order right before they are closing because that seems like a bad idea. I've never had any problems with the people who work there, they are always polite and helpful. I'm not what I would call a gourmet so fresh and simple works for me. I would also keep in mind that it's a very small kitchen when you order. Sandwiches are their thing, so I'd stick to that.

The sandwiches are Back to the way I remembered as a child! The prices went up since then but...... hey ! The same great taste and flavor they are known for. The meatball parm and chicken Parm heros are A1! The bread used for the cold and hot heros are just the right bread to hold the hero together. They have a vast menu and if not on the menu ask because they probadly can make it! The chicken wraps, antipasto, cold heros, breakfast platters are pretty good. Try to check it out. Definitely worth a visit!

Great pasta game! Orders the garlic olive oil spaghetti spinach with the grill chicken. ALot of food for the price. Chicken could be cooked a lil less to prevent it being over cooked

Walking into this place give me a little bit of nostalgia, if you are a veteran to this area you know Mama Louisa it has is a staple. You always had the grumpy old man behind the count hurrying you up to pay because the line was always long, and the guy behind the deli counter making you a sandwich to order. But with that being said your food always came out exactly the way you want it. The only reason I'm not giving this place 5 stars is because of the customer service aspect, though you learn to bypass the grumpy old man and still look forward to your food, it's all about customer service and how you feel as you walk out the place. I know that ownership just changed however I still don't get the type of customer service that is required to get this place five stars.

I just received a sandwich delivery and the bread was soooo Hard. When I called to share this with the man that took my order m, he was more angry and unapologetic. He behaved like it was my fault. I have had great experiences with the his local shop when the lady is there This is not the service tht this shop is known for

They have been a staple in this community and have been around for many years! Before writing this review I have given them numerous opportunities to prove me wrong, or that it was just a bad day. Their sandwiches used to be really good, however that was many many years ago when Frank was there. The sandwiches are horrible and the bread is OLD STALE AND HARD (rolls, heros etc.) I assure you they are using old bread and do not get fresh daily deliveries! Avoid the sandwiches....

Stopped by for a cappuccino from their shoppe in the back. Excellent! Very friendly with just enough seating outside.

amazing sandwich's always fresh ingredients & pleasant customer service.. it used to be a hole in the wall spot but now people are starting to notice how amazing the food is...

This place is not the same, you pay more and get less food. Try some where else for breakfast.

I walked into this corner store because I was starving and the signs looked pretty appealing on the windows. The customer service was what I would call lacking. First of all, I didn't even know who to ask. I asked the man at the register if I should ask him and he seemed confused but said yes anyways. I asked for an Italian hero (which is advertised boldly) and the man just said "oh ok". He didn't ask if I wanted anything with that or how I wanted it. So I just went with it. He said all of two words to me. The hero was pretty dry, it had no mustard no mayo, I was not very impressed. I will say the price and the size of the hero is good. The convenience and the fast service pushes them to 3 stars.

Last weekend my boyfriend and I discovered Free Tours by Foot. Our tour guide Derrick, showed us the ropes of Flatbush Avenue and introduced us to some unforgettable Brooklyn eats. We were pretty much all over the map tasting Trinidadian food, to Italian food, to Jamaican food and everything was de-licious! And the best part about this whole tour? Yeah, I'm going to with with that it was free! Before the tour, I had no idea that Flatbush Avenue was so diverse. In just a few blocks, we sampled food from all over the world! Our First stop was De Hot Pot where we indulged in a traditional Trinidadian dishes like Double and Spicy Mango. We continued the Trinidadian feel at Scoops where we sampled some of the most delicious corn chowder of my life! Next stop, Peppa's Jerk Chicken where they chopped and packed a whole jerk chicken in less than 1 minute. Our fourth stop was at Jamaican Pride Bakery for a Bun and Cheese and a Fried Dumpling. Next, we bused over to the 100 year old Mama Louisa's Hero Shop and had ourselves some meatballs. To conclude the tour we went to a Trinidadian bakery called Allen's Bakery and sampled a cheese roll. New York City is a stomping ground for food tours and most of them range about $50 bucks a pop, not including gratuity, but not Free Tours by Foot. These tours are great because you choose what you want to eat at each stop and in the end, each person usually only spends about $7-$12. And since you barely spend any money on the tour, it's an even better reason to tip your tour guide generously. Free tours by Foot does all sorts of tours, not just food, so check out all they have to offer here and don't forget to tell them who sent you- Hungry White Girl!

