Mama D's Italian

(310) 546-1492

1125 Manhattan Ave
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266 33.8845 -118.4109

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Hours:

Monday 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Tuesday 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Wednesday 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Thursday 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Friday 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Saturday 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Sunday 12:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Price:

$$

Last updated 10.14.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Family-Friendly Dining, Date Spot

General Info:

Open 7 Days

Cuisine:

Italian

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Mama D's Italian

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

In Short – This modest, Old-World Italian joint stands out in a neighborhood studded with fancy eateries. Chattering couples pack the brightly lit, homey space and extend out the door in what's always a long line. Carrying bread and plates of homemade olive oil, enthusiastic waiters guide diners through the exhaustive menu of Italian favorites. Build-your-own-pasta dishes topped with the house specialty pink sauce is popular, as is the thin-crust pizza.

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
Mama D's doesn't take reservations, but it does ease the wait with magazines, newspapers and toys for little ones. Too hungry to read? Staff will give you bread, too.
The Extras:
Take home a bottle of Mama D's garlic and basil olive oil for $17.
Save Time:
Mama D's now delivers to surrounding South Bay areas.
ambiance
88.88999938964844% positive
  1. “Oftentimes crowded, this restaurant usually has a line out the door, but the reliable waiters, delectable dinner, and friendly atmosphere are certainly worth the wait.”
  2. “The food is good, the service is excellent, and the location, very close to the Manhattan Beach pier, is lovely.”
  3. “This is good fun and terrific service.”
  4. “The wait, very mediocre food and crowded ambiance makes this place a waste of time and money.”
  5. “The prices are wonderful and it is a cozy restaurant.”
  6. “One of my favorite restaurants in the Suth Bay for great Italian food in a fun and friendly environment!”
  7. “The decor isn't fine dining at all, but it's a great casual place for some good ol' Italian food!”
  8. “Fun for a loud night out with local friends, but not a good spot for a date who you may want to cozy up to and chat with.”
  9. “Loved the atmosphere, the service was great and loved the lasagna.”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “From the friendly staff and the awesome bread to start, to the homemade cookies when you finish your meal this place was a true gem.”
  2. “The pink sauce offered the perfect blend of cream and tartness (from the marinara).”
food quality
90.79000473022461% positive
  1. “Good food but expected more.”
  2. “The food is super tasty, lots of classic italian dishes plus special recipes unique to Mama's.”
  3. “GREAT Italian food”
  4. “The decor isn't fine dining at all, but it's a great casual place for some good ol' Italian food!”
  5. “The wait, very mediocre food and crowded ambiance makes this place a waste of time and money.”
  6. “Great pasta and pizza”
  7. “Not too fancy or elegant, but just plain great food.”
  8. “This popular Italian eatery serves up an extensive menu, including a Build-Your-Own pasta, pizza and calzones, and tasty chicken cacciatore dishes.”
  9. “and it's one of his favorite restaurant's that have pink sauce!”
  10. “Our other friend got the spinach ravioli with pink sauce and mushrooms on top - which was exquisite.”
  11. “The pink sauce is great (combo of marinara and alfredo).”
  12. “This place is just delicious.”
  13. “Just plain great food!”
  14. “One of my favorite restaurants in the Suth Bay for great Italian food in a fun and friendly environment!”
  15. “My friends ordered pasta with alfredo and the famous pink sauce which looked much more appetizing.”
  16. “We are all from NYC and know good Italian food and Mama D's is up there.”
  17. “We have always had good food, service and decent portions when we have dined in but for take-out the portion sizes have been inconsistent an.”
  18. “The bread and the oil/garlic dipping sauce is amazing, the salads and appetizers are tasty.”
  19. “Good Italian food (maybe not AUTHENTIC, but good) and the staff is among the nicest I've experience in the LA area.”
  20. “American version of Italian food, good for poor college students, but not for anyone else.”
  21. “The pasta's outstanding.”
  22. “The bread and garlic dip they give you to start is really yummy and they have something for everyone on the extensive menu.”
  23. “The food was good.”
  24. “Mama D's is a great place to go for authentic italian food in a casual enviroment.”
  25. “The pink sauce offered the perfect blend of cream and tartness (from the marinara).”
  26. “This place serves up some of the best food I've found in Southern California when going for a taste of Italy.”
