I love this place. I have been coming here for nine years and it is my favorite lunch spot in Tucson; it is very convenient that it is so close to the base. I almost always get the pasta bar because it is the best bang for your buck if you don't feel like taking food home. They now have it so the meat isn't in the sauces and you can throw them in whatever sauce you want, WINNING!! Homemade pastas, homemade sauces, homemade bread.... I love it.
(5)
Krishna V.
Service was good, so one star, but other than that, people who run this joint need to fold up and do something else. Tired of giving pointers to people who should not be running restaurants. For about a 100 people they had one bathroom with one commode....I will not describe the rest. Like I said they really need to give this up.
(1)
Bell K.
We were in town & decided to try this place. Overall pretty good. Everyone liked their meals & the breadsticks were fluffy & delicious. They have a salad bar too. Like most places- the portions were ridiculously huge. I wish there was an option to get a half size for a cheaper price. $11 for a bowl of pasta is a bit much. & since we were in a hotel, taking leftovers wasn't an option. What really made me happy was that this place had aperol spritzes. I hadn't yet seen an italian place in the Arizona with this real Italian drink! It was made correctly & delicious.
(4)
Darcy M.
Superb experience for our first dine in at this quaint decorative restaurant. Food is fresh and taste great. GF options as well.
(5)
Vi T.
First time and it was fairly busy, service was moderately attentive. It is on the pricier side for the quality of food. Large proportions. Give tons of mushrooms on the pasta. I enjoyed the Fettuccini Alfredo with chicken. Breadsticks were lackluster. Leftovers reheated well, were not oozing in grease. Would try again. Better than most chains for the price.
(4)
Paul C.
I had heard mixed things about Mama Louisa's, varying from "it's the best" to "it's not very good". I went there with the "it's the best" crowd from work but, for me, it was somewhere in the middle, and I wouldn't mind going back and trying it again. We were given a table near the back, next to a salad bar, with a full wall mural that was very attractive. The restaurant was fairly busy, but by no means full during a late Friday lunch. One friend ordered pasta and asked the waitress to make sure it was cooked properly, because in the past she's had it mushy. She told me it always comes out overcooked if she doesn't say that. I ordered the same dish -- Veal Parmigiana with the Joe's Special sauce. The pasta on mine seemed right on. The veal was disappointing. When I cut into it, I noticed it resisted. Veal is usually quite tender, so I was surprised to have to work to cut it with a knife. The Joe's Special sauce, which the waitress described as spicy, had a little heat. But it was mild at best. It also had that "canned food" flavor which can be hard to cook out of canned ingredients. Nothing was actually bad, other than the cook on the veal. For me, this restaurant was a solid 3 stars. Next time I would probably skip the Joe's Special, and I'd choose a different protein.
(3)
Stephanie D.
We decided to go here again after about a year. We could not remember why we never went again. I remembered why after about ten minutes. The decor is dated, the food is overpriced, and the bathroom is less than clean. I love lasagna, so I ordered it. I got it with the salad bar (average). When my lasagna came out it was cold in the middle! That means it was previously frozen or prepared and refrigerated for an uncertain period of time. They did re-re-heat it for me but even warm it was not edible. I did complain and was not offered anything to appease me. It seemed as if the wait staff was not surprised by my complaints and no longer cared about the quality of things. I was sad because there is really no place to get awesome authentic Italian food in Tucson unless you count Olive Garden and I don't. I will remember not to go back this time.
(1)
Mariah D.
Quite good! Brought my family here the night before my graduation and everyone commended me on finding such a lovely place. Not crowded at all and I ordered the Alfredo with prosciutto. Anything with prosciutto in it is A+ in my books.
(4)
G D.
We were sorely disappointed with our dinners on a recent visit. We read the article in the Arizona Daily Star highlighting the chef, son of the owner, Suzanne Elefante, which stated that he had worked at Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain prior to returning to the family business. Feeling that such credentials would bode well for this Tucson favorite, we decided to trek from the far northwest side of town to have dinner. The salad bar was fresh; the Italian Wedding Soup lacked depth of flavor, being entirely flat to our taste buds. We ordered two entrees: Joe's Special and Veal Parmigiana. Joe's Special was, in deed, quite spicy..so much that it was difficult to really savor the precious little linguini. The garlic oil did not have a fresh flavor and the melted cheese was, well, melted processed mozzarella. The Veal Parmigiana looked delicious, but the veal was not pounded thin and breaded; instead, it was thick (at least 1/2") and tough underneath the breading - almost too tough to cut with the dinner knife that was on the table. The sauce (gravy), too seemed lackluster. Neither entree was finished, not did we opt to have the remains boxed for later....very unusual for us. The service was efficient but, sadly, we were not enjoined to return here again. We had used a Groupon....we'll give our other one to someone else.
(2)
Adam F.
Mama Louis's has been an Italian joint longer than my parents have been alive. It has gained a reputation as being one of Tucson's premier old school Italian restaurants. The looks and food reflect that. A family of four sit in that "not too small but definitely not big enough" table with just enough arm length to reach the parmesan cheese. A candle sits at every table that makes up most of the lighting. The larger-than-life food portions sit on a undersized plate waiting for its glory to be eaten. Yes, Mama Louisa's does a fine job creating that atmosphere that for a brief moment you might second-guess yourself that you're in Tucson. Now onto the specifics. The hostesses can be better than to simply ask how many, bring you to the table, toss the menus in the middle, and leave. Maybe that's the Italian way, but you must accommodate. The rest of the service was decent but still could use a little improvement. I give much props to the owner for talking to patrons and chatting it up. That reflects the owner of the place cares about the customers. Joe's special is, well, special. I thought it was pretty good, but not as good as the spaghetti and meatballs. Those meatballs are (wait for it), dynamite! The ravioli was good but can be served slightly on the cold slide. The breadsticks were okay but if they are going to serve it without butter they have to add a little more flavor to it. The salad bar is great. They give you just the right amount of options so that you can have plenty to choose from but are not standing there forever deciding what to put on it. The minestrone soup was vary tasting as was the italian wedding but that latter could use more substance than broth. Lastly, whatever sauce they've been using...stick with it. That sauce is truly special. This is the very type of establishment that Guy Fieri would want to visit and air on Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives. I would certainly approve of that.
My family has been coming here since they opened over 60 years ago. I'm a third generation diner here and my daughter is a fourth generation diner. First of all I'm going to say that I don't understand why people go to Olive Garden when this place is only two miles away. The service has always been friendly like the stereotypical family restaurant and almost always above average as far as efficiency goes. The food is very good. I normally get the Joe's Special with the soup and salad bar. I love their Italian Wedding soup. The breadsticks are awesome. The prices are very reasonable. I hope Mama Louisa's keeps going for many more decades.
(5)
Leah C.
Was staying close by and was hungry so I desided to check out this place, as it sounded great and I love homemade Italian food. I called and placed an order to pick it up and 20 minutes later it was ready. The employees were all super friendly which was the only good thing about the experience and they weren't friendly enough to make it worth going there again. The food was overpriced and gross. The antipasto salad was nothing but a plate of mushy pickled vegetables and raw meat. The manicotti was edible IF you are it steaming hot. The colder it got the less edible it became. The "house sauce" appeared to be watered down tomato sauce and tasted like it too. The price would have been decent if the food would have been as described but it wasn't therefore the price was ridiculously expensive.
(2)
Melinda C.
Enjoyed our dinner here the other night. They've reorganized the menu since the last time I'd been in, which had been quite a while. But as far as I could tell it was basically the same items with some new ones added in. Hubby and I started with the salad bar. Good as always. He then got spaghetti with meat sauce. I think the portion size has increased because he got 2 meals out of it. I tried the linguine in white clam sauce. Huge also. Both were delicious. No surprise there at all. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. For the most part, my reviews here sound like a broken record: good food, large portions, friendly service. There's a reason why they've been open and highly recommended for so long!
(5)
Megan M.
Oh mama's, how I remember a time when I would jump for joy finding out you were making dinner! Not so much anymore. My mother loves this restaurant, she has been going there since she was in high school! So naturally I was born a Mama Louisan. But I hate to say, that ever since Mama died, it lacks something. Maybe it's her spirit but it for sure is lacking flavor. I heard recently, that the sisters parted ways, and that one of them is opening another Mama Louisa's in Rita. Maybe that sister can really cook like her mom.
(2)
Mariel T.
Yuck. The salad bar was mostly toppings plopped out of a can and mayonnaise for dressings. The Eggplant Parm was soggy beyond believe and the sauce tasted straight acidic and so old. My husband said the Lasagna noodles were mush and his sauce was just as bad as mine. Two stars because the service was good and the kids menu Pizza Bread was tasty.
(2)
Billie M.
Been wanting to go to MLs for 3 years. Was kind of taken aback when we pulled into the lot on 8/1 @ about 4:30 PM; the lot was nearly empty!Greeted and seated and tended to in good time. I was a little apprehensive seeing the plastic tablecloths and vinery!My manhatten was good, good enough to have a second.MLs has a salad bar....a typical, non descript salad bar that had been left out way too long. Ranch dressing was OK, red wine whatever dressing tasted like the liquid remains of grape jelly! So called garlic bread sticks were tasteless and presented alone in a basket with a napkin!On to the entrees: I had veal parm & pasta, my sister eggplant parm and pasta.VERY VERY GOOD.....the red gravy was simple, not too sweet and not too spicy. The pasta was nearly al dente and very good, indeed!The eggplant parm was reported to be excellent! My veal was "cut with a fork" tender and very flavorful! No gristle, lightly breaded, perfect!Within the hour in which we were there, they were packin' them in!We left very satisfied but not overly full. The portions were perfect for us.Next time, yes there will be, I think the anti pasta will be in order instead of the salad bar!
(4)
Eric J.
Refreshed with some new touches and menu items with out losing any of the old world classic Italian flavor. Chef Michael Elephante has nailed it! If you haven't been lately....you haven't been.
(5)
Mike P.
Nice quality Italian fare done the old fashioned way. This is a place for those who know the national chains do not make real Italian food and prefer the taste of food not salt. This is one of the last parts of Vintage Tucson not yet erased by the libtard invasion.
(5)
Jacob R.
My first visit to Mama Louisa's was pleasant. The decorations and paintings caught my eye and had a positive impact. I liked the cozy setting, it definitely had a family feel about the place. It was in the evening, so I ordered the Chicken Piccata- slightly less "lemony" than I was hoping, but still very good, and definitely filling. The server looked like Stephen Lynch, but was friendly and attentive. I'd go again and will likely try the Tuscany chicken per the owners recommendation.
(4)
Jodi B.
The sign says, "Home cooking the Italian way." Bah. Generous servings of "mama's combo" (lasagna, eggplant parm) arrive covered in a thick red sauce which sadly lacks the enticing aroma of the Italian food I am accustomed to. Simply nothing about this sauce hits my smell receptors with the feeling of "wow." Nothing announces the use of fresh garlic or any sacred marriage of herbs and meat often so well orchestrated by ancestral cooks. Nothing here says to my nose: "Tell your mouth this will be delicious." I taste the Mama Louisa sauce. I notice a mysterious unpleasant sweetness, is it nutmeg? I cannot figure it out. I swallow only as many bites as necessary to quell my hunger. The cheese-filled tortellini (3rd item in the combo plate) is not completely covered in the bland, mystery-spiced, too-sweet red sauce, so i eat more of that than the sauce covered items. I am grateful for its decent, al-dente texture. The garlic bread at Mama Louisa's delivers a welcomed, slight aroma of garlic, and is served warm. It is not, however, authentic Italian bread, (which would have had a slightly hard, crunchy crust outside to contrast with a softer center, and would have been baked from simple, four-ingredient recipe of flour, water, yeast and salt, No sugar). Next time I crave Italian food, i will cook, or go elsewhere. Buona fortuna to all.
(2)
Lisa J.
Yesterday was my second time dining at this location in a very long time. Do not confuse this restaurant with the one of the same name that is located on Houghton Rd. (I dined there just last week) Menu might be similar but they are NOT the same... You want this location!!! So much better and you will find a little more variety but still find the old favorite "Joe's Special" and it is better here. Especially the gluten free pasta. This restaurant sources it from a local business and it is far and above the very best gluten free pasta I have ever had. The "other place" will tell you it is the same, it is not, they use a commercial gluten free pasta and it is not very exciting. If you want well made, fresh and very tasty Italian food go to this location. Everyone in our party loved what they ordered and the service was friendly and efficient. They also have a full bar with local brews, another nice plus that several in our party enjoyed. I also had the opportunity to sample some of the gluten free breads they will be bringing in from the same local business that provides their gluten free pasta and it was tasty, fresh and delightful. The new owners of this location are doing a great job maintaining the history that this restaurant has in the community while giving it a fresh new edge with some new menu items. Keep it up! I will be back!
(5)
Mindy S.
Still a Tucson legend, and the service has definitely improved. Finally strayed from my usual (the baked ziti) to try the pasta special (Joe's spaghetti?) & it was awesome, as was my dessert. I just love this place!
(5)
F D.
I really, really wanted to like this place. I love these old little places that have been a part of the landscape for generations. The building itself is so charming and inviting from the outside. The paintings on the inside really make the experience visually fun. Unfortunately, the food was not very good. I had the Chicken Piccata, which is usually a chicken breast. Theirs was made from little chunks of chicken. It left me wondering if they were possibly the scraps left over from some other chicken dish. It was tasty enough, so I tried to ignore the feeling that I was eating table scraps. The dish came with a side of homemade spaghetti which was supposed to be their specialty. I think I've made better pasta than this. But the worst was the sauce. I've had lots of different tomato sauces over the years and they're always different .. you learn to ditch your expectations and just go with it. Most times you're pleasantly surprised .. it may be different than your mother's sauce, but still very tasty. Unfortunately, that's not the case with Mama Louisa's. The sauce was horrible. It had an overwhelming taste of tomato paste that's been in the can too long. It really was not edible. Maybe they just had an off night. But I won't be going back to find out.
(1)
Kathy N.
Hey! Wassa matta you? You no likea the spicy meatball? Can't believe I've live in Tucson 30+ years and have never ventured to Mama Louisa's. Met a large group for dinner there not too long ago and I rather enjoyed the old, home like feeling I got from the restaurant. I'm so used to a more modern and up to date look from the restaurants I frequent so Mama's gave me a bit of a nostalgic feeling when I walked through the doors. The service was friendly and not too chaotic despite our large group (14 people) and the one seated right next to us. Several people in my party went to the salad bar first and they all raved about the quality and variety of the ingredients. The person seated across from me is Italian and very picky about her Italian Wedding Soup and she thought Mama's did a good job on theirs. I have to say the breadsticks are horrible. The sample ladies at Costco do a better job making frozen, pale breadsticks tasty. Mama's definitely should toss the sticks and get some good garlic bread out to the customers. The Chicken Scallopini was good, not great. The flavor of the sauce was pretty good however Mama's advertises homemade pasta and the linquini served with my dish was cold and undercooked. I enjoyed the fact that the owner was in the dining room greeting customers and wishing a good night to those leaving. I like that hometown, little guy feeling.
(3)
Russ C.
The best Baked ziti ever!!! My girlfriend and I went in for what is always a great meal and we were not surprised that it was better then ever. We are addicted to ziti and now the new addiction is the all new hand made mozzarella cheese sticks. Our waitress ( I wish I could remember her name) was awesome, we even met Chef Michael Elefante, actually he came out and greeted us after dinner! He was very nice and made an already incredible experience even better. All I can say is that we will be back!
(5)
Victoria M.
Great food and excellent service, it's a hidden tucson gem. Great family atmosphere, I'll definitely be back.
(5)
Carrie B.
Mama Louisa's is a great little place. It's been in town longer than Caruso's on 4th and is very similar, in my opinion. We went during lunch on a Thursday before grocery shopping. We decided to order from the menu despite the lunch buffet offerings. We were almost blown over by the air conditioning as we entered and I would like to add: I'm not complaining! As you enter a waiting area is ahead and you hang a left to the hostess stand. If you make another left there is a smallish cantina. Mama Louisa's is very clean. The smells coming from the kitchen offerings are sublime. We were seated in a dining room that is painted to look like a cabana tent with Mediterranean scenery painted all around you. It is very romantic! It has serious kitsch appeal. The lunch buffet will run you $8.25 for soup/salad bar with pasta made to order. The baby was with us and they let her partake of the buffet for free even though we weren't. Two soups were offered: Minestrone & Italian Wedding. The baby loved the minestrone. She found some good stuff at the salad bar and then tried the shells with red sauce (huge hit after she dunked them in the minestrone). I had the Eggplant Parmesan. Yum. Sliced thin and stacked then smothered in red sauce. For those that complain that Caruso's red sauce it too garlicky, consider Mama Lousia's whose sauce is milder and flavorful. I was so full after eating the Egg Parm that I didn't even touch my side of pasta that came with. Olive Garden-like breadsticks were offered, too. Their iced tea was crisp and flavorful. I am so glad we found Mama Louisa's and we will be returning with the older kids & gramps soon. Mark my words.
(4)
Jessica M.
Saw on FB they had new kitchen mgmt... decided to give it a shot... it was absolutely amazing. It was the best Italian food i had experienced in quite some time. will be back now that they have these great cooks working there. Yummy!
(5)
Isidro S.
The first time I was here with friends and family. Had a great time. The place was packed. Food was very good. The second time I was here just family and was disappointed. The place wasn't as packed. A semi new waiter was helping us. Instead of other staff helping him out, they decide to talk about him to other staff in the bar area. Loud enough for us to hear. Very NOT professional at all. Food wasn't as great as a result. Still left a decent tip for the guy.
(2)
Amber B.
DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY!!! We spent $30 on two entrees and an appetizer. Not bad for Italian food that boasts about having homemade pasta. BUT the food was so horrible neither one of us could even get through half of our food. That $10 appetizer was supposed to be Bruschetta..instead it was half of a piece of subway bread with pickled veggies. Pickled. I paid $10 for someone's idea for using their left over vegetables. Now the entrees.. The noodle were indeed homemade or at least tasted like they were. The gravy (sauce) however, tasted like the inside of a Hunts spaghetti can without the curtesy of adding some addition herbs/spices to try to mask the aluminum flavor. The bread sticks were so dense and dry and I couldn't even finish one of them. Needless to say, we will not go back/order take out/or recommend this place to our worst enemies.
(1)
Casey R.
Mama Louisa's is a great place to bring your family. Such a great atmosphere and even better food. They've recently added an awesome selection of draft beers, so now I'm even happier here than before. The chef is amazing and nothing ever comes out of the kitchen lacking.
(4)
Art C.
My wife & I visited for the first time on a February Sunday @ 7:30 pm and were encouraged that people kept coming in and dining while we were seated in "the cage" which is on the side of a room decorated a few decades ago to resemble a patio, with a curved fence containing the shape. Dinner comes with large hot buttery breadsticks, we were served two. We asked about the house Chianti & our young server offered a sample which was quite nice, sweeter and fresh. Entrees were a nice buttery-lemony Chicken Piccata for me, (served as chicken chunks rather than a chicken breast) with linguini, and spaghetti with mariana & sausage for her. She felt the marinara was a bit thicker than she'd have liked, the sausage was good. The homemade pasta was properly cooked al'dente. We ate every bite and were happy with the friendly service and value.
(4)
Larry S.
I went to the new location on Houghton road, I sat down with my 3 children for at least 15.minutes with no service, what made it worse, is the manager Seen me leaving and said nothing. Good part is that I went to buddy s grill down the street and was extremely satisfied, never going back to the other restaurant.
(1)
Kris C.
First it took 10 minutes to get our drinks, it was also very confined and loud. But I had the Marsala chicken which was very good so the food was good but everything else was kinda shit.
(2)
Heidi H.
Not impressed. Lasagna tastes like ragu...sin said prego.....not worth the time or the wait.
(3)
Gary C.
My cousin and I are visiting Tucson for the Gem show. We were looking for a nice Italian restaurant, and were referred to Mama Louisa's with a great recommendation. We easily found the restaurant, and were pleasantly greeted and promptly seated. Our waitress was Jordan, a very enthusiastic young lady. Once we looked at the menu, we were disappointed in the limited selections; however, we decided to try their pasta offering, and I ordered the whole wheat linguini with their signature red sauce, and my cousin ordered the same pasta with a different sauce. We were promptly served, which was not a good sign to us. The first bites were very telling, the noodles were over cooked, broken into 2-3 inch lengths, and had no flavor. We both pushed the dishes away after no more than 3-4 bites, we were done. There is no way that we could recommend this restaurant, do not go!
(1)
Allison O.
I went to Mama Louisa's while I was in Tucson with my parents, and we loved it. I had remembered hearing that it was delicious, but hadn't tried it. I had fettucine with proscuitto and peas, which was amazing, and my Dad had Caesar salad and the spaghetti with meatballs, which he loved. The Caesar salad was gigantic, but he loved it! The chef came out to talk with us because of my Mom's food allergies and made sure that her food would be fine for her. He chatted with us for a while and was incredibly cool. If I lived in Tucson, I'd be back often!
(5)
Valerie S.
One does not simply go the Mama Louisa's and not order the Joe's Special. The best sauce this side of Italy. I love Mama Louisa's. I've been coming here for my 18 years, and I think it's the best, such a cute and quaint restaurant. The Chicken Marsala is so good! TIRAMISU IS TOO DIE FOR!
(5)
Vinnie F.
The place is nice looking on the inside, although not in the best of areas. The service was fine. Polite and cordial. No rush. The margaritas were pretty good. The bread was so-so. Kinda doughy, not real Italian bread. We both ordered the Veal Parmesan. Hers with linguini, mine with spaghetti. They both came with spaghetti. I told the server it was spaghetti. She said it was linguini. (uh oh). But I didn't make an issue of it, except to note to myself that the server obviously doesn't know the difference. I've never seen round linguini before. Spaghetti is round, linguini is flat. But the kicker was it didn't make any difference: linguini or spaghetti, they were both grossly overcooked. The pasta had the consistency of mashed potatoes. That is bad. You might expect that from a diner, but not an Italian restaurant. The veal was OK, nothing to stand in line for. I could cut it with my fork, but the sauce was a bit harsh (salty) and that didn't help the veal at all. (Nothing on the planet could help the pasta.) It was our first time there. I doubt we will return. From where we are it was not worth the ride (40 mins), and we did not like the neighborhood.
(2)
George F.
My wife had been here before and raved about so we had to give it another shot. I had the Tuscany chicken with pasta. The sauce was excellent! Marilyn had the ravioli which had a nice cheese mix.
I have only been here 1 time, since i live out of state, but i will be back. Old world, friendly service, quality ingredients and menu based on family recipes. Anxious to try more menu items
(4)
Darryl N.
This is the original location, there is a NEW location on Houghton. I love Mama Louisa's and go back as often as I can. Smaller, but I say Comfy and decent priced with excellent service.
(5)
Swass T.
Absolut hot garbage. I should say cold cause that how our food came out. Basically red sauce with no flavor. Don't waste your money.
(1)
Thomas W.
I can't get to five stars as although we enjoyed are meals there are some things that could be done much better, little things like maybe fresh bread sticks with maybe garlic butter brushed on top. Better silverware would do wonders as this is another area that was less than five star. I just hate eating with cheap junky forks. The salad bar was top notch with everything we love and more. Soup was tasty as well. Then for the dinners, HUGE portions way more than either of us could eat. We could have easily split either of our meals and left happy. I had the pasta with meat sauce and Sausage, I found it excellent. My wife tried the Cannelloni which she just loved! The on line menu and the real menu are slightly different as they seemed to have scaled back a little and pricing has changed slightly as well. Over all the service was wonderful. We will be returning soon.