The lady that answers the phone at this place is unprofessional and a world class idiot. After getting the beverage part of my order wrong (for the life of me I cannot understand why you would replace a regular Snapple with a Diet Snapple instead of just replacing it with another flavor. SMDH) I called the restaurant to tell them I wasn't going to pay for a beverage I don't drink and to send me another Snapple. She told me she would and then 2 hours passed by. I called again and she took my phone number and told me the delivery guy would bring me another Snapple while on his route. Another 2 hours passed by. I called once again and this time she pretended she couldn't hear me and hung up the phone. When I called right back she didn't answer the phone. I was beyond pissed. Luckily, Seamless has always been good when it comes to refunds when a restaurant screws up. So, I ended up being refunded for both Snapples and not just the one they got wrong. Nice job, idiot. Save your money. There are much better spots with similar menus, better food, and much better service. If you do decide to order from this place, just remember...I warned you. P.S. BTW, the Shrimp Parmigiana hero was GARBAGE.

Since ownership changed hands, the hot food has gone downhill. The cold sandwiches are basically the same quality because the sandwich guy stayed. I miss the drama between the former owners. They had a bad reputation for taking too long to get your order done but what they lacked in efficiency they made up for in entertainment. The fighting between them was like in the movie - Moonstruck. They fought but you knew they loved each other.

Worst pasta with shrimp scampi. There was so much burnt garlic and old oil in the dish. I couldn't even eat it at all, I had to discard the dish.

I walked here from a little bit further south to get a sandwich that was a little more filled and quality made than a typical bodega sandwich. I got the chicken special with mozzarella, peppers, and broccoli rabe. It hit the spot and was exactly the type of hearty sandwich I was looking for. Really well made. Mozzarella came in big chunks. Delicious. Only thing is they had two people for an entire lunch rush of 15+ people at one point, and it made for a pretty long wait. I felt bad for the cashier and deli guy. They have to up the staff there.

I wish I could rate this place zero stars. First off, my order took over an hour to arrive, mind you, the shop was only 0.5 miles away. Two of the items I ordered were suppose to come with a bagel, but they did not include it. They also used pork sausage instead of beef sausage for my sausage/egg on a roll. What if the person doesn't eat pork?! My french toast and eggs were bland and soggy by the time the order came. I will never order from here again and do not recommend this place.

Whoever the female individual they have answering the phone needs some customer service skills ASAP... Messing up your order and telling you, "we ass-umed that's how you wanted your order" and "oh well" is unacceptable. Sending a hero without cheese and saying I should've said I wanted cheese when the hero automatically comes with cheese (and the menu says so), is asinine. They will not get any further business from me or anyone I know, in person or online, ever. What a shame.

Ok - i know and if stuck on stoopid was a crime I'd be on death row today. My wife's family came in from out of town ; Brussels Belgium to be exact and the little girl wanted to try American pancakes and homefries so i went to MOMA LOUISA: DISASTER! Firstly the pancakes were like sponge frisbees- HORROR SHOW. ( McDonald's makes a better product) Secondly the homefries consisted of large potato chunks WITHOUT the slightest hint of onion- salt- pepper- green peppers...THINK HOSPITAL FOOD. TWO PLATES OF THIS CRAP FOR THE COST OF $20. FUGG' EM! Just say no!

I have been going to his shop since I was a kid. I live in the neighborhood. When Frank and his wife owned it, the food was fresh, the fresh Turkey sandwich was delicious. They were slow but worth the wait and reasonably priced. Now that they retired and sold the shop the quality of food sucks and the prices are high and inconsistent. One min your paying $4.50 for a basic chicken salad sandwich with just white bread and come back a couple of weeks later and the lady is charging $6.00 for the same sandwich. I remember Frank always had soft bread, these new people must keep bread out for a few days. The hero bread is always hard and crusty As if it had been there a few days. They charge full price if you bring your own bread. Sad to say I will NEVER COMEBACK TO MY CHILDHOOD FAVORITE.......

