Mesa Italiana Restaurant
2318 Navajo Blvd, Holbrook, AZ, 86025
Mesa Italiana Restaurant Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Holbrook for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Holbrook for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Holbrook for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
2318 Navajo Blvd
Holbrook, AZ, 86025 - Phone (928) 524-6696
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Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Verna G.
We went here at a toss of the coin. We have been eating the past week on a Colorado to California round trip road trip on Yelp reviews only. This was the best rated for Holbrook so we tried it. Tacky plastic covered tables to start with. I looked past that, hubby didn't. We ordered the Calamari appetizer which tasted good considering we are in AZ. Tomato sauce was fresh tasting. Salad was way overdressed iceberg lettuce. Ordered the Veal picatta Usually you can cut veal with a fork not here it required a knife and a little effort. The sauce was good. Cannoli for desert was very hard but the flavor was good. Had to use a knife to break the shell service was fair. We were not told there was a special. For the limited choices this is probably the best choice for the price which was high
(2)Eduardo C.
The Baked eggplant with fresh tomato and mozzarella was a good way to start the meal. The sauce, ever so important at an Italian restaurant is rich and tastes like it's made in-house. Pasta Combo comes with Lasagna, manicotti, and stuffed shell. Although the serving is small for the price, it is a satisfying entree, particularly because of the sauce. The meat inside the lasagna had an almost earthy taste, which worked well with the ricotta cheese, red sauce, and mozzarella. I for one, like the meat in lasagna/ravioli to contrast with the sauce, and it definitely does, though it could probably use a bit of seasoning. Meal came with cheap salad and garlic bread. The service, at least this night, was attentive. Many of the main entrees are a bit pricy for what you get, and anyone would be annoyed by the one dollar CC service charge, so I would normally rate this restaurant 3 stars, but given the desolate location it's in, it's easily one of the best places to eat in Holbrook, so I award it 4 stars.
(4)Donna B.
The restaurant was being remodeled when we were there. June 17, 2013 We had to eat in the bar area ... The waitress forgot our drinks. We couldn't find anything on the menu that was reasonably priced for what we considered bar food. Retro is a very nice way of saying Budweiser signs everywhere... We finally decided to just order fries and a slice of pizza... thinking that may be safe... The fries were hard and greasy... appearing that they had been double dipped in the fryer... and the pizza crust was difficult to chew and did not taste good at all... all this after having to wait an hr for our food...we followed the reviews from others here and were very disappointed.
(1)Jon F.
Good Italian food for a small town. Service was a little slow.
(4)randy h.
The price was a bit high for the ambiance nut the food was quite good.
(4)laurence z.
quite good (calamari are delicious) , but not a very nice place to eat
(3)Mary S.
Driving across country and spent the night in Holbrook because there is a hotel there with an indoor pool so the grandkids could swim in spite of thunderstorms in the area. We went to Mesa Italiana because everybody likes Italian, right? Wrong. My Pasta Pomadoro was fine and eldest grandson declared his pizza "fantastic". However, my daughter's Chicken Alfredo was swimming in a watery sauce and the texture of the chicken made it inedible. Grandson #2 was not eating his spaghetti and meatballs and finally, in response to his mother's urging that he do so, said that the meatballs tasted bad. In order to call his bluff, my daughter took a bite of the offending meatball and promptly (and discretely) spit it out. It is important that you understand that we are not picky people. We were not the problem. It was the food! Our server was very nice and helpful and since a woman at a table nearby had already semi-loudly addressed her displeasure with her meal with the man, I decided to fill out their satisfaction survey instead of unloading on him. I left my name and phone number on the survey inviting the owner or manager to call and discuss the issues I had listed and never heard from 'em. Holdbrook does not have a lot of options for dining but it does have some. I suggest you give one of them a try.
(2)John R.
A diamond in the rough. Had left the Painted Desert Park starving on Good Friday. With the help of Yelp, we found this restaurant in the small town of Holbrook. Started with the eggplant. Delicious even to my picky eater. Great cesear salad. I had pasta, one had cheese ravioli, one had fried shrimp, and one had shrimp scampi. We all devoured our meals. The biggest surprise was the freshness of the ingredients. We live in Tampa FL and this restaurant would thrive by us. My only negative was the cheese ravioli's cost. $14.95 for 5 large pieces with a cesear salad upgrade from the house salad was a little steep. Otherwise I thought the costs were on target. The staff is very attentive as well.
(5)Greta G.
While the waitress started out a bit cool and distracted acting, she warmed up after I praised the angel winged softness and lightness of the garlic bread. I never thought I would have linguine with clams and white sauce in rural Arizona, but boy I sure had some here and loved it. The lunch is very reasonable, $8.95 with a full selection of different pasta dishes with salad and garlic bread. The salad was fresh romaine, very crisp. Oh, that lunch saved my life after a long drive from Canyon de Chelly. The street that the restaurant (one of the main drags of Holbrook) seemed nearly deserted. All the more to treasure this place. The only other guests commented to the waitress how they come through the area only once a year and they always stop at Mesa Italiana.
(4)stuart j.
This is definately as good as it gets in Holbrook. I was very surprised to have this kind of quality italian food in such a small town. I had their special the night I was there with jumbo gulf shrimp and fresh tomato sauce, and it was extremely tasty. I will definately go back to this palce again if I ever make it up there again.
(5)Mary R.
We look forward to this last stop on our way to Mesa, AZ from northern MN each year. The food at Mesa Italian is outstanding & the atmosphere is classy with white tablecloths etc. Service is good & pleasant, the menu extensive & reasonably priced. A very popular restaurant as evidenced by tables continuing to fill with happy diners.
(5)Edward R.
"That's a spiceeeeyy meeeeaaataaa ballll" - Jim Carey (Movie: The Mask) *You're suppose to laugh! lol Great food, had the Angel hair pasta w/ Salmon! The garlic bread was great and the service was great!
(5)Dave B.
A fancy place in Holbrook (i.e. in the middle of nowhere)?!? Yep it's true! Like cloth napkins and shit! Who knew?! I had a pepperoni pizza and is was GOOD! Totally unexpected on both accounts.
(4)Toni Marie P.
My boyfriend and I stopped for the night in Holbrook a few weeks ago. This place was vey close to our motel. After reading the reviews, we decided to eat here. I'm Italian and I have to say that I was very impressed by the food and the service. I wish we had a place like this close to my house. The sauce is very good and the bread also. If we pass through Holbrook we will definitely eat here again.
(4)Ann C.
Hearty red sauce Italian dishes, good salads with the entrees, cozy place, very friendly service. Looks quite modest outside but they have made a pleasant, homey atmosphere. Best place to eat in Holbrook.
(5)Jim P.
Mixed review. They were busy and seemed unable to keep up w about 70% capacity. Service was not very attentive ; on the other hand the Fettuchini Alfredo was wonderful and the spaghetti and garlic and oil was good. Prices are good and... Let's face it they're in the middle of freakin nowhere. So given that -- hey I'd recommend this place. The local Sedona Oak Creek brewing co Amber Ale was malty and sweet; some might like it.
(3)Jenn T.
During our stay in Holbrook, we randomly picked this place simply by driving up and down the 2 main drags in town. We were surprised to discover that this place was packed upon our arrival and were got one of the last tables. The interior and exterior decor is dated and run down, but it seemed like of of the nicer places in town to eat. The salads were crisp and fresh and we were also suprised at the quality of our entrees, but overall our meal was not memorable. The service wasn't great (we weren't told about the specials and my tea glass sat empty for way too long), but it doesn't have to be considering the surroundings. If I were passing through Holbrook again, I would consider a second dining experience.
(3)Cecilia T.
This place is not very good. My husband got the Castelloni which was two pasta rolls dowsed in cream sauce and basically tasted like a WET SOCK - I'm not even kidding you. The menu described it as "fresh vegetables" and it was like a puree of veggies in a cheesy concoction wrapped in a pasta crepe crowned in cream sauce. I had the Chicken Jersusalem which was not worth the $16.50 I paid for it. It was a bland sauce with ok veggies of mushroom, artichoke and other items. The house salad was ok except the house dressing of creamy Italian was a bit sour. Unfortunately it might be the only decent-looking sit down Italian restaurant that Holbrook AZ has to offer so if you want to avoid any shady looking restaurants, I guess you have to come here. We didn't get food poisoning. Just know that for the quality of food you are receiving, you're paying a premium.
(1)Robert M.
sat in the bar area adjacent to the restaurant. several varities of bottled beer (only bud lite on tap), selection of wines and full liquor bar. couple of local beers. had spaghetti w/ tomato sauce one night and with garlic and olive oil the next. both served with salad and priced at $13 & $12 respectively. both were good and service was friendly and efficient. there are few places to eat in holbrook and luckily this is a place with beer and decent food. happy trails.
(4)Charlie S.
I am not a fan of Italian food so I ordered a ribeye steak which was quite tasty. I recommend this place if staying in Holbrook as it has fast friendly service and good American food at least.
(3)Laurie E.
Yum! Didn't expect to find such tasty Italian here.
(4)Fred M.
Native American Indians own and cook at this fine Italian restaurant!!! I had pasta with one meatball and one Italian sausage. The pasta was cooked perfact, firm; the sausage was spicy like it should be, but the meatball was not like my mothers'. The bar is long, full service, country music, pool tabled, large TV screened, cowboy/trucking good. The separate dinning room is for older and quieter folks. With a shot of tequila and two Coronas it came to $33...not bad.
(4)Dr. K.
Food was good, price was okay, service was really slow. Compared to the alternatives, I might go back just because everything else around looks like fast-food or bug-infested.
(3)Dana K.
Service was slow and it was more expensive than we had expected. Food was good, though.
(3)Josh W.
Great Italian food. They have large portions but they can split it or do a half portions. They only have one or two severs serving the whole restaurant. We took a whole group there for dinner and they still served us quick.
(5)Matt J.
*Sigh*... Where do i start... Our waitress was overly trying to hard... It was really annoying. She was "trying" to speak like she was working in a 5 star restaurant and the painted concrete block walls constantly reminded us we weren't. First off... I ordered a beer and she poured it into a glass. After she was done, right in front of me, she was picking something off the rim of the glass.. Something stuck it... Ok, gross... But I'll let it slide. Second, the seafood linguine I had... Disgusting. The white sauce was just nasty and I couldn't eat it. Even the scallops and shrimp were obviously cooked in the sauce so nothing had any flavor to it except for this gross sauce. The girlfriend had the Chicken Piccata and it was weird too. The white wine lemon butter sauce had a thickener in it. So the sauce was like gravy with capers in it. I'm sure for a small town it was good, but I just couldn't get over the food quality. Especially for the prices. Mine was $20 and I couldn't even eat it.
(2)Kat C.
They earned a star for friendly service and (albeit, overpriced) alcohol. Beyond that, we were going to stay for dinner, and then we saw the food. If you are one of those people that insists the Olive Garden is the 'La Salsa' of Mexican, you would be BEGGING for the OLove Garden after you saw this food! Grocery store frozen pizza would be a better bet. salad = ice berg + 1/2 c ranch. Pizza looked on-par with microwave 7/11 fare. Bottom line? Drink here because I'm not sure where else there is, as for all the resturaunts we investigated in this town, eat at Denny's!
(2)Joel Barb S.
Great Italian food. Wish we were hungrier because everything looked delicious.
(4)Rachel C.
Found this place passing thru from Las Vegas to Colorado (the long way), and we were surprised by how good it was. The capellini pomodoro was very good.
(4)Lee P.
Bottom line: food good, service bad. I had the linguini with clams. I ordered the red sauce but received the white sauce. As it was a to go order I was stuck with it but it was very good. My girlfriend ordered the spaghetti with Italian sausage and it was good but the spaghetti needed to be cooked a little longer. I had a tartufo dessert that was outstanding. Unfortunately, they forgot to include it in the box so we had to make a second trip to pick it up.
(3)Sandra L.
This restaurant was actually my first Yelp find. This is a great place to eat. Actual table linens, the works. We got there at closing time, and they still seated us and the service was great. After talking to the waitress, we were on the "tourist" side of the place. The "other" side was the sports bar, bar food type place. Next time we will go to the "other" side. Great place, good wine, great service
(4)Arthur S.
This was an incredible experience from beginning to end. The service was fast & friendly in a very clean restaurant. This is authentic Italian food at it's best. As stated by others the garlic bread is great but that is only the beginning. We started with the calamari, on to a house salad, ravioli and eggplant Parma. The red sauce reminded me of what I had often growing up in NY. Finished with a canolli! I am a non drinker so the no alcohol Becks was a unexpected surprise. This is grand slam no matter what city or state you are from!
(5)Pam V.
We were pleasantly surprised tonight to find a great restaurant in Holbrook. My husband had fishy things on a bed of pasta with homemade sauce...delicious. The white sauce on my homemade pasta was the best I have had. Larry our server certainly made our visit fun. There were several other couples traveling through Holbrook who were happy repeat customers. The Zinfandel wine was also good. Delicious food and great service! We will definitely stop again when traveling through Holbrook.
(5)Sharon D.
Perfect artichoke appetizer, really good calamari, fantastic veal dishes. Surprise find on a trip through Arizona. Even though the store was super busy the Thursday we went, service was really good.