(4)
Gabriel S.
The food was ok and a little overpriced. They do not have beer on tap but have beer bottles. We were expecting more flavor than regular Italian chains. We did like the salad and soup bar. Customer service was excellent and the servers were friendly. I ordered the chicken picatta and I felt like the sauce was heated in the microwave and added to the chicken. I am not sure if I would return to try a different dish.
(3)
Sheila K.
My friends and I went here for "Girls Night Out" last weekend and really enjoyed ourselves! The service was EXCELLENT and the food was DELICIOUS! I ordered the chicken alfredo with peas and prosciutto. The noodles are homemade and I could have eaten the whole bowl, but with the portions so generous, it just wasn't happening! This is a Tucson gem and it's one not to be missed!
(4)
Cindy L.
This place is the real deal and has been around for ever! ! Home made pasta AND the owners are delightful people! ! Try the eggplant parm. ..yummm!
(5)
Mark F.
I ate at mama louisa's restaurant at first because of its close proximity to my apartment. I loved the food and I recommend the salad bar. It only cost 3 extra dollars to add to any meal and it is outstanding. I have been back several times since my first meal there. I cannot recommend it enough.
(5)
Eddie A.
I've been eating here as long as I can remember. The food is fantastic, the service is top notch, and the owners are completely fantastic. I love the pasta bar for lunch, Joe's Special with chicken parmesan for dinner. I've literally never had a bad meal here in the almost 30 years I've been eating here (incidentally the same number of years I've been on this planet). Good for dates, family events, and large parties.
(5)
Hannah L.
Others have enjoyed their dishes here, but mine was not worthy of the high plate price ($14.00). I had the chicken Tuscany w/ eggplant. The chicken was chunked chicken from a can, the tomato chunks were mushy and not ripe, the sauce was so salty I couldn't eat it. The artichoke hearts were salty and straight from a jar. My guess is the eggplant was previously frozen and then reheated. It's breading was soggy, and mushy. For a meal that tasted like it came from the freezer and a can, I felt it was overpriced.
(1)
Cassy H.
My husband used to live in Tucson and frequented this place as a youngster. Everytime he brings me into town, we MUST go here. It is a staple on any Tucson visit. If we lived in town, we would prob eat her once a week. The portions are gigantic, the food is amazing, the wine is so-so...they have a good enough selection but nothing outstanding. The salad bar is perfect...big enough to get exactly what you want & small enough that you know the food probably isn't sitting out there day after day. Ingredients always look fresh. I always get the lasagna with Joe's special sauce. It has garlic amazingness all thru it. Anything you order, I recommend the Joe's special sauce on it. My husband got the spaghetti with the special sauce and 2 giant meatballs on it. Way more food than most people can eat in one sitting...but we always try because it is so, so good! I have been coming here for 5 years now, and find it one of my favorite hole-in-the-wall local places I know. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Very family feel...family atmosphere...super casual, and laid back. Feels like the waiters & waitresses all are part of the owners family...some are, I am sure. I would give it 10 stars if I could...
(5)
Stacy S.
I tried Mama Louisa's for the first time and it was pretty tasty. I placed my order for take out, as this was on my dinner hour from work. I ordered Joe's Special Pasta with a side of meatballs. The portions were huge and I will be sure to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. The sauce had a good flavor to it, it did not taste as if it came out of a can and the meatballs were juicy. The meal came with two garlic breadsticks that were fresh and hot. Price was a little much, at first glance; however seeing that I have at least two meals out of one order, I am ok with it. All in all, I'll be back for lunch or dinner.
(4)
Anne P.
I love that this is an old Tucson establishment but old school Italian it is not. I think the original family chefs would be disappointed. The place looks nice and has a nice ambiance with candles at each table. All of the staff are friendly and fast. The cooks or whomever is in charge of what comes out on the plate should be fired. Put a little love back in your food and people will love your restaurant again. The food is just mediocre and for a family restaurant I expected some more authentic Italian cooking with more flavor.
(2)
Kamryn C.
I ventured out with a friend the other night to Craycroft and 29h to dine at Mama Louisa's and I have to say that the experience was the epitome of three stars. The food is average, nothing really stood out, but we left belly's full. The prices are on the high side for the food, but the portions are large, so I guess that makes up for it? I got about 3 meals out of one dish. Would I go again? Probably not. I think that Tucson has much more to offer in the area of Italian food.
(3)
Lauren K.
I really want to like Mama Loiusa's, I just can't, even though I try over and over again. I am of Italian descent, born and raised in NY and NJ, so I have a very good understanding of good Italian food. Mama Louisa's is not very good Italian food. Their sauce is slightly better than most in Tucson, but that's not saying a lot when most sauces are unseasoned, mashed up tomatoes. Much of their food is pre-made, including one of the easiest dishes on the menu, the baked ziti. How hard is it to cook pasta, mix in cheese, and bake it for 20 minutes? Not very, and I've never heard of not doing it to order before. The taste is lacking because of it. It would also be nice to choose a different pasta to be cooked in the baked "ziti" style. Their chicken is far too thick, it should be cut in half and served as 2 pieces. Their fresh pasta is just "ok". Their salad bar is the epitome of NOT fresh food. The hard boiled eggs are often FROZEN when they get onto your plate. It's like eating an egg ice cube, and it's gross. When they aren't frozen when you get to them, the whites are just rubbery because they've just defrosted and all the water is out of them. Not good and not acceptable. At least the greens are usually green and fresh looking. The breadsticks often come hard as a rock and dry, and in FILTHY, DISGUSTING, baskets. I hate eating from them because they are NOT clean at all. The service is also very slow at times. I've sat without a drink during entire meals a few times there. They've never been rude, though. I can overlook the slow service if only the food was good. The atmosphere is also dingy and old and sorta dirty. I really want to like Mama Louisa's, and I'll continue going there once in a while to see if things improve.
(2)
Tanya S.
This restaurant is very close to Davis-Monthan AFB. I was looking for a place close to base for dinner and quickly found this one. We went on a Wednesday night. Service was very slow. I think they only had one waitress working that night. The place was mostly empty, but still, slow service. The place is very cute. I ordered Joe's Special with a side of meatballs. It was really good, but a bit salty. Portions are fairly large and I only managed to eat half so I have the rest for today's lunch. The bread was really good as well. Overall I think it was pretty good! Would definitely visit again to try other dishes.
(4)
R. V.
Love this place! This is a go to restaurant for me and my family. In fact this is my daughter's favorite restaurant according to her. The staff is awesome and the food has always been great. My daughter loves their salad bar and their pesto. My wife usually goes for the alfredo pasta with extra prosciutto. I am a big fan of the Shrimp Giuseppe. This place is great. They have been around forever and its obvious why.
(4)
Vicki W.
Best salad bar in town! The potato and macaroni salads always taste home made. Soups are also VERY good. If you go for lunch be sure to give the pasta/salad bar a try. And ALWAYs order the home made linguini noodles. Yum! If you go for dinner, be sure to give Joe's Special a go. Everyone we have ever brought here has adored Joe's Special! Family owned for a gazillion years and one of Tucson's best restaurants. Love!
(5)
Raul S.
FAST Review 2.5 out of 5 * Food 3/5 - Got the "Joe's special" with a couple meatballs on the side. The pasta definitely tasted freshly made, and the sauce was decent. The meatballs were large, and I was only able to get through half the pasta and one meatball before calling it quits. So portions are generous here. Meals came with warm bread sticks, which probably contributed to the carb overload. I was tempted to get the salad bar, but the selection looked pretty small. Ambiance 3/5 - Decor is a little dated, but I guess that's so it retains it's family owned old school charm? Dress is casual. Service 2/5 - We had Monday service on a Friday. Seems like our waiter would have black-out moments where he would forget about us, then finally remember to drop by. Seemed to be difficult to get their attention too, for water refills and for the check. It's not like it was super busy either. Total Impression 2.5/5 - I suppose the food is decent here. But I didn't care for the slow, haphazard service when we were there, which is why I'm rounding down to 2 stars instead of up to 3.
(2)
Kat B.
I love this place! I'd eat here even if they only ever served the Joes special. The spaghetti sauce for this is amazing and you can add it to anything. The people here are friendly and the service is good. There are other italian places in tucson but I don't know any that make their own noodles and sauce from scratch. At lunch there is a pasta buffet which is pretty good but nothing compares to the joes special. I always get light cheese extra sauce, and I usually buy this for dinner and still have enough for lunch. 10.00 to me isn't very expensive for pasta considering the amount you get. The breadsticks are mediocre to me but some of my friends like them more then olive garden. The decorations aren't anything fancy but places like this remind me of home cooking. Also they hand make their own spumoni, which is amazing and very flavorful.
(5)
Joshua B.
Now I had heard good things about this place for years, but never went. I finally got around to going and I was impressed. The service is just kind of average, kind of reminiscent of Olive Garden. Not bad, but not terribly good. I was told to order the Joe's Special (with extra garlic), and it did not disappoint. Simple and hard to mess up, there is a reason people talk about this dish. If you've never been to Mama Louisa's and you feel like Olive Garden, why not stop by here and try them out instead?
(4)
gloria g.
Menu prices are low for Tucson; but, honestly, the food was cafeteria fare, filling but undistinquished. Mediocre. Much like the many so-called Mexican joints around the city. Tucson restaurants are, generally, a sorry lot. Find a "roach-coach" to your liking and leave "eating out" at that. Otherwise, stay home. I mean, why waste time and money beating a dead horse.
(2)
Jed B.
Ugh, I hate doing this because I know this place tries, but I gotta be honest. There was no background music, so it was boring sitting there, trying to blot out the old white retirees complain about their last vacation to London. The waitress was a sweetheart, and that's why I'm torn about giving this place a couple of stars. Flat out, my food sucked! I ordered the chicken marsala with fettucine alfredo. The dish was almost soupy, the sauces were mixing, the pasta's texture was odd and the chicken was ok. Now, this place is inexpensive, so that makes up for mediocre food. I really hate saying this because i'm all about authenticity but Tucson has no authentic Italian restaurants, I promise you that! even the most "italiano" owners that swear their granparents from the old world are doing the cooking, are elaborating. Truth is, Mexicans are in those kitchens, going off of recipes. With that being known, you might as well go to olive garden, macaroni grill or even carrabas. The thing about these corporate restaurants is that they have super high standards and their products are consistent. Sad to say, but true, ya?
(2)
Sharon D.
My husband and I have had dinner here several times and the food and service were both good every time. Our first lunch experience was today, and everyone in our party of 5 enjoyed the food. We were long-time friends getting caught up on each other, so we stayed and chatted for over an hour after we finished eating. Our waitress didn't try to rush us, checked often to see if we needed anything more, and left us to enjoy each other. We definitely recommend this place!
(5)
Don C.
Pasta bar is fantastic. Loved it.
(5)
Neo M.
We went to Mama Lousa's Italian Restaurant after seeing a laudable review in the Tucson Weekly. What a disappointment. The veal parmigiana was overcooked and tasted commercial -- as if it were previously frozen from a food vendor then nuked and served. The tomato sauce tasted like it came out of a can: I swear I could taste the tin! I tasted no original or authentic herb or spice whatsoever. The real giveaway is when one has to ask for a spoon to twirl the pasta. Do people in Tucson really not know how to eat pasta? I grant that people who think Olive Garden is authentic Italian might be enchanted by the home spun ambiance of this place. But overall it reminded me of hospital cafeteria food -- no exaggeration. I mean it. The food was lousy!
(1)
Tracy K.
Ate there for the first time... and last. I had the joes special, which was anything but special; pasta covered in melted cheese and topped with sauce. Not very special. The sauce is nice tasting, but nothing special about the dish. My wife had manicotti which was better.
(2)
Elsbeth P.
This is probably more like a three and a half star review. Mama Louisa's has been a Tucson staple for YEARS. The decor (inside and out) will let you know that this place has been open since the early to mid-60's, and that's what I LOVE about it. It's borderline cheesy, but still tastefully maintains that classic cliche Italian flare. They offer the standard Italian fare along with a soup and salad bar for an additional $3.50. The salad bar is one of my favorite parts- it has a good selection (and is fresh and clean most of the time) but isn't overwhelming. Try the linguini- it's homemade and you can taste the difference! Excellent. The baked ziti is also good, but I like to order a dish with chicken in it to balance out the carb overload (although you can get chicken added to any dish). This time I tried the Chicken Scallopini and it was good, but we went at the end of the night and I was disappointed to taste that it had been precooked early in the day and had been sitting. The texture was just off and it was pretty salty, but overall, the meal was good. The waitress was very attentive and refilled our breadsticks and drinks very quickly. Don't expect to be totally amazed when you come here, but it's definitely a good place to go when you want to support a local Italian establishment and try something different. I feel torn- I recommend it based on Tucson street cred for how long it's been around and how charming it is, but I don't want to send people there thinking they'll have the most amazing food ever. The best part- as I mentioned we were there towards the end of the night, and a couple of the staff members who had just ended their shifts were sitting at the bar eating their dinners. That's ALWAYS a good sign, isn't it?
(3)
Yves J.
I had the buffet and it was good. It's not a beautiful restaurant. The service was great. The Italian Wedding soup was good but a bit salty. I'd recommend it a a nice place to go to for lunch.
(3)
Frank V.
This is an old school Italian restaurant, which is good in my book. By that I mean red checkered table clothes, parmesan cheese in a shaker at the table, candles and a large portions of flavorful food. If you like contemporary chain restaurants, you might not be impressed. This is much more similar to Caruso's on 4th avenue, which is also old school, than to any run of the mill Olive Garden type establishment. I took my two sons (10 and 12 years old) there for an early Saturday evening dinner. It wasn't too crowded at first, but when we were leaving, it was beginning to get crowded. We were seated promptly, and it took a while to decide what we wanted because of the large amount of selections in the menu. My two boys each got manicotti, and I got the Mama's special, which consisted of eggplant parmesan, lasagna and cheese tortellini. We decided to also get salads, which means a trip to the salad bar. The salad bar had many selections along with soup. The manicotti was huge with two homemade noodles (without the ridges) stuffed full of a cheese mixture and covered with a delicious red sauce. My eggplant parmesan was excellent and the lasagna was very good. I wasn't too impressed with the tortellini because it seemed as if it was the refrigerated type you get at the grocery store. All of my dish was covered with the delicious red sauce. The service was outstanding. Our server constantly was attending to us without being overbearing. She immediately replenished our garlic bread sticks whenever we were out, and she refilled our drinks as soon as we were out. All in all I think this is a very good restaurant. It has tasty food, a quaint atmosphere, good service and reasonable prices.
(4)
Stephen Z.
I read a few reviews from people that didn't review this restaurant well and were expecting to be impressed after ordering lemon chicken and seafood?? These reviewers then went on to compare Mama Louisa's to The Olive Garden... Let me give these people and future readers a little advice. If you are looking to have a nice sit down dinner at a chic restaurant with great food and servers that wait hand over foot for you, go to Bluefin (seafood) or Vivace (Italian). Now if you're looking for a great casual little restaurant on the south side of town that has the best homemade linguini and red sauce, go to Mama Louisa's! You won't get better. Steve P.S. Joe's Special!!!
(4)
Michelle C.
I have been going to Mama Louisa's for years. Best old school Italian food in town, just like Grandma's. And yes, the decor is like Grandma's too! Service is fast and friendly. Pasta is fresh and delicious. My favorite is the pesto or Joe's special. I also love their calzones. I frequently go to the all you can eat pasta special for lunch, where they prepare your pasta and sauce right there on the spot. Fabulous.
(5)
Matthew J.
My wife and I have tried this place twice..... its looks nice but the food is horrible and so was the service! We will not be making this adventure again!
(1)
Chuck H.
Joe special is my favorite.
(5)
Derrick D.
I wanted to like this place. I really, really did. I mean, it's family owned and local. I made the trip out here from where I live the north side (Limberlost & Campbell) because it was in a brochure the boyfriend & I picked up for the local restaurant group "Tucson Originals". Should have Yelped it first. The sauces were bland and unimpressive and so were the pastas. Honestly, as much as it grieves me to say this at the expense of what seems like a quaint local business, Olive Garden is probably better. No disrespect meant to those who have good feelings about the place and have been coming here for years. There are some places I love back home in Chicago whose food is most likely unimpressive and bland by normal standards--but the smile of recognition from waitresses and hostesses goes a long way toward creating warm fuzzy feelings and loyalty. That's very human and understandable. But to those who have no sentimental attachment, I'm afraid Mama Louisa's won't impress much. The best Italian food value in Tucson is at Roma Imports, and they are only open for lunch. Go there on a weekday.
(2)
Melinda B.
Myself and my 10 yr old son love Mama Louisa's! They have a great little Italy atmosphere that is very welcoming and friendly servers that are very attentive. I've been here several times and I always love it. For lunch you can get all you can eat pasta dishes made especially for you and in front of you with the soup/salad bar for only about $9. Tonight for dinner I had the early bird Joe's Special (it has their homemade linguine) with the salad/soup bar and my son had one of the kids shells and tomato sauce, everything was awesome as well. My son loves the breadsticks that come with service too.
(4)
William P.
Disclaimer: considering closing time was just around the corner I'm going to give a pass on some things. I plan on giving this place another shot at a later date. Stopped in here for dinner with my boyfriend and a mutual friend. It was about 35 minutes to close (we asked), I felt like a jackass, so I encouraged our trio to order & eat quickly. Three waters, two glasses of white wine, bread sticks all hit the table pretty quickly. The S.O. had pork marsala w/ a side of sauteed mushrooms, friend had Joe's Special, I had the linguine with pesto & a side of meatballs. GF/Celiacs: Due to time constraints I didn't scour the menu or bother to ask any questions. Obviously avoid things you can't eat, but for Italian I tend to throw caution to the wind. Celiacs will want to be more careful. Breadsticks were good, a bit salty, reminded me of Olive Garden. Tap water, not surprised, didn't really care. The wine was cold and delicious. My food: pesto was delicious, I would have enjoyed a bit more to fully coat the pasta. Six pine nuts, seriously? I don't expect a blanket of them but there were so few I barely noticed them. A large portion of pasta that was fresh and tasty. The food was warm, not hot. The red sauce for the meatballs was too acidic for my liking, but it wasn't terrible. Meatballs were juicy but served warm. Sad-face. Boyfriend's food: I tried some of his mushrooms and pork marsala, it was good, but the marsala was very very thick, almost gelatinous. No idea why, it tasted fine but didn't resemble the marsala I'm familiar with. Friend's food: needed another ladle of red sauce, she said the pasta was dry.
(3)
Angelica V.
Mama Louisa's (or Weezies, as it's called in my family), is FAN-TAS-TIC. The best bet by far is the Joe's Special. It's easily the best red sauce I've ever had (outside of my own Italian family). I've never had anything alfredo here, that's not my cup of tea, but it's probably just as delicious as the red sauce entrees. My boyfriend lives for the salad bar. The Italian wedding soup they have on the line is very good. I'm also a giant fan of the baked ziti, which always reminds me of my Grandma Annie in Yonkers, NY. The ambiance is casual and chill, the staff is phenomenal, and if the decor is a little campy, it feels like home to me. This is Italian (American-Italian) food at it's finest. If you're into taste and heat and spice, this is the place for you. If you're into bland, try Olive Garden down the road (but please don't say you're eating Italian there).
(5)
Roving S.
I was hoping to experience authentic Italian food, and found that the restaurant hasn't been owned and managed by the original Italian family who created the menu for generations. The food was ok. The staff was very kind, and very community oriented, and the waitstaff was good. However, if you are looking for an authentic ethnic cuisine or experience you should go elsewhere. The owners have tried very hard to keep the cuisine the same and they do make custom pastas, so I don't want to deter people too much, they are trying. I can tell they love their restaurant and put their all into it. It just depends what your looking for. I LOVE italian food and wanted something more authentic, so my experience was a bit disappointing, but if your looking for decent food, reasonable price, and nice staff this might be a good place for the family. Up to you and your expectations.
(2)
Miss C.
Totally miss this place, many fond memories of my days in Tucson. It is hard to find non-chain Italian places, and it was awesome to stumble upon this place. My boyfriend had the pleasure of eating here for 3 years and it was always great (decor a lil cheesy..but whatever?!). The noodles are fresh and addictive, the salad bar was nice. It was amazing that they offered hand sanitizer (for those who like to be clean, and like a brick to the head for those who aren't!) right next to the salad area. Great prices (when we frequented the place they even had a frequent diner card!) and an amazingly cordial staff. If I ever find myself in Tucson again I know exactly where I will go. (and if the one manager guy that was always there happens to see this...nope we're still not married! lol)
(4)
Dennis N.
I'm sorry, I really wanted to like this place, but coming from the east coast we are used to really good Italian. Did not like the Marinara sauce. Tomato flavor and not much else. Salad bar was just O. K.. Sadly, when you know what really good Italian bread is, this falls very short. The homemade pasta was O. K.. It was very busy with a lot of people waiting. Parking was cramped.
(2)
Erin P.
I keep trying to like this place, have been in there 3 or 4 times and am disappointed each time. Their lemon chicken was so bitter I had to send it back. Now I just get soup and salad........too bad most of the soups are bland and under seasoned. The salad bar is a safe bet, just stay away from the mandarin oranges as they can be sour.
(1)
Elyse P.
We really enjoy Mama Louisa's. We have been there twice. The first visit, I would say, was slightly more positive than the second, but the second visit was still very enjoyable. The eggplant, meatball and manicotti was so good the first time, I ordered it again. We've also had the fried zucchini and calamari appetizers. I would get both again, but we prefer the calamari to be more natural in preparation - Mama Louisa's is little strips - but it's still yummy. The waiter was very friendly and polite, and he made sure my drink was just to my liking. His only fault was that he would disappear for long periods of time, but he would apologize when he came back. Overall, I would definitely recommend Mama Louisa's and plan to return.
(3)
Bonnie Jean W.
The pasta dishes here are excellent. I can't recommend their homemade linguini with pesto sauce enough, but their marinara is also extremely flavorful and delicious. I give their pasta five stars, but I would recommend skipping the salad bar. If they could bring the quality of the salad bar up to the high standard of their homemade entrees, I'd give Mama Louisa's five big fat stars!
(4)
Kodok G.
Good, consistent, family-oriented Italian food. Nothing fancy, but hearty portions, reasonable prices, and decent service. Try the house-made pasta. Always good to support independent, local business owners.
(4)
Kirstin B.
This is a long time family favorite. If you are wanting good Italian food from a local place this is it. Located near the base, Mama louisa's has been in Tucson for so long for a reason. Don't miss the Joe's speical with the chicken parm and the fried zuccini. If you are mood for pizza, their thin-crust New York style pizza is full of great seasoning.
(4)
Paul C.
The whole family loves to eat here. I have lived in Tucson my entire life best Italian food around.
(5)
C L.
Went here last month as someone gave me a gift certificate for Christmas. I have always wanted to try this place, as I love homemade pasta. I ordered the Joe's Special. This is their signature dish. I thought it was pretty good. Not spectacular, but good. While I don't think the pasta is the best in Tucson, I think the other items they offer make up for it. I really liked the soup and salad bar that you could add to your dinner. I would come back just for this. I also give this place credit, as it is like grandmas Italian, and not gourmet Italian that I can't stand. Try it out if you want an option other than a national chain.