LET ME TELL YOU Yes Frank sold the place but for all you people out there who think the food quality has declined it has not !! Franks brother is still in the kitchen making roast beef fresh turkey, lasagna eggplant ,peppers and eggs . And Pasquale is still making great sandwiches out front on the same semolina bread .I recommend the hot italian hero with peppers and mushrooms its awesome I read some of the nasty reviews it takes time to get your feet wet I still come here as often as I can and they have fish every friday . So I say you should come and wait in line and get a great sandwich . Even Frank use to forget your order sometimes but it was always delicious when you finally took that first bite sincerely the big elevator guy

I used to go here a lot! Since they changed owners, the woman who runs it is unpleasant. The food is not nearly as good as it used to be. It used to be that I would sometimes wait for my food, and the wait was totally worth it, now, even if I don't wait as long (less people) the food doesn't taste as good. So sad to see a wonderful place deteriorate so quickly. Don't keep the name, if you are going to ruin it.

Old style (and I mean OLD) hero shop specializing in both hot and cold sandwiches... things like Italian combo (lots of salami, provolone, oil & vinegar), chicken parm, meatball hero, etc. The place is littered with other items for sale, from dusty old chocolate bars to scientific calculators to imported Italian candy to school notebooks and razors. Basically any utilitarian item (and some not so utilitarian) - if you ask for it I bet they'd have it. But I digress. It's really all about the sandwiches. Good, cheap, and generously sized. Can be quite a wait at lunch time, so best to call ahead, or, if you're in the neighborhood they DELIVER. Closed Sundays.

Never an issue, always delicious. Mama Louisa knows how to make a mean sandwich. I love it !

Decent heroes. Horrible service. I went there twice, at different times, and it takes 15 minutes to get hero even with absolutely no other customers in the place. They are oblivious to the fact that parking in the area is horrible and actually barely acknowledge the presence of customers in the store. To make matters worse, the guy preparing the food uses the same gloves to prepare food, clean the counter, and answer the phone. At this point I walked out. This place lives on a reputation that seems like it died years ago. Not going back! No need to push a bad experience in to a viral infection from disgusting food preparation practices.

Finally tried their famous eggplant parm. Gooey, cheesy, gigantic goodness. I ordered the medium for $6 and it's tremendous (I'm not sure quite how big the large gets but I think it would be one very intimidating sandwich.) Be warned that you will regret eating the whole thing at once, but you'll probably do it anyway. It's that awesome. Don't expect seating or a relaxing atmosphere... this is your busy neighborhood mom-n-pop bodega/sandwich shop, not a cafe. They know exactly what they're doing, and they do it damned well.

This place has definitely gone down. Not only the female at the counter inflates prices based on traffic, the bread from the heros are hard and quality is not worth the trip or the money. ( I ordered the same sandwich on separate days and got 3 different prices) They were good in the past idk what happened, I gave them 3x on separate occasions to see if it was just a bad day and unfortunately its routinely horrible service and food being produced is blahh. I wish frank was still there!

This place is classic! Nice italian lady comes out and greets me and cracks several funny jokes. I order the large Italian sandwich and this is by far best sandwich I've tasted since the 90s lol classic no holds barred, no frills deli sandwich. A simple must go...fresh bread...great quality board head deli meat...right amount of moisture with mayo and other condiments. Caution: I got the large sandwich and it was a behemoth of a sandwich....I was knocked out for the rest of the day. A regular will do most folks well.

I order her a lot but today they really annoyed me. I called them at 11:55am and placed an order for bacon and egg on toast and French fries. I called ahead so that I wouldn't have to wait long and avoid the lunch rush. I left my house at 12:20 and arrived there at 12:22. Walked in and told them I had called ahead. I don't know if she forgot to put the order in or what, but I stood there until 12:42 waiting on food I ordered almost an hour prior. I saw countless people come in off the street and place orders and leave. When my food was finally ready, I got no explanation, apologies or even a thank you for waiting. In short, don't bother calling ahead.