(5)Roman R.
Delicious food!! The chicken parmesan was a thick cut lightly breaded with just the right amount of sauce and a thin layer of mozzarella cheese. I was really impressed with the dish. The pasta was excellent. I finished my plate without feeling over stuffed but just right. You must visit Mesa if you are in Holbrook, AZ, you will not be disapointed.
(5)R R.
My wife and I just drove through Holbrook to make sure this restaurant was still here. I was here back in 2009 and the linguini and red clam sauce was spectacular back then!!! The pasta was perfectly al dente, the olive oil was just enough and the clams tastes so fresh. Even the garlic was just right. My Italian in-laws have been here several times over the years and have loved it. This restaurant is a complete surprise with elegant dining and he BEST linguini and red clam sauce I've ever had, out in the middle of nowhere.
(5)Ryan R.
This is the best place in town for food. There isn't much to the town except motels anda couple of eateries. My wife and I brought the kids and we were promptly seated. The food was better than expected and the service was timely. Definitely recommend if you are passing through.
(4)Abigail P.
Delicious! A quality restaurant on an otherwise empty strip of highway. Lovely staff, reasonable prices, great menu and tastes. My husband and I had been driving for three days solely on fast food, and Mesa Italiana was the answer to our prayers. Reasonable prices, great portions, retro decor (that's the nice way to put up), but air-conditioned and hospitable. We could not have been happier. Highly recommended. PS: We got the manicotti with meat sauce and stuffed mushrooms--both were tantalizing. Hot, saucy, and satisfying.
(5)Mercedes B.
A nice homey Italian restaurant in an unexpected place, Holbrook, AZ. Very good veal piccata. Attentive service and reasonable prices. Overall, my husband and I had an enjoyable experience.
(3)T D.
After spending a chilly day at Painted Desert/Petrified Forest, we used Yelp to find a restaurant in Holbrook. Our group was hungry for a good, hot meal. Dined on a Monday ~4pm. We were seated on restaurant side. Staff very friendly and attentive. Good selection of drinks. Great coffee! Basic salad with hot garlic bread. Veal Parmigiana and Chicken parmigiana were very good. Hot molten lava cake - delicious! Pleasantly surprised with this local restaurant in a fairly remote area. Would stop again.
(4)Gary P.
Service wasn't the fastest but that was okay food was excellent price was fair with most definitely would go back again and again. A very nice neat clean looking place. We were there on a Saturday night.
(4)Jen S.
We found this place on our GPS as we were driving along 1-40, starving, hoping to Zeus we'd find a place to eat. This was pretty much the only restaurant that came up on our GPS as we were desperately finding a place to eat in the middle of NOWHEREVILLE (East Cost mentality!). So we were happy to find this place. It's right next to a stereotypical western-style saloon. This made us East Coasters VERY happy- seeing this saloon with motorcycles in front. Anyway, on to Mesa Italiana So similar to what Dave B. Said- it's a fancy place in Holbrook IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. Cloth napkins were a nice surprise. I don't even remember what I got. I was so damn tired. Stuffed mushrooms? YES! Stuffed mushrooms! They were quite yummy. It came bubbling hot. The stuffed mushrooms have chicken, spinach and Parmesan cheese. Oh yum the memories! My friend however wasn't happy with her chicken fingers and fries. But then again, who goes to an Italian place for chicken fingers and fries?! My hub got spaghetti and Italian sausage. He really enjoyed his meal. The service was great. Getting IN was confusing though. We thought it was closed so we went into the bar area, and then we were lead back into the restaurant. So 1-40 drivers, if you stop here for an exhausted dinner, just open the first door to the restaurant, even if it says it's closed...that is if you see PEOPLE in there. If you don't see people and the restaurant is closed, you might as well cry because there is seriously nothing nothing nothing around. Thanks Mesa Italiana for the yummy meal on our way to the Grand Canyon! :)
(3)Amanda T.
Found this place on Yelp during a road trip. The pasta was great and the pizza. The service was great and the atmosphere. I love the Spaghetti. Now when ever I am passing through I make a point to stop here. Usually going though small towns, I try to eat brand name chain restaurants. I am so happy I took a chance and ate here.
(5)Patricia B.
THERE WAS A HUGE BLACK FLY! D: My family ate here on 8/20/15. (carryout) We ordered BBQ ribs, a fried shrimp basket, chicken fettuccine, and for dessert tiramisu. They forgot to put the tiramisu in our bag... but everything else was there. Everything was delicious but as my mother came closer to the bottom of her dish she saw a black thing, she though it was a big piece of pepper, or a burnt piece of chicken but then SHE SAW THE WINGS! Now that is disgusting, we will never stop here again. The total was $60 (+tip) which included an okay dinner with no dessert and a HUGE BLACK FLY!
(1)Kelly M.
Veggie pizza and Caesar salad were both very good. The garlic bread was delicious! Quick wait time for take out orders. Such a nice change compared with the standard diet of mediocre burgers found when driving cross country!
(4)Danielle J.
We drove cross country moving from CA to MO. We stopped in Holbrook for the night just to stay at the Wigwam Motel. The town is very small and many businesses appeared to be vacant (tip: call first when you find one on yelp or trip advisor before heading there to make sure it is still open). This review is written for these small town restaurants which are in a league of their own, not in comparison to Italian restaurants in medium-sized to larger cities. We had seen great reviews on both user-based sites for Mesa, an Italian restaurant. It's one of those places that you cannot judge from the outside (or inside for that matter). We went with full trust in fellow travelers). We parked and I thought, "I'm not sure about this place." When we walked inside, I thought, "I'm really not sure about this place." The staff greeted us and was very friendly and seated us right away. Tonia was our server and she was outstanding. I ordered the manicotti (13.95) -simple, two pieces, maybe a tad overpriced. It was just as good as any other Italian restaurant. My husband got the Mesa Combo (MVP) pizza (14.95 small) and it was fantastic. I wanted dessert and ordered the hot molten lava cake (5.50) per Tonia's recommendation. It was totally worth the extra calories! The staff was very friendly overall. A HUGE group of tourists came in (~24) with varying levels of English comprehension so it was a bit chaotic as they were at different tables and one woman was back and forth translating orders. The server, Tonia, also serve them and was very patient. They literally filled up the rest of the open tables in the restaurant. If you find yourself in Holbrook, I recommend Mesa.
(4)Beth C.
Went here at the recommendation of Yelp reviews. Our waiter (Larry) was wonderful. The bread was delicious, the salads were fresh and chilled. The lasagna was delicious. The Veal Parmesan was delicious! If you have to go to Holbrook, eat here.
(3)Aaron S.
Found driving through town. First place tha looked appetizing in town. Walked through the doors to an aroma that sent my mouth a twitter. Lunch specials for 8.95 nice size portions with salad and fresh bread. Worth the swing off the highway. Will be back next time in Holbrook.
(5)David D.
We knew we were overnighting in Holbrook, Az. on the Great SW Road Trip this week so I Yelped ever restaurant here. I was happy to find mostly strong reviews of Mesa among the rest of the mediocre to bad reviews of other places in Holbrook. The reviews didn't lie folks. Thursday night, and a packed house, only 2 tables of 17(?) unoccupied. Let's talk the downside first, service was slow. Period. 2 waiters, 14-15 tables will do that. OK, that's a negative that only outstanding food can correct, and correct it it did. Perfect little house salad with a creamy dreamy Italian dressing with deliciously chewy (just like we like it) bread. Oh yea, wine, by the galss? Totally ordinary selections, but, very low prices and ours was fine and nearly a steal ($6.50/glass) for the money. Chicken and Eggplant followed with a rich tomato sauce covering spaghetti. Absolutely delicious. Chicken really flattened out good, fried quickly and crisply with almost no grease. Cheesecake excellent. Oh yea, one reviewer said he found a fly in his order of fried shrimp and BBQ ribs. Neither items are on the menu, possibly he reviewed the wrong restaurant as there are a BUNCH of "fly in the food" looking joints here.
(5)M R.
It was soo horrible! I had to wait an hour and a half for a soggy pizza and the bread was greasy. THe cheese tasted disgusting. I ordered a salad too and they waited an HOUR until they told me that they had no lettuce. Then I asked where my pizza was twice and the jerk waiter kept telling me they started cooking it 7 minutes ago, over the next 1/2 hour. I was about to leave when the pizza was finally ready. The waiter was touching our pizza when he served it to me. Seriously? That is kind of gross. I am never going there again. It was the worse pizza I have ever had and it made me ill afterwards. I was mislead by positive Yelp reviews. I wonder if the other Yelp reviews are even real. My biggest regret was not leaving after 1 hour.
(1)Doreen L.
Not bad for a town this size. However, the food was better than expected and wine was okay. Service was a little slow especially since it was a small place and there were two servers. The place wasn't full either. One other negative was the way they determined your bill. They told you what you ordered and how much it cost, no itemized bill in hand. Also, they charged a gratuity for a table of six and didn't tell you about it before hand. A little sneaky I'd say. I guess this is how a small town does things!
(4)Ray F.
This is the best Italian food in the high desert. If you ever find yourself on the I-40 out in the middle of nowhere near Holbrook and in need for a cold drink and some pretty decent Italian food, this is the place. From the outside it might not look like much - but do yourself a favor and pull in, located right on the main drag in this tiny town. Mesa Italiana is a solid meal. Mesa Italiana has been serving up some great authentic Italian food on the high desert for years now, my first stop in here was close to twenty years ago now and the food has always been consistent. I have eaten in this little restaurant at least a dozen times over the years. With service that is friendly and inviting, you will be made to feel right at home once inside. Standard traditional Italian cuisine is the norm here ~ Manicotti, Spaghetti and Lasagna, as well as others are all on the menu - but my favorite has to be the Chicken Jerusalem with artichokes in true Tuscany style this is usually my go to dish while here and it has always been amazing. Highly recommend it. That along with some pretty decent garlic bread and good salads, and by high desert standards some of the best around, traditional Italian desserts and a decent wine selection by the bottle or glass - this is a solid restaurant and has been for years. You will most likely not be disappointed. After your dinner - be sure to step next door for an evening cocktail or libation (See Mesa Grill & Sports Bar review). A solid 4 star eatery - well worth the stop whenever you are in the high desert. 00234
(4)I H.
The food is simply good. The place is not fancy, but the wait staff is efficient, friendly and if you have good company and a glass or two of wine- this can be a great time! I did! I ordered the spaghetti with garlic and olive oil, yummy! The meatballs were all meat- which is always better than those wit a bunch of breading. I wish they had been a little more seasoned, some onion, garlic, oregano would have made them tastier. My husband had the eggplant Parmesan which he really enjoyed.
(4)Serina B.
This place was old school Italian. We had to wait for table because it was packed!! The smell of garlic just permeated the place! Manicotti was yum and my friend asked for chicken piccata and they said sure!!! Service was impeccable!
(5)Christina W.
We were passing through and looking for somewhere to grab dinner. We were a bit afraid to test this restaurant out because you never know how good will be in such small towns. (Or the atmosphere for that matter) My boyfriend and I were pleasantly surprised by how delicious our meals were. There wasn't an empty seat in the house when we arrived. The 10 minute wait was well worth it!
(4)David G.
Excellent friendly service, nice mixed salad with entrees, good reasonably priced wine list and complimentary garlic bread. Chicken Jerusalem was nicely prepared with tender chicken breast half and 3 shrimps with tender artichokes, very light butter sauce could have used more garlic. Kitchen sent orders out at random, not in any order, some tables received their meals while others who ordered earlier waited.
(4)Chelsea B.
We chose to eat here because it was the highest rated restaurant in the area (and we love Italian food). When we pulled up, the parking lot was noticeably fuller than anything else in the area. (Have you been to Holbrook? This is a really good sign.) The inside hasn't been updated recently (hello, 90's-esque rosy decor), but it was clean! Yay! We ordered stuffed shells and chicken parmigiana. Both plates came with salad and garlic bread. All of our food was delicious! Our entrees came steaming hot from the kitchen, and our drinks were refilled multiple times throughout our visit (without us having to ask... And I go through water like it's the 100m sprint). I'd highly recommend this restaurant. We definitely didn't feel like we settled on this restaurant-- we'd be frequent customers if we lived nearby! Thanks for a great dinner after a long day on the road!
(4)Stevie S.
Okay... Let me say I'm very impressed with this little restaurant. Our waitress, Tonia, was so sweet, attentive and informative! The kitchen was a little slow but it was WELL worth the wait!! Two thumbs up!!
(4)TJ S.
We were passing through Holbrook, AZ on June 25, 2015 and our not to mention hotel recommended this restaurant. We were really surprised with the great service and the quality of the food. I had the featured Lamb Chops and they were outstanding and plentiful. My wife had the Lasagna and says it was very good but not as good as her own, lol. We plan to go back on our way back through. Highly recommended for Holbrook.
(5)Megan N.
After several days of icky northern Arizona food, I almost cried after my meal. I felt human again. Real food not from a can! My chicken saltimbocca was a special for the evening, and the chicken was nicely breaded. The tomato sauce was fresh and tasty and the Alfredo sauce had a subtle but definite flavor to it. I find many alfredo sauces just taste like cream. The service was good, the portions big but not too big, and the bread crispy and garlicky. Overall, your best bet in Holbrook, and maybe even a few towns nearby!