(4)
Michael B.
A friend took me here for lunch once a few years ago, and I became addicted. I can't speak for the regular menu items, although I've heard and see the previous reviews confirm that they aren't that great. I go for the soup, salad and pasta bar during lunch. I could go everyday, and in fact while stationed at Davis-Monthan I did go to lunch there everyday for awhile. So much so that the family gave me a free lunch for Christmas, hey, it's the simple things that count with me. I lived in Tucson for five years and this is by far the best lunch spot I came accross, if you want to stuff your face and wait in line for an hour then go to Oregano's. I've lived in LA for a few years and can't find anything that pales in comparison to this family run Italian restaurant, and when I'm in Tucson I make sure I go here at least once during my stay.
(5)
Anne W.
My husband and I are just moving to Tucson. My parents lived here 40 years ago and they ate at Mama Louisa's all the time back then. For as long as I can remember, my mom has talked about Mama Louisa's linguine with clam sauce and how great it is. As a treat and thank you for helping us move, my husband and I decided to take my mom to see if it was still as she remembered it. According to my mom, it's still the best linguine with clam sauce she's ever had. She's been eating her way across the globe for the last 40 years so that's saying something. Neither my husband nor I are big Italian food lovers - at least the food called Italian that's served in the US (we both love Italian Italian food - sorry folks but alfredo is NOT from Italy). So, the dinner was for my mom. However, my husband and I both enjoyed our meals as did our kids. We got our kids the pasta with meatballs and there was not a piece of food left on their plates. They aren't picky eaters but they also never clean their plates. I had the linguine with garlic and olive oil. It was good but could have used a little more spice. My husband had Joe's Special and he said he would go back for it. That's a huge compliment from him. They make their own pasta and you can tell, it's very good. The bread was reminicent of some of the chains and most of it stayed in the basket. According to my mom, the decor hasn't changed one little bit in 40 years except that they added the salad bar. I'll leave it up to the reader to decide if that's a good thing or not. Our service was excellent. Our waiter checked back quite frequently to make sure we had everything we needed. Our food arrived without much of a wait. We'll definitely be back.
(4)
Leo B.
Typical Tucson answer to Italian food... blech.
(1)
Matt D.
I've been coming here for years and years, and it's my favorite Italian place in Tucson. Mama Louisa's always seems to be a love it or hate it kinda place. We've had guests from out of town absolutely abhor the place and others who have loved it. Someone mentioned the breadsticks taste like paper. I couldn't agree more. They're pretty nasty. They always have been. But my oh my... Joe's Special. That's where it's at, ladies and gentlemen. It's a pasta dish with sauce and peppers and melted cheese and it's quite possibly the single greatest dish of food in this entire town. Six stars for that alone. It would easily be one of my stranded-island foods.
(5)
Bradley B.
Pasta bar for lunch is much better than eating here in the evening. Yes for lunch, Olive Garden is better for dinner.
(4)
Brian W.
The worst Italian I have ever had. The red sauce tastes like a glass of wine. Our food was undercooked, and the wait staff thought it was more important to talk about the night before than it was to see how we were doing. Steer clear of this place.
(1)
Alex V.
I know the bar for Italian food in Arizona is low, but Mama Louisa's could definitely be better. The service was good, but the food was on par with say an Olive Garden. On the plus side, its priced on the low side.
(2)
Bill M.
I was warned by my wife not to bother with Mama Louisa's -- But I thought she was just being snobby. I took her Mom for dinner tonight and I wish I had listened to my spouse (who's out of town.) The Italian Wedding Soup probably came out of the Godfather #1 catering truck - weird pieces of supposed sausage in a salty broth - my sodium level spiked immediately. The salad bar was well described by Veggie Girl - a real mess. The "Italian" dressing and pasta salad jacked up my already elevated sodium level even further. The bread sticks were buttery and yet more salt. Does this place cater to a large crowd of smokers with no taste buds? We waited forever for our Joe's Special (Mom) and my two meat pasta plate: a couple of meatballs and a sausage over tomato sauce and linguine pasta. Where do I begin? The meatballs were "juicy" and just tasted awful. The sausage was dry. The pasta looked like it had been cooked once, then flash-frozen in a plastic pouch, then microwaved and plopped on my plate. It had that kind of dried out, extremely white color around the edges that you see in microwave lunches. In fact, I've had better pasta in microwave lunches. The tomato sauce was kind of sweet in a sickening kind of way - no real spice, garlic, well... flavor! The waiter, Jason, was just obnoxious -- at our table asking how things were going while I was having soup & salad but never again while we where waiting an extremely long time for our main meals. In fact, he sat at the bar hanging out -- when he finally checked our meals were ready. I think that was supposed to constitute as good service in advance of our wait. From their web site ( emol.org/mamalouisas ), bright green like my face after eating the slop they served up: "serving the best in homemade Italian cuisine." And further, they apparently, since 1956, "been among one of the top restaurants in Tucson." Ummm... according to whom? Again, I should have listened to my wife and simply suggested somewhere else for dinner with Mother-in-law. Live and learn and pass the Maalox.
(1)
Bradley C.
I expected much more since this restaurant is supposed to be Tucson's top Italian choice. First the bread sticks came. Tasted like paper, they were cold, and our basket had dried tomato sauce on it. I'm not sure this place would pass a health inspection. You can tell the roof has leaks with the stained and sagging ceiling tiles. Nothing looked clean. I ordered the lasagna which tasted okay, but was not very hot. I will never go back unless this place is torn down, rebuilt and boasting new management.
(1)
Bob W.
Been coming here for years, and yes, not always the best service. I kinda like this place. We do birthdays other celebrations there. There is a wide variety of food. NO... Not like Olive Garden. Real home cooked food. And homemade noodles! Breadsticks are really good when hot (add Parmesan cheese to the top of warm breadsticks!!!) I guess I just need a Joe's special every now and again.
(4)
David O.
Mama louisa's is by far one of the best casual restaurants in Tucson. My parents brought me there when I was young and now I'm proud to bring my family and friends. During my time in the military the one place I was guaranteed to visit was Mama Louisa's. It is, perhaps, not the most earth quaking Italian food on the planet but it's always good and often great. The wine selection is good and you'd be doing your tastebuds a terrible disservice if you don't try Joe's special once in your life. Occasionally the service is a bit slow, but it's usually only when they're busy and the kitchen is weeded. All-in-all, with home-made pasta, a great atmosphere, and decades of family owned cooking experience, Mama Louisa's is a can't miss dining experience.
(5)
F N.
I always order the Eggplant parmesan sandwich with fried zucchini here and it is always takeout. the food is great, the zucchini is a little bit bitter and over greasy. They serve it with ranch dressing which is awesome. yumm... The only downside is that whenever I have placed an order, I show up 15 to 20 minutes later but I still have to end up waiting for another 10 minutes. By that time, my lunch hour is gone and I have to pretty much swallow my sandwich. They do need faster service. People are friendly and great customer service. They call you by name once they get to know you after a couple of times...
(4)
Jennifer H.
Ok, I KNOW this restaurant is supposed to be a "tradition" in Tucson, has been here for years and years but I can honestly say that I don't understand what all the hype is about. Our family went there one evening, service was slow and my "alfredo" sauce wasn't cheesy AT ALL! More like a cream sauce. Had to dump piles of parmesean in it. The kids meals were awful. Frozen chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs. (Banquet brand perhaps?) Not at all what we were expecting from an "authentic" Italian restaurant. Won't go back.........................
(2)
Sheri W.
Our family has been going here for three generations. Highly recommend the early bird specials if you're doing dinner and want to eat a bit early, they are a great bargain. Joe's Special is hand's down the family favorite, but nothing disappoints. Homemade pasta (how can you lose?) and a friendly atmostphere and good service with remarkable consistency. Super family friendly but they have smaller tables for more romantic dining too.
(5)
Eric M.
As I am new to the Tucson area I really didn't know where to go. My brother and his wife were in town and after rummaging through US and Yelp, we decided on Mama Louisa's. Our party of 8 (without reservations) showed up and was seated within 10 minutes. There were four adults and four children. All were satisfied with our generous portions of really good Italian food. Enough to bring leftovers home for the next day's lunch. Total bill for 6 adult meals and 2 kid meals was about $110 (no alcohol). Seemed very reasonable to us. We will return in the future.
(4)
Bleep S.
Fettucine alfredo, meatballs. and the Joe's special...love them. Good pizza as well.
(4)
Suzanne Mack O.
We have been searching for good downhome Italian food since we moved here two years ago. Someone suggested this place so we tried it tonight in celebration of our son's 24th birthday. We were thrilled. The rolls were quite good after reading such bad reviews. We were pleasantly surprised. The salad bar comes with two soups. I had Italian wedding soup which was hot. The salad bar is definitely worth the extra few dollars. My husband and I orderd veal parmigian Joe's style, and it was wonderful. The pasta is homemade and so fresh. Sauce was great. My husband and I had a few drinks which were priced below $6. We live in Starr Pass so we know a good value after drinking at the JW Marriott. Our son had clams linguine. They don't bother to make it look fancy with shells. It was very tasty. We ordered a bottle of reserve Chianti Classico. That was only $38. When the bill came to under $120 for three people with cocktails, wine and after dinner drinks we were very pleased. Staff was quick to serve, food served fast. Food was very hot. We will definitely go back here again to celebrate any occasion. We are so glad to find something without a lot of frills. Waiter does not pour the wine, no fresh grated parmeasean cheese, but we appreciate the value being retired. Manja.
(4)
Andy H.
I went here for lunch and it was not bad at all. I kinda liked it, other than the slow service. I would have gone for the all-you-can-eat pasta if I had known it was going to take so long to get the food. It was good though. I got the sausage and peppers pasta and it was very tasty. Sometimes sausage and peppers at a restaurant is swimming in olive oil, but here it was not bad. I saw the fettucine alfredo with chicken and it didn't look good but got eaten anyway, and some baked penne sausage dish that got barely eaten, but the rest of it was taken home (the sorority girl method I guess). Most people who got all-you-can-eat only went up once anyway, and it didn't look nearly as tasty. Anyway I'd go again just to get to wait in line behind 4 old people in walkers, paging through book-sized wallets of credit cards and coupons, while waiting to pay.
(3)
pasqual t.
Food: They are known for there fresh homemade food so, coming in I expected a lot. Bread stick with the meal where typical like Olive Garden but more flavor. For the appetizer we got pizza bread, which was like small thick crust pizza, light on sauce, heavy on cheese, we asked for a side of ranch, and it was also fresh. We got egg plant parmesan and penne with Italian sausage. Both where good except the sauce had zero flavor. I had to dump salt on it and when I ask for cheese they pointed to the shaker on the table, basically lowering them to the level of peter piper pizza. If the sauce had any taste to it I could give this place a better review. Drinks: they served drinks in little 12 oz plastic cups that had to be refilled every 10 mins. Atmosphere: Its actually quite nice inside. Decor was theme like Italy in the summer and they had a full bar. Bathroom was a one seater but not that clean. Service was ok but the cook but must work slow because it took two of us about 1.5 hours to have a meal, mostly waiting for food on a pretty slow night. Parking is scary as it was low lit in a not great part of town. Over all if the sauce was good this place would be nice for dates but due to what seemed like higher then average price to quality ratio I wouldn't take your whole family.
(3)
Roving S.
I was hoping to experience authentic Italian food, and found that the restaurant hasn't been owned and managed by the original Italian family who created the menu for generations. The food was ok. The staff was very kind, and very community oriented, and the waitstaff was good. However, if you are looking for an authentic ethnic cuisine or experience you should go elsewhere. The owners have tried very hard to keep the cuisine the same and they do make custom pastas, so I don't want to deter people too much, they are trying. I can tell they love their restaurant and put their all into it. It just depends what your looking for. I LOVE italian food and wanted something more authentic, so my experience was a bit disappointing, but if your looking for decent food, reasonable price, and nice staff this might be a good place for the family. Up to you and your expectations.
(2)
Tracy K.
Ate there for the first time... and last. I had the joes special, which was anything but special; pasta covered in melted cheese and topped with sauce. Not very special. The sauce is nice tasting, but nothing special about the dish. My wife had manicotti which was better.
(2)
Miss C.
Totally miss this place, many fond memories of my days in Tucson. It is hard to find non-chain Italian places, and it was awesome to stumble upon this place. My boyfriend had the pleasure of eating here for 3 years and it was always great (decor a lil cheesy..but whatever?!). The noodles are fresh and addictive, the salad bar was nice. It was amazing that they offered hand sanitizer (for those who like to be clean, and like a brick to the head for those who aren't!) right next to the salad area. Great prices (when we frequented the place they even had a frequent diner card!) and an amazingly cordial staff. If I ever find myself in Tucson again I know exactly where I will go. (and if the one manager guy that was always there happens to see this...nope we're still not married! lol)
(4)
Dennis N.
I'm sorry, I really wanted to like this place, but coming from the east coast we are used to really good Italian. Did not like the Marinara sauce. Tomato flavor and not much else. Salad bar was just O. K.. Sadly, when you know what really good Italian bread is, this falls very short. The homemade pasta was O. K.. It was very busy with a lot of people waiting. Parking was cramped.
(2)
Erin P.
I keep trying to like this place, have been in there 3 or 4 times and am disappointed each time. Their lemon chicken was so bitter I had to send it back. Now I just get soup and salad........too bad most of the soups are bland and under seasoned. The salad bar is a safe bet, just stay away from the mandarin oranges as they can be sour.
(1)
Elyse P.
We really enjoy Mama Louisa's. We have been there twice. The first visit, I would say, was slightly more positive than the second, but the second visit was still very enjoyable. The eggplant, meatball and manicotti was so good the first time, I ordered it again. We've also had the fried zucchini and calamari appetizers. I would get both again, but we prefer the calamari to be more natural in preparation - Mama Louisa's is little strips - but it's still yummy. The waiter was very friendly and polite, and he made sure my drink was just to my liking. His only fault was that he would disappear for long periods of time, but he would apologize when he came back. Overall, I would definitely recommend Mama Louisa's and plan to return.
(3)
Bonnie Jean W.
The pasta dishes here are excellent. I can't recommend their homemade linguini with pesto sauce enough, but their marinara is also extremely flavorful and delicious. I give their pasta five stars, but I would recommend skipping the salad bar. If they could bring the quality of the salad bar up to the high standard of their homemade entrees, I'd give Mama Louisa's five big fat stars!
(4)
Kodok G.
Good, consistent, family-oriented Italian food. Nothing fancy, but hearty portions, reasonable prices, and decent service. Try the house-made pasta. Always good to support independent, local business owners.
(4)
Kirstin B.
This is a long time family favorite. If you are wanting good Italian food from a local place this is it. Located near the base, Mama louisa's has been in Tucson for so long for a reason. Don't miss the Joe's speical with the chicken parm and the fried zuccini. If you are mood for pizza, their thin-crust New York style pizza is full of great seasoning.
(4)
Paul C.
The whole family loves to eat here. I have lived in Tucson my entire life best Italian food around.
(5)
C L.
Went here last month as someone gave me a gift certificate for Christmas. I have always wanted to try this place, as I love homemade pasta. I ordered the Joe's Special. This is their signature dish. I thought it was pretty good. Not spectacular, but good. While I don't think the pasta is the best in Tucson, I think the other items they offer make up for it. I really liked the soup and salad bar that you could add to your dinner. I would come back just for this. I also give this place credit, as it is like grandmas Italian, and not gourmet Italian that I can't stand. Try it out if you want an option other than a national chain.
(4)
Michael B.
A friend took me here for lunch once a few years ago, and I became addicted. I can't speak for the regular menu items, although I've heard and see the previous reviews confirm that they aren't that great. I go for the soup, salad and pasta bar during lunch. I could go everyday, and in fact while stationed at Davis-Monthan I did go to lunch there everyday for awhile. So much so that the family gave me a free lunch for Christmas, hey, it's the simple things that count with me. I lived in Tucson for five years and this is by far the best lunch spot I came accross, if you want to stuff your face and wait in line for an hour then go to Oregano's. I've lived in LA for a few years and can't find anything that pales in comparison to this family run Italian restaurant, and when I'm in Tucson I make sure I go here at least once during my stay.
(5)
Leo B.
Typical Tucson answer to Italian food... blech.
(1)
Anne W.
My husband and I are just moving to Tucson. My parents lived here 40 years ago and they ate at Mama Louisa's all the time back then. For as long as I can remember, my mom has talked about Mama Louisa's linguine with clam sauce and how great it is. As a treat and thank you for helping us move, my husband and I decided to take my mom to see if it was still as she remembered it. According to my mom, it's still the best linguine with clam sauce she's ever had. She's been eating her way across the globe for the last 40 years so that's saying something. Neither my husband nor I are big Italian food lovers - at least the food called Italian that's served in the US (we both love Italian Italian food - sorry folks but alfredo is NOT from Italy). So, the dinner was for my mom. However, my husband and I both enjoyed our meals as did our kids. We got our kids the pasta with meatballs and there was not a piece of food left on their plates. They aren't picky eaters but they also never clean their plates. I had the linguine with garlic and olive oil. It was good but could have used a little more spice. My husband had Joe's Special and he said he would go back for it. That's a huge compliment from him. They make their own pasta and you can tell, it's very good. The bread was reminicent of some of the chains and most of it stayed in the basket. According to my mom, the decor hasn't changed one little bit in 40 years except that they added the salad bar. I'll leave it up to the reader to decide if that's a good thing or not. Our service was excellent. Our waiter checked back quite frequently to make sure we had everything we needed. Our food arrived without much of a wait. We'll definitely be back.
(4)
Matt D.
I've been coming here for years and years, and it's my favorite Italian place in Tucson. Mama Louisa's always seems to be a love it or hate it kinda place. We've had guests from out of town absolutely abhor the place and others who have loved it. Someone mentioned the breadsticks taste like paper. I couldn't agree more. They're pretty nasty. They always have been. But my oh my... Joe's Special. That's where it's at, ladies and gentlemen. It's a pasta dish with sauce and peppers and melted cheese and it's quite possibly the single greatest dish of food in this entire town. Six stars for that alone. It would easily be one of my stranded-island foods.
(5)
Bradley B.
Pasta bar for lunch is much better than eating here in the evening. Yes for lunch, Olive Garden is better for dinner.
(4)
Bill M.
I was warned by my wife not to bother with Mama Louisa's -- But I thought she was just being snobby. I took her Mom for dinner tonight and I wish I had listened to my spouse (who's out of town.) The Italian Wedding Soup probably came out of the Godfather #1 catering truck - weird pieces of supposed sausage in a salty broth - my sodium level spiked immediately. The salad bar was well described by Veggie Girl - a real mess. The "Italian" dressing and pasta salad jacked up my already elevated sodium level even further. The bread sticks were buttery and yet more salt. Does this place cater to a large crowd of smokers with no taste buds? We waited forever for our Joe's Special (Mom) and my two meat pasta plate: a couple of meatballs and a sausage over tomato sauce and linguine pasta. Where do I begin? The meatballs were "juicy" and just tasted awful. The sausage was dry. The pasta looked like it had been cooked once, then flash-frozen in a plastic pouch, then microwaved and plopped on my plate. It had that kind of dried out, extremely white color around the edges that you see in microwave lunches. In fact, I've had better pasta in microwave lunches. The tomato sauce was kind of sweet in a sickening kind of way - no real spice, garlic, well... flavor! The waiter, Jason, was just obnoxious -- at our table asking how things were going while I was having soup & salad but never again while we where waiting an extremely long time for our main meals. In fact, he sat at the bar hanging out -- when he finally checked our meals were ready. I think that was supposed to constitute as good service in advance of our wait. From their web site ( emol.org/mamalouisas ), bright green like my face after eating the slop they served up: "serving the best in homemade Italian cuisine." And further, they apparently, since 1956, "been among one of the top restaurants in Tucson." Ummm... according to whom? Again, I should have listened to my wife and simply suggested somewhere else for dinner with Mother-in-law. Live and learn and pass the Maalox.
(1)
Bradley C.
I expected much more since this restaurant is supposed to be Tucson's top Italian choice. First the bread sticks came. Tasted like paper, they were cold, and our basket had dried tomato sauce on it. I'm not sure this place would pass a health inspection. You can tell the roof has leaks with the stained and sagging ceiling tiles. Nothing looked clean. I ordered the lasagna which tasted okay, but was not very hot. I will never go back unless this place is torn down, rebuilt and boasting new management.
(1)
Bob W.
Been coming here for years, and yes, not always the best service. I kinda like this place. We do birthdays other celebrations there. There is a wide variety of food. NO... Not like Olive Garden. Real home cooked food. And homemade noodles! Breadsticks are really good when hot (add Parmesan cheese to the top of warm breadsticks!!!) I guess I just need a Joe's special every now and again.
(4)
David O.
Mama louisa's is by far one of the best casual restaurants in Tucson. My parents brought me there when I was young and now I'm proud to bring my family and friends. During my time in the military the one place I was guaranteed to visit was Mama Louisa's. It is, perhaps, not the most earth quaking Italian food on the planet but it's always good and often great. The wine selection is good and you'd be doing your tastebuds a terrible disservice if you don't try Joe's special once in your life. Occasionally the service is a bit slow, but it's usually only when they're busy and the kitchen is weeded. All-in-all, with home-made pasta, a great atmosphere, and decades of family owned cooking experience, Mama Louisa's is a can't miss dining experience.
(5)
F N.
I always order the Eggplant parmesan sandwich with fried zucchini here and it is always takeout. the food is great, the zucchini is a little bit bitter and over greasy. They serve it with ranch dressing which is awesome. yumm... The only downside is that whenever I have placed an order, I show up 15 to 20 minutes later but I still have to end up waiting for another 10 minutes. By that time, my lunch hour is gone and I have to pretty much swallow my sandwich. They do need faster service. People are friendly and great customer service. They call you by name once they get to know you after a couple of times...
(4)
Jennifer H.
Ok, I KNOW this restaurant is supposed to be a "tradition" in Tucson, has been here for years and years but I can honestly say that I don't understand what all the hype is about. Our family went there one evening, service was slow and my "alfredo" sauce wasn't cheesy AT ALL! More like a cream sauce. Had to dump piles of parmesean in it. The kids meals were awful. Frozen chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs. (Banquet brand perhaps?) Not at all what we were expecting from an "authentic" Italian restaurant. Won't go back.........................
(2)
Sheri W.
Our family has been going here for three generations. Highly recommend the early bird specials if you're doing dinner and want to eat a bit early, they are a great bargain. Joe's Special is hand's down the family favorite, but nothing disappoints. Homemade pasta (how can you lose?) and a friendly atmostphere and good service with remarkable consistency. Super family friendly but they have smaller tables for more romantic dining too.
(5)
Eric M.
As I am new to the Tucson area I really didn't know where to go. My brother and his wife were in town and after rummaging through US and Yelp, we decided on Mama Louisa's. Our party of 8 (without reservations) showed up and was seated within 10 minutes. There were four adults and four children. All were satisfied with our generous portions of really good Italian food. Enough to bring leftovers home for the next day's lunch. Total bill for 6 adult meals and 2 kid meals was about $110 (no alcohol). Seemed very reasonable to us. We will return in the future.