Absolutely horrible place. I wouldn't EVER order from there again. The delivery took over an hour and a half, mind you they're 2 blocks away.. When my food got here it was cold and soggy, the food is over priced, and it wasn't good at all.. I've had better food at McDonald's than this place. So unsatisfied.. If I could give them a negative one star I would.

This was a Yelp find. We were in Brooklyn retracing our family roots and started to get hungry. We wanted something quick and found Mama Louisa's. Well, it wasn't that quick because it's clearly known in Brooklyn and there were a dozen people packed into the tiny little sandwich shop which doubles as a convenience store. I had the Chicken Parm Sandwich and it was without question the best one I've ever had. Not only that, but it was HUGE and cheap. All of us, there were 8 who ate there, were raving about how good it was. Worth the wait.

This place USED to be good. Now HORRIBLE This place used to be called Punzone's back in the day. Then, when he died, his daughter and son in law took over, He made EVERYTHING skimply and of LOW quality including almost all the food and soft drinks in the store being OUT DATED. Expired foods and drinks. He had a C rating for cleanliness by the Board of Health before he sold the joint THEN, he finally sold the place to this new owner, The FIRST thing I noticed was that there was NO rating on the door by the Board of Health. They make ALL their hot cooked meals ON premises and therefore are required to be inspected by the Board of Health. They got around that. I inquired and was told by some city agency that they do not NEED a rating because they are only a GROCERY STORE LOLOL. They have only a FEW things on the shelf and over 99% of their business is from HOT COOKED FOOD (like hot hero sandwiches, pasta dishes, chicken, turkey dishes with rice etc) yet they GET AROUND THE LAW by claiming they are a grocery store. LOOK FOR YOURSELF There is NO RATING by the Dept of Health on the door,. So, bad, skimpy expired food, cooked under GOD ONLY KNOWS conditions in the back since they got around HEALTH INSPECTIONS by calling themselves a grocery store, SAVE YOUR LIFE. RUN FOR THE HILLS, Also, one guy in there is rude as hell

Probably the best hero shop around! There friendly staff and amazing food keeps me coming back for more!!

This shop has been in the neighborhood for more than 30 yrs. New owners took over recently,The food is still up to the excellent standards that were set in my youth. Food is fresh, well prepared, and tasty. A must for heros..

Delivery took one and a half hours. Food was cold and soggy. Meat is of very poor quality and smells bad. Marinara sauce and subs have very little flavor. Bread is cheap. Staff is polite, but this place is not worth it for the slow service and bad food.

Be advised, Frank sold the shop and is no longer associated in any way with the shop. I got a hero the other day and noticed an immediate difference in quality. The guy that makes the sandwiches was kept on by the new management, but the new owners are obviously trying to cut corners buy selecting lower quality goods such as the breads and dressings. Frank sold the business in early July 2014. Very sad to see him gone. I hope he enjoys his retirement. It's a break well deserved.

Yeah its dingy in a cluttered Grandma's house kind ot way. Yes it has hand written signs from 1975 all over the place. I love the little old Italian guy who runs this shop but I love their consistently good hero'

I never write reviews but I just feel like I have to warn anyone looking to eat here that there is nothing about this establishment that is decent. The hero I got was disgusting, soggy, and not as described. I got the hot Italian which was missing the cheese and only had green peppers on it. Not spicy or tasty at all. They are also CROOKS!!! I ordered on grubhub and had to call customer service 3 times bc they kept screwing my order up. These people literally stole money from me. I ordered a soup they didn't have and they just didn't include it and sent me a water that wasn't equal to the value. I BEGGED them to just give me my money back and come get the unopened food but they just hung up. Now I'm stuck with this travesty and am only getting GH credit bc they could admit the whole thing was ridiculous. You literally couldn't pay me to order from these thieves again

Patience is a virtue one must have in order to enjoy your food from here. The food is solid compared to the delis around the neighborhood. But the wait is always a killer. Even when I have called my order in to expedite the process, I have still had to wait. I have ordered delivery and that was a disaster as well, the order just wasn't right. When things are right everything is great, but the uphill battle to get a hold of the food that needs to be in my belly and constant hiccups can be rather annoying.