(5)Jeanie K.
This restaurant is rather expensive for what you get. It's beautifully decorated. But the food is mediocre. Almost flavorless. The lasagna that I had tonight used grated Parmesan that you get that's like powder so that when I ate it, it was frothy in my mouth. Odd.
(2)Johnny T.
Craving Italian food after a long day at the national park, we stopped in for our first visit to the Mesa Restaurant. In a nutshell, this is your best bet for a nice quiet and delicious meal in Holbrook. Larry was our main server and he was the best. There were also two other young ladies who were very kind and attentive. The lasagna was terrific and my buddies Caesar salad and pizza were fine as well. He had the spaghetti and meatballs but said the portion of pasta could have been a bit larger. They have a full bar and ice cold beer. I had Birra Moretti. So refreshing. We noticed a couple of flies buzzing around but inside the place had table cloths covered in clear plastic and candles. What I liked was it was a quiet dining room even though it was quite full. On a Friday get in before 6 to avoid a wait. If you have a night or two in Holbrook, make this one of your stops!
(4)Barry S.
We thought the food was good here but they lost stars for poor service and tiny portions. The staff is not very friendly and do not appear to like their jobs. This results in poor service. For $16.95 I would have expected a larger portion of Veal Parmesan. There was a small salad served with it and some spaghetti - not a large amount. The bread wasn't very good My wife had the salmon picatta and it was also a very small portion. The food wasn't hot when it was delivered and we had to ask for our check. This place seems to make their money from the tourists since it is well located to many motels in town. I'm sure some locals do come here but we saw lots of people walking here from their motels. We won't be back.
(2)Daniel B.
After a long day of driving to Holbrook from Texas and eating sandwiches on the rode for lunch, me, my wife, and our three little boys were looking forward to a good hot meal at a restaurant. Apparently that is too much to ask in the little hamlet of Holbrook! We are food people so I won't focus much on service which was fine, although 18% gratuity is added automatically for 5 or more and for the scandalously high prices you pay here, that 18% adds up quick! So here's how it went: no kids menu items offered, I guess they are playing at fine dining and catering to kids is beneath them. So we order two orders of $9 chicken tenders (4 strips and an orange slice) and a half portion of spaghetti ($12) for the boys. Chicken strips were frozen and reheated of course with no fries or anything, I guess because it was an appetizer? Spaghetti was half portion and we got the small half. Wife and I ordered small Caesar salads ($6 each) and split a medium pizza ($17). We ordered sodas for the kids and iced tea for us for a grand drink total of $15 plus the $7 "beverage tax"??. Is this an Arizona thing? We still had to pay tax on the meal itself? Our salads were decent sized plates of ice-berg lettuce, feta, Parmesan, and croutons. Pizza was hugely disappointing! Tough flavorless crust, toppings were bland and undercooked. To their credit the mushrooms were fresh, not canned. But tasted like a frozen pizza otherwise. Most disappointing thing was the bill at the end, $94.00 after they included several "taxes" and the gratuity. Listen, we're not above forking over that kind of dough for really good food but come on? Last night at Texas Roadhouse in Lubbock we ate good steaks, delicious rolls with cinnamon butter, ribs, fries, kids' steaks, and salads, and including a 20% tip paid $60 total. Sad thing is, Mesa's comes highly recommended from the locals we spoke too. Either this whole town is in on this or they don't get out much. Can't wait to get out of the town of Holbrook.
(1)Rena T.
What a find Mesa Italiana was for us. After traveling for two days, we were tired and hungry and absolutely unwilling to eat at Subway or Denny's. We weren't sure what to expect - I mean, "authentic Italian food" out here in the middle of little ol' Holbrook, AZ?!? We were pleasantly surprised by the entire experience. The hostess and wait staff were very friendly. As someone who has dietary restrictions, I'm ALWAYS happy when my server knows the menu well enough to answer my questions without having to go ask. Our server knew the menu and made two excellent recommendations; Chicken Marsala and Chicken Jerusalem. Both were delicious. The salad was fresh, and the side of pasta was perfectly cooked, and they were kind enough to sub out the fettuccine alfredo for spaghetti algio olio for me. The garlic bread was also great - not cold, not room temp, not microwaved ... FRESH, and toasty and yummy. As an Italian, I'm hard pressed to eat Italian food out. This place is worth the stop. Don't waste your time eating fast food or Denny's, eat here. As for the reviews saying the portions are small and prices are high, to them I say, my husband and I both left full and happy. Was it more than we intended on paying for dinner on the road tonight? Yeah, maybe a few bucks. But, I'm all for supporting the local, family owned, hole in the wall and keeping them going. This place is cozy, friendly, clean, and the food is really good. Thank you, Mesa Italiana! We'll be back next time we come through the area!
(4)Vanessa A.
Not a great fan of this place. Went for our anniversary and were sorely disappointed. We both got salad, my husband's was drenched in dressing (soupy), ordered calamari for appetizer. Its was boiled, very rubbery in seasoned tomato sauce. Pretty bad. I got the Chicken Jerusalem which was pretty decent and husband got the salmon....not good. The food is not worth the price unfortunately. Waitresses were friendly but sometimes seemed frantic and unorganized.
(1)Christine S.
Just visited this restaurant for the third time and the food could not have been better! I had the stuffed Manicotti and my husband had the spaghetti with Italian sausage. The salad was also fresh and crisp the the garlic bread was absolutely delicious!!! We highly recommend this restaurant if you are in the mood for Italian Cuisine!!! Larry, you are the best!!!!
(5)Mary J.
Great find along Interstate 40! What a surprise it was to enjoy such a wonderful dinner in Holbrook - never would have expected this. I ordered Pasta Pomodoro w/ large shrimp - special of the evening. My husband had meat lasagne & we both thought our entrees were excellent. The tiramisu for dessert was also very good & didn't need the whipped cream. My only suggestion would be to improve the bread - it was too much like garlic toast. I'd eat here again.
(5)Amelia B.
Pretty authentic Italian! And an unexpected find in Holbrook. We walked down from the Best Western based on other reviews on Yelp and Trip Advisor... an actual wine list, good pizza, and pasta. We opted for pizza but the pasta smelled wonderful. The waiter was great, perfect service, and we couldn't resist the Spumoni ice cream at the end. Hadn't had Spumoni in years and it was delicious. Will definitely come back here if we're in Holbrook again to visit the Petrified Forest and desert.
(4)Albert K.
No fast food here. Nothing but complex sophisticated dishes backed by a good wine selection. She loves the scampi and she makes a great one herself. I shop the menu having peppers and sausage today. We have been in Holbrook twice and have been here both times. In Holbrook this is the only place I would go for dinner.
(5)Dan B.
We came here for our New Years Eve dinner. I had the calamari as usual. It was wonderful as usual. My entre was the veal picatta. This is the third time I have had this dish. It is very good. The service was not as good as usual, but it was a special night. They screwed up my reservation and we had to hang at the bar next door for twenty minutes. The food made up for the service.
(5)Carol O.
One side of this restaurant is a divey bar with scattered pool tables a few high top tables, a long bar and a couple TV's. Then you walk through a door and enter a nice little Italian restaurant with pale green tablecloths. The clear plastic that covered them kind of took the charm away though. Our waiter arrived and took our drink orders. Holbrook is a pretty small AZ town and so I was pretty sure they wouldn't know what a Rob Roy is - no offense meant. Anyway, I ordered a brandy manhattan and it was pretty decent. Our waiter brought us a basket of hot bread which always goes down well with a cocktail or glass of wine. We devoured that basket and asked for more. I thought the food was pretty good. I ordered a plain spaghetti in meat sauce. Sometimes you just want a simple pasta with a simple sauce and little bits of meat thrown in. It was tasty as was the fresh crispy salad. Our table talked about the upcoming Vikings Packer game and pretty soon one of the couples leaving the restaurant stopped by our table to exchange small talk about the game and Minnesota/Wisconsin in general. Before we left two or three other couple from MN/WI stopped to exchange pleasantries with us about the game and the frozen tundra we had all left behind. Lots of MN/WI patrons in the restaurant that night - stopping over at Holbrook and heading for the greater Phoenix area the next morning. Some of them maybe stayed at the Globetrotter Lodge (fantastic place) like we did. There was one big negative about the restaurant and I had to rate it a 3 because of that. Our table was right next to a door that led outside. The weather was in the 20's that evening so pretty darn chilly - more like MN than AZ. Anyway, people kept coming in that door and not being in any hurry to shut it. Brrr! The restaurant was filled up and the door kept opening and people just stood right behind us waiting for a table. Finally one of the waitresses shushed them into the bar and said she would call them as tables were ready. That took care of that group of people but they kept coming in and opening the door. One couple just grabbed a table that had opened up and even though it should have gone to someone waiting in the bar - they were allowed to sit down and order. They clearly need to get a better system. I would maybe go back again, but would definitely request a table as far from the offending door as possible.
(3)Amanda T.
Found this place on Yelp during a road trip. The pasta was great and the pizza. The service was great and the atmosphere. I love the Spaghetti. Now when ever I am passing through I make a point to stop here. Usually going though small towns, I try to eat brand name chain restaurants. I am so happy I took a chance and ate here.
(5)Ann C.
Hearty red sauce Italian dishes, good salads with the entrees, cozy place, very friendly service. Looks quite modest outside but they have made a pleasant, homey atmosphere. Best place to eat in Holbrook.
(5)Jim P.
Mixed review. They were busy and seemed unable to keep up w about 70% capacity. Service was not very attentive ; on the other hand the Fettuchini Alfredo was wonderful and the spaghetti and garlic and oil was good. Prices are good and... Let's face it they're in the middle of freakin nowhere. So given that -- hey I'd recommend this place. The local Sedona Oak Creek brewing co Amber Ale was malty and sweet; some might like it.
(3)I H.
The food is simply good. The place is not fancy, but the wait staff is efficient, friendly and if you have good company and a glass or two of wine- this can be a great time! I did! I ordered the spaghetti with garlic and olive oil, yummy! The meatballs were all meat- which is always better than those wit a bunch of breading. I wish they had been a little more seasoned, some onion, garlic, oregano would have made them tastier. My husband had the eggplant Parmesan which he really enjoyed.
(4)Serina B.
This place was old school Italian. We had to wait for table because it was packed!! The smell of garlic just permeated the place! Manicotti was yum and my friend asked for chicken piccata and they said sure!!! Service was impeccable!
(5)David G.
Excellent friendly service, nice mixed salad with entrees, good reasonably priced wine list and complimentary garlic bread. Chicken Jerusalem was nicely prepared with tender chicken breast half and 3 shrimps with tender artichokes, very light butter sauce could have used more garlic. Kitchen sent orders out at random, not in any order, some tables received their meals while others who ordered earlier waited.
(4)Beth C.
Went here at the recommendation of Yelp reviews. Our waiter (Larry) was wonderful. The bread was delicious, the salads were fresh and chilled. The lasagna was delicious. The Veal Parmesan was delicious! If you have to go to Holbrook, eat here.
(3)Aaron S.
Found driving through town. First place tha looked appetizing in town. Walked through the doors to an aroma that sent my mouth a twitter. Lunch specials for 8.95 nice size portions with salad and fresh bread. Worth the swing off the highway. Will be back next time in Holbrook.
(5)David D.
We knew we were overnighting in Holbrook, Az. on the Great SW Road Trip this week so I Yelped ever restaurant here. I was happy to find mostly strong reviews of Mesa among the rest of the mediocre to bad reviews of other places in Holbrook. The reviews didn't lie folks. Thursday night, and a packed house, only 2 tables of 17(?) unoccupied. Let's talk the downside first, service was slow. Period. 2 waiters, 14-15 tables will do that. OK, that's a negative that only outstanding food can correct, and correct it it did. Perfect little house salad with a creamy dreamy Italian dressing with deliciously chewy (just like we like it) bread. Oh yea, wine, by the galss? Totally ordinary selections, but, very low prices and ours was fine and nearly a steal ($6.50/glass) for the money. Chicken and Eggplant followed with a rich tomato sauce covering spaghetti. Absolutely delicious. Chicken really flattened out good, fried quickly and crisply with almost no grease. Cheesecake excellent. Oh yea, one reviewer said he found a fly in his order of fried shrimp and BBQ ribs. Neither items are on the menu, possibly he reviewed the wrong restaurant as there are a BUNCH of "fly in the food" looking joints here.
(5)Ray F.
This is the best Italian food in the high desert. If you ever find yourself on the I-40 out in the middle of nowhere near Holbrook and in need for a cold drink and some pretty decent Italian food, this is the place. From the outside it might not look like much - but do yourself a favor and pull in, located right on the main drag in this tiny town. Mesa Italiana is a solid meal. Mesa Italiana has been serving up some great authentic Italian food on the high desert for years now, my first stop in here was close to twenty years ago now and the food has always been consistent. I have eaten in this little restaurant at least a dozen times over the years. With service that is friendly and inviting, you will be made to feel right at home once inside. Standard traditional Italian cuisine is the norm here ~ Manicotti, Spaghetti and Lasagna, as well as others are all on the menu - but my favorite has to be the Chicken Jerusalem with artichokes in true Tuscany style this is usually my go to dish while here and it has always been amazing. Highly recommend it. That along with some pretty decent garlic bread and good salads, and by high desert standards some of the best around, traditional Italian desserts and a decent wine selection by the bottle or glass - this is a solid restaurant and has been for years. You will most likely not be disappointed. After your dinner - be sure to step next door for an evening cocktail or libation (See Mesa Grill & Sports Bar review). A solid 4 star eatery - well worth the stop whenever you are in the high desert. 00234
(4)Christina W.