(4)
Bleep S.
Fettucine alfredo, meatballs. and the Joe's special...love them. Good pizza as well.
(4)
Suzanne Mack O.
We have been searching for good downhome Italian food since we moved here two years ago. Someone suggested this place so we tried it tonight in celebration of our son's 24th birthday. We were thrilled. The rolls were quite good after reading such bad reviews. We were pleasantly surprised. The salad bar comes with two soups. I had Italian wedding soup which was hot. The salad bar is definitely worth the extra few dollars. My husband and I orderd veal parmigian Joe's style, and it was wonderful. The pasta is homemade and so fresh. Sauce was great. My husband and I had a few drinks which were priced below $6. We live in Starr Pass so we know a good value after drinking at the JW Marriott. Our son had clams linguine. They don't bother to make it look fancy with shells. It was very tasty. We ordered a bottle of reserve Chianti Classico. That was only $38. When the bill came to under $120 for three people with cocktails, wine and after dinner drinks we were very pleased. Staff was quick to serve, food served fast. Food was very hot. We will definitely go back here again to celebrate any occasion. We are so glad to find something without a lot of frills. Waiter does not pour the wine, no fresh grated parmeasean cheese, but we appreciate the value being retired. Manja.
(4)
Andy H.
I went here for lunch and it was not bad at all. I kinda liked it, other than the slow service. I would have gone for the all-you-can-eat pasta if I had known it was going to take so long to get the food. It was good though. I got the sausage and peppers pasta and it was very tasty. Sometimes sausage and peppers at a restaurant is swimming in olive oil, but here it was not bad. I saw the fettucine alfredo with chicken and it didn't look good but got eaten anyway, and some baked penne sausage dish that got barely eaten, but the rest of it was taken home (the sorority girl method I guess). Most people who got all-you-can-eat only went up once anyway, and it didn't look nearly as tasty. Anyway I'd go again just to get to wait in line behind 4 old people in walkers, paging through book-sized wallets of credit cards and coupons, while waiting to pay.
(3)
pasqual t.
Food: They are known for there fresh homemade food so, coming in I expected a lot. Bread stick with the meal where typical like Olive Garden but more flavor. For the appetizer we got pizza bread, which was like small thick crust pizza, light on sauce, heavy on cheese, we asked for a side of ranch, and it was also fresh. We got egg plant parmesan and penne with Italian sausage. Both where good except the sauce had zero flavor. I had to dump salt on it and when I ask for cheese they pointed to the shaker on the table, basically lowering them to the level of peter piper pizza. If the sauce had any taste to it I could give this place a better review. Drinks: they served drinks in little 12 oz plastic cups that had to be refilled every 10 mins. Atmosphere: Its actually quite nice inside. Decor was theme like Italy in the summer and they had a full bar. Bathroom was a one seater but not that clean. Service was ok but the cook but must work slow because it took two of us about 1.5 hours to have a meal, mostly waiting for food on a pretty slow night. Parking is scary as it was low lit in a not great part of town. Over all if the sauce was good this place would be nice for dates but due to what seemed like higher then average price to quality ratio I wouldn't take your whole family.
(3)
George F.
My wife had been here before and raved about so we had to give it another shot. I had the Tuscany chicken with pasta. The sauce was excellent! Marilyn had the ravioli which had a nice cheese mix.
I have only been here 1 time, since i live out of state, but i will be back. Old world, friendly service, quality ingredients and menu based on family recipes. Anxious to try more menu items
(4)
Darryl N.
This is the original location, there is a NEW location on Houghton. I love Mama Louisa's and go back as often as I can. Smaller, but I say Comfy and decent priced with excellent service.
(5)
Swass T.
Absolut hot garbage. I should say cold cause that how our food came out. Basically red sauce with no flavor. Don't waste your money.
(1)
Thomas W.
I can't get to five stars as although we enjoyed are meals there are some things that could be done much better, little things like maybe fresh bread sticks with maybe garlic butter brushed on top. Better silverware would do wonders as this is another area that was less than five star. I just hate eating with cheap junky forks. The salad bar was top notch with everything we love and more. Soup was tasty as well. Then for the dinners, HUGE portions way more than either of us could eat. We could have easily split either of our meals and left happy. I had the pasta with meat sauce and Sausage, I found it excellent. My wife tried the Cannelloni which she just loved! The on line menu and the real menu are slightly different as they seemed to have scaled back a little and pricing has changed slightly as well. Over all the service was wonderful. We will be returning soon.
(4)
Gabriel S.
The food was ok and a little overpriced. They do not have beer on tap but have beer bottles. We were expecting more flavor than regular Italian chains. We did like the salad and soup bar. Customer service was excellent and the servers were friendly. I ordered the chicken picatta and I felt like the sauce was heated in the microwave and added to the chicken. I am not sure if I would return to try a different dish.
(3)
Sheila K.
My friends and I went here for "Girls Night Out" last weekend and really enjoyed ourselves! The service was EXCELLENT and the food was DELICIOUS! I ordered the chicken alfredo with peas and prosciutto. The noodles are homemade and I could have eaten the whole bowl, but with the portions so generous, it just wasn't happening! This is a Tucson gem and it's one not to be missed!
(4)
Cindy L.
This place is the real deal and has been around for ever! ! Home made pasta AND the owners are delightful people! ! Try the eggplant parm. ..yummm!
(5)
Eddie A.
I've been eating here as long as I can remember. The food is fantastic, the service is top notch, and the owners are completely fantastic. I love the pasta bar for lunch, Joe's Special with chicken parmesan for dinner. I've literally never had a bad meal here in the almost 30 years I've been eating here (incidentally the same number of years I've been on this planet). Good for dates, family events, and large parties.
(5)
Mark F.
I ate at mama louisa's restaurant at first because of its close proximity to my apartment. I loved the food and I recommend the salad bar. It only cost 3 extra dollars to add to any meal and it is outstanding. I have been back several times since my first meal there. I cannot recommend it enough.
(5)
Cassy H.
My husband used to live in Tucson and frequented this place as a youngster. Everytime he brings me into town, we MUST go here. It is a staple on any Tucson visit. If we lived in town, we would prob eat her once a week. The portions are gigantic, the food is amazing, the wine is so-so...they have a good enough selection but nothing outstanding. The salad bar is perfect...big enough to get exactly what you want & small enough that you know the food probably isn't sitting out there day after day. Ingredients always look fresh. I always get the lasagna with Joe's special sauce. It has garlic amazingness all thru it. Anything you order, I recommend the Joe's special sauce on it. My husband got the spaghetti with the special sauce and 2 giant meatballs on it. Way more food than most people can eat in one sitting...but we always try because it is so, so good! I have been coming here for 5 years now, and find it one of my favorite hole-in-the-wall local places I know. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Very family feel...family atmosphere...super casual, and laid back. Feels like the waiters & waitresses all are part of the owners family...some are, I am sure. I would give it 10 stars if I could...
(5)
Stacy S.
I tried Mama Louisa's for the first time and it was pretty tasty. I placed my order for take out, as this was on my dinner hour from work. I ordered Joe's Special Pasta with a side of meatballs. The portions were huge and I will be sure to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. The sauce had a good flavor to it, it did not taste as if it came out of a can and the meatballs were juicy. The meal came with two garlic breadsticks that were fresh and hot. Price was a little much, at first glance; however seeing that I have at least two meals out of one order, I am ok with it. All in all, I'll be back for lunch or dinner.
(4)
Hannah L.
Others have enjoyed their dishes here, but mine was not worthy of the high plate price ($14.00). I had the chicken Tuscany w/ eggplant. The chicken was chunked chicken from a can, the tomato chunks were mushy and not ripe, the sauce was so salty I couldn't eat it. The artichoke hearts were salty and straight from a jar. My guess is the eggplant was previously frozen and then reheated. It's breading was soggy, and mushy. For a meal that tasted like it came from the freezer and a can, I felt it was overpriced.
(1)
Anne P.
I love that this is an old Tucson establishment but old school Italian it is not. I think the original family chefs would be disappointed. The place looks nice and has a nice ambiance with candles at each table. All of the staff are friendly and fast. The cooks or whomever is in charge of what comes out on the plate should be fired. Put a little love back in your food and people will love your restaurant again. The food is just mediocre and for a family restaurant I expected some more authentic Italian cooking with more flavor.
(2)
Kamryn C.
I ventured out with a friend the other night to Craycroft and 29h to dine at Mama Louisa's and I have to say that the experience was the epitome of three stars. The food is average, nothing really stood out, but we left belly's full. The prices are on the high side for the food, but the portions are large, so I guess that makes up for it? I got about 3 meals out of one dish. Would I go again? Probably not. I think that Tucson has much more to offer in the area of Italian food.
(3)
Lauren K.
I really want to like Mama Loiusa's, I just can't, even though I try over and over again. I am of Italian descent, born and raised in NY and NJ, so I have a very good understanding of good Italian food. Mama Louisa's is not very good Italian food. Their sauce is slightly better than most in Tucson, but that's not saying a lot when most sauces are unseasoned, mashed up tomatoes. Much of their food is pre-made, including one of the easiest dishes on the menu, the baked ziti. How hard is it to cook pasta, mix in cheese, and bake it for 20 minutes? Not very, and I've never heard of not doing it to order before. The taste is lacking because of it. It would also be nice to choose a different pasta to be cooked in the baked "ziti" style. Their chicken is far too thick, it should be cut in half and served as 2 pieces. Their fresh pasta is just "ok". Their salad bar is the epitome of NOT fresh food. The hard boiled eggs are often FROZEN when they get onto your plate. It's like eating an egg ice cube, and it's gross. When they aren't frozen when you get to them, the whites are just rubbery because they've just defrosted and all the water is out of them. Not good and not acceptable. At least the greens are usually green and fresh looking. The breadsticks often come hard as a rock and dry, and in FILTHY, DISGUSTING, baskets. I hate eating from them because they are NOT clean at all. The service is also very slow at times. I've sat without a drink during entire meals a few times there. They've never been rude, though. I can overlook the slow service if only the food was good. The atmosphere is also dingy and old and sorta dirty. I really want to like Mama Louisa's, and I'll continue going there once in a while to see if things improve.
(2)
Tanya S.
This restaurant is very close to Davis-Monthan AFB. I was looking for a place close to base for dinner and quickly found this one. We went on a Wednesday night. Service was very slow. I think they only had one waitress working that night. The place was mostly empty, but still, slow service. The place is very cute. I ordered Joe's Special with a side of meatballs. It was really good, but a bit salty. Portions are fairly large and I only managed to eat half so I have the rest for today's lunch. The bread was really good as well. Overall I think it was pretty good! Would definitely visit again to try other dishes.
(4)
R. V.
Love this place! This is a go to restaurant for me and my family. In fact this is my daughter's favorite restaurant according to her. The staff is awesome and the food has always been great. My daughter loves their salad bar and their pesto. My wife usually goes for the alfredo pasta with extra prosciutto. I am a big fan of the Shrimp Giuseppe. This place is great. They have been around forever and its obvious why.
(4)
Vicki W.
Best salad bar in town! The potato and macaroni salads always taste home made. Soups are also VERY good. If you go for lunch be sure to give the pasta/salad bar a try. And ALWAYs order the home made linguini noodles. Yum! If you go for dinner, be sure to give Joe's Special a go. Everyone we have ever brought here has adored Joe's Special! Family owned for a gazillion years and one of Tucson's best restaurants. Love!
(5)
Raul S.
FAST Review 2.5 out of 5 * Food 3/5 - Got the "Joe's special" with a couple meatballs on the side. The pasta definitely tasted freshly made, and the sauce was decent. The meatballs were large, and I was only able to get through half the pasta and one meatball before calling it quits. So portions are generous here. Meals came with warm bread sticks, which probably contributed to the carb overload. I was tempted to get the salad bar, but the selection looked pretty small. Ambiance 3/5 - Decor is a little dated, but I guess that's so it retains it's family owned old school charm? Dress is casual. Service 2/5 - We had Monday service on a Friday. Seems like our waiter would have black-out moments where he would forget about us, then finally remember to drop by. Seemed to be difficult to get their attention too, for water refills and for the check. It's not like it was super busy either. Total Impression 2.5/5 - I suppose the food is decent here. But I didn't care for the slow, haphazard service when we were there, which is why I'm rounding down to 2 stars instead of up to 3.
(2)
Kat B.
I love this place! I'd eat here even if they only ever served the Joes special. The spaghetti sauce for this is amazing and you can add it to anything. The people here are friendly and the service is good. There are other italian places in tucson but I don't know any that make their own noodles and sauce from scratch. At lunch there is a pasta buffet which is pretty good but nothing compares to the joes special. I always get light cheese extra sauce, and I usually buy this for dinner and still have enough for lunch. 10.00 to me isn't very expensive for pasta considering the amount you get. The breadsticks are mediocre to me but some of my friends like them more then olive garden. The decorations aren't anything fancy but places like this remind me of home cooking. Also they hand make their own spumoni, which is amazing and very flavorful.
(5)
Joshua B.
Now I had heard good things about this place for years, but never went. I finally got around to going and I was impressed. The service is just kind of average, kind of reminiscent of Olive Garden. Not bad, but not terribly good. I was told to order the Joe's Special (with extra garlic), and it did not disappoint. Simple and hard to mess up, there is a reason people talk about this dish. If you've never been to Mama Louisa's and you feel like Olive Garden, why not stop by here and try them out instead?
(4)
gloria g.
Menu prices are low for Tucson; but, honestly, the food was cafeteria fare, filling but undistinquished. Mediocre. Much like the many so-called Mexican joints around the city. Tucson restaurants are, generally, a sorry lot. Find a "roach-coach" to your liking and leave "eating out" at that. Otherwise, stay home. I mean, why waste time and money beating a dead horse.
(2)
Jed B.
Ugh, I hate doing this because I know this place tries, but I gotta be honest. There was no background music, so it was boring sitting there, trying to blot out the old white retirees complain about their last vacation to London. The waitress was a sweetheart, and that's why I'm torn about giving this place a couple of stars. Flat out, my food sucked! I ordered the chicken marsala with fettucine alfredo. The dish was almost soupy, the sauces were mixing, the pasta's texture was odd and the chicken was ok. Now, this place is inexpensive, so that makes up for mediocre food. I really hate saying this because i'm all about authenticity but Tucson has no authentic Italian restaurants, I promise you that! even the most "italiano" owners that swear their granparents from the old world are doing the cooking, are elaborating. Truth is, Mexicans are in those kitchens, going off of recipes. With that being known, you might as well go to olive garden, macaroni grill or even carrabas. The thing about these corporate restaurants is that they have super high standards and their products are consistent. Sad to say, but true, ya?
(2)
Don C.
Pasta bar is fantastic. Loved it.
(5)
Sharon D.
My husband and I have had dinner here several times and the food and service were both good every time. Our first lunch experience was today, and everyone in our party of 5 enjoyed the food. We were long-time friends getting caught up on each other, so we stayed and chatted for over an hour after we finished eating. Our waitress didn't try to rush us, checked often to see if we needed anything more, and left us to enjoy each other. We definitely recommend this place!
(5)
Neo M.
We went to Mama Lousa's Italian Restaurant after seeing a laudable review in the Tucson Weekly. What a disappointment. The veal parmigiana was overcooked and tasted commercial -- as if it were previously frozen from a food vendor then nuked and served. The tomato sauce tasted like it came out of a can: I swear I could taste the tin! I tasted no original or authentic herb or spice whatsoever. The real giveaway is when one has to ask for a spoon to twirl the pasta. Do people in Tucson really not know how to eat pasta? I grant that people who think Olive Garden is authentic Italian might be enchanted by the home spun ambiance of this place. But overall it reminded me of hospital cafeteria food -- no exaggeration. I mean it. The food was lousy!
(1)
Alex V.
I know the bar for Italian food in Arizona is low, but Mama Louisa's could definitely be better. The service was good, but the food was on par with say an Olive Garden. On the plus side, its priced on the low side.
(2)
Brian W.
The worst Italian I have ever had. The red sauce tastes like a glass of wine. Our food was undercooked, and the wait staff thought it was more important to talk about the night before than it was to see how we were doing. Steer clear of this place.
(1)
Elsbeth P.
This is probably more like a three and a half star review. Mama Louisa's has been a Tucson staple for YEARS. The decor (inside and out) will let you know that this place has been open since the early to mid-60's, and that's what I LOVE about it. It's borderline cheesy, but still tastefully maintains that classic cliche Italian flare. They offer the standard Italian fare along with a soup and salad bar for an additional $3.50. The salad bar is one of my favorite parts- it has a good selection (and is fresh and clean most of the time) but isn't overwhelming. Try the linguini- it's homemade and you can taste the difference! Excellent. The baked ziti is also good, but I like to order a dish with chicken in it to balance out the carb overload (although you can get chicken added to any dish). This time I tried the Chicken Scallopini and it was good, but we went at the end of the night and I was disappointed to taste that it had been precooked early in the day and had been sitting. The texture was just off and it was pretty salty, but overall, the meal was good. The waitress was very attentive and refilled our breadsticks and drinks very quickly. Don't expect to be totally amazed when you come here, but it's definitely a good place to go when you want to support a local Italian establishment and try something different. I feel torn- I recommend it based on Tucson street cred for how long it's been around and how charming it is, but I don't want to send people there thinking they'll have the most amazing food ever. The best part- as I mentioned we were there towards the end of the night, and a couple of the staff members who had just ended their shifts were sitting at the bar eating their dinners. That's ALWAYS a good sign, isn't it?
(3)
Yves J.
I had the buffet and it was good. It's not a beautiful restaurant. The service was great. The Italian Wedding soup was good but a bit salty. I'd recommend it a a nice place to go to for lunch.
(3)
Frank V.
This is an old school Italian restaurant, which is good in my book. By that I mean red checkered table clothes, parmesan cheese in a shaker at the table, candles and a large portions of flavorful food. If you like contemporary chain restaurants, you might not be impressed. This is much more similar to Caruso's on 4th avenue, which is also old school, than to any run of the mill Olive Garden type establishment. I took my two sons (10 and 12 years old) there for an early Saturday evening dinner. It wasn't too crowded at first, but when we were leaving, it was beginning to get crowded. We were seated promptly, and it took a while to decide what we wanted because of the large amount of selections in the menu. My two boys each got manicotti, and I got the Mama's special, which consisted of eggplant parmesan, lasagna and cheese tortellini. We decided to also get salads, which means a trip to the salad bar. The salad bar had many selections along with soup. The manicotti was huge with two homemade noodles (without the ridges) stuffed full of a cheese mixture and covered with a delicious red sauce. My eggplant parmesan was excellent and the lasagna was very good. I wasn't too impressed with the tortellini because it seemed as if it was the refrigerated type you get at the grocery store. All of my dish was covered with the delicious red sauce. The service was outstanding. Our server constantly was attending to us without being overbearing. She immediately replenished our garlic bread sticks whenever we were out, and she refilled our drinks as soon as we were out. All in all I think this is a very good restaurant. It has tasty food, a quaint atmosphere, good service and reasonable prices.
(4)
Stephen Z.
I read a few reviews from people that didn't review this restaurant well and were expecting to be impressed after ordering lemon chicken and seafood?? These reviewers then went on to compare Mama Louisa's to The Olive Garden... Let me give these people and future readers a little advice. If you are looking to have a nice sit down dinner at a chic restaurant with great food and servers that wait hand over foot for you, go to Bluefin (seafood) or Vivace (Italian). Now if you're looking for a great casual little restaurant on the south side of town that has the best homemade linguini and red sauce, go to Mama Louisa's! You won't get better. Steve P.S. Joe's Special!!!
(4)
Michelle C.
I have been going to Mama Louisa's for years. Best old school Italian food in town, just like Grandma's. And yes, the decor is like Grandma's too! Service is fast and friendly. Pasta is fresh and delicious. My favorite is the pesto or Joe's special. I also love their calzones. I frequently go to the all you can eat pasta special for lunch, where they prepare your pasta and sauce right there on the spot. Fabulous.
(5)
Matthew J.
My wife and I have tried this place twice..... its looks nice but the food is horrible and so was the service! We will not be making this adventure again!
(1)
Chuck H.
Joe special is my favorite.
(5)
Derrick D.
I wanted to like this place. I really, really did. I mean, it's family owned and local. I made the trip out here from where I live the north side (Limberlost & Campbell) because it was in a brochure the boyfriend & I picked up for the local restaurant group "Tucson Originals". Should have Yelped it first. The sauces were bland and unimpressive and so were the pastas. Honestly, as much as it grieves me to say this at the expense of what seems like a quaint local business, Olive Garden is probably better. No disrespect meant to those who have good feelings about the place and have been coming here for years. There are some places I love back home in Chicago whose food is most likely unimpressive and bland by normal standards--but the smile of recognition from waitresses and hostesses goes a long way toward creating warm fuzzy feelings and loyalty. That's very human and understandable. But to those who have no sentimental attachment, I'm afraid Mama Louisa's won't impress much. The best Italian food value in Tucson is at Roma Imports, and they are only open for lunch. Go there on a weekday.
(2)
William P.
Disclaimer: considering closing time was just around the corner I'm going to give a pass on some things. I plan on giving this place another shot at a later date. Stopped in here for dinner with my boyfriend and a mutual friend. It was about 35 minutes to close (we asked), I felt like a jackass, so I encouraged our trio to order & eat quickly. Three waters, two glasses of white wine, bread sticks all hit the table pretty quickly. The S.O. had pork marsala w/ a side of sauteed mushrooms, friend had Joe's Special, I had the linguine with pesto & a side of meatballs. GF/Celiacs: Due to time constraints I didn't scour the menu or bother to ask any questions. Obviously avoid things you can't eat, but for Italian I tend to throw caution to the wind. Celiacs will want to be more careful. Breadsticks were good, a bit salty, reminded me of Olive Garden. Tap water, not surprised, didn't really care. The wine was cold and delicious. My food: pesto was delicious, I would have enjoyed a bit more to fully coat the pasta. Six pine nuts, seriously? I don't expect a blanket of them but there were so few I barely noticed them. A large portion of pasta that was fresh and tasty. The food was warm, not hot. The red sauce for the meatballs was too acidic for my liking, but it wasn't terrible. Meatballs were juicy but served warm. Sad-face. Boyfriend's food: I tried some of his mushrooms and pork marsala, it was good, but the marsala was very very thick, almost gelatinous. No idea why, it tasted fine but didn't resemble the marsala I'm familiar with. Friend's food: needed another ladle of red sauce, she said the pasta was dry.
(3)
Melinda B.
Myself and my 10 yr old son love Mama Louisa's! They have a great little Italy atmosphere that is very welcoming and friendly servers that are very attentive. I've been here several times and I always love it. For lunch you can get all you can eat pasta dishes made especially for you and in front of you with the soup/salad bar for only about $9. Tonight for dinner I had the early bird Joe's Special (it has their homemade linguine) with the salad/soup bar and my son had one of the kids shells and tomato sauce, everything was awesome as well. My son loves the breadsticks that come with service too.
(4)
Angelica V.