  27. “The staff is so friendly and efficitant, the food never dissappoints, and the price is so reasonable.”
  28. “Good food, great service, great value”
  29. “The food is good, the service is excellent, and the location, very close to the Manhattan Beach pier, is lovely.”
  30. “Love this place for the food, hate it for the crowds and noise!”
  31. “got the Baked Ziti - delicious and couldn't even finish all of it!”
  32. “And let's not leave out the bread - delicious!”
  33. “got the daily pasta special with authentic minestrone soup and salad.”
  34. “The alfredo was very good and I would recommend sticking to the pastas as the pizza was nothing spectacular.”
  35. “From the friendly staff and the awesome bread to start, to the homemade cookies when you finish your meal this place was a true gem.”
  36. “The ravioli with pink sauce is so good.”
  37. “did not like the red sauce at all so I sent my dish back and got the rigatoni with olive oil and garlic which was bland and not very exciting.”
  38. “The only thing that topped the meal was the excellent service.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “Maybe the "friendly" wait staff needs another briefing of the mission statement on your menu.”
  2. “This popular Italian eatery serves up an extensive menu, including a Build-Your-Own pasta, pizza and calzones, and tasty chicken cacciatore dishes.”
  3. “The bread and garlic dip they give you to start is really yummy and they have something for everyone on the extensive menu.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “The decor isn't fine dining at all, but it's a great casual place for some good ol' Italian food!”
  2. “Mama D's has been my favorite restaurant in the South Bay since I've lived here.”
  3. “and it's one of his favorite restaurant's that have pink sauce!”
  4. “Mama D's is a great place to go for authentic italian food in a casual enviroment.”
  5. “Plus the service is great and you feel like you're in a little italian cafe (not a americanized chain restaurant).”
service
95.0% positive
  1. “The food is good, the service is excellent, and the location, very close to the Manhattan Beach pier, is lovely.”
  2. “The wait staff is superb.”
  3. “Excellent 5 Star customer service!”
  4. “This is good fun and terrific service.”
  5. “One of my favorite restaurants in the Suth Bay for great Italian food in a fun and friendly environment!”
  6. “We have always had good food, service and decent portions when we have dined in but for take-out the portion sizes have been inconsistent an.”
  7. “The only thing that topped the meal was the excellent service.”
  8. “Good food, great service, great value”
  9. “The staff is so friendly and remember your name.”
  10. “The staff is so friendly and efficitant, the food never dissappoints, and the price is so reasonable.”
  11. “Good Italian food (maybe not AUTHENTIC, but good) and the staff is among the nicest I've experience in the LA area.”
  12. “Plus the service is great and you feel like you're in a little italian cafe (not a americanized chain restaurant).”
  13. “Maybe the "friendly" wait staff needs another briefing of the mission statement on your menu.”
  14. “Loved the atmosphere, the service was great and loved the lasagna.”
  15. “I've gone to many restaurants in Hollywood and nobody has as great customer service than Mama D's.”
  16. “The waiters are very nice-- ask for your name and introduce themselves-- and they also pass out free samples of appetizers while you wait.”
  17. “the staff is rude and don't know how to treat their customers.”
  18. “From the friendly staff and the awesome bread to start, to the homemade cookies when you finish your meal this place was a true gem.”
  19. “Mama D's is famous for the quality of it's staff.”
  20. “Oftentimes crowded, this restaurant usually has a line out the door, but the reliable waiters, delectable dinner, and friendly atmosphere are certainly worth the wait.”
value
77.77999877929688% positive
  1. “Oftentimes crowded, this restaurant usually has a line out the door, but the reliable waiters, delectable dinner, and friendly atmosphere are certainly worth the wait.”
  2. “After being disappointed in a "popular" Italian Trattoria in Marina del Rey ;) I wanted to let everyone know that its worth driving from whereever you are coming from in LA, to try Mama D's.”
  3. “Although a usual wait for dinner during the weekend is at least half an hour, it is definitely worth the warm garlic focaccia they serve.”
  4. “Good food, great service, great value”
  5. “We have always had good food, service and decent portions when we have dined in but for take-out the portion sizes have been inconsistent an.”
  6. “The wait, very mediocre food and crowded ambiance makes this place a waste of time and money.”
  7. “Mama D's has been one of our favorite restaurants for many years, and we've never minded waiting for a table because it t was always worth the wait.”
  8. “The prices are wonderful and it is a cozy restaurant.”
  9. “The staff is so friendly and efficitant, the food never dissappoints, and the price is so reasonable.”
1 Star Rating: Poor