We were passing through and looking for somewhere to grab dinner. We were a bit afraid to test this restaurant out because you never know how good will be in such small towns. (Or the atmosphere for that matter) My boyfriend and I were pleasantly surprised by how delicious our meals were. There wasn't an empty seat in the house when we arrived. The 10 minute wait was well worth it!
(4)Chelsea B.
We chose to eat here because it was the highest rated restaurant in the area (and we love Italian food). When we pulled up, the parking lot was noticeably fuller than anything else in the area. (Have you been to Holbrook? This is a really good sign.) The inside hasn't been updated recently (hello, 90's-esque rosy decor), but it was clean! Yay! We ordered stuffed shells and chicken parmigiana. Both plates came with salad and garlic bread. All of our food was delicious! Our entrees came steaming hot from the kitchen, and our drinks were refilled multiple times throughout our visit (without us having to ask... And I go through water like it's the 100m sprint). I'd highly recommend this restaurant. We definitely didn't feel like we settled on this restaurant-- we'd be frequent customers if we lived nearby! Thanks for a great dinner after a long day on the road!
(4)Stevie S.
Okay... Let me say I'm very impressed with this little restaurant. Our waitress, Tonia, was so sweet, attentive and informative! The kitchen was a little slow but it was WELL worth the wait!! Two thumbs up!!
(4)TJ S.
We were passing through Holbrook, AZ on June 25, 2015 and our not to mention hotel recommended this restaurant. We were really surprised with the great service and the quality of the food. I had the featured Lamb Chops and they were outstanding and plentiful. My wife had the Lasagna and says it was very good but not as good as her own, lol. We plan to go back on our way back through. Highly recommended for Holbrook.
(5)Megan N.
After several days of icky northern Arizona food, I almost cried after my meal. I felt human again. Real food not from a can! My chicken saltimbocca was a special for the evening, and the chicken was nicely breaded. The tomato sauce was fresh and tasty and the Alfredo sauce had a subtle but definite flavor to it. I find many alfredo sauces just taste like cream. The service was good, the portions big but not too big, and the bread crispy and garlicky. Overall, your best bet in Holbrook, and maybe even a few towns nearby!
(5)Jeanie K.
This restaurant is rather expensive for what you get. It's beautifully decorated. But the food is mediocre. Almost flavorless. The lasagna that I had tonight used grated Parmesan that you get that's like powder so that when I ate it, it was frothy in my mouth. Odd.
(2)Johnny T.
Craving Italian food after a long day at the national park, we stopped in for our first visit to the Mesa Restaurant. In a nutshell, this is your best bet for a nice quiet and delicious meal in Holbrook. Larry was our main server and he was the best. There were also two other young ladies who were very kind and attentive. The lasagna was terrific and my buddies Caesar salad and pizza were fine as well. He had the spaghetti and meatballs but said the portion of pasta could have been a bit larger. They have a full bar and ice cold beer. I had Birra Moretti. So refreshing. We noticed a couple of flies buzzing around but inside the place had table cloths covered in clear plastic and candles. What I liked was it was a quiet dining room even though it was quite full. On a Friday get in before 6 to avoid a wait. If you have a night or two in Holbrook, make this one of your stops!
(4)Barry S.
We thought the food was good here but they lost stars for poor service and tiny portions. The staff is not very friendly and do not appear to like their jobs. This results in poor service. For $16.95 I would have expected a larger portion of Veal Parmesan. There was a small salad served with it and some spaghetti - not a large amount. The bread wasn't very good My wife had the salmon picatta and it was also a very small portion. The food wasn't hot when it was delivered and we had to ask for our check. This place seems to make their money from the tourists since it is well located to many motels in town. I'm sure some locals do come here but we saw lots of people walking here from their motels. We won't be back.
(2)R R.
My wife and I just drove through Holbrook to make sure this restaurant was still here. I was here back in 2009 and the linguini and red clam sauce was spectacular back then!!! The pasta was perfectly al dente, the olive oil was just enough and the clams tastes so fresh. Even the garlic was just right. My Italian in-laws have been here several times over the years and have loved it. This restaurant is a complete surprise with elegant dining and he BEST linguini and red clam sauce I've ever had, out in the middle of nowhere.
(5)Ryan R.
This is the best place in town for food. There isn't much to the town except motels anda couple of eateries. My wife and I brought the kids and we were promptly seated. The food was better than expected and the service was timely. Definitely recommend if you are passing through.
(4)Daniel B.
After a long day of driving to Holbrook from Texas and eating sandwiches on the rode for lunch, me, my wife, and our three little boys were looking forward to a good hot meal at a restaurant. Apparently that is too much to ask in the little hamlet of Holbrook! We are food people so I won't focus much on service which was fine, although 18% gratuity is added automatically for 5 or more and for the scandalously high prices you pay here, that 18% adds up quick! So here's how it went: no kids menu items offered, I guess they are playing at fine dining and catering to kids is beneath them. So we order two orders of $9 chicken tenders (4 strips and an orange slice) and a half portion of spaghetti ($12) for the boys. Chicken strips were frozen and reheated of course with no fries or anything, I guess because it was an appetizer? Spaghetti was half portion and we got the small half. Wife and I ordered small Caesar salads ($6 each) and split a medium pizza ($17). We ordered sodas for the kids and iced tea for us for a grand drink total of $15 plus the $7 "beverage tax"??. Is this an Arizona thing? We still had to pay tax on the meal itself? Our salads were decent sized plates of ice-berg lettuce, feta, Parmesan, and croutons. Pizza was hugely disappointing! Tough flavorless crust, toppings were bland and undercooked. To their credit the mushrooms were fresh, not canned. But tasted like a frozen pizza otherwise. Most disappointing thing was the bill at the end, $94.00 after they included several "taxes" and the gratuity. Listen, we're not above forking over that kind of dough for really good food but come on? Last night at Texas Roadhouse in Lubbock we ate good steaks, delicious rolls with cinnamon butter, ribs, fries, kids' steaks, and salads, and including a 20% tip paid $60 total. Sad thing is, Mesa's comes highly recommended from the locals we spoke too. Either this whole town is in on this or they don't get out much. Can't wait to get out of the town of Holbrook.
(1)Sharon D.
Perfect artichoke appetizer, really good calamari, fantastic veal dishes. Surprise find on a trip through Arizona. Even though the store was super busy the Thursday we went, service was really good.
(5)Roman R.
Delicious food!! The chicken parmesan was a thick cut lightly breaded with just the right amount of sauce and a thin layer of mozzarella cheese. I was really impressed with the dish. The pasta was excellent. I finished my plate without feeling over stuffed but just right. You must visit Mesa if you are in Holbrook, AZ, you will not be disapointed.
(5)Rena T.
What a find Mesa Italiana was for us. After traveling for two days, we were tired and hungry and absolutely unwilling to eat at Subway or Denny's. We weren't sure what to expect - I mean, "authentic Italian food" out here in the middle of little ol' Holbrook, AZ?!? We were pleasantly surprised by the entire experience. The hostess and wait staff were very friendly. As someone who has dietary restrictions, I'm ALWAYS happy when my server knows the menu well enough to answer my questions without having to go ask. Our server knew the menu and made two excellent recommendations; Chicken Marsala and Chicken Jerusalem. Both were delicious. The salad was fresh, and the side of pasta was perfectly cooked, and they were kind enough to sub out the fettuccine alfredo for spaghetti algio olio for me. The garlic bread was also great - not cold, not room temp, not microwaved ... FRESH, and toasty and yummy. As an Italian, I'm hard pressed to eat Italian food out. This place is worth the stop. Don't waste your time eating fast food or Denny's, eat here. As for the reviews saying the portions are small and prices are high, to them I say, my husband and I both left full and happy. Was it more than we intended on paying for dinner on the road tonight? Yeah, maybe a few bucks. But, I'm all for supporting the local, family owned, hole in the wall and keeping them going. This place is cozy, friendly, clean, and the food is really good. Thank you, Mesa Italiana! We'll be back next time we come through the area!
(4)Christine S.
Just visited this restaurant for the third time and the food could not have been better! I had the stuffed Manicotti and my husband had the spaghetti with Italian sausage. The salad was also fresh and crisp the the garlic bread was absolutely delicious!!! We highly recommend this restaurant if you are in the mood for Italian Cuisine!!! Larry, you are the best!!!!
(5)Mary J.
Great find along Interstate 40! What a surprise it was to enjoy such a wonderful dinner in Holbrook - never would have expected this. I ordered Pasta Pomodoro w/ large shrimp - special of the evening. My husband had meat lasagne & we both thought our entrees were excellent. The tiramisu for dessert was also very good & didn't need the whipped cream. My only suggestion would be to improve the bread - it was too much like garlic toast. I'd eat here again.
(5)Amelia B.
Pretty authentic Italian! And an unexpected find in Holbrook. We walked down from the Best Western based on other reviews on Yelp and Trip Advisor... an actual wine list, good pizza, and pasta. We opted for pizza but the pasta smelled wonderful. The waiter was great, perfect service, and we couldn't resist the Spumoni ice cream at the end. Hadn't had Spumoni in years and it was delicious. Will definitely come back here if we're in Holbrook again to visit the Petrified Forest and desert.
(4)Vanessa A.
Not a great fan of this place. Went for our anniversary and were sorely disappointed. We both got salad, my husband's was drenched in dressing (soupy), ordered calamari for appetizer. Its was boiled, very rubbery in seasoned tomato sauce. Pretty bad. I got the Chicken Jerusalem which was pretty decent and husband got the salmon....not good. The food is not worth the price unfortunately. Waitresses were friendly but sometimes seemed frantic and unorganized.
(1)Carol O.
One side of this restaurant is a divey bar with scattered pool tables a few high top tables, a long bar and a couple TV's. Then you walk through a door and enter a nice little Italian restaurant with pale green tablecloths. The clear plastic that covered them kind of took the charm away though. Our waiter arrived and took our drink orders. Holbrook is a pretty small AZ town and so I was pretty sure they wouldn't know what a Rob Roy is - no offense meant. Anyway, I ordered a brandy manhattan and it was pretty decent. Our waiter brought us a basket of hot bread which always goes down well with a cocktail or glass of wine. We devoured that basket and asked for more. I thought the food was pretty good. I ordered a plain spaghetti in meat sauce. Sometimes you just want a simple pasta with a simple sauce and little bits of meat thrown in. It was tasty as was the fresh crispy salad. Our table talked about the upcoming Vikings Packer game and pretty soon one of the couples leaving the restaurant stopped by our table to exchange small talk about the game and Minnesota/Wisconsin in general. Before we left two or three other couple from MN/WI stopped to exchange pleasantries with us about the game and the frozen tundra we had all left behind. Lots of MN/WI patrons in the restaurant that night - stopping over at Holbrook and heading for the greater Phoenix area the next morning. Some of them maybe stayed at the Globetrotter Lodge (fantastic place) like we did. There was one big negative about the restaurant and I had to rate it a 3 because of that. Our table was right next to a door that led outside. The weather was in the 20's that evening so pretty darn chilly - more like MN than AZ. Anyway, people kept coming in that door and not being in any hurry to shut it. Brrr! The restaurant was filled up and the door kept opening and people just stood right behind us waiting for a table. Finally one of the waitresses shushed them into the bar and said she would call them as tables were ready. That took care of that group of people but they kept coming in and opening the door. One couple just grabbed a table that had opened up and even though it should have gone to someone waiting in the bar - they were allowed to sit down and order. They clearly need to get a better system. I would maybe go back again, but would definitely request a table as far from the offending door as possible.
(3)Arthur S.
This was an incredible experience from beginning to end. The service was fast & friendly in a very clean restaurant. This is authentic Italian food at it's best. As stated by others the garlic bread is great but that is only the beginning. We started with the calamari, on to a house salad, ravioli and eggplant Parma. The red sauce reminded me of what I had often growing up in NY. Finished with a canolli! I am a non drinker so the no alcohol Becks was a unexpected surprise. This is grand slam no matter what city or state you are from!
(5)Pam V.
We were pleasantly surprised tonight to find a great restaurant in Holbrook. My husband had fishy things on a bed of pasta with homemade sauce...delicious. The white sauce on my homemade pasta was the best I have had. Larry our server certainly made our visit fun. There were several other couples traveling through Holbrook who were happy repeat customers. The Zinfandel wine was also good. Delicious food and great service! We will definitely stop again when traveling through Holbrook.
(5)Abigail P.