Mama Louisa's (or Weezies, as it's called in my family), is FAN-TAS-TIC. The best bet by far is the Joe's Special. It's easily the best red sauce I've ever had (outside of my own Italian family). I've never had anything alfredo here, that's not my cup of tea, but it's probably just as delicious as the red sauce entrees. My boyfriend lives for the salad bar. The Italian wedding soup they have on the line is very good. I'm also a giant fan of the baked ziti, which always reminds me of my Grandma Annie in Yonkers, NY. The ambiance is casual and chill, the staff is phenomenal, and if the decor is a little campy, it feels like home to me. This is Italian (American-Italian) food at it's finest. If you're into taste and heat and spice, this is the place for you. If you're into bland, try Olive Garden down the road (but please don't say you're eating Italian there).
(5)
Victoria M.
Great food and excellent service, it's a hidden tucson gem. Great family atmosphere, I'll definitely be back.
(5)
Jacob R.
My first visit to Mama Louisa's was pleasant. The decorations and paintings caught my eye and had a positive impact. I liked the cozy setting, it definitely had a family feel about the place. It was in the evening, so I ordered the Chicken Piccata- slightly less "lemony" than I was hoping, but still very good, and definitely filling. The server looked like Stephen Lynch, but was friendly and attentive. I'd go again and will likely try the Tuscany chicken per the owners recommendation.
(4)
Russ C.
The best Baked ziti ever!!! My girlfriend and I went in for what is always a great meal and we were not surprised that it was better then ever. We are addicted to ziti and now the new addiction is the all new hand made mozzarella cheese sticks. Our waitress ( I wish I could remember her name) was awesome, we even met Chef Michael Elefante, actually he came out and greeted us after dinner! He was very nice and made an already incredible experience even better. All I can say is that we will be back!
(5)
Casey R.
Mama Louisa's is a great place to bring your family. Such a great atmosphere and even better food. They've recently added an awesome selection of draft beers, so now I'm even happier here than before. The chef is amazing and nothing ever comes out of the kitchen lacking.
(4)
Valerie S.
One does not simply go the Mama Louisa's and not order the Joe's Special. The best sauce this side of Italy. I love Mama Louisa's. I've been coming here for my 18 years, and I think it's the best, such a cute and quaint restaurant. The Chicken Marsala is so good! TIRAMISU IS TOO DIE FOR!
(5)
Sean S.
I love this place. I have been coming here for nine years and it is my favorite lunch spot in Tucson; it is very convenient that it is so close to the base. I almost always get the pasta bar because it is the best bang for your buck if you don't feel like taking food home. They now have it so the meat isn't in the sauces and you can throw them in whatever sauce you want, WINNING!! Homemade pastas, homemade sauces, homemade bread.... I love it.
(5)
Krishna V.
Service was good, so one star, but other than that, people who run this joint need to fold up and do something else. Tired of giving pointers to people who should not be running restaurants. For about a 100 people they had one bathroom with one commode....I will not describe the rest. Like I said they really need to give this up.
(1)
Bell K.
We were in town & decided to try this place. Overall pretty good. Everyone liked their meals & the breadsticks were fluffy & delicious. They have a salad bar too. Like most places- the portions were ridiculously huge. I wish there was an option to get a half size for a cheaper price. $11 for a bowl of pasta is a bit much. & since we were in a hotel, taking leftovers wasn't an option. What really made me happy was that this place had aperol spritzes. I hadn't yet seen an italian place in the Arizona with this real Italian drink! It was made correctly & delicious.
(4)
Darcy M.
Superb experience for our first dine in at this quaint decorative restaurant. Food is fresh and taste great. GF options as well.
(5)
Stephanie D.
We decided to go here again after about a year. We could not remember why we never went again. I remembered why after about ten minutes. The decor is dated, the food is overpriced, and the bathroom is less than clean. I love lasagna, so I ordered it. I got it with the salad bar (average). When my lasagna came out it was cold in the middle! That means it was previously frozen or prepared and refrigerated for an uncertain period of time. They did re-re-heat it for me but even warm it was not edible. I did complain and was not offered anything to appease me. It seemed as if the wait staff was not surprised by my complaints and no longer cared about the quality of things. I was sad because there is really no place to get awesome authentic Italian food in Tucson unless you count Olive Garden and I don't. I will remember not to go back this time.
(1)
Vi T.
First time and it was fairly busy, service was moderately attentive. It is on the pricier side for the quality of food. Large proportions. Give tons of mushrooms on the pasta. I enjoyed the Fettuccini Alfredo with chicken. Breadsticks were lackluster. Leftovers reheated well, were not oozing in grease. Would try again. Better than most chains for the price.
(4)
Paul C.
I had heard mixed things about Mama Louisa's, varying from "it's the best" to "it's not very good". I went there with the "it's the best" crowd from work but, for me, it was somewhere in the middle, and I wouldn't mind going back and trying it again. We were given a table near the back, next to a salad bar, with a full wall mural that was very attractive. The restaurant was fairly busy, but by no means full during a late Friday lunch. One friend ordered pasta and asked the waitress to make sure it was cooked properly, because in the past she's had it mushy. She told me it always comes out overcooked if she doesn't say that. I ordered the same dish -- Veal Parmigiana with the Joe's Special sauce. The pasta on mine seemed right on. The veal was disappointing. When I cut into it, I noticed it resisted. Veal is usually quite tender, so I was surprised to have to work to cut it with a knife. The Joe's Special sauce, which the waitress described as spicy, had a little heat. But it was mild at best. It also had that "canned food" flavor which can be hard to cook out of canned ingredients. Nothing was actually bad, other than the cook on the veal. For me, this restaurant was a solid 3 stars. Next time I would probably skip the Joe's Special, and I'd choose a different protein.
(3)
Mariah D.
Quite good! Brought my family here the night before my graduation and everyone commended me on finding such a lovely place. Not crowded at all and I ordered the Alfredo with prosciutto. Anything with prosciutto in it is A+ in my books.
(4)
G D.
We were sorely disappointed with our dinners on a recent visit. We read the article in the Arizona Daily Star highlighting the chef, son of the owner, Suzanne Elefante, which stated that he had worked at Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain prior to returning to the family business. Feeling that such credentials would bode well for this Tucson favorite, we decided to trek from the far northwest side of town to have dinner. The salad bar was fresh; the Italian Wedding Soup lacked depth of flavor, being entirely flat to our taste buds. We ordered two entrees: Joe's Special and Veal Parmigiana. Joe's Special was, in deed, quite spicy..so much that it was difficult to really savor the precious little linguini. The garlic oil did not have a fresh flavor and the melted cheese was, well, melted processed mozzarella. The Veal Parmigiana looked delicious, but the veal was not pounded thin and breaded; instead, it was thick (at least 1/2") and tough underneath the breading - almost too tough to cut with the dinner knife that was on the table. The sauce (gravy), too seemed lackluster. Neither entree was finished, not did we opt to have the remains boxed for later....very unusual for us. The service was efficient but, sadly, we were not enjoined to return here again. We had used a Groupon....we'll give our other one to someone else.
(2)
Adam F.
Mama Louis's has been an Italian joint longer than my parents have been alive. It has gained a reputation as being one of Tucson's premier old school Italian restaurants. The looks and food reflect that. A family of four sit in that "not too small but definitely not big enough" table with just enough arm length to reach the parmesan cheese. A candle sits at every table that makes up most of the lighting. The larger-than-life food portions sit on a undersized plate waiting for its glory to be eaten. Yes, Mama Louisa's does a fine job creating that atmosphere that for a brief moment you might second-guess yourself that you're in Tucson. Now onto the specifics. The hostesses can be better than to simply ask how many, bring you to the table, toss the menus in the middle, and leave. Maybe that's the Italian way, but you must accommodate. The rest of the service was decent but still could use a little improvement. I give much props to the owner for talking to patrons and chatting it up. That reflects the owner of the place cares about the customers. Joe's special is, well, special. I thought it was pretty good, but not as good as the spaghetti and meatballs. Those meatballs are (wait for it), dynamite! The ravioli was good but can be served slightly on the cold slide. The breadsticks were okay but if they are going to serve it without butter they have to add a little more flavor to it. The salad bar is great. They give you just the right amount of options so that you can have plenty to choose from but are not standing there forever deciding what to put on it. The minestrone soup was vary tasting as was the italian wedding but that latter could use more substance than broth. Lastly, whatever sauce they've been using...stick with it. That sauce is truly special. This is the very type of establishment that Guy Fieri would want to visit and air on Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives. I would certainly approve of that.
My family has been coming here since they opened over 60 years ago. I'm a third generation diner here and my daughter is a fourth generation diner. First of all I'm going to say that I don't understand why people go to Olive Garden when this place is only two miles away. The service has always been friendly like the stereotypical family restaurant and almost always above average as far as efficiency goes. The food is very good. I normally get the Joe's Special with the soup and salad bar. I love their Italian Wedding soup. The breadsticks are awesome. The prices are very reasonable. I hope Mama Louisa's keeps going for many more decades.
(5)
Melinda C.
Enjoyed our dinner here the other night. They've reorganized the menu since the last time I'd been in, which had been quite a while. But as far as I could tell it was basically the same items with some new ones added in. Hubby and I started with the salad bar. Good as always. He then got spaghetti with meat sauce. I think the portion size has increased because he got 2 meals out of it. I tried the linguine in white clam sauce. Huge also. Both were delicious. No surprise there at all. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. For the most part, my reviews here sound like a broken record: good food, large portions, friendly service. There's a reason why they've been open and highly recommended for so long!
(5)
Megan M.
Oh mama's, how I remember a time when I would jump for joy finding out you were making dinner! Not so much anymore. My mother loves this restaurant, she has been going there since she was in high school! So naturally I was born a Mama Louisan. But I hate to say, that ever since Mama died, it lacks something. Maybe it's her spirit but it for sure is lacking flavor. I heard recently, that the sisters parted ways, and that one of them is opening another Mama Louisa's in Rita. Maybe that sister can really cook like her mom.
(2)
Leah C.
Was staying close by and was hungry so I desided to check out this place, as it sounded great and I love homemade Italian food. I called and placed an order to pick it up and 20 minutes later it was ready. The employees were all super friendly which was the only good thing about the experience and they weren't friendly enough to make it worth going there again. The food was overpriced and gross. The antipasto salad was nothing but a plate of mushy pickled vegetables and raw meat. The manicotti was edible IF you are it steaming hot. The colder it got the less edible it became. The "house sauce" appeared to be watered down tomato sauce and tasted like it too. The price would have been decent if the food would have been as described but it wasn't therefore the price was ridiculously expensive.
(2)
Mariel T.
Yuck. The salad bar was mostly toppings plopped out of a can and mayonnaise for dressings. The Eggplant Parm was soggy beyond believe and the sauce tasted straight acidic and so old. My husband said the Lasagna noodles were mush and his sauce was just as bad as mine. Two stars because the service was good and the kids menu Pizza Bread was tasty.
(2)
Eric J.
Refreshed with some new touches and menu items with out losing any of the old world classic Italian flavor. Chef Michael Elephante has nailed it! If you haven't been lately....you haven't been.
(5)
Billie M.
Been wanting to go to MLs for 3 years. Was kind of taken aback when we pulled into the lot on 8/1 @ about 4:30 PM; the lot was nearly empty!Greeted and seated and tended to in good time. I was a little apprehensive seeing the plastic tablecloths and vinery!My manhatten was good, good enough to have a second.MLs has a salad bar....a typical, non descript salad bar that had been left out way too long. Ranch dressing was OK, red wine whatever dressing tasted like the liquid remains of grape jelly! So called garlic bread sticks were tasteless and presented alone in a basket with a napkin!On to the entrees: I had veal parm & pasta, my sister eggplant parm and pasta.VERY VERY GOOD.....the red gravy was simple, not too sweet and not too spicy. The pasta was nearly al dente and very good, indeed!The eggplant parm was reported to be excellent! My veal was "cut with a fork" tender and very flavorful! No gristle, lightly breaded, perfect!Within the hour in which we were there, they were packin' them in!We left very satisfied but not overly full. The portions were perfect for us.Next time, yes there will be, I think the anti pasta will be in order instead of the salad bar!
(4)
Jodi B.
The sign says, "Home cooking the Italian way." Bah. Generous servings of "mama's combo" (lasagna, eggplant parm) arrive covered in a thick red sauce which sadly lacks the enticing aroma of the Italian food I am accustomed to. Simply nothing about this sauce hits my smell receptors with the feeling of "wow." Nothing announces the use of fresh garlic or any sacred marriage of herbs and meat often so well orchestrated by ancestral cooks. Nothing here says to my nose: "Tell your mouth this will be delicious." I taste the Mama Louisa sauce. I notice a mysterious unpleasant sweetness, is it nutmeg? I cannot figure it out. I swallow only as many bites as necessary to quell my hunger. The cheese-filled tortellini (3rd item in the combo plate) is not completely covered in the bland, mystery-spiced, too-sweet red sauce, so i eat more of that than the sauce covered items. I am grateful for its decent, al-dente texture. The garlic bread at Mama Louisa's delivers a welcomed, slight aroma of garlic, and is served warm. It is not, however, authentic Italian bread, (which would have had a slightly hard, crunchy crust outside to contrast with a softer center, and would have been baked from simple, four-ingredient recipe of flour, water, yeast and salt, No sugar). Next time I crave Italian food, i will cook, or go elsewhere. Buona fortuna to all.
(2)
Mike P.
Nice quality Italian fare done the old fashioned way. This is a place for those who know the national chains do not make real Italian food and prefer the taste of food not salt. This is one of the last parts of Vintage Tucson not yet erased by the libtard invasion.
(5)
Lisa J.
Yesterday was my second time dining at this location in a very long time. Do not confuse this restaurant with the one of the same name that is located on Houghton Rd. (I dined there just last week) Menu might be similar but they are NOT the same... You want this location!!! So much better and you will find a little more variety but still find the old favorite "Joe's Special" and it is better here. Especially the gluten free pasta. This restaurant sources it from a local business and it is far and above the very best gluten free pasta I have ever had. The "other place" will tell you it is the same, it is not, they use a commercial gluten free pasta and it is not very exciting. If you want well made, fresh and very tasty Italian food go to this location. Everyone in our party loved what they ordered and the service was friendly and efficient. They also have a full bar with local brews, another nice plus that several in our party enjoyed. I also had the opportunity to sample some of the gluten free breads they will be bringing in from the same local business that provides their gluten free pasta and it was tasty, fresh and delightful. The new owners of this location are doing a great job maintaining the history that this restaurant has in the community while giving it a fresh new edge with some new menu items. Keep it up! I will be back!
(5)
F D.
I really, really wanted to like this place. I love these old little places that have been a part of the landscape for generations. The building itself is so charming and inviting from the outside. The paintings on the inside really make the experience visually fun. Unfortunately, the food was not very good. I had the Chicken Piccata, which is usually a chicken breast. Theirs was made from little chunks of chicken. It left me wondering if they were possibly the scraps left over from some other chicken dish. It was tasty enough, so I tried to ignore the feeling that I was eating table scraps. The dish came with a side of homemade spaghetti which was supposed to be their specialty. I think I've made better pasta than this. But the worst was the sauce. I've had lots of different tomato sauces over the years and they're always different .. you learn to ditch your expectations and just go with it. Most times you're pleasantly surprised .. it may be different than your mother's sauce, but still very tasty. Unfortunately, that's not the case with Mama Louisa's. The sauce was horrible. It had an overwhelming taste of tomato paste that's been in the can too long. It really was not edible. Maybe they just had an off night. But I won't be going back to find out.
(1)
Mindy S.
Still a Tucson legend, and the service has definitely improved. Finally strayed from my usual (the baked ziti) to try the pasta special (Joe's spaghetti?) & it was awesome, as was my dessert. I just love this place!
(5)
Kathy N.
Hey! Wassa matta you? You no likea the spicy meatball? Can't believe I've live in Tucson 30+ years and have never ventured to Mama Louisa's. Met a large group for dinner there not too long ago and I rather enjoyed the old, home like feeling I got from the restaurant. I'm so used to a more modern and up to date look from the restaurants I frequent so Mama's gave me a bit of a nostalgic feeling when I walked through the doors. The service was friendly and not too chaotic despite our large group (14 people) and the one seated right next to us. Several people in my party went to the salad bar first and they all raved about the quality and variety of the ingredients. The person seated across from me is Italian and very picky about her Italian Wedding Soup and she thought Mama's did a good job on theirs. I have to say the breadsticks are horrible. The sample ladies at Costco do a better job making frozen, pale breadsticks tasty. Mama's definitely should toss the sticks and get some good garlic bread out to the customers. The Chicken Scallopini was good, not great. The flavor of the sauce was pretty good however Mama's advertises homemade pasta and the linquini served with my dish was cold and undercooked. I enjoyed the fact that the owner was in the dining room greeting customers and wishing a good night to those leaving. I like that hometown, little guy feeling.
(3)
Carrie B.
Mama Louisa's is a great little place. It's been in town longer than Caruso's on 4th and is very similar, in my opinion. We went during lunch on a Thursday before grocery shopping. We decided to order from the menu despite the lunch buffet offerings. We were almost blown over by the air conditioning as we entered and I would like to add: I'm not complaining! As you enter a waiting area is ahead and you hang a left to the hostess stand. If you make another left there is a smallish cantina. Mama Louisa's is very clean. The smells coming from the kitchen offerings are sublime. We were seated in a dining room that is painted to look like a cabana tent with Mediterranean scenery painted all around you. It is very romantic! It has serious kitsch appeal. The lunch buffet will run you $8.25 for soup/salad bar with pasta made to order. The baby was with us and they let her partake of the buffet for free even though we weren't. Two soups were offered: Minestrone & Italian Wedding. The baby loved the minestrone. She found some good stuff at the salad bar and then tried the shells with red sauce (huge hit after she dunked them in the minestrone). I had the Eggplant Parmesan. Yum. Sliced thin and stacked then smothered in red sauce. For those that complain that Caruso's red sauce it too garlicky, consider Mama Lousia's whose sauce is milder and flavorful. I was so full after eating the Egg Parm that I didn't even touch my side of pasta that came with. Olive Garden-like breadsticks were offered, too. Their iced tea was crisp and flavorful. I am so glad we found Mama Louisa's and we will be returning with the older kids & gramps soon. Mark my words.
(4)
Jessica M.
Saw on FB they had new kitchen mgmt... decided to give it a shot... it was absolutely amazing. It was the best Italian food i had experienced in quite some time. will be back now that they have these great cooks working there. Yummy!
(5)
Isidro S.
The first time I was here with friends and family. Had a great time. The place was packed. Food was very good. The second time I was here just family and was disappointed. The place wasn't as packed. A semi new waiter was helping us. Instead of other staff helping him out, they decide to talk about him to other staff in the bar area. Loud enough for us to hear. Very NOT professional at all. Food wasn't as great as a result. Still left a decent tip for the guy.
(2)
Amber B.
DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY!!! We spent $30 on two entrees and an appetizer. Not bad for Italian food that boasts about having homemade pasta. BUT the food was so horrible neither one of us could even get through half of our food. That $10 appetizer was supposed to be Bruschetta..instead it was half of a piece of subway bread with pickled veggies. Pickled. I paid $10 for someone's idea for using their left over vegetables. Now the entrees.. The noodle were indeed homemade or at least tasted like they were. The gravy (sauce) however, tasted like the inside of a Hunts spaghetti can without the curtesy of adding some addition herbs/spices to try to mask the aluminum flavor. The bread sticks were so dense and dry and I couldn't even finish one of them. Needless to say, we will not go back/order take out/or recommend this place to our worst enemies.
(1)
Art C.
My wife & I visited for the first time on a February Sunday @ 7:30 pm and were encouraged that people kept coming in and dining while we were seated in "the cage" which is on the side of a room decorated a few decades ago to resemble a patio, with a curved fence containing the shape. Dinner comes with large hot buttery breadsticks, we were served two. We asked about the house Chianti & our young server offered a sample which was quite nice, sweeter and fresh. Entrees were a nice buttery-lemony Chicken Piccata for me, (served as chicken chunks rather than a chicken breast) with linguini, and spaghetti with mariana & sausage for her. She felt the marinara was a bit thicker than she'd have liked, the sausage was good. The homemade pasta was properly cooked al'dente. We ate every bite and were happy with the friendly service and value.
(4)
Larry S.
I went to the new location on Houghton road, I sat down with my 3 children for at least 15.minutes with no service, what made it worse, is the manager Seen me leaving and said nothing. Good part is that I went to buddy s grill down the street and was extremely satisfied, never going back to the other restaurant.
(1)
Kris C.
First it took 10 minutes to get our drinks, it was also very confined and loud. But I had the Marsala chicken which was very good so the food was good but everything else was kinda shit.
(2)
Heidi H.
Not impressed. Lasagna tastes like ragu...sin said prego.....not worth the time or the wait.
(3)
Gary C.
My cousin and I are visiting Tucson for the Gem show. We were looking for a nice Italian restaurant, and were referred to Mama Louisa's with a great recommendation. We easily found the restaurant, and were pleasantly greeted and promptly seated. Our waitress was Jordan, a very enthusiastic young lady. Once we looked at the menu, we were disappointed in the limited selections; however, we decided to try their pasta offering, and I ordered the whole wheat linguini with their signature red sauce, and my cousin ordered the same pasta with a different sauce. We were promptly served, which was not a good sign to us. The first bites were very telling, the noodles were over cooked, broken into 2-3 inch lengths, and had no flavor. We both pushed the dishes away after no more than 3-4 bites, we were done. There is no way that we could recommend this restaurant, do not go!
(1)
Allison O.
I went to Mama Louisa's while I was in Tucson with my parents, and we loved it. I had remembered hearing that it was delicious, but hadn't tried it. I had fettucine with proscuitto and peas, which was amazing, and my Dad had Caesar salad and the spaghetti with meatballs, which he loved. The Caesar salad was gigantic, but he loved it! The chef came out to talk with us because of my Mom's food allergies and made sure that her food would be fine for her. He chatted with us for a while and was incredibly cool. If I lived in Tucson, I'd be back often!
(5)
Vinnie F.
The place is nice looking on the inside, although not in the best of areas. The service was fine. Polite and cordial. No rush. The margaritas were pretty good. The bread was so-so. Kinda doughy, not real Italian bread. We both ordered the Veal Parmesan. Hers with linguini, mine with spaghetti. They both came with spaghetti. I told the server it was spaghetti. She said it was linguini. (uh oh). But I didn't make an issue of it, except to note to myself that the server obviously doesn't know the difference. I've never seen round linguini before. Spaghetti is round, linguini is flat. But the kicker was it didn't make any difference: linguini or spaghetti, they were both grossly overcooked. The pasta had the consistency of mashed potatoes. That is bad. You might expect that from a diner, but not an Italian restaurant. The veal was OK, nothing to stand in line for. I could cut it with my fork, but the sauce was a bit harsh (salty) and that didn't help the veal at all. (Nothing on the planet could help the pasta.) It was our first time there. I doubt we will return. From where we are it was not worth the ride (40 mins), and we did not like the neighborhood.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : No 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 Caters : Yes
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.
Sean S.
I love this place. I have been coming here for nine years and it is my favorite lunch spot in Tucson; it is very convenient that it is so close to the base. I almost always get the pasta bar because it is the best bang for your buck if you don't feel like taking food home. They now have it so the meat isn't in the sauces and you can throw them in whatever sauce you want, WINNING!! Homemade pastas, homemade sauces, homemade bread.... I love it.
(5)Krishna V.
Service was good, so one star, but other than that, people who run this joint need to fold up and do something else. Tired of giving pointers to people who should not be running restaurants. For about a 100 people they had one bathroom with one commode....I will not describe the rest. Like I said they really need to give this up.