12/13/09

HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE

by abcdefgina

the staff is rude and don't know how to treat their customers. they need a change of employees if they want to keep their business.

  • Pros: horrible staff
  • Cons: rude employees
4 Star Rating: Recommended

12/07/09

Great Place

by dp25

Great little place 200 yards from the ocean. Bread and olive oil/garlic outstanding....got the daily pasta special with authentic minestrone soup and salad...all for $9.99. Service very good as well.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

05/18/09

Excellent 5 Star Customer Service! Delicious Italian Food!

by KatarinaMarr

My boyfriend, another guy friend and I went to Mama D's tonight for dinner and it was 5 stars from the beginning to the end. We are all from NYC and know good Italian food and Mama D's is up there. I am always raving about their soft cheese bread and olive oil/garlic dip - it's the best I've had at any Italian restaurant. In addition, our friend had never been there before, so they gave us a free appetizer - homemade ravioli that was perfect. I got the Baked Ziti - delicious and couldn't even finish all of it! My boyfriend got Mama's Pink Sauce with Penne... and it's one of his favorite restaurant's that have pink sauce! Our other friend got the spinach ravioli with pink sauce and mushrooms on top - which was exquisite. The customer service was top notch and all smiles and they even packed our leftovers up for us and stuck in some of the bread that I love without even asking us! I've gone to many restaurants in Hollywood and nobody has as great customer service than Mama D's... and all on a Monday night, no less! The decor isn't fine dining at all, but it's a great casual place for some good ol' Italian food!

  • Pros: Great Customer Service! Fast service!
1 Star Rating: Poor

01/08/09

Very Disappointing

by larryros

Mama D's has been one of our favorite restaurants for many years, and we've never minded waiting for a table because it t was always worth the wait. But last night was a total disappointment. Things at Mama D's have changed. The wait staff used to be welcoming, friendly and energetic. The food used to be tasty and service was generally speedy, even when the restaurant was packed to the gills with people. But last night, the place was half full. The food was below average. The wait staff was ordinary at best. And to top it all off, at the end of the meal we found out that they've stopped serving coffee?!?!?! If last night is now typical, my guess is that they won't be around much longer since there are many great restaurants to choose from in the South Bay. I've recommended Mama D's to many friends in the past, but not any more. I hope they can get back what they lost, because Mama D's used to be terrific. I feel like we lost an old friend.

  • Pros: Can't think of one
  • Cons: Parking can be tough on the weekends
4 Star Rating: Recommended

07/13/08

Authentic

by erinlovesfood

Mama D's is a great place to go for authentic italian food in a casual enviroment. The bread and garlic dip they give you to start is really yummy and they have something for everyone on the extensive menu. The staff is so friendly and remember your name. Great place to with with family or friends. The ravioli with pink sauce is so good.

The Details on Mama D's Italian

Place Categories:

  • good ol italian food
  • favorite restaurant
  • excellent star customer service
  • great casual place
  • great pasta
  • delicious bread
  • favorite mama d
  • extensive menu
  • famous pink sauce
  • good spot
  • good homemade ravioli
  • great value
  • half full place
  • recommend lasagna
  • authentic salad
  • bad experience
  • reasonable price
  • recommend little kitchen
  • amazing oilgarlic dipping sauce
  • recommend fried calamari
  • very good alfredo
  • very mediocre crowded ambiance
  • friendly wait staff
  • loved atmosphere
  • nice free water

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