Delicious! A quality restaurant on an otherwise empty strip of highway. Lovely staff, reasonable prices, great menu and tastes. My husband and I had been driving for three days solely on fast food, and Mesa Italiana was the answer to our prayers. Reasonable prices, great portions, retro decor (that's the nice way to put up), but air-conditioned and hospitable. We could not have been happier. Highly recommended. PS: We got the manicotti with meat sauce and stuffed mushrooms--both were tantalizing. Hot, saucy, and satisfying.
(5)M R.
It was soo horrible! I had to wait an hour and a half for a soggy pizza and the bread was greasy. THe cheese tasted disgusting. I ordered a salad too and they waited an HOUR until they told me that they had no lettuce. Then I asked where my pizza was twice and the jerk waiter kept telling me they started cooking it 7 minutes ago, over the next 1/2 hour. I was about to leave when the pizza was finally ready. The waiter was touching our pizza when he served it to me. Seriously? That is kind of gross. I am never going there again. It was the worse pizza I have ever had and it made me ill afterwards. I was mislead by positive Yelp reviews. I wonder if the other Yelp reviews are even real. My biggest regret was not leaving after 1 hour.
(1)Doreen L.
Not bad for a town this size. However, the food was better than expected and wine was okay. Service was a little slow especially since it was a small place and there were two servers. The place wasn't full either. One other negative was the way they determined your bill. They told you what you ordered and how much it cost, no itemized bill in hand. Also, they charged a gratuity for a table of six and didn't tell you about it before hand. A little sneaky I'd say. I guess this is how a small town does things!
(4)Verna G.
We went here at a toss of the coin. We have been eating the past week on a Colorado to California round trip road trip on Yelp reviews only. This was the best rated for Holbrook so we tried it. Tacky plastic covered tables to start with. I looked past that, hubby didn't. We ordered the Calamari appetizer which tasted good considering we are in AZ. Tomato sauce was fresh tasting. Salad was way overdressed iceberg lettuce. Ordered the Veal picatta Usually you can cut veal with a fork not here it required a knife and a little effort. The sauce was good. Cannoli for desert was very hard but the flavor was good. Had to use a knife to break the shell service was fair. We were not told there was a special. For the limited choices this is probably the best choice for the price which was high
(2)Mercedes B.
A nice homey Italian restaurant in an unexpected place, Holbrook, AZ. Very good veal piccata. Attentive service and reasonable prices. Overall, my husband and I had an enjoyable experience.
(3)Jen S.
We found this place on our GPS as we were driving along 1-40, starving, hoping to Zeus we'd find a place to eat. This was pretty much the only restaurant that came up on our GPS as we were desperately finding a place to eat in the middle of NOWHEREVILLE (East Cost mentality!). So we were happy to find this place. It's right next to a stereotypical western-style saloon. This made us East Coasters VERY happy- seeing this saloon with motorcycles in front. Anyway, on to Mesa Italiana So similar to what Dave B. Said- it's a fancy place in Holbrook IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. Cloth napkins were a nice surprise. I don't even remember what I got. I was so damn tired. Stuffed mushrooms? YES! Stuffed mushrooms! They were quite yummy. It came bubbling hot. The stuffed mushrooms have chicken, spinach and Parmesan cheese. Oh yum the memories! My friend however wasn't happy with her chicken fingers and fries. But then again, who goes to an Italian place for chicken fingers and fries?! My hub got spaghetti and Italian sausage. He really enjoyed his meal. The service was great. Getting IN was confusing though. We thought it was closed so we went into the bar area, and then we were lead back into the restaurant. So 1-40 drivers, if you stop here for an exhausted dinner, just open the first door to the restaurant, even if it says it's closed...that is if you see PEOPLE in there. If you don't see people and the restaurant is closed, you might as well cry because there is seriously nothing nothing nothing around. Thanks Mesa Italiana for the yummy meal on our way to the Grand Canyon! :)
(3)Dave B.
A fancy place in Holbrook (i.e. in the middle of nowhere)?!? Yep it's true! Like cloth napkins and shit! Who knew?! I had a pepperoni pizza and is was GOOD! Totally unexpected on both accounts.
(4)Toni Marie P.
My boyfriend and I stopped for the night in Holbrook a few weeks ago. This place was vey close to our motel. After reading the reviews, we decided to eat here. I'm Italian and I have to say that I was very impressed by the food and the service. I wish we had a place like this close to my house. The sauce is very good and the bread also. If we pass through Holbrook we will definitely eat here again.
(4)Mary S.
Driving across country and spent the night in Holbrook because there is a hotel there with an indoor pool so the grandkids could swim in spite of thunderstorms in the area. We went to Mesa Italiana because everybody likes Italian, right? Wrong. My Pasta Pomadoro was fine and eldest grandson declared his pizza "fantastic". However, my daughter's Chicken Alfredo was swimming in a watery sauce and the texture of the chicken made it inedible. Grandson #2 was not eating his spaghetti and meatballs and finally, in response to his mother's urging that he do so, said that the meatballs tasted bad. In order to call his bluff, my daughter took a bite of the offending meatball and promptly (and discretely) spit it out. It is important that you understand that we are not picky people. We were not the problem. It was the food! Our server was very nice and helpful and since a woman at a table nearby had already semi-loudly addressed her displeasure with her meal with the man, I decided to fill out their satisfaction survey instead of unloading on him. I left my name and phone number on the survey inviting the owner or manager to call and discuss the issues I had listed and never heard from 'em. Holdbrook does not have a lot of options for dining but it does have some. I suggest you give one of them a try.
(2)John R.
A diamond in the rough. Had left the Painted Desert Park starving on Good Friday. With the help of Yelp, we found this restaurant in the small town of Holbrook. Started with the eggplant. Delicious even to my picky eater. Great cesear salad. I had pasta, one had cheese ravioli, one had fried shrimp, and one had shrimp scampi. We all devoured our meals. The biggest surprise was the freshness of the ingredients. We live in Tampa FL and this restaurant would thrive by us. My only negative was the cheese ravioli's cost. $14.95 for 5 large pieces with a cesear salad upgrade from the house salad was a little steep. Otherwise I thought the costs were on target. The staff is very attentive as well.
(5)Greta G.
While the waitress started out a bit cool and distracted acting, she warmed up after I praised the angel winged softness and lightness of the garlic bread. I never thought I would have linguine with clams and white sauce in rural Arizona, but boy I sure had some here and loved it. The lunch is very reasonable, $8.95 with a full selection of different pasta dishes with salad and garlic bread. The salad was fresh romaine, very crisp. Oh, that lunch saved my life after a long drive from Canyon de Chelly. The street that the restaurant (one of the main drags of Holbrook) seemed nearly deserted. All the more to treasure this place. The only other guests commented to the waitress how they come through the area only once a year and they always stop at Mesa Italiana.
(4)stuart j.
This is definately as good as it gets in Holbrook. I was very surprised to have this kind of quality italian food in such a small town. I had their special the night I was there with jumbo gulf shrimp and fresh tomato sauce, and it was extremely tasty. I will definately go back to this palce again if I ever make it up there again.
(5)Josh W.
Great Italian food. They have large portions but they can split it or do a half portions. They only have one or two severs serving the whole restaurant. We took a whole group there for dinner and they still served us quick.
(5)Eduardo C.
The Baked eggplant with fresh tomato and mozzarella was a good way to start the meal. The sauce, ever so important at an Italian restaurant is rich and tastes like it's made in-house. Pasta Combo comes with Lasagna, manicotti, and stuffed shell. Although the serving is small for the price, it is a satisfying entree, particularly because of the sauce. The meat inside the lasagna had an almost earthy taste, which worked well with the ricotta cheese, red sauce, and mozzarella. I for one, like the meat in lasagna/ravioli to contrast with the sauce, and it definitely does, though it could probably use a bit of seasoning. Meal came with cheap salad and garlic bread. The service, at least this night, was attentive. Many of the main entrees are a bit pricy for what you get, and anyone would be annoyed by the one dollar CC service charge, so I would normally rate this restaurant 3 stars, but given the desolate location it's in, it's easily one of the best places to eat in Holbrook, so I award it 4 stars.
(4)Donna B.
The restaurant was being remodeled when we were there. June 17, 2013 We had to eat in the bar area ... The waitress forgot our drinks. We couldn't find anything on the menu that was reasonably priced for what we considered bar food. Retro is a very nice way of saying Budweiser signs everywhere... We finally decided to just order fries and a slice of pizza... thinking that may be safe... The fries were hard and greasy... appearing that they had been double dipped in the fryer... and the pizza crust was difficult to chew and did not taste good at all... all this after having to wait an hr for our food...we followed the reviews from others here and were very disappointed.
(1)Jon F.
Good Italian food for a small town. Service was a little slow.
(4)T D.
After spending a chilly day at Painted Desert/Petrified Forest, we used Yelp to find a restaurant in Holbrook. Our group was hungry for a good, hot meal. Dined on a Monday ~4pm. We were seated on restaurant side. Staff very friendly and attentive. Good selection of drinks. Great coffee! Basic salad with hot garlic bread. Veal Parmigiana and Chicken parmigiana were very good. Hot molten lava cake - delicious! Pleasantly surprised with this local restaurant in a fairly remote area. Would stop again.
(4)Gary P.
Service wasn't the fastest but that was okay food was excellent price was fair with most definitely would go back again and again. A very nice neat clean looking place. We were there on a Saturday night.
(4)Mary R.
We look forward to this last stop on our way to Mesa, AZ from northern MN each year. The food at Mesa Italian is outstanding & the atmosphere is classy with white tablecloths etc. Service is good & pleasant, the menu extensive & reasonably priced. A very popular restaurant as evidenced by tables continuing to fill with happy diners.
(5)Edward R.
"That's a spiceeeeyy meeeeaaataaa ballll" - Jim Carey (Movie: The Mask) *You're suppose to laugh! lol Great food, had the Angel hair pasta w/ Salmon! The garlic bread was great and the service was great!
(5)Jenn T.
During our stay in Holbrook, we randomly picked this place simply by driving up and down the 2 main drags in town. We were surprised to discover that this place was packed upon our arrival and were got one of the last tables. The interior and exterior decor is dated and run down, but it seemed like of of the nicer places in town to eat. The salads were crisp and fresh and we were also suprised at the quality of our entrees, but overall our meal was not memorable. The service wasn't great (we weren't told about the specials and my tea glass sat empty for way too long), but it doesn't have to be considering the surroundings. If I were passing through Holbrook again, I would consider a second dining experience.
(3)Cecilia T.
This place is not very good. My husband got the Castelloni which was two pasta rolls dowsed in cream sauce and basically tasted like a WET SOCK - I'm not even kidding you. The menu described it as "fresh vegetables" and it was like a puree of veggies in a cheesy concoction wrapped in a pasta crepe crowned in cream sauce. I had the Chicken Jersusalem which was not worth the $16.50 I paid for it. It was a bland sauce with ok veggies of mushroom, artichoke and other items. The house salad was ok except the house dressing of creamy Italian was a bit sour. Unfortunately it might be the only decent-looking sit down Italian restaurant that Holbrook AZ has to offer so if you want to avoid any shady looking restaurants, I guess you have to come here. We didn't get food poisoning. Just know that for the quality of food you are receiving, you're paying a premium.
(1)Robert M.
sat in the bar area adjacent to the restaurant. several varities of bottled beer (only bud lite on tap), selection of wines and full liquor bar. couple of local beers. had spaghetti w/ tomato sauce one night and with garlic and olive oil the next. both served with salad and priced at $13 & $12 respectively. both were good and service was friendly and efficient. there are few places to eat in holbrook and luckily this is a place with beer and decent food. happy trails.
(4)Charlie S.
I am not a fan of Italian food so I ordered a ribeye steak which was quite tasty. I recommend this place if staying in Holbrook as it has fast friendly service and good American food at least.
(3)Laurie E.
Yum! Didn't expect to find such tasty Italian here.
(4)Fred M.
Native American Indians own and cook at this fine Italian restaurant!!! I had pasta with one meatball and one Italian sausage. The pasta was cooked perfact, firm; the sausage was spicy like it should be, but the meatball was not like my mothers'. The bar is long, full service, country music, pool tabled, large TV screened, cowboy/trucking good. The separate dinning room is for older and quieter folks. With a shot of tequila and two Coronas it came to $33...not bad.
(4)Dr. K.
Food was good, price was okay, service was really slow. Compared to the alternatives, I might go back just because everything else around looks like fast-food or bug-infested.
(3)Matt J.
*Sigh*... Where do i start... Our waitress was overly trying to hard... It was really annoying. She was "trying" to speak like she was working in a 5 star restaurant and the painted concrete block walls constantly reminded us we weren't. First off... I ordered a beer and she poured it into a glass. After she was done, right in front of me, she was picking something off the rim of the glass.. Something stuck it... Ok, gross... But I'll let it slide. Second, the seafood linguine I had... Disgusting. The white sauce was just nasty and I couldn't eat it. Even the scallops and shrimp were obviously cooked in the sauce so nothing had any flavor to it except for this gross sauce. The girlfriend had the Chicken Piccata and it was weird too. The white wine lemon butter sauce had a thickener in it. So the sauce was like gravy with capers in it. I'm sure for a small town it was good, but I just couldn't get over the food quality. Especially for the prices. Mine was $20 and I couldn't even eat it.
(2)Kat C.