(1)Bell K.
We were in town & decided to try this place. Overall pretty good. Everyone liked their meals & the breadsticks were fluffy & delicious. They have a salad bar too. Like most places- the portions were ridiculously huge. I wish there was an option to get a half size for a cheaper price. $11 for a bowl of pasta is a bit much. & since we were in a hotel, taking leftovers wasn't an option. What really made me happy was that this place had aperol spritzes. I hadn't yet seen an italian place in the Arizona with this real Italian drink! It was made correctly & delicious.
(4)Darcy M.
Superb experience for our first dine in at this quaint decorative restaurant. Food is fresh and taste great. GF options as well.
(5)Vi T.
First time and it was fairly busy, service was moderately attentive. It is on the pricier side for the quality of food. Large proportions. Give tons of mushrooms on the pasta. I enjoyed the Fettuccini Alfredo with chicken. Breadsticks were lackluster. Leftovers reheated well, were not oozing in grease. Would try again. Better than most chains for the price.
(4)Paul C.
I had heard mixed things about Mama Louisa's, varying from "it's the best" to "it's not very good". I went there with the "it's the best" crowd from work but, for me, it was somewhere in the middle, and I wouldn't mind going back and trying it again. We were given a table near the back, next to a salad bar, with a full wall mural that was very attractive. The restaurant was fairly busy, but by no means full during a late Friday lunch. One friend ordered pasta and asked the waitress to make sure it was cooked properly, because in the past she's had it mushy. She told me it always comes out overcooked if she doesn't say that. I ordered the same dish -- Veal Parmigiana with the Joe's Special sauce. The pasta on mine seemed right on. The veal was disappointing. When I cut into it, I noticed it resisted. Veal is usually quite tender, so I was surprised to have to work to cut it with a knife. The Joe's Special sauce, which the waitress described as spicy, had a little heat. But it was mild at best. It also had that "canned food" flavor which can be hard to cook out of canned ingredients. Nothing was actually bad, other than the cook on the veal. For me, this restaurant was a solid 3 stars. Next time I would probably skip the Joe's Special, and I'd choose a different protein.
(3)Stephanie D.
We decided to go here again after about a year. We could not remember why we never went again. I remembered why after about ten minutes. The decor is dated, the food is overpriced, and the bathroom is less than clean. I love lasagna, so I ordered it. I got it with the salad bar (average). When my lasagna came out it was cold in the middle! That means it was previously frozen or prepared and refrigerated for an uncertain period of time. They did re-re-heat it for me but even warm it was not edible. I did complain and was not offered anything to appease me. It seemed as if the wait staff was not surprised by my complaints and no longer cared about the quality of things. I was sad because there is really no place to get awesome authentic Italian food in Tucson unless you count Olive Garden and I don't. I will remember not to go back this time.
(1)Mariah D.
Quite good! Brought my family here the night before my graduation and everyone commended me on finding such a lovely place. Not crowded at all and I ordered the Alfredo with prosciutto. Anything with prosciutto in it is A+ in my books.
(4)G D.
We were sorely disappointed with our dinners on a recent visit. We read the article in the Arizona Daily Star highlighting the chef, son of the owner, Suzanne Elefante, which stated that he had worked at Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain prior to returning to the family business. Feeling that such credentials would bode well for this Tucson favorite, we decided to trek from the far northwest side of town to have dinner. The salad bar was fresh; the Italian Wedding Soup lacked depth of flavor, being entirely flat to our taste buds. We ordered two entrees: Joe's Special and Veal Parmigiana. Joe's Special was, in deed, quite spicy..so much that it was difficult to really savor the precious little linguini. The garlic oil did not have a fresh flavor and the melted cheese was, well, melted processed mozzarella. The Veal Parmigiana looked delicious, but the veal was not pounded thin and breaded; instead, it was thick (at least 1/2") and tough underneath the breading - almost too tough to cut with the dinner knife that was on the table. The sauce (gravy), too seemed lackluster. Neither entree was finished, not did we opt to have the remains boxed for later....very unusual for us. The service was efficient but, sadly, we were not enjoined to return here again. We had used a Groupon....we'll give our other one to someone else.
(2)Adam F.
Mama Louis's has been an Italian joint longer than my parents have been alive. It has gained a reputation as being one of Tucson's premier old school Italian restaurants. The looks and food reflect that. A family of four sit in that "not too small but definitely not big enough" table with just enough arm length to reach the parmesan cheese. A candle sits at every table that makes up most of the lighting. The larger-than-life food portions sit on a undersized plate waiting for its glory to be eaten. Yes, Mama Louisa's does a fine job creating that atmosphere that for a brief moment you might second-guess yourself that you're in Tucson. Now onto the specifics. The hostesses can be better than to simply ask how many, bring you to the table, toss the menus in the middle, and leave. Maybe that's the Italian way, but you must accommodate. The rest of the service was decent but still could use a little improvement. I give much props to the owner for talking to patrons and chatting it up. That reflects the owner of the place cares about the customers. Joe's special is, well, special. I thought it was pretty good, but not as good as the spaghetti and meatballs. Those meatballs are (wait for it), dynamite! The ravioli was good but can be served slightly on the cold slide. The breadsticks were okay but if they are going to serve it without butter they have to add a little more flavor to it. The salad bar is great. They give you just the right amount of options so that you can have plenty to choose from but are not standing there forever deciding what to put on it. The minestrone soup was vary tasting as was the italian wedding but that latter could use more substance than broth. Lastly, whatever sauce they've been using...stick with it. That sauce is truly special. This is the very type of establishment that Guy Fieri would want to visit and air on Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives. I would certainly approve of that.
(4)Liz G.
I remember trying Mama Louisa's many years ago, and being deeply unimpressed with the food. Well, we tried it again last night, and I have to say my opinion remains the same. The restaurant could use some renovations, as it hasn't changed much since the last time I was there. The service was quick and polite, and I liked that they had a few beers on tap that weren't made by Coors or Budweiser. I ordered the spaghetti Pomodoro, and while the pasta was fine, the sauce was way too thick. And tasteless. As mentioned in other reviews, it tasted like it came straight out of a can. The breadsticks were ok, but I'm pretty sure they started out as frozen, and were just baked and slathered in butter before they came to the table. I wish I had paid the extra $4 and got the salad bar, because that actually looked pretty good. The best part of the meal was the mixed berry creme brûlée that I had for dessert. That was actually very good. Overall, I can see why people keep coming here. It's a Tucson tradition, unchanged since the 70's probably, and the food it ok. But just ok. If I want good Italian food, I'll look elsewhere.
(3)Michael S.
My family has been coming here since they opened over 60 years ago. I'm a third generation diner here and my daughter is a fourth generation diner. First of all I'm going to say that I don't understand why people go to Olive Garden when this place is only two miles away. The service has always been friendly like the stereotypical family restaurant and almost always above average as far as efficiency goes. The food is very good. I normally get the Joe's Special with the soup and salad bar. I love their Italian Wedding soup. The breadsticks are awesome. The prices are very reasonable. I hope Mama Louisa's keeps going for many more decades.
(5)Leah C.
Was staying close by and was hungry so I desided to check out this place, as it sounded great and I love homemade Italian food. I called and placed an order to pick it up and 20 minutes later it was ready. The employees were all super friendly which was the only good thing about the experience and they weren't friendly enough to make it worth going there again. The food was overpriced and gross. The antipasto salad was nothing but a plate of mushy pickled vegetables and raw meat. The manicotti was edible IF you are it steaming hot. The colder it got the less edible it became. The "house sauce" appeared to be watered down tomato sauce and tasted like it too. The price would have been decent if the food would have been as described but it wasn't therefore the price was ridiculously expensive.
(2)Melinda C.
Enjoyed our dinner here the other night. They've reorganized the menu since the last time I'd been in, which had been quite a while. But as far as I could tell it was basically the same items with some new ones added in. Hubby and I started with the salad bar. Good as always. He then got spaghetti with meat sauce. I think the portion size has increased because he got 2 meals out of it. I tried the linguine in white clam sauce. Huge also. Both were delicious. No surprise there at all. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. For the most part, my reviews here sound like a broken record: good food, large portions, friendly service. There's a reason why they've been open and highly recommended for so long!
(5)Megan M.
Oh mama's, how I remember a time when I would jump for joy finding out you were making dinner! Not so much anymore. My mother loves this restaurant, she has been going there since she was in high school! So naturally I was born a Mama Louisan. But I hate to say, that ever since Mama died, it lacks something. Maybe it's her spirit but it for sure is lacking flavor. I heard recently, that the sisters parted ways, and that one of them is opening another Mama Louisa's in Rita. Maybe that sister can really cook like her mom.
(2)Mariel T.
Yuck. The salad bar was mostly toppings plopped out of a can and mayonnaise for dressings. The Eggplant Parm was soggy beyond believe and the sauce tasted straight acidic and so old. My husband said the Lasagna noodles were mush and his sauce was just as bad as mine. Two stars because the service was good and the kids menu Pizza Bread was tasty.
(2)Billie M.
Been wanting to go to MLs for 3 years. Was kind of taken aback when we pulled into the lot on 8/1 @ about 4:30 PM; the lot was nearly empty!Greeted and seated and tended to in good time. I was a little apprehensive seeing the plastic tablecloths and vinery!My manhatten was good, good enough to have a second.MLs has a salad bar....a typical, non descript salad bar that had been left out way too long. Ranch dressing was OK, red wine whatever dressing tasted like the liquid remains of grape jelly! So called garlic bread sticks were tasteless and presented alone in a basket with a napkin!On to the entrees: I had veal parm & pasta, my sister eggplant parm and pasta.VERY VERY GOOD.....the red gravy was simple, not too sweet and not too spicy. The pasta was nearly al dente and very good, indeed!The eggplant parm was reported to be excellent! My veal was "cut with a fork" tender and very flavorful! No gristle, lightly breaded, perfect!Within the hour in which we were there, they were packin' them in!We left very satisfied but not overly full. The portions were perfect for us.Next time, yes there will be, I think the anti pasta will be in order instead of the salad bar!
(4)Eric J.
Refreshed with some new touches and menu items with out losing any of the old world classic Italian flavor. Chef Michael Elephante has nailed it! If you haven't been lately....you haven't been.
(5)Mike P.
Nice quality Italian fare done the old fashioned way. This is a place for those who know the national chains do not make real Italian food and prefer the taste of food not salt. This is one of the last parts of Vintage Tucson not yet erased by the libtard invasion.
(5)Jacob R.
My first visit to Mama Louisa's was pleasant. The decorations and paintings caught my eye and had a positive impact. I liked the cozy setting, it definitely had a family feel about the place. It was in the evening, so I ordered the Chicken Piccata- slightly less "lemony" than I was hoping, but still very good, and definitely filling. The server looked like Stephen Lynch, but was friendly and attentive. I'd go again and will likely try the Tuscany chicken per the owners recommendation.
(4)Jodi B.
The sign says, "Home cooking the Italian way." Bah. Generous servings of "mama's combo" (lasagna, eggplant parm) arrive covered in a thick red sauce which sadly lacks the enticing aroma of the Italian food I am accustomed to. Simply nothing about this sauce hits my smell receptors with the feeling of "wow." Nothing announces the use of fresh garlic or any sacred marriage of herbs and meat often so well orchestrated by ancestral cooks. Nothing here says to my nose: "Tell your mouth this will be delicious." I taste the Mama Louisa sauce. I notice a mysterious unpleasant sweetness, is it nutmeg? I cannot figure it out. I swallow only as many bites as necessary to quell my hunger. The cheese-filled tortellini (3rd item in the combo plate) is not completely covered in the bland, mystery-spiced, too-sweet red sauce, so i eat more of that than the sauce covered items. I am grateful for its decent, al-dente texture. The garlic bread at Mama Louisa's delivers a welcomed, slight aroma of garlic, and is served warm. It is not, however, authentic Italian bread, (which would have had a slightly hard, crunchy crust outside to contrast with a softer center, and would have been baked from simple, four-ingredient recipe of flour, water, yeast and salt, No sugar). Next time I crave Italian food, i will cook, or go elsewhere. Buona fortuna to all.
(2)Lisa J.
Yesterday was my second time dining at this location in a very long time. Do not confuse this restaurant with the one of the same name that is located on Houghton Rd. (I dined there just last week) Menu might be similar but they are NOT the same... You want this location!!! So much better and you will find a little more variety but still find the old favorite "Joe's Special" and it is better here. Especially the gluten free pasta. This restaurant sources it from a local business and it is far and above the very best gluten free pasta I have ever had. The "other place" will tell you it is the same, it is not, they use a commercial gluten free pasta and it is not very exciting. If you want well made, fresh and very tasty Italian food go to this location. Everyone in our party loved what they ordered and the service was friendly and efficient. They also have a full bar with local brews, another nice plus that several in our party enjoyed. I also had the opportunity to sample some of the gluten free breads they will be bringing in from the same local business that provides their gluten free pasta and it was tasty, fresh and delightful. The new owners of this location are doing a great job maintaining the history that this restaurant has in the community while giving it a fresh new edge with some new menu items. Keep it up! I will be back!
(5)Mindy S.
Still a Tucson legend, and the service has definitely improved. Finally strayed from my usual (the baked ziti) to try the pasta special (Joe's spaghetti?) & it was awesome, as was my dessert. I just love this place!
(5)F D.
I really, really wanted to like this place. I love these old little places that have been a part of the landscape for generations. The building itself is so charming and inviting from the outside. The paintings on the inside really make the experience visually fun. Unfortunately, the food was not very good. I had the Chicken Piccata, which is usually a chicken breast. Theirs was made from little chunks of chicken. It left me wondering if they were possibly the scraps left over from some other chicken dish. It was tasty enough, so I tried to ignore the feeling that I was eating table scraps. The dish came with a side of homemade spaghetti which was supposed to be their specialty. I think I've made better pasta than this. But the worst was the sauce. I've had lots of different tomato sauces over the years and they're always different .. you learn to ditch your expectations and just go with it. Most times you're pleasantly surprised .. it may be different than your mother's sauce, but still very tasty. Unfortunately, that's not the case with Mama Louisa's. The sauce was horrible. It had an overwhelming taste of tomato paste that's been in the can too long. It really was not edible. Maybe they just had an off night. But I won't be going back to find out.
(1)Kathy N.
Hey! Wassa matta you? You no likea the spicy meatball? Can't believe I've live in Tucson 30+ years and have never ventured to Mama Louisa's. Met a large group for dinner there not too long ago and I rather enjoyed the old, home like feeling I got from the restaurant. I'm so used to a more modern and up to date look from the restaurants I frequent so Mama's gave me a bit of a nostalgic feeling when I walked through the doors. The service was friendly and not too chaotic despite our large group (14 people) and the one seated right next to us. Several people in my party went to the salad bar first and they all raved about the quality and variety of the ingredients. The person seated across from me is Italian and very picky about her Italian Wedding Soup and she thought Mama's did a good job on theirs. I have to say the breadsticks are horrible. The sample ladies at Costco do a better job making frozen, pale breadsticks tasty. Mama's definitely should toss the sticks and get some good garlic bread out to the customers. The Chicken Scallopini was good, not great. The flavor of the sauce was pretty good however Mama's advertises homemade pasta and the linquini served with my dish was cold and undercooked. I enjoyed the fact that the owner was in the dining room greeting customers and wishing a good night to those leaving. I like that hometown, little guy feeling.
(3)Russ C.
The best Baked ziti ever!!! My girlfriend and I went in for what is always a great meal and we were not surprised that it was better then ever. We are addicted to ziti and now the new addiction is the all new hand made mozzarella cheese sticks. Our waitress ( I wish I could remember her name) was awesome, we even met Chef Michael Elefante, actually he came out and greeted us after dinner! He was very nice and made an already incredible experience even better. All I can say is that we will be back!
(5)Victoria M.
Great food and excellent service, it's a hidden tucson gem. Great family atmosphere, I'll definitely be back.
(5)Carrie B.
Mama Louisa's is a great little place. It's been in town longer than Caruso's on 4th and is very similar, in my opinion. We went during lunch on a Thursday before grocery shopping. We decided to order from the menu despite the lunch buffet offerings. We were almost blown over by the air conditioning as we entered and I would like to add: I'm not complaining! As you enter a waiting area is ahead and you hang a left to the hostess stand. If you make another left there is a smallish cantina. Mama Louisa's is very clean. The smells coming from the kitchen offerings are sublime. We were seated in a dining room that is painted to look like a cabana tent with Mediterranean scenery painted all around you. It is very romantic! It has serious kitsch appeal. The lunch buffet will run you $8.25 for soup/salad bar with pasta made to order. The baby was with us and they let her partake of the buffet for free even though we weren't. Two soups were offered: Minestrone & Italian Wedding. The baby loved the minestrone. She found some good stuff at the salad bar and then tried the shells with red sauce (huge hit after she dunked them in the minestrone). I had the Eggplant Parmesan. Yum. Sliced thin and stacked then smothered in red sauce. For those that complain that Caruso's red sauce it too garlicky, consider Mama Lousia's whose sauce is milder and flavorful. I was so full after eating the Egg Parm that I didn't even touch my side of pasta that came with. Olive Garden-like breadsticks were offered, too. Their iced tea was crisp and flavorful. I am so glad we found Mama Louisa's and we will be returning with the older kids & gramps soon. Mark my words.
(4)Jessica M.
Saw on FB they had new kitchen mgmt... decided to give it a shot... it was absolutely amazing. It was the best Italian food i had experienced in quite some time. will be back now that they have these great cooks working there. Yummy!
(5)Isidro S.
The first time I was here with friends and family. Had a great time. The place was packed. Food was very good. The second time I was here just family and was disappointed. The place wasn't as packed. A semi new waiter was helping us. Instead of other staff helping him out, they decide to talk about him to other staff in the bar area. Loud enough for us to hear. Very NOT professional at all. Food wasn't as great as a result. Still left a decent tip for the guy.
(2)Amber B.
DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY!!! We spent $30 on two entrees and an appetizer. Not bad for Italian food that boasts about having homemade pasta. BUT the food was so horrible neither one of us could even get through half of our food. That $10 appetizer was supposed to be Bruschetta..instead it was half of a piece of subway bread with pickled veggies. Pickled. I paid $10 for someone's idea for using their left over vegetables. Now the entrees.. The noodle were indeed homemade or at least tasted like they were. The gravy (sauce) however, tasted like the inside of a Hunts spaghetti can without the curtesy of adding some addition herbs/spices to try to mask the aluminum flavor. The bread sticks were so dense and dry and I couldn't even finish one of them. Needless to say, we will not go back/order take out/or recommend this place to our worst enemies.
(1)Casey R.
Mama Louisa's is a great place to bring your family. Such a great atmosphere and even better food. They've recently added an awesome selection of draft beers, so now I'm even happier here than before. The chef is amazing and nothing ever comes out of the kitchen lacking.
(4)Art C.
My wife & I visited for the first time on a February Sunday @ 7:30 pm and were encouraged that people kept coming in and dining while we were seated in "the cage" which is on the side of a room decorated a few decades ago to resemble a patio, with a curved fence containing the shape. Dinner comes with large hot buttery breadsticks, we were served two. We asked about the house Chianti & our young server offered a sample which was quite nice, sweeter and fresh. Entrees were a nice buttery-lemony Chicken Piccata for me, (served as chicken chunks rather than a chicken breast) with linguini, and spaghetti with mariana & sausage for her. She felt the marinara was a bit thicker than she'd have liked, the sausage was good. The homemade pasta was properly cooked al'dente. We ate every bite and were happy with the friendly service and value.
(4)Larry S.
I went to the new location on Houghton road, I sat down with my 3 children for at least 15.minutes with no service, what made it worse, is the manager Seen me leaving and said nothing. Good part is that I went to buddy s grill down the street and was extremely satisfied, never going back to the other restaurant.
(1)Kris C.
First it took 10 minutes to get our drinks, it was also very confined and loud. But I had the Marsala chicken which was very good so the food was good but everything else was kinda shit.
(2)Heidi H.
Not impressed. Lasagna tastes like ragu...sin said prego.....not worth the time or the wait.
(3)Gary C.
My cousin and I are visiting Tucson for the Gem show. We were looking for a nice Italian restaurant, and were referred to Mama Louisa's with a great recommendation. We easily found the restaurant, and were pleasantly greeted and promptly seated. Our waitress was Jordan, a very enthusiastic young lady. Once we looked at the menu, we were disappointed in the limited selections; however, we decided to try their pasta offering, and I ordered the whole wheat linguini with their signature red sauce, and my cousin ordered the same pasta with a different sauce. We were promptly served, which was not a good sign to us. The first bites were very telling, the noodles were over cooked, broken into 2-3 inch lengths, and had no flavor. We both pushed the dishes away after no more than 3-4 bites, we were done. There is no way that we could recommend this restaurant, do not go!
(1)Allison O.
I went to Mama Louisa's while I was in Tucson with my parents, and we loved it. I had remembered hearing that it was delicious, but hadn't tried it. I had fettucine with proscuitto and peas, which was amazing, and my Dad had Caesar salad and the spaghetti with meatballs, which he loved. The Caesar salad was gigantic, but he loved it! The chef came out to talk with us because of my Mom's food allergies and made sure that her food would be fine for her. He chatted with us for a while and was incredibly cool. If I lived in Tucson, I'd be back often!
(5)Valerie S.
One does not simply go the Mama Louisa's and not order the Joe's Special. The best sauce this side of Italy. I love Mama Louisa's. I've been coming here for my 18 years, and I think it's the best, such a cute and quaint restaurant. The Chicken Marsala is so good! TIRAMISU IS TOO DIE FOR!
(5)Vinnie F.
The place is nice looking on the inside, although not in the best of areas. The service was fine. Polite and cordial. No rush. The margaritas were pretty good. The bread was so-so. Kinda doughy, not real Italian bread. We both ordered the Veal Parmesan. Hers with linguini, mine with spaghetti. They both came with spaghetti. I told the server it was spaghetti. She said it was linguini. (uh oh). But I didn't make an issue of it, except to note to myself that the server obviously doesn't know the difference. I've never seen round linguini before. Spaghetti is round, linguini is flat. But the kicker was it didn't make any difference: linguini or spaghetti, they were both grossly overcooked. The pasta had the consistency of mashed potatoes. That is bad. You might expect that from a diner, but not an Italian restaurant. The veal was OK, nothing to stand in line for. I could cut it with my fork, but the sauce was a bit harsh (salty) and that didn't help the veal at all. (Nothing on the planet could help the pasta.) It was our first time there. I doubt we will return. From where we are it was not worth the ride (40 mins), and we did not like the neighborhood.
(2)George F.
My wife had been here before and raved about so we had to give it another shot. I had the Tuscany chicken with pasta. The sauce was excellent! Marilyn had the ravioli which had a nice cheese mix.
(4)Naveen S.
Quaint home style, local family owned restaurant. Food was good and the serving size was big. The staff were cheerful and friendly. They also have soup and salad bar for $3.50 that you can add on to your entrée.
(4)Shelly E.
I have only been here 1 time, since i live out of state, but i will be back. Old world, friendly service, quality ingredients and menu based on family recipes. Anxious to try more menu items
(4)Darryl N.
This is the original location, there is a NEW location on Houghton. I love Mama Louisa's and go back as often as I can. Smaller, but I say Comfy and decent priced with excellent service.