They earned a star for friendly service and (albeit, overpriced) alcohol. Beyond that, we were going to stay for dinner, and then we saw the food. If you are one of those people that insists the Olive Garden is the 'La Salsa' of Mexican, you would be BEGGING for the OLove Garden after you saw this food! Grocery store frozen pizza would be a better bet. salad = ice berg + 1/2 c ranch. Pizza looked on-par with microwave 7/11 fare. Bottom line? Drink here because I'm not sure where else there is, as for all the resturaunts we investigated in this town, eat at Denny's!
(2)Joel Barb S.
Great Italian food. Wish we were hungrier because everything looked delicious.
(4)Rachel C.
Found this place passing thru from Las Vegas to Colorado (the long way), and we were surprised by how good it was. The capellini pomodoro was very good.
(4)Lee P.
Bottom line: food good, service bad. I had the linguini with clams. I ordered the red sauce but received the white sauce. As it was a to go order I was stuck with it but it was very good. My girlfriend ordered the spaghetti with Italian sausage and it was good but the spaghetti needed to be cooked a little longer. I had a tartufo dessert that was outstanding. Unfortunately, they forgot to include it in the box so we had to make a second trip to pick it up.
(3)Sandra L.
This restaurant was actually my first Yelp find. This is a great place to eat. Actual table linens, the works. We got there at closing time, and they still seated us and the service was great. After talking to the waitress, we were on the "tourist" side of the place. The "other" side was the sports bar, bar food type place. Next time we will go to the "other" side. Great place, good wine, great service
(4)randy h.
The price was a bit high for the ambiance nut the food was quite good.
(4)laurence z.
quite good (calamari are delicious) , but not a very nice place to eat
(3)Dana K.
Service was slow and it was more expensive than we had expected. Food was good, though.
(3)Patricia B.
THERE WAS A HUGE BLACK FLY! D: My family ate here on 8/20/15. (carryout) We ordered BBQ ribs, a fried shrimp basket, chicken fettuccine, and for dessert tiramisu. They forgot to put the tiramisu in our bag... but everything else was there. Everything was delicious but as my mother came closer to the bottom of her dish she saw a black thing, she though it was a big piece of pepper, or a burnt piece of chicken but then SHE SAW THE WINGS! Now that is disgusting, we will never stop here again. The total was $60 (+tip) which included an okay dinner with no dessert and a HUGE BLACK FLY!
(1)Kelly M.
Veggie pizza and Caesar salad were both very good. The garlic bread was delicious! Quick wait time for take out orders. Such a nice change compared with the standard diet of mediocre burgers found when driving cross country!
(4)Albert K.
No fast food here. Nothing but complex sophisticated dishes backed by a good wine selection. She loves the scampi and she makes a great one herself. I shop the menu having peppers and sausage today. We have been in Holbrook twice and have been here both times. In Holbrook this is the only place I would go for dinner.
(5)Dan B.
We came here for our New Years Eve dinner. I had the calamari as usual. It was wonderful as usual. My entre was the veal picatta. This is the third time I have had this dish. It is very good. The service was not as good as usual, but it was a special night. They screwed up my reservation and we had to hang at the bar next door for twenty minutes. The food made up for the service.
(5)Danielle J.
We drove cross country moving from CA to MO. We stopped in Holbrook for the night just to stay at the Wigwam Motel. The town is very small and many businesses appeared to be vacant (tip: call first when you find one on yelp or trip advisor before heading there to make sure it is still open). This review is written for these small town restaurants which are in a league of their own, not in comparison to Italian restaurants in medium-sized to larger cities. We had seen great reviews on both user-based sites for Mesa, an Italian restaurant. It's one of those places that you cannot judge from the outside (or inside for that matter). We went with full trust in fellow travelers). We parked and I thought, "I'm not sure about this place." When we walked inside, I thought, "I'm really not sure about this place." The staff greeted us and was very friendly and seated us right away. Tonia was our server and she was outstanding. I ordered the manicotti (13.95) -simple, two pieces, maybe a tad overpriced. It was just as good as any other Italian restaurant. My husband got the Mesa Combo (MVP) pizza (14.95 small) and it was fantastic. I wanted dessert and ordered the hot molten lava cake (5.50) per Tonia's recommendation. It was totally worth the extra calories! The staff was very friendly overall. A HUGE group of tourists came in (~24) with varying levels of English comprehension so it was a bit chaotic as they were at different tables and one woman was back and forth translating orders. The server, Tonia, also serve them and was very patient. They literally filled up the rest of the open tables in the restaurant. If you find yourself in Holbrook, I recommend Mesa.
(4)Abigail P.
Delicious! A quality restaurant on an otherwise empty strip of highway. Lovely staff, reasonable prices, great menu and tastes. My husband and I had been driving for three days solely on fast food, and Mesa Italiana was the answer to our prayers. Reasonable prices, great portions, retro decor (that's the nice way to put up), but air-conditioned and hospitable. We could not have been happier. Highly recommended. PS: We got the manicotti with meat sauce and stuffed mushrooms--both were tantalizing. Hot, saucy, and satisfying.
(5)M R.
It was soo horrible! I had to wait an hour and a half for a soggy pizza and the bread was greasy. THe cheese tasted disgusting. I ordered a salad too and they waited an HOUR until they told me that they had no lettuce. Then I asked where my pizza was twice and the jerk waiter kept telling me they started cooking it 7 minutes ago, over the next 1/2 hour. I was about to leave when the pizza was finally ready. The waiter was touching our pizza when he served it to me. Seriously? That is kind of gross. I am never going there again. It was the worse pizza I have ever had and it made me ill afterwards. I was mislead by positive Yelp reviews. I wonder if the other Yelp reviews are even real. My biggest regret was not leaving after 1 hour.
(1)Sharon D.
Perfect artichoke appetizer, really good calamari, fantastic veal dishes. Surprise find on a trip through Arizona. Even though the store was super busy the Thursday we went, service was really good.
(5)Roman R.
Delicious food!! The chicken parmesan was a thick cut lightly breaded with just the right amount of sauce and a thin layer of mozzarella cheese. I was really impressed with the dish. The pasta was excellent. I finished my plate without feeling over stuffed but just right. You must visit Mesa if you are in Holbrook, AZ, you will not be disapointed.
(5)R R.
My wife and I just drove through Holbrook to make sure this restaurant was still here. I was here back in 2009 and the linguini and red clam sauce was spectacular back then!!! The pasta was perfectly al dente, the olive oil was just enough and the clams tastes so fresh. Even the garlic was just right. My Italian in-laws have been here several times over the years and have loved it. This restaurant is a complete surprise with elegant dining and he BEST linguini and red clam sauce I've ever had, out in the middle of nowhere.
(5)Ryan R.
This is the best place in town for food. There isn't much to the town except motels anda couple of eateries. My wife and I brought the kids and we were promptly seated. The food was better than expected and the service was timely. Definitely recommend if you are passing through.
(4)I H.
The food is simply good. The place is not fancy, but the wait staff is efficient, friendly and if you have good company and a glass or two of wine- this can be a great time! I did! I ordered the spaghetti with garlic and olive oil, yummy! The meatballs were all meat- which is always better than those wit a bunch of breading. I wish they had been a little more seasoned, some onion, garlic, oregano would have made them tastier. My husband had the eggplant Parmesan which he really enjoyed.
(4)Serina B.
This place was old school Italian. We had to wait for table because it was packed!! The smell of garlic just permeated the place! Manicotti was yum and my friend asked for chicken piccata and they said sure!!! Service was impeccable!
(5)Danielle J.
We drove cross country moving from CA to MO. We stopped in Holbrook for the night just to stay at the Wigwam Motel. The town is very small and many businesses appeared to be vacant (tip: call first when you find one on yelp or trip advisor before heading there to make sure it is still open). This review is written for these small town restaurants which are in a league of their own, not in comparison to Italian restaurants in medium-sized to larger cities. We had seen great reviews on both user-based sites for Mesa, an Italian restaurant. It's one of those places that you cannot judge from the outside (or inside for that matter). We went with full trust in fellow travelers). We parked and I thought, "I'm not sure about this place." When we walked inside, I thought, "I'm really not sure about this place." The staff greeted us and was very friendly and seated us right away. Tonia was our server and she was outstanding. I ordered the manicotti (13.95) -simple, two pieces, maybe a tad overpriced. It was just as good as any other Italian restaurant. My husband got the Mesa Combo (MVP) pizza (14.95 small) and it was fantastic. I wanted dessert and ordered the hot molten lava cake (5.50) per Tonia's recommendation. It was totally worth the extra calories! The staff was very friendly overall. A HUGE group of tourists came in (~24) with varying levels of English comprehension so it was a bit chaotic as they were at different tables and one woman was back and forth translating orders. The server, Tonia, also serve them and was very patient. They literally filled up the rest of the open tables in the restaurant. If you find yourself in Holbrook, I recommend Mesa.
(4)Beth C.
Went here at the recommendation of Yelp reviews. Our waiter (Larry) was wonderful. The bread was delicious, the salads were fresh and chilled. The lasagna was delicious. The Veal Parmesan was delicious! If you have to go to Holbrook, eat here.
(3)Aaron S.
Found driving through town. First place tha looked appetizing in town. Walked through the doors to an aroma that sent my mouth a twitter. Lunch specials for 8.95 nice size portions with salad and fresh bread. Worth the swing off the highway. Will be back next time in Holbrook.
(5)David D.
We knew we were overnighting in Holbrook, Az. on the Great SW Road Trip this week so I Yelped ever restaurant here. I was happy to find mostly strong reviews of Mesa among the rest of the mediocre to bad reviews of other places in Holbrook. The reviews didn't lie folks. Thursday night, and a packed house, only 2 tables of 17(?) unoccupied. Let's talk the downside first, service was slow. Period. 2 waiters, 14-15 tables will do that. OK, that's a negative that only outstanding food can correct, and correct it it did. Perfect little house salad with a creamy dreamy Italian dressing with deliciously chewy (just like we like it) bread. Oh yea, wine, by the galss? Totally ordinary selections, but, very low prices and ours was fine and nearly a steal ($6.50/glass) for the money. Chicken and Eggplant followed with a rich tomato sauce covering spaghetti. Absolutely delicious. Chicken really flattened out good, fried quickly and crisply with almost no grease. Cheesecake excellent. Oh yea, one reviewer said he found a fly in his order of fried shrimp and BBQ ribs. Neither items are on the menu, possibly he reviewed the wrong restaurant as there are a BUNCH of "fly in the food" looking joints here.
(5)Ray F.
This is the best Italian food in the high desert. If you ever find yourself on the I-40 out in the middle of nowhere near Holbrook and in need for a cold drink and some pretty decent Italian food, this is the place. From the outside it might not look like much - but do yourself a favor and pull in, located right on the main drag in this tiny town. Mesa Italiana is a solid meal. Mesa Italiana has been serving up some great authentic Italian food on the high desert for years now, my first stop in here was close to twenty years ago now and the food has always been consistent. I have eaten in this little restaurant at least a dozen times over the years. With service that is friendly and inviting, you will be made to feel right at home once inside. Standard traditional Italian cuisine is the norm here ~ Manicotti, Spaghetti and Lasagna, as well as others are all on the menu - but my favorite has to be the Chicken Jerusalem with artichokes in true Tuscany style this is usually my go to dish while here and it has always been amazing. Highly recommend it. That along with some pretty decent garlic bread and good salads, and by high desert standards some of the best around, traditional Italian desserts and a decent wine selection by the bottle or glass - this is a solid restaurant and has been for years. You will most likely not be disappointed. After your dinner - be sure to step next door for an evening cocktail or libation (See Mesa Grill & Sports Bar review). A solid 4 star eatery - well worth the stop whenever you are in the high desert. 00234
(4)Dave B.
A fancy place in Holbrook (i.e. in the middle of nowhere)?!? Yep it's true! Like cloth napkins and shit! Who knew?! I had a pepperoni pizza and is was GOOD! Totally unexpected on both accounts.
(4)Toni Marie P.
My boyfriend and I stopped for the night in Holbrook a few weeks ago. This place was vey close to our motel. After reading the reviews, we decided to eat here. I'm Italian and I have to say that I was very impressed by the food and the service. I wish we had a place like this close to my house. The sauce is very good and the bread also. If we pass through Holbrook we will definitely eat here again.
(4)Ann C.
Hearty red sauce Italian dishes, good salads with the entrees, cozy place, very friendly service. Looks quite modest outside but they have made a pleasant, homey atmosphere. Best place to eat in Holbrook.
(5)Jim P.
Mixed review. They were busy and seemed unable to keep up w about 70% capacity. Service was not very attentive ; on the other hand the Fettuchini Alfredo was wonderful and the spaghetti and garlic and oil was good. Prices are good and... Let's face it they're in the middle of freakin nowhere. So given that -- hey I'd recommend this place. The local Sedona Oak Creek brewing co Amber Ale was malty and sweet; some might like it.
(3)Jenn T.
During our stay in Holbrook, we randomly picked this place simply by driving up and down the 2 main drags in town. We were surprised to discover that this place was packed upon our arrival and were got one of the last tables. The interior and exterior decor is dated and run down, but it seemed like of of the nicer places in town to eat. The salads were crisp and fresh and we were also suprised at the quality of our entrees, but overall our meal was not memorable. The service wasn't great (we weren't told about the specials and my tea glass sat empty for way too long), but it doesn't have to be considering the surroundings. If I were passing through Holbrook again, I would consider a second dining experience.
(3)Cecilia T.
This place is not very good. My husband got the Castelloni which was two pasta rolls dowsed in cream sauce and basically tasted like a WET SOCK - I'm not even kidding you. The menu described it as "fresh vegetables" and it was like a puree of veggies in a cheesy concoction wrapped in a pasta crepe crowned in cream sauce. I had the Chicken Jersusalem which was not worth the $16.50 I paid for it. It was a bland sauce with ok veggies of mushroom, artichoke and other items. The house salad was ok except the house dressing of creamy Italian was a bit sour. Unfortunately it might be the only decent-looking sit down Italian restaurant that Holbrook AZ has to offer so if you want to avoid any shady looking restaurants, I guess you have to come here. We didn't get food poisoning. Just know that for the quality of food you are receiving, you're paying a premium.
(1)Amanda T.
Found this place on Yelp during a road trip. The pasta was great and the pizza. The service was great and the atmosphere. I love the Spaghetti. Now when ever I am passing through I make a point to stop here. Usually going though small towns, I try to eat brand name chain restaurants. I am so happy I took a chance and ate here.
(5)Patricia B.
THERE WAS A HUGE BLACK FLY! D: My family ate here on 8/20/15. (carryout) We ordered BBQ ribs, a fried shrimp basket, chicken fettuccine, and for dessert tiramisu. They forgot to put the tiramisu in our bag... but everything else was there. Everything was delicious but as my mother came closer to the bottom of her dish she saw a black thing, she though it was a big piece of pepper, or a burnt piece of chicken but then SHE SAW THE WINGS! Now that is disgusting, we will never stop here again. The total was $60 (+tip) which included an okay dinner with no dessert and a HUGE BLACK FLY!
(1)Kelly M.
Veggie pizza and Caesar salad were both very good. The garlic bread was delicious! Quick wait time for take out orders. Such a nice change compared with the standard diet of mediocre burgers found when driving cross country!
(4)Christina W.
We were passing through and looking for somewhere to grab dinner. We were a bit afraid to test this restaurant out because you never know how good will be in such small towns. (Or the atmosphere for that matter) My boyfriend and I were pleasantly surprised by how delicious our meals were. There wasn't an empty seat in the house when we arrived. The 10 minute wait was well worth it!
(4)David G.
Excellent friendly service, nice mixed salad with entrees, good reasonably priced wine list and complimentary garlic bread. Chicken Jerusalem was nicely prepared with tender chicken breast half and 3 shrimps with tender artichokes, very light butter sauce could have used more garlic. Kitchen sent orders out at random, not in any order, some tables received their meals while others who ordered earlier waited.
(4)Chelsea B.
We chose to eat here because it was the highest rated restaurant in the area (and we love Italian food). When we pulled up, the parking lot was noticeably fuller than anything else in the area. (Have you been to Holbrook? This is a really good sign.) The inside hasn't been updated recently (hello, 90's-esque rosy decor), but it was clean! Yay! We ordered stuffed shells and chicken parmigiana. Both plates came with salad and garlic bread. All of our food was delicious! Our entrees came steaming hot from the kitchen, and our drinks were refilled multiple times throughout our visit (without us having to ask... And I go through water like it's the 100m sprint). I'd highly recommend this restaurant. We definitely didn't feel like we settled on this restaurant-- we'd be frequent customers if we lived nearby! Thanks for a great dinner after a long day on the road!
(4)Stevie S.
Okay... Let me say I'm very impressed with this little restaurant. Our waitress, Tonia, was so sweet, attentive and informative! The kitchen was a little slow but it was WELL worth the wait!! Two thumbs up!!
(4)TJ S.
We were passing through Holbrook, AZ on June 25, 2015 and our not to mention hotel recommended this restaurant. We were really surprised with the great service and the quality of the food. I had the featured Lamb Chops and they were outstanding and plentiful. My wife had the Lasagna and says it was very good but not as good as her own, lol. We plan to go back on our way back through. Highly recommended for Holbrook.
(5)Megan N.
After several days of icky northern Arizona food, I almost cried after my meal. I felt human again. Real food not from a can! My chicken saltimbocca was a special for the evening, and the chicken was nicely breaded. The tomato sauce was fresh and tasty and the Alfredo sauce had a subtle but definite flavor to it. I find many alfredo sauces just taste like cream. The service was good, the portions big but not too big, and the bread crispy and garlicky. Overall, your best bet in Holbrook, and maybe even a few towns nearby!
(5)Jeanie K.
This restaurant is rather expensive for what you get. It's beautifully decorated. But the food is mediocre. Almost flavorless. The lasagna that I had tonight used grated Parmesan that you get that's like powder so that when I ate it, it was frothy in my mouth. Odd.
(2)Johnny T.
Craving Italian food after a long day at the national park, we stopped in for our first visit to the Mesa Restaurant. In a nutshell, this is your best bet for a nice quiet and delicious meal in Holbrook. Larry was our main server and he was the best. There were also two other young ladies who were very kind and attentive. The lasagna was terrific and my buddies Caesar salad and pizza were fine as well. He had the spaghetti and meatballs but said the portion of pasta could have been a bit larger. They have a full bar and ice cold beer. I had Birra Moretti. So refreshing. We noticed a couple of flies buzzing around but inside the place had table cloths covered in clear plastic and candles. What I liked was it was a quiet dining room even though it was quite full. On a Friday get in before 6 to avoid a wait. If you have a night or two in Holbrook, make this one of your stops!
(4)Barry S.
We thought the food was good here but they lost stars for poor service and tiny portions. The staff is not very friendly and do not appear to like their jobs. This results in poor service. For $16.95 I would have expected a larger portion of Veal Parmesan. There was a small salad served with it and some spaghetti - not a large amount. The bread wasn't very good My wife had the salmon picatta and it was also a very small portion. The food wasn't hot when it was delivered and we had to ask for our check. This place seems to make their money from the tourists since it is well located to many motels in town. I'm sure some locals do come here but we saw lots of people walking here from their motels. We won't be back.
(2)Doreen L.
Not bad for a town this size. However, the food was better than expected and wine was okay. Service was a little slow especially since it was a small place and there were two servers. The place wasn't full either. One other negative was the way they determined your bill. They told you what you ordered and how much it cost, no itemized bill in hand. Also, they charged a gratuity for a table of six and didn't tell you about it before hand. A little sneaky I'd say. I guess this is how a small town does things!
(4)Daniel B.
After a long day of driving to Holbrook from Texas and eating sandwiches on the rode for lunch, me, my wife, and our three little boys were looking forward to a good hot meal at a restaurant. Apparently that is too much to ask in the little hamlet of Holbrook! We are food people so I won't focus much on service which was fine, although 18% gratuity is added automatically for 5 or more and for the scandalously high prices you pay here, that 18% adds up quick! So here's how it went: no kids menu items offered, I guess they are playing at fine dining and catering to kids is beneath them. So we order two orders of $9 chicken tenders (4 strips and an orange slice) and a half portion of spaghetti ($12) for the boys. Chicken strips were frozen and reheated of course with no fries or anything, I guess because it was an appetizer? Spaghetti was half portion and we got the small half. Wife and I ordered small Caesar salads ($6 each) and split a medium pizza ($17). We ordered sodas for the kids and iced tea for us for a grand drink total of $15 plus the $7 "beverage tax"??. Is this an Arizona thing? We still had to pay tax on the meal itself? Our salads were decent sized plates of ice-berg lettuce, feta, Parmesan, and croutons. Pizza was hugely disappointing! Tough flavorless crust, toppings were bland and undercooked. To their credit the mushrooms were fresh, not canned. But tasted like a frozen pizza otherwise. Most disappointing thing was the bill at the end, $94.00 after they included several "taxes" and the gratuity. Listen, we're not above forking over that kind of dough for really good food but come on? Last night at Texas Roadhouse in Lubbock we ate good steaks, delicious rolls with cinnamon butter, ribs, fries, kids' steaks, and salads, and including a 20% tip paid $60 total. Sad thing is, Mesa's comes highly recommended from the locals we spoke too. Either this whole town is in on this or they don't get out much. Can't wait to get out of the town of Holbrook.
(1)Albert K.
No fast food here. Nothing but complex sophisticated dishes backed by a good wine selection. She loves the scampi and she makes a great one herself. I shop the menu having peppers and sausage today. We have been in Holbrook twice and have been here both times. In Holbrook this is the only place I would go for dinner.
(5)Dan B.
We came here for our New Years Eve dinner. I had the calamari as usual. It was wonderful as usual. My entre was the veal picatta. This is the third time I have had this dish. It is very good. The service was not as good as usual, but it was a special night. They screwed up my reservation and we had to hang at the bar next door for twenty minutes. The food made up for the service.
(5)Rena T.
What a find Mesa Italiana was for us. After traveling for two days, we were tired and hungry and absolutely unwilling to eat at Subway or Denny's. We weren't sure what to expect - I mean, "authentic Italian food" out here in the middle of little ol' Holbrook, AZ?!? We were pleasantly surprised by the entire experience. The hostess and wait staff were very friendly. As someone who has dietary restrictions, I'm ALWAYS happy when my server knows the menu well enough to answer my questions without having to go ask. Our server knew the menu and made two excellent recommendations; Chicken Marsala and Chicken Jerusalem. Both were delicious. The salad was fresh, and the side of pasta was perfectly cooked, and they were kind enough to sub out the fettuccine alfredo for spaghetti algio olio for me. The garlic bread was also great - not cold, not room temp, not microwaved ... FRESH, and toasty and yummy. As an Italian, I'm hard pressed to eat Italian food out. This place is worth the stop. Don't waste your time eating fast food or Denny's, eat here. As for the reviews saying the portions are small and prices are high, to them I say, my husband and I both left full and happy. Was it more than we intended on paying for dinner on the road tonight? Yeah, maybe a few bucks. But, I'm all for supporting the local, family owned, hole in the wall and keeping them going. This place is cozy, friendly, clean, and the food is really good. Thank you, Mesa Italiana! We'll be back next time we come through the area!
(4)Christine S.
Just visited this restaurant for the third time and the food could not have been better! I had the stuffed Manicotti and my husband had the spaghetti with Italian sausage. The salad was also fresh and crisp the the garlic bread was absolutely delicious!!! We highly recommend this restaurant if you are in the mood for Italian Cuisine!!! Larry, you are the best!!!!
(5)Mary J.
Great find along Interstate 40! What a surprise it was to enjoy such a wonderful dinner in Holbrook - never would have expected this. I ordered Pasta Pomodoro w/ large shrimp - special of the evening. My husband had meat lasagne & we both thought our entrees were excellent. The tiramisu for dessert was also very good & didn't need the whipped cream. My only suggestion would be to improve the bread - it was too much like garlic toast. I'd eat here again.
(5)Amelia B.
Pretty authentic Italian! And an unexpected find in Holbrook. We walked down from the Best Western based on other reviews on Yelp and Trip Advisor... an actual wine list, good pizza, and pasta. We opted for pizza but the pasta smelled wonderful. The waiter was great, perfect service, and we couldn't resist the Spumoni ice cream at the end. Hadn't had Spumoni in years and it was delicious. Will definitely come back here if we're in Holbrook again to visit the Petrified Forest and desert.
(4)Vanessa A.
Not a great fan of this place. Went for our anniversary and were sorely disappointed. We both got salad, my husband's was drenched in dressing (soupy), ordered calamari for appetizer. Its was boiled, very rubbery in seasoned tomato sauce. Pretty bad. I got the Chicken Jerusalem which was pretty decent and husband got the salmon....not good. The food is not worth the price unfortunately. Waitresses were friendly but sometimes seemed frantic and unorganized.
(1)Carol O.
One side of this restaurant is a divey bar with scattered pool tables a few high top tables, a long bar and a couple TV's. Then you walk through a door and enter a nice little Italian restaurant with pale green tablecloths. The clear plastic that covered them kind of took the charm away though. Our waiter arrived and took our drink orders. Holbrook is a pretty small AZ town and so I was pretty sure they wouldn't know what a Rob Roy is - no offense meant. Anyway, I ordered a brandy manhattan and it was pretty decent. Our waiter brought us a basket of hot bread which always goes down well with a cocktail or glass of wine. We devoured that basket and asked for more. I thought the food was pretty good. I ordered a plain spaghetti in meat sauce. Sometimes you just want a simple pasta with a simple sauce and little bits of meat thrown in. It was tasty as was the fresh crispy salad. Our table talked about the upcoming Vikings Packer game and pretty soon one of the couples leaving the restaurant stopped by our table to exchange small talk about the game and Minnesota/Wisconsin in general. Before we left two or three other couple from MN/WI stopped to exchange pleasantries with us about the game and the frozen tundra we had all left behind. Lots of MN/WI patrons in the restaurant that night - stopping over at Holbrook and heading for the greater Phoenix area the next morning. Some of them maybe stayed at the Globetrotter Lodge (fantastic place) like we did. There was one big negative about the restaurant and I had to rate it a 3 because of that. Our table was right next to a door that led outside. The weather was in the 20's that evening so pretty darn chilly - more like MN than AZ. Anyway, people kept coming in that door and not being in any hurry to shut it. Brrr! The restaurant was filled up and the door kept opening and people just stood right behind us waiting for a table. Finally one of the waitresses shushed them into the bar and said she would call them as tables were ready. That took care of that group of people but they kept coming in and opening the door. One couple just grabbed a table that had opened up and even though it should have gone to someone waiting in the bar - they were allowed to sit down and order. They clearly need to get a better system. I would maybe go back again, but would definitely request a table as far from the offending door as possible.