(5)Swass T.
Absolut hot garbage. I should say cold cause that how our food came out. Basically red sauce with no flavor. Don't waste your money.
(1)Thomas W.
I can't get to five stars as although we enjoyed are meals there are some things that could be done much better, little things like maybe fresh bread sticks with maybe garlic butter brushed on top. Better silverware would do wonders as this is another area that was less than five star. I just hate eating with cheap junky forks. The salad bar was top notch with everything we love and more. Soup was tasty as well. Then for the dinners, HUGE portions way more than either of us could eat. We could have easily split either of our meals and left happy. I had the pasta with meat sauce and Sausage, I found it excellent. My wife tried the Cannelloni which she just loved! The on line menu and the real menu are slightly different as they seemed to have scaled back a little and pricing has changed slightly as well. Over all the service was wonderful. We will be returning soon.
(4)Gabriel S.
The food was ok and a little overpriced. They do not have beer on tap but have beer bottles. We were expecting more flavor than regular Italian chains. We did like the salad and soup bar. Customer service was excellent and the servers were friendly. I ordered the chicken picatta and I felt like the sauce was heated in the microwave and added to the chicken. I am not sure if I would return to try a different dish.
(3)Sheila K.
My friends and I went here for "Girls Night Out" last weekend and really enjoyed ourselves! The service was EXCELLENT and the food was DELICIOUS! I ordered the chicken alfredo with peas and prosciutto. The noodles are homemade and I could have eaten the whole bowl, but with the portions so generous, it just wasn't happening! This is a Tucson gem and it's one not to be missed!
(4)Cindy L.
This place is the real deal and has been around for ever! ! Home made pasta AND the owners are delightful people! ! Try the eggplant parm. ..yummm!
(5)Mark F.
I ate at mama louisa's restaurant at first because of its close proximity to my apartment. I loved the food and I recommend the salad bar. It only cost 3 extra dollars to add to any meal and it is outstanding. I have been back several times since my first meal there. I cannot recommend it enough.
(5)Eddie A.
I've been eating here as long as I can remember. The food is fantastic, the service is top notch, and the owners are completely fantastic. I love the pasta bar for lunch, Joe's Special with chicken parmesan for dinner. I've literally never had a bad meal here in the almost 30 years I've been eating here (incidentally the same number of years I've been on this planet). Good for dates, family events, and large parties.
(5)Hannah L.
Others have enjoyed their dishes here, but mine was not worthy of the high plate price ($14.00). I had the chicken Tuscany w/ eggplant. The chicken was chunked chicken from a can, the tomato chunks were mushy and not ripe, the sauce was so salty I couldn't eat it. The artichoke hearts were salty and straight from a jar. My guess is the eggplant was previously frozen and then reheated. It's breading was soggy, and mushy. For a meal that tasted like it came from the freezer and a can, I felt it was overpriced.
(1)Cassy H.
My husband used to live in Tucson and frequented this place as a youngster. Everytime he brings me into town, we MUST go here. It is a staple on any Tucson visit. If we lived in town, we would prob eat her once a week. The portions are gigantic, the food is amazing, the wine is so-so...they have a good enough selection but nothing outstanding. The salad bar is perfect...big enough to get exactly what you want & small enough that you know the food probably isn't sitting out there day after day. Ingredients always look fresh. I always get the lasagna with Joe's special sauce. It has garlic amazingness all thru it. Anything you order, I recommend the Joe's special sauce on it. My husband got the spaghetti with the special sauce and 2 giant meatballs on it. Way more food than most people can eat in one sitting...but we always try because it is so, so good! I have been coming here for 5 years now, and find it one of my favorite hole-in-the-wall local places I know. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Very family feel...family atmosphere...super casual, and laid back. Feels like the waiters & waitresses all are part of the owners family...some are, I am sure. I would give it 10 stars if I could...
(5)Stacy S.
I tried Mama Louisa's for the first time and it was pretty tasty. I placed my order for take out, as this was on my dinner hour from work. I ordered Joe's Special Pasta with a side of meatballs. The portions were huge and I will be sure to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. The sauce had a good flavor to it, it did not taste as if it came out of a can and the meatballs were juicy. The meal came with two garlic breadsticks that were fresh and hot. Price was a little much, at first glance; however seeing that I have at least two meals out of one order, I am ok with it. All in all, I'll be back for lunch or dinner.
(4)Anne P.
I love that this is an old Tucson establishment but old school Italian it is not. I think the original family chefs would be disappointed. The place looks nice and has a nice ambiance with candles at each table. All of the staff are friendly and fast. The cooks or whomever is in charge of what comes out on the plate should be fired. Put a little love back in your food and people will love your restaurant again. The food is just mediocre and for a family restaurant I expected some more authentic Italian cooking with more flavor.
(2)Kamryn C.
I ventured out with a friend the other night to Craycroft and 29h to dine at Mama Louisa's and I have to say that the experience was the epitome of three stars. The food is average, nothing really stood out, but we left belly's full. The prices are on the high side for the food, but the portions are large, so I guess that makes up for it? I got about 3 meals out of one dish. Would I go again? Probably not. I think that Tucson has much more to offer in the area of Italian food.
(3)Lauren K.
I really want to like Mama Loiusa's, I just can't, even though I try over and over again. I am of Italian descent, born and raised in NY and NJ, so I have a very good understanding of good Italian food. Mama Louisa's is not very good Italian food. Their sauce is slightly better than most in Tucson, but that's not saying a lot when most sauces are unseasoned, mashed up tomatoes. Much of their food is pre-made, including one of the easiest dishes on the menu, the baked ziti. How hard is it to cook pasta, mix in cheese, and bake it for 20 minutes? Not very, and I've never heard of not doing it to order before. The taste is lacking because of it. It would also be nice to choose a different pasta to be cooked in the baked "ziti" style. Their chicken is far too thick, it should be cut in half and served as 2 pieces. Their fresh pasta is just "ok". Their salad bar is the epitome of NOT fresh food. The hard boiled eggs are often FROZEN when they get onto your plate. It's like eating an egg ice cube, and it's gross. When they aren't frozen when you get to them, the whites are just rubbery because they've just defrosted and all the water is out of them. Not good and not acceptable. At least the greens are usually green and fresh looking. The breadsticks often come hard as a rock and dry, and in FILTHY, DISGUSTING, baskets. I hate eating from them because they are NOT clean at all. The service is also very slow at times. I've sat without a drink during entire meals a few times there. They've never been rude, though. I can overlook the slow service if only the food was good. The atmosphere is also dingy and old and sorta dirty. I really want to like Mama Louisa's, and I'll continue going there once in a while to see if things improve.
(2)Tanya S.
This restaurant is very close to Davis-Monthan AFB. I was looking for a place close to base for dinner and quickly found this one. We went on a Wednesday night. Service was very slow. I think they only had one waitress working that night. The place was mostly empty, but still, slow service. The place is very cute. I ordered Joe's Special with a side of meatballs. It was really good, but a bit salty. Portions are fairly large and I only managed to eat half so I have the rest for today's lunch. The bread was really good as well. Overall I think it was pretty good! Would definitely visit again to try other dishes.
(4)R. V.
Love this place! This is a go to restaurant for me and my family. In fact this is my daughter's favorite restaurant according to her. The staff is awesome and the food has always been great. My daughter loves their salad bar and their pesto. My wife usually goes for the alfredo pasta with extra prosciutto. I am a big fan of the Shrimp Giuseppe. This place is great. They have been around forever and its obvious why.
(4)Vicki W.
Best salad bar in town! The potato and macaroni salads always taste home made. Soups are also VERY good. If you go for lunch be sure to give the pasta/salad bar a try. And ALWAYs order the home made linguini noodles. Yum! If you go for dinner, be sure to give Joe's Special a go. Everyone we have ever brought here has adored Joe's Special! Family owned for a gazillion years and one of Tucson's best restaurants. Love!
(5)Raul S.
FAST Review 2.5 out of 5 * Food 3/5 - Got the "Joe's special" with a couple meatballs on the side. The pasta definitely tasted freshly made, and the sauce was decent. The meatballs were large, and I was only able to get through half the pasta and one meatball before calling it quits. So portions are generous here. Meals came with warm bread sticks, which probably contributed to the carb overload. I was tempted to get the salad bar, but the selection looked pretty small. Ambiance 3/5 - Decor is a little dated, but I guess that's so it retains it's family owned old school charm? Dress is casual. Service 2/5 - We had Monday service on a Friday. Seems like our waiter would have black-out moments where he would forget about us, then finally remember to drop by. Seemed to be difficult to get their attention too, for water refills and for the check. It's not like it was super busy either. Total Impression 2.5/5 - I suppose the food is decent here. But I didn't care for the slow, haphazard service when we were there, which is why I'm rounding down to 2 stars instead of up to 3.
(2)Kat B.
I love this place! I'd eat here even if they only ever served the Joes special. The spaghetti sauce for this is amazing and you can add it to anything. The people here are friendly and the service is good. There are other italian places in tucson but I don't know any that make their own noodles and sauce from scratch. At lunch there is a pasta buffet which is pretty good but nothing compares to the joes special. I always get light cheese extra sauce, and I usually buy this for dinner and still have enough for lunch. 10.00 to me isn't very expensive for pasta considering the amount you get. The breadsticks are mediocre to me but some of my friends like them more then olive garden. The decorations aren't anything fancy but places like this remind me of home cooking. Also they hand make their own spumoni, which is amazing and very flavorful.
(5)Joshua B.
Now I had heard good things about this place for years, but never went. I finally got around to going and I was impressed. The service is just kind of average, kind of reminiscent of Olive Garden. Not bad, but not terribly good. I was told to order the Joe's Special (with extra garlic), and it did not disappoint. Simple and hard to mess up, there is a reason people talk about this dish. If you've never been to Mama Louisa's and you feel like Olive Garden, why not stop by here and try them out instead?
(4)gloria g.
Menu prices are low for Tucson; but, honestly, the food was cafeteria fare, filling but undistinquished. Mediocre. Much like the many so-called Mexican joints around the city. Tucson restaurants are, generally, a sorry lot. Find a "roach-coach" to your liking and leave "eating out" at that. Otherwise, stay home. I mean, why waste time and money beating a dead horse.
(2)Jed B.
Ugh, I hate doing this because I know this place tries, but I gotta be honest. There was no background music, so it was boring sitting there, trying to blot out the old white retirees complain about their last vacation to London. The waitress was a sweetheart, and that's why I'm torn about giving this place a couple of stars. Flat out, my food sucked! I ordered the chicken marsala with fettucine alfredo. The dish was almost soupy, the sauces were mixing, the pasta's texture was odd and the chicken was ok. Now, this place is inexpensive, so that makes up for mediocre food. I really hate saying this because i'm all about authenticity but Tucson has no authentic Italian restaurants, I promise you that! even the most "italiano" owners that swear their granparents from the old world are doing the cooking, are elaborating. Truth is, Mexicans are in those kitchens, going off of recipes. With that being known, you might as well go to olive garden, macaroni grill or even carrabas. The thing about these corporate restaurants is that they have super high standards and their products are consistent. Sad to say, but true, ya?
(2)Sharon D.
My husband and I have had dinner here several times and the food and service were both good every time. Our first lunch experience was today, and everyone in our party of 5 enjoyed the food. We were long-time friends getting caught up on each other, so we stayed and chatted for over an hour after we finished eating. Our waitress didn't try to rush us, checked often to see if we needed anything more, and left us to enjoy each other. We definitely recommend this place!
(5)Don C.
Pasta bar is fantastic. Loved it.
(5)Neo M.
We went to Mama Lousa's Italian Restaurant after seeing a laudable review in the Tucson Weekly. What a disappointment. The veal parmigiana was overcooked and tasted commercial -- as if it were previously frozen from a food vendor then nuked and served. The tomato sauce tasted like it came out of a can: I swear I could taste the tin! I tasted no original or authentic herb or spice whatsoever. The real giveaway is when one has to ask for a spoon to twirl the pasta. Do people in Tucson really not know how to eat pasta? I grant that people who think Olive Garden is authentic Italian might be enchanted by the home spun ambiance of this place. But overall it reminded me of hospital cafeteria food -- no exaggeration. I mean it. The food was lousy!
(1)Tracy K.
Ate there for the first time... and last. I had the joes special, which was anything but special; pasta covered in melted cheese and topped with sauce. Not very special. The sauce is nice tasting, but nothing special about the dish. My wife had manicotti which was better.
(2)Elsbeth P.
This is probably more like a three and a half star review. Mama Louisa's has been a Tucson staple for YEARS. The decor (inside and out) will let you know that this place has been open since the early to mid-60's, and that's what I LOVE about it. It's borderline cheesy, but still tastefully maintains that classic cliche Italian flare. They offer the standard Italian fare along with a soup and salad bar for an additional $3.50. The salad bar is one of my favorite parts- it has a good selection (and is fresh and clean most of the time) but isn't overwhelming. Try the linguini- it's homemade and you can taste the difference! Excellent. The baked ziti is also good, but I like to order a dish with chicken in it to balance out the carb overload (although you can get chicken added to any dish). This time I tried the Chicken Scallopini and it was good, but we went at the end of the night and I was disappointed to taste that it had been precooked early in the day and had been sitting. The texture was just off and it was pretty salty, but overall, the meal was good. The waitress was very attentive and refilled our breadsticks and drinks very quickly. Don't expect to be totally amazed when you come here, but it's definitely a good place to go when you want to support a local Italian establishment and try something different. I feel torn- I recommend it based on Tucson street cred for how long it's been around and how charming it is, but I don't want to send people there thinking they'll have the most amazing food ever. The best part- as I mentioned we were there towards the end of the night, and a couple of the staff members who had just ended their shifts were sitting at the bar eating their dinners. That's ALWAYS a good sign, isn't it?
(3)Yves J.
I had the buffet and it was good. It's not a beautiful restaurant. The service was great. The Italian Wedding soup was good but a bit salty. I'd recommend it a a nice place to go to for lunch.
(3)Frank V.
This is an old school Italian restaurant, which is good in my book. By that I mean red checkered table clothes, parmesan cheese in a shaker at the table, candles and a large portions of flavorful food. If you like contemporary chain restaurants, you might not be impressed. This is much more similar to Caruso's on 4th avenue, which is also old school, than to any run of the mill Olive Garden type establishment. I took my two sons (10 and 12 years old) there for an early Saturday evening dinner. It wasn't too crowded at first, but when we were leaving, it was beginning to get crowded. We were seated promptly, and it took a while to decide what we wanted because of the large amount of selections in the menu. My two boys each got manicotti, and I got the Mama's special, which consisted of eggplant parmesan, lasagna and cheese tortellini. We decided to also get salads, which means a trip to the salad bar. The salad bar had many selections along with soup. The manicotti was huge with two homemade noodles (without the ridges) stuffed full of a cheese mixture and covered with a delicious red sauce. My eggplant parmesan was excellent and the lasagna was very good. I wasn't too impressed with the tortellini because it seemed as if it was the refrigerated type you get at the grocery store. All of my dish was covered with the delicious red sauce. The service was outstanding. Our server constantly was attending to us without being overbearing. She immediately replenished our garlic bread sticks whenever we were out, and she refilled our drinks as soon as we were out. All in all I think this is a very good restaurant. It has tasty food, a quaint atmosphere, good service and reasonable prices.
(4)Stephen Z.
I read a few reviews from people that didn't review this restaurant well and were expecting to be impressed after ordering lemon chicken and seafood?? These reviewers then went on to compare Mama Louisa's to The Olive Garden... Let me give these people and future readers a little advice. If you are looking to have a nice sit down dinner at a chic restaurant with great food and servers that wait hand over foot for you, go to Bluefin (seafood) or Vivace (Italian). Now if you're looking for a great casual little restaurant on the south side of town that has the best homemade linguini and red sauce, go to Mama Louisa's! You won't get better. Steve P.S. Joe's Special!!!
(4)Michelle C.
I have been going to Mama Louisa's for years. Best old school Italian food in town, just like Grandma's. And yes, the decor is like Grandma's too! Service is fast and friendly. Pasta is fresh and delicious. My favorite is the pesto or Joe's special. I also love their calzones. I frequently go to the all you can eat pasta special for lunch, where they prepare your pasta and sauce right there on the spot. Fabulous.
(5)Matthew J.
My wife and I have tried this place twice..... its looks nice but the food is horrible and so was the service! We will not be making this adventure again!
(1)Chuck H.
Joe special is my favorite.
(5)Derrick D.
I wanted to like this place. I really, really did. I mean, it's family owned and local. I made the trip out here from where I live the north side (Limberlost & Campbell) because it was in a brochure the boyfriend & I picked up for the local restaurant group "Tucson Originals". Should have Yelped it first. The sauces were bland and unimpressive and so were the pastas. Honestly, as much as it grieves me to say this at the expense of what seems like a quaint local business, Olive Garden is probably better. No disrespect meant to those who have good feelings about the place and have been coming here for years. There are some places I love back home in Chicago whose food is most likely unimpressive and bland by normal standards--but the smile of recognition from waitresses and hostesses goes a long way toward creating warm fuzzy feelings and loyalty. That's very human and understandable. But to those who have no sentimental attachment, I'm afraid Mama Louisa's won't impress much. The best Italian food value in Tucson is at Roma Imports, and they are only open for lunch. Go there on a weekday.
(2)Melinda B.
Myself and my 10 yr old son love Mama Louisa's! They have a great little Italy atmosphere that is very welcoming and friendly servers that are very attentive. I've been here several times and I always love it. For lunch you can get all you can eat pasta dishes made especially for you and in front of you with the soup/salad bar for only about $9. Tonight for dinner I had the early bird Joe's Special (it has their homemade linguine) with the salad/soup bar and my son had one of the kids shells and tomato sauce, everything was awesome as well. My son loves the breadsticks that come with service too.
(4)William P.
Disclaimer: considering closing time was just around the corner I'm going to give a pass on some things. I plan on giving this place another shot at a later date. Stopped in here for dinner with my boyfriend and a mutual friend. It was about 35 minutes to close (we asked), I felt like a jackass, so I encouraged our trio to order & eat quickly. Three waters, two glasses of white wine, bread sticks all hit the table pretty quickly. The S.O. had pork marsala w/ a side of sauteed mushrooms, friend had Joe's Special, I had the linguine with pesto & a side of meatballs. GF/Celiacs: Due to time constraints I didn't scour the menu or bother to ask any questions. Obviously avoid things you can't eat, but for Italian I tend to throw caution to the wind. Celiacs will want to be more careful. Breadsticks were good, a bit salty, reminded me of Olive Garden. Tap water, not surprised, didn't really care. The wine was cold and delicious. My food: pesto was delicious, I would have enjoyed a bit more to fully coat the pasta. Six pine nuts, seriously? I don't expect a blanket of them but there were so few I barely noticed them. A large portion of pasta that was fresh and tasty. The food was warm, not hot. The red sauce for the meatballs was too acidic for my liking, but it wasn't terrible. Meatballs were juicy but served warm. Sad-face. Boyfriend's food: I tried some of his mushrooms and pork marsala, it was good, but the marsala was very very thick, almost gelatinous. No idea why, it tasted fine but didn't resemble the marsala I'm familiar with. Friend's food: needed another ladle of red sauce, she said the pasta was dry.
(3)Angelica V.
Mama Louisa's (or Weezies, as it's called in my family), is FAN-TAS-TIC. The best bet by far is the Joe's Special. It's easily the best red sauce I've ever had (outside of my own Italian family). I've never had anything alfredo here, that's not my cup of tea, but it's probably just as delicious as the red sauce entrees. My boyfriend lives for the salad bar. The Italian wedding soup they have on the line is very good. I'm also a giant fan of the baked ziti, which always reminds me of my Grandma Annie in Yonkers, NY. The ambiance is casual and chill, the staff is phenomenal, and if the decor is a little campy, it feels like home to me. This is Italian (American-Italian) food at it's finest. If you're into taste and heat and spice, this is the place for you. If you're into bland, try Olive Garden down the road (but please don't say you're eating Italian there).
(5)Roving S.
I was hoping to experience authentic Italian food, and found that the restaurant hasn't been owned and managed by the original Italian family who created the menu for generations. The food was ok. The staff was very kind, and very community oriented, and the waitstaff was good. However, if you are looking for an authentic ethnic cuisine or experience you should go elsewhere. The owners have tried very hard to keep the cuisine the same and they do make custom pastas, so I don't want to deter people too much, they are trying. I can tell they love their restaurant and put their all into it. It just depends what your looking for. I LOVE italian food and wanted something more authentic, so my experience was a bit disappointing, but if your looking for decent food, reasonable price, and nice staff this might be a good place for the family. Up to you and your expectations.
(2)Miss C.
Totally miss this place, many fond memories of my days in Tucson. It is hard to find non-chain Italian places, and it was awesome to stumble upon this place. My boyfriend had the pleasure of eating here for 3 years and it was always great (decor a lil cheesy..but whatever?!). The noodles are fresh and addictive, the salad bar was nice. It was amazing that they offered hand sanitizer (for those who like to be clean, and like a brick to the head for those who aren't!) right next to the salad area. Great prices (when we frequented the place they even had a frequent diner card!) and an amazingly cordial staff. If I ever find myself in Tucson again I know exactly where I will go. (and if the one manager guy that was always there happens to see this...nope we're still not married! lol)
(4)Dennis N.
I'm sorry, I really wanted to like this place, but coming from the east coast we are used to really good Italian. Did not like the Marinara sauce. Tomato flavor and not much else. Salad bar was just O. K.. Sadly, when you know what really good Italian bread is, this falls very short. The homemade pasta was O. K.. It was very busy with a lot of people waiting. Parking was cramped.
(2)Erin P.
I keep trying to like this place, have been in there 3 or 4 times and am disappointed each time. Their lemon chicken was so bitter I had to send it back. Now I just get soup and salad........too bad most of the soups are bland and under seasoned. The salad bar is a safe bet, just stay away from the mandarin oranges as they can be sour.
(1)Elyse P.
We really enjoy Mama Louisa's. We have been there twice. The first visit, I would say, was slightly more positive than the second, but the second visit was still very enjoyable. The eggplant, meatball and manicotti was so good the first time, I ordered it again. We've also had the fried zucchini and calamari appetizers. I would get both again, but we prefer the calamari to be more natural in preparation - Mama Louisa's is little strips - but it's still yummy. The waiter was very friendly and polite, and he made sure my drink was just to my liking. His only fault was that he would disappear for long periods of time, but he would apologize when he came back. Overall, I would definitely recommend Mama Louisa's and plan to return.
(3)Bonnie Jean W.
The pasta dishes here are excellent. I can't recommend their homemade linguini with pesto sauce enough, but their marinara is also extremely flavorful and delicious. I give their pasta five stars, but I would recommend skipping the salad bar. If they could bring the quality of the salad bar up to the high standard of their homemade entrees, I'd give Mama Louisa's five big fat stars!
(4)Kodok G.
Good, consistent, family-oriented Italian food. Nothing fancy, but hearty portions, reasonable prices, and decent service. Try the house-made pasta. Always good to support independent, local business owners.
(4)Kirstin B.
This is a long time family favorite. If you are wanting good Italian food from a local place this is it. Located near the base, Mama louisa's has been in Tucson for so long for a reason. Don't miss the Joe's speical with the chicken parm and the fried zuccini. If you are mood for pizza, their thin-crust New York style pizza is full of great seasoning.
(4)Paul C.
The whole family loves to eat here. I have lived in Tucson my entire life best Italian food around.
(5)C L.
Went here last month as someone gave me a gift certificate for Christmas. I have always wanted to try this place, as I love homemade pasta. I ordered the Joe's Special. This is their signature dish. I thought it was pretty good. Not spectacular, but good. While I don't think the pasta is the best in Tucson, I think the other items they offer make up for it. I really liked the soup and salad bar that you could add to your dinner. I would come back just for this. I also give this place credit, as it is like grandmas Italian, and not gourmet Italian that I can't stand. Try it out if you want an option other than a national chain.
(4)Michael B.
A friend took me here for lunch once a few years ago, and I became addicted. I can't speak for the regular menu items, although I've heard and see the previous reviews confirm that they aren't that great. I go for the soup, salad and pasta bar during lunch. I could go everyday, and in fact while stationed at Davis-Monthan I did go to lunch there everyday for awhile. So much so that the family gave me a free lunch for Christmas, hey, it's the simple things that count with me. I lived in Tucson for five years and this is by far the best lunch spot I came accross, if you want to stuff your face and wait in line for an hour then go to Oregano's. I've lived in LA for a few years and can't find anything that pales in comparison to this family run Italian restaurant, and when I'm in Tucson I make sure I go here at least once during my stay.
(5)Anne W.
My husband and I are just moving to Tucson. My parents lived here 40 years ago and they ate at Mama Louisa's all the time back then. For as long as I can remember, my mom has talked about Mama Louisa's linguine with clam sauce and how great it is. As a treat and thank you for helping us move, my husband and I decided to take my mom to see if it was still as she remembered it. According to my mom, it's still the best linguine with clam sauce she's ever had. She's been eating her way across the globe for the last 40 years so that's saying something. Neither my husband nor I are big Italian food lovers - at least the food called Italian that's served in the US (we both love Italian Italian food - sorry folks but alfredo is NOT from Italy). So, the dinner was for my mom. However, my husband and I both enjoyed our meals as did our kids. We got our kids the pasta with meatballs and there was not a piece of food left on their plates. They aren't picky eaters but they also never clean their plates. I had the linguine with garlic and olive oil. It was good but could have used a little more spice. My husband had Joe's Special and he said he would go back for it. That's a huge compliment from him. They make their own pasta and you can tell, it's very good. The bread was reminicent of some of the chains and most of it stayed in the basket. According to my mom, the decor hasn't changed one little bit in 40 years except that they added the salad bar. I'll leave it up to the reader to decide if that's a good thing or not. Our service was excellent. Our waiter checked back quite frequently to make sure we had everything we needed. Our food arrived without much of a wait. We'll definitely be back.
(4)Leo B.
Typical Tucson answer to Italian food... blech.
(1)Matt D.
I've been coming here for years and years, and it's my favorite Italian place in Tucson. Mama Louisa's always seems to be a love it or hate it kinda place. We've had guests from out of town absolutely abhor the place and others who have loved it. Someone mentioned the breadsticks taste like paper. I couldn't agree more. They're pretty nasty. They always have been. But my oh my... Joe's Special. That's where it's at, ladies and gentlemen. It's a pasta dish with sauce and peppers and melted cheese and it's quite possibly the single greatest dish of food in this entire town. Six stars for that alone. It would easily be one of my stranded-island foods.
(5)Bradley B.
Pasta bar for lunch is much better than eating here in the evening. Yes for lunch, Olive Garden is better for dinner.
(4)Brian W.
The worst Italian I have ever had. The red sauce tastes like a glass of wine. Our food was undercooked, and the wait staff thought it was more important to talk about the night before than it was to see how we were doing. Steer clear of this place.
(1)Alex V.
I know the bar for Italian food in Arizona is low, but Mama Louisa's could definitely be better. The service was good, but the food was on par with say an Olive Garden. On the plus side, its priced on the low side.
(2)Bill M.
I was warned by my wife not to bother with Mama Louisa's -- But I thought she was just being snobby. I took her Mom for dinner tonight and I wish I had listened to my spouse (who's out of town.) The Italian Wedding Soup probably came out of the Godfather #1 catering truck - weird pieces of supposed sausage in a salty broth - my sodium level spiked immediately. The salad bar was well described by Veggie Girl - a real mess. The "Italian" dressing and pasta salad jacked up my already elevated sodium level even further. The bread sticks were buttery and yet more salt. Does this place cater to a large crowd of smokers with no taste buds? We waited forever for our Joe's Special (Mom) and my two meat pasta plate: a couple of meatballs and a sausage over tomato sauce and linguine pasta. Where do I begin? The meatballs were "juicy" and just tasted awful. The sausage was dry. The pasta looked like it had been cooked once, then flash-frozen in a plastic pouch, then microwaved and plopped on my plate. It had that kind of dried out, extremely white color around the edges that you see in microwave lunches. In fact, I've had better pasta in microwave lunches. The tomato sauce was kind of sweet in a sickening kind of way - no real spice, garlic, well... flavor! The waiter, Jason, was just obnoxious -- at our table asking how things were going while I was having soup & salad but never again while we where waiting an extremely long time for our main meals. In fact, he sat at the bar hanging out -- when he finally checked our meals were ready. I think that was supposed to constitute as good service in advance of our wait. From their web site ( emol.org/mamalouisas ), bright green like my face after eating the slop they served up: "serving the best in homemade Italian cuisine." And further, they apparently, since 1956, "been among one of the top restaurants in Tucson." Ummm... according to whom? Again, I should have listened to my wife and simply suggested somewhere else for dinner with Mother-in-law. Live and learn and pass the Maalox.
(1)Bradley C.
I expected much more since this restaurant is supposed to be Tucson's top Italian choice. First the bread sticks came. Tasted like paper, they were cold, and our basket had dried tomato sauce on it. I'm not sure this place would pass a health inspection. You can tell the roof has leaks with the stained and sagging ceiling tiles. Nothing looked clean. I ordered the lasagna which tasted okay, but was not very hot. I will never go back unless this place is torn down, rebuilt and boasting new management.
(1)Bob W.
Been coming here for years, and yes, not always the best service. I kinda like this place. We do birthdays other celebrations there. There is a wide variety of food. NO... Not like Olive Garden. Real home cooked food. And homemade noodles! Breadsticks are really good when hot (add Parmesan cheese to the top of warm breadsticks!!!) I guess I just need a Joe's special every now and again.
(4)David O.
Mama louisa's is by far one of the best casual restaurants in Tucson. My parents brought me there when I was young and now I'm proud to bring my family and friends. During my time in the military the one place I was guaranteed to visit was Mama Louisa's. It is, perhaps, not the most earth quaking Italian food on the planet but it's always good and often great. The wine selection is good and you'd be doing your tastebuds a terrible disservice if you don't try Joe's special once in your life. Occasionally the service is a bit slow, but it's usually only when they're busy and the kitchen is weeded. All-in-all, with home-made pasta, a great atmosphere, and decades of family owned cooking experience, Mama Louisa's is a can't miss dining experience.
(5)F N.
I always order the Eggplant parmesan sandwich with fried zucchini here and it is always takeout. the food is great, the zucchini is a little bit bitter and over greasy. They serve it with ranch dressing which is awesome. yumm... The only downside is that whenever I have placed an order, I show up 15 to 20 minutes later but I still have to end up waiting for another 10 minutes. By that time, my lunch hour is gone and I have to pretty much swallow my sandwich. They do need faster service. People are friendly and great customer service. They call you by name once they get to know you after a couple of times...
(4)Jennifer H.
Ok, I KNOW this restaurant is supposed to be a "tradition" in Tucson, has been here for years and years but I can honestly say that I don't understand what all the hype is about. Our family went there one evening, service was slow and my "alfredo" sauce wasn't cheesy AT ALL! More like a cream sauce. Had to dump piles of parmesean in it. The kids meals were awful. Frozen chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs. (Banquet brand perhaps?) Not at all what we were expecting from an "authentic" Italian restaurant. Won't go back.........................
(2)Sheri W.
Our family has been going here for three generations. Highly recommend the early bird specials if you're doing dinner and want to eat a bit early, they are a great bargain. Joe's Special is hand's down the family favorite, but nothing disappoints. Homemade pasta (how can you lose?) and a friendly atmostphere and good service with remarkable consistency. Super family friendly but they have smaller tables for more romantic dining too.
(5)Eric M.
As I am new to the Tucson area I really didn't know where to go. My brother and his wife were in town and after rummaging through US and Yelp, we decided on Mama Louisa's. Our party of 8 (without reservations) showed up and was seated within 10 minutes. There were four adults and four children. All were satisfied with our generous portions of really good Italian food. Enough to bring leftovers home for the next day's lunch. Total bill for 6 adult meals and 2 kid meals was about $110 (no alcohol). Seemed very reasonable to us. We will return in the future.
(4)Bleep S.
Fettucine alfredo, meatballs. and the Joe's special...love them. Good pizza as well.
(4)Suzanne Mack O.
We have been searching for good downhome Italian food since we moved here two years ago. Someone suggested this place so we tried it tonight in celebration of our son's 24th birthday. We were thrilled. The rolls were quite good after reading such bad reviews. We were pleasantly surprised. The salad bar comes with two soups. I had Italian wedding soup which was hot. The salad bar is definitely worth the extra few dollars. My husband and I orderd veal parmigian Joe's style, and it was wonderful. The pasta is homemade and so fresh. Sauce was great. My husband and I had a few drinks which were priced below $6. We live in Starr Pass so we know a good value after drinking at the JW Marriott. Our son had clams linguine. They don't bother to make it look fancy with shells. It was very tasty. We ordered a bottle of reserve Chianti Classico. That was only $38. When the bill came to under $120 for three people with cocktails, wine and after dinner drinks we were very pleased. Staff was quick to serve, food served fast. Food was very hot. We will definitely go back here again to celebrate any occasion. We are so glad to find something without a lot of frills. Waiter does not pour the wine, no fresh grated parmeasean cheese, but we appreciate the value being retired. Manja.
(4)Andy H.
I went here for lunch and it was not bad at all. I kinda liked it, other than the slow service. I would have gone for the all-you-can-eat pasta if I had known it was going to take so long to get the food. It was good though. I got the sausage and peppers pasta and it was very tasty. Sometimes sausage and peppers at a restaurant is swimming in olive oil, but here it was not bad. I saw the fettucine alfredo with chicken and it didn't look good but got eaten anyway, and some baked penne sausage dish that got barely eaten, but the rest of it was taken home (the sorority girl method I guess). Most people who got all-you-can-eat only went up once anyway, and it didn't look nearly as tasty. Anyway I'd go again just to get to wait in line behind 4 old people in walkers, paging through book-sized wallets of credit cards and coupons, while waiting to pay.
(3)pasqual t.
Food: They are known for there fresh homemade food so, coming in I expected a lot. Bread stick with the meal where typical like Olive Garden but more flavor. For the appetizer we got pizza bread, which was like small thick crust pizza, light on sauce, heavy on cheese, we asked for a side of ranch, and it was also fresh. We got egg plant parmesan and penne with Italian sausage. Both where good except the sauce had zero flavor. I had to dump salt on it and when I ask for cheese they pointed to the shaker on the table, basically lowering them to the level of peter piper pizza. If the sauce had any taste to it I could give this place a better review. Drinks: they served drinks in little 12 oz plastic cups that had to be refilled every 10 mins. Atmosphere: Its actually quite nice inside. Decor was theme like Italy in the summer and they had a full bar. Bathroom was a one seater but not that clean. Service was ok but the cook but must work slow because it took two of us about 1.5 hours to have a meal, mostly waiting for food on a pretty slow night. Parking is scary as it was low lit in a not great part of town. Over all if the sauce was good this place would be nice for dates but due to what seemed like higher then average price to quality ratio I wouldn't take your whole family.
(3)Roving S.
I was hoping to experience authentic Italian food, and found that the restaurant hasn't been owned and managed by the original Italian family who created the menu for generations. The food was ok. The staff was very kind, and very community oriented, and the waitstaff was good. However, if you are looking for an authentic ethnic cuisine or experience you should go elsewhere. The owners have tried very hard to keep the cuisine the same and they do make custom pastas, so I don't want to deter people too much, they are trying. I can tell they love their restaurant and put their all into it. It just depends what your looking for. I LOVE italian food and wanted something more authentic, so my experience was a bit disappointing, but if your looking for decent food, reasonable price, and nice staff this might be a good place for the family. Up to you and your expectations.
(2)Tracy K.
Ate there for the first time... and last. I had the joes special, which was anything but special; pasta covered in melted cheese and topped with sauce. Not very special. The sauce is nice tasting, but nothing special about the dish. My wife had manicotti which was better.
(2)Miss C.
Totally miss this place, many fond memories of my days in Tucson. It is hard to find non-chain Italian places, and it was awesome to stumble upon this place. My boyfriend had the pleasure of eating here for 3 years and it was always great (decor a lil cheesy..but whatever?!). The noodles are fresh and addictive, the salad bar was nice. It was amazing that they offered hand sanitizer (for those who like to be clean, and like a brick to the head for those who aren't!) right next to the salad area. Great prices (when we frequented the place they even had a frequent diner card!) and an amazingly cordial staff. If I ever find myself in Tucson again I know exactly where I will go. (and if the one manager guy that was always there happens to see this...nope we're still not married! lol)
(4)Dennis N.
I'm sorry, I really wanted to like this place, but coming from the east coast we are used to really good Italian. Did not like the Marinara sauce. Tomato flavor and not much else. Salad bar was just O. K.. Sadly, when you know what really good Italian bread is, this falls very short. The homemade pasta was O. K.. It was very busy with a lot of people waiting. Parking was cramped.
(2)Erin P.
I keep trying to like this place, have been in there 3 or 4 times and am disappointed each time. Their lemon chicken was so bitter I had to send it back. Now I just get soup and salad........too bad most of the soups are bland and under seasoned. The salad bar is a safe bet, just stay away from the mandarin oranges as they can be sour.
(1)Elyse P.
We really enjoy Mama Louisa's. We have been there twice. The first visit, I would say, was slightly more positive than the second, but the second visit was still very enjoyable. The eggplant, meatball and manicotti was so good the first time, I ordered it again. We've also had the fried zucchini and calamari appetizers. I would get both again, but we prefer the calamari to be more natural in preparation - Mama Louisa's is little strips - but it's still yummy. The waiter was very friendly and polite, and he made sure my drink was just to my liking. His only fault was that he would disappear for long periods of time, but he would apologize when he came back. Overall, I would definitely recommend Mama Louisa's and plan to return.
(3)Bonnie Jean W.
The pasta dishes here are excellent. I can't recommend their homemade linguini with pesto sauce enough, but their marinara is also extremely flavorful and delicious. I give their pasta five stars, but I would recommend skipping the salad bar. If they could bring the quality of the salad bar up to the high standard of their homemade entrees, I'd give Mama Louisa's five big fat stars!
(4)Kodok G.
Good, consistent, family-oriented Italian food. Nothing fancy, but hearty portions, reasonable prices, and decent service. Try the house-made pasta. Always good to support independent, local business owners.
(4)Kirstin B.
This is a long time family favorite. If you are wanting good Italian food from a local place this is it. Located near the base, Mama louisa's has been in Tucson for so long for a reason. Don't miss the Joe's speical with the chicken parm and the fried zuccini. If you are mood for pizza, their thin-crust New York style pizza is full of great seasoning.
(4)Paul C.
The whole family loves to eat here. I have lived in Tucson my entire life best Italian food around.
(5)C L.
Went here last month as someone gave me a gift certificate for Christmas. I have always wanted to try this place, as I love homemade pasta. I ordered the Joe's Special. This is their signature dish. I thought it was pretty good. Not spectacular, but good. While I don't think the pasta is the best in Tucson, I think the other items they offer make up for it. I really liked the soup and salad bar that you could add to your dinner. I would come back just for this. I also give this place credit, as it is like grandmas Italian, and not gourmet Italian that I can't stand. Try it out if you want an option other than a national chain.
(4)Michael B.
A friend took me here for lunch once a few years ago, and I became addicted. I can't speak for the regular menu items, although I've heard and see the previous reviews confirm that they aren't that great. I go for the soup, salad and pasta bar during lunch. I could go everyday, and in fact while stationed at Davis-Monthan I did go to lunch there everyday for awhile. So much so that the family gave me a free lunch for Christmas, hey, it's the simple things that count with me. I lived in Tucson for five years and this is by far the best lunch spot I came accross, if you want to stuff your face and wait in line for an hour then go to Oregano's. I've lived in LA for a few years and can't find anything that pales in comparison to this family run Italian restaurant, and when I'm in Tucson I make sure I go here at least once during my stay.
(5)Leo B.
Typical Tucson answer to Italian food... blech.
(1)Anne W.
My husband and I are just moving to Tucson. My parents lived here 40 years ago and they ate at Mama Louisa's all the time back then. For as long as I can remember, my mom has talked about Mama Louisa's linguine with clam sauce and how great it is. As a treat and thank you for helping us move, my husband and I decided to take my mom to see if it was still as she remembered it. According to my mom, it's still the best linguine with clam sauce she's ever had. She's been eating her way across the globe for the last 40 years so that's saying something. Neither my husband nor I are big Italian food lovers - at least the food called Italian that's served in the US (we both love Italian Italian food - sorry folks but alfredo is NOT from Italy). So, the dinner was for my mom. However, my husband and I both enjoyed our meals as did our kids. We got our kids the pasta with meatballs and there was not a piece of food left on their plates. They aren't picky eaters but they also never clean their plates. I had the linguine with garlic and olive oil. It was good but could have used a little more spice. My husband had Joe's Special and he said he would go back for it. That's a huge compliment from him. They make their own pasta and you can tell, it's very good. The bread was reminicent of some of the chains and most of it stayed in the basket. According to my mom, the decor hasn't changed one little bit in 40 years except that they added the salad bar. I'll leave it up to the reader to decide if that's a good thing or not. Our service was excellent. Our waiter checked back quite frequently to make sure we had everything we needed. Our food arrived without much of a wait. We'll definitely be back.
(4)Matt D.
I've been coming here for years and years, and it's my favorite Italian place in Tucson. Mama Louisa's always seems to be a love it or hate it kinda place. We've had guests from out of town absolutely abhor the place and others who have loved it. Someone mentioned the breadsticks taste like paper. I couldn't agree more. They're pretty nasty. They always have been. But my oh my... Joe's Special. That's where it's at, ladies and gentlemen. It's a pasta dish with sauce and peppers and melted cheese and it's quite possibly the single greatest dish of food in this entire town. Six stars for that alone. It would easily be one of my stranded-island foods.
(5)Bradley B.
Pasta bar for lunch is much better than eating here in the evening. Yes for lunch, Olive Garden is better for dinner.
(4)Bill M.
I was warned by my wife not to bother with Mama Louisa's -- But I thought she was just being snobby. I took her Mom for dinner tonight and I wish I had listened to my spouse (who's out of town.) The Italian Wedding Soup probably came out of the Godfather #1 catering truck - weird pieces of supposed sausage in a salty broth - my sodium level spiked immediately. The salad bar was well described by Veggie Girl - a real mess. The "Italian" dressing and pasta salad jacked up my already elevated sodium level even further. The bread sticks were buttery and yet more salt. Does this place cater to a large crowd of smokers with no taste buds? We waited forever for our Joe's Special (Mom) and my two meat pasta plate: a couple of meatballs and a sausage over tomato sauce and linguine pasta. Where do I begin? The meatballs were "juicy" and just tasted awful. The sausage was dry. The pasta looked like it had been cooked once, then flash-frozen in a plastic pouch, then microwaved and plopped on my plate. It had that kind of dried out, extremely white color around the edges that you see in microwave lunches. In fact, I've had better pasta in microwave lunches. The tomato sauce was kind of sweet in a sickening kind of way - no real spice, garlic, well... flavor! The waiter, Jason, was just obnoxious -- at our table asking how things were going while I was having soup & salad but never again while we where waiting an extremely long time for our main meals. In fact, he sat at the bar hanging out -- when he finally checked our meals were ready. I think that was supposed to constitute as good service in advance of our wait. From their web site ( emol.org/mamalouisas ), bright green like my face after eating the slop they served up: "serving the best in homemade Italian cuisine." And further, they apparently, since 1956, "been among one of the top restaurants in Tucson." Ummm... according to whom? Again, I should have listened to my wife and simply suggested somewhere else for dinner with Mother-in-law. Live and learn and pass the Maalox.
(1)Bradley C.
I expected much more since this restaurant is supposed to be Tucson's top Italian choice. First the bread sticks came. Tasted like paper, they were cold, and our basket had dried tomato sauce on it. I'm not sure this place would pass a health inspection. You can tell the roof has leaks with the stained and sagging ceiling tiles. Nothing looked clean. I ordered the lasagna which tasted okay, but was not very hot. I will never go back unless this place is torn down, rebuilt and boasting new management.
(1)Bob W.
Been coming here for years, and yes, not always the best service. I kinda like this place. We do birthdays other celebrations there. There is a wide variety of food. NO... Not like Olive Garden. Real home cooked food. And homemade noodles! Breadsticks are really good when hot (add Parmesan cheese to the top of warm breadsticks!!!) I guess I just need a Joe's special every now and again.
(4)David O.
Mama louisa's is by far one of the best casual restaurants in Tucson. My parents brought me there when I was young and now I'm proud to bring my family and friends. During my time in the military the one place I was guaranteed to visit was Mama Louisa's. It is, perhaps, not the most earth quaking Italian food on the planet but it's always good and often great. The wine selection is good and you'd be doing your tastebuds a terrible disservice if you don't try Joe's special once in your life. Occasionally the service is a bit slow, but it's usually only when they're busy and the kitchen is weeded. All-in-all, with home-made pasta, a great atmosphere, and decades of family owned cooking experience, Mama Louisa's is a can't miss dining experience.
(5)F N.
I always order the Eggplant parmesan sandwich with fried zucchini here and it is always takeout. the food is great, the zucchini is a little bit bitter and over greasy. They serve it with ranch dressing which is awesome. yumm... The only downside is that whenever I have placed an order, I show up 15 to 20 minutes later but I still have to end up waiting for another 10 minutes. By that time, my lunch hour is gone and I have to pretty much swallow my sandwich. They do need faster service. People are friendly and great customer service. They call you by name once they get to know you after a couple of times...
(4)Jennifer H.
Ok, I KNOW this restaurant is supposed to be a "tradition" in Tucson, has been here for years and years but I can honestly say that I don't understand what all the hype is about. Our family went there one evening, service was slow and my "alfredo" sauce wasn't cheesy AT ALL! More like a cream sauce. Had to dump piles of parmesean in it. The kids meals were awful. Frozen chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs. (Banquet brand perhaps?) Not at all what we were expecting from an "authentic" Italian restaurant. Won't go back.........................
(2)Sheri W.
Our family has been going here for three generations. Highly recommend the early bird specials if you're doing dinner and want to eat a bit early, they are a great bargain. Joe's Special is hand's down the family favorite, but nothing disappoints. Homemade pasta (how can you lose?) and a friendly atmostphere and good service with remarkable consistency. Super family friendly but they have smaller tables for more romantic dining too.
(5)Eric M.
As I am new to the Tucson area I really didn't know where to go. My brother and his wife were in town and after rummaging through US and Yelp, we decided on Mama Louisa's. Our party