(3)Arthur S.
This was an incredible experience from beginning to end. The service was fast & friendly in a very clean restaurant. This is authentic Italian food at it's best. As stated by others the garlic bread is great but that is only the beginning. We started with the calamari, on to a house salad, ravioli and eggplant Parma. The red sauce reminded me of what I had often growing up in NY. Finished with a canolli! I am a non drinker so the no alcohol Becks was a unexpected surprise. This is grand slam no matter what city or state you are from!
(5)Pam V.
We were pleasantly surprised tonight to find a great restaurant in Holbrook. My husband had fishy things on a bed of pasta with homemade sauce...delicious. The white sauce on my homemade pasta was the best I have had. Larry our server certainly made our visit fun. There were several other couples traveling through Holbrook who were happy repeat customers. The Zinfandel wine was also good. Delicious food and great service! We will definitely stop again when traveling through Holbrook.
(5)Verna G.
We went here at a toss of the coin. We have been eating the past week on a Colorado to California round trip road trip on Yelp reviews only. This was the best rated for Holbrook so we tried it. Tacky plastic covered tables to start with. I looked past that, hubby didn't. We ordered the Calamari appetizer which tasted good considering we are in AZ. Tomato sauce was fresh tasting. Salad was way overdressed iceberg lettuce. Ordered the Veal picatta Usually you can cut veal with a fork not here it required a knife and a little effort. The sauce was good. Cannoli for desert was very hard but the flavor was good. Had to use a knife to break the shell service was fair. We were not told there was a special. For the limited choices this is probably the best choice for the price which was high
(2)Mercedes B.
A nice homey Italian restaurant in an unexpected place, Holbrook, AZ. Very good veal piccata. Attentive service and reasonable prices. Overall, my husband and I had an enjoyable experience.
(3)Fred M.
Native American Indians own and cook at this fine Italian restaurant!!! I had pasta with one meatball and one Italian sausage. The pasta was cooked perfact, firm; the sausage was spicy like it should be, but the meatball was not like my mothers'. The bar is long, full service, country music, pool tabled, large TV screened, cowboy/trucking good. The separate dinning room is for older and quieter folks. With a shot of tequila and two Coronas it came to $33...not bad.
(4)Dr. K.
Food was good, price was okay, service was really slow. Compared to the alternatives, I might go back just because everything else around looks like fast-food or bug-infested.
(3)Jen S.
We found this place on our GPS as we were driving along 1-40, starving, hoping to Zeus we'd find a place to eat. This was pretty much the only restaurant that came up on our GPS as we were desperately finding a place to eat in the middle of NOWHEREVILLE (East Cost mentality!). So we were happy to find this place. It's right next to a stereotypical western-style saloon. This made us East Coasters VERY happy- seeing this saloon with motorcycles in front. Anyway, on to Mesa Italiana So similar to what Dave B. Said- it's a fancy place in Holbrook IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. Cloth napkins were a nice surprise. I don't even remember what I got. I was so damn tired. Stuffed mushrooms? YES! Stuffed mushrooms! They were quite yummy. It came bubbling hot. The stuffed mushrooms have chicken, spinach and Parmesan cheese. Oh yum the memories! My friend however wasn't happy with her chicken fingers and fries. But then again, who goes to an Italian place for chicken fingers and fries?! My hub got spaghetti and Italian sausage. He really enjoyed his meal. The service was great. Getting IN was confusing though. We thought it was closed so we went into the bar area, and then we were lead back into the restaurant. So 1-40 drivers, if you stop here for an exhausted dinner, just open the first door to the restaurant, even if it says it's closed...that is if you see PEOPLE in there. If you don't see people and the restaurant is closed, you might as well cry because there is seriously nothing nothing nothing around. Thanks Mesa Italiana for the yummy meal on our way to the Grand Canyon! :)
(3)Eduardo C.
The Baked eggplant with fresh tomato and mozzarella was a good way to start the meal. The sauce, ever so important at an Italian restaurant is rich and tastes like it's made in-house. Pasta Combo comes with Lasagna, manicotti, and stuffed shell. Although the serving is small for the price, it is a satisfying entree, particularly because of the sauce. The meat inside the lasagna had an almost earthy taste, which worked well with the ricotta cheese, red sauce, and mozzarella. I for one, like the meat in lasagna/ravioli to contrast with the sauce, and it definitely does, though it could probably use a bit of seasoning. Meal came with cheap salad and garlic bread. The service, at least this night, was attentive. Many of the main entrees are a bit pricy for what you get, and anyone would be annoyed by the one dollar CC service charge, so I would normally rate this restaurant 3 stars, but given the desolate location it's in, it's easily one of the best places to eat in Holbrook, so I award it 4 stars.
(4)Donna B.
The restaurant was being remodeled when we were there. June 17, 2013 We had to eat in the bar area ... The waitress forgot our drinks. We couldn't find anything on the menu that was reasonably priced for what we considered bar food. Retro is a very nice way of saying Budweiser signs everywhere... We finally decided to just order fries and a slice of pizza... thinking that may be safe... The fries were hard and greasy... appearing that they had been double dipped in the fryer... and the pizza crust was difficult to chew and did not taste good at all... all this after having to wait an hr for our food...we followed the reviews from others here and were very disappointed.
(1)Jon F.
Good Italian food for a small town. Service was a little slow.
(4)T D.
After spending a chilly day at Painted Desert/Petrified Forest, we used Yelp to find a restaurant in Holbrook. Our group was hungry for a good, hot meal. Dined on a Monday ~4pm. We were seated on restaurant side. Staff very friendly and attentive. Good selection of drinks. Great coffee! Basic salad with hot garlic bread. Veal Parmigiana and Chicken parmigiana were very good. Hot molten lava cake - delicious! Pleasantly surprised with this local restaurant in a fairly remote area. Would stop again.
(4)Gary P.
Service wasn't the fastest but that was okay food was excellent price was fair with most definitely would go back again and again. A very nice neat clean looking place. We were there on a Saturday night.
(4)Mary R.
We look forward to this last stop on our way to Mesa, AZ from northern MN each year. The food at Mesa Italian is outstanding & the atmosphere is classy with white tablecloths etc. Service is good & pleasant, the menu extensive & reasonably priced. A very popular restaurant as evidenced by tables continuing to fill with happy diners.
(5)Edward R.
"That's a spiceeeeyy meeeeaaataaa ballll" - Jim Carey (Movie: The Mask) *You're suppose to laugh! lol Great food, had the Angel hair pasta w/ Salmon! The garlic bread was great and the service was great!
(5)Robert M.
sat in the bar area adjacent to the restaurant. several varities of bottled beer (only bud lite on tap), selection of wines and full liquor bar. couple of local beers. had spaghetti w/ tomato sauce one night and with garlic and olive oil the next. both served with salad and priced at $13 & $12 respectively. both were good and service was friendly and efficient. there are few places to eat in holbrook and luckily this is a place with beer and decent food. happy trails.
(4)Charlie S.
I am not a fan of Italian food so I ordered a ribeye steak which was quite tasty. I recommend this place if staying in Holbrook as it has fast friendly service and good American food at least.
(3)Laurie E.
Yum! Didn't expect to find such tasty Italian here.
(4)Matt J.
*Sigh*... Where do i start... Our waitress was overly trying to hard... It was really annoying. She was "trying" to speak like she was working in a 5 star restaurant and the painted concrete block walls constantly reminded us we weren't. First off... I ordered a beer and she poured it into a glass. After she was done, right in front of me, she was picking something off the rim of the glass.. Something stuck it... Ok, gross... But I'll let it slide. Second, the seafood linguine I had... Disgusting. The white sauce was just nasty and I couldn't eat it. Even the scallops and shrimp were obviously cooked in the sauce so nothing had any flavor to it except for this gross sauce. The girlfriend had the Chicken Piccata and it was weird too. The white wine lemon butter sauce had a thickener in it. So the sauce was like gravy with capers in it. I'm sure for a small town it was good, but I just couldn't get over the food quality. Especially for the prices. Mine was $20 and I couldn't even eat it.
(2)Kat C.
They earned a star for friendly service and (albeit, overpriced) alcohol. Beyond that, we were going to stay for dinner, and then we saw the food. If you are one of those people that insists the Olive Garden is the 'La Salsa' of Mexican, you would be BEGGING for the OLove Garden after you saw this food! Grocery store frozen pizza would be a better bet. salad = ice berg + 1/2 c ranch. Pizza looked on-par with microwave 7/11 fare. Bottom line? Drink here because I'm not sure where else there is, as for all the resturaunts we investigated in this town, eat at Denny's!
(2)Joel Barb S.
Great Italian food. Wish we were hungrier because everything looked delicious.
(4)Rachel C.
Found this place passing thru from Las Vegas to Colorado (the long way), and we were surprised by how good it was. The capellini pomodoro was very good.
(4)Lee P.
Bottom line: food good, service bad. I had the linguini with clams. I ordered the red sauce but received the white sauce. As it was a to go order I was stuck with it but it was very good. My girlfriend ordered the spaghetti with Italian sausage and it was good but the spaghetti needed to be cooked a little longer. I had a tartufo dessert that was outstanding. Unfortunately, they forgot to include it in the box so we had to make a second trip to pick it up.
(3)Sandra L.
This restaurant was actually my first Yelp find. This is a great place to eat. Actual table linens, the works. We got there at closing time, and they still seated us and the service was great. After talking to the waitress, we were on the "tourist" side of the place. The "other" side was the sports bar, bar food type place. Next time we will go to the "other" side. Great place, good wine, great service
(4)randy h.
The price was a bit high for the ambiance nut the food was quite good.
(4)laurence z.
quite good (calamari are delicious) , but not a very nice place to eat
(3)Mary S.
Driving across country and spent the night in Holbrook because there is a hotel there with an indoor pool so the grandkids could swim in spite of thunderstorms in the area. We went to Mesa Italiana because everybody likes Italian, right? Wrong. My Pasta Pomadoro was fine and eldest grandson declared his pizza "fantastic". However, my daughter's Chicken Alfredo was swimming in a watery sauce and the texture of the chicken made it inedible. Grandson #2 was not eating his spaghetti and meatballs and finally, in response to his mother's urging that he do so, said that the meatballs tasted bad. In order to call his bluff, my daughter took a bite of the offending meatball and promptly (and discretely) spit it out. It is important that you understand that we are not picky people. We were not the problem. It was the food! Our server was very nice and helpful and since a woman at a table nearby had already semi-loudly addressed her displeasure with her meal with the man, I decided to fill out their satisfaction survey instead of unloading on him. I left my name and phone number on the survey inviting the owner or manager to call and discuss the issues I had listed and never heard from 'em. Holdbrook does not have a lot of options for dining but it does have some. I suggest you give one of them a try.
(2)John R.
A diamond in the rough. Had left the Painted Desert Park starving on Good Friday. With the help of Yelp, we found this restaurant in the small town of Holbrook. Started with the eggplant. Delicious even to my picky eater. Great cesear salad. I had pasta, one had cheese ravioli, one had fried shrimp, and one had shrimp scampi. We all devoured our meals. The biggest surprise was the freshness of the ingredients. We live in Tampa FL and this restaurant would thrive by us. My only negative was the cheese ravioli's cost. $14.95 for 5 large pieces with a cesear salad upgrade from the house salad was a little steep. Otherwise I thought the costs were on target. The staff is very attentive as well.
(5)Greta G.
While the waitress started out a bit cool and distracted acting, she warmed up after I praised the angel winged softness and lightness of the garlic bread. I never thought I would have linguine with clams and white sauce in rural Arizona, but boy I sure had some here and loved it. The lunch is very reasonable, $8.95 with a full selection of different pasta dishes with salad and garlic bread. The salad was fresh romaine, very crisp. Oh, that lunch saved my life after a long drive from Canyon de Chelly. The street that the restaurant (one of the main drags of Holbrook) seemed nearly deserted. All the more to treasure this place. The only other guests commented to the waitress how they come through the area only once a year and they always stop at Mesa Italiana.
(4)stuart j.
This is definately as good as it gets in Holbrook. I was very surprised to have this kind of quality italian food in such a small town. I had their special the night I was there with jumbo gulf shrimp and fresh tomato sauce, and it was extremely tasty. I will definately go back to this palce again if I ever make it up there again.
(5)Dana K.
Service was slow and it was more expensive than we had expected. Food was good, though.
(3)Josh W.
Great Italian food. They have large portions but they can split it or do a half portions. They only have one or two severs serving the whole restaurant. We took a whole group there for dinner and they still served us quick.
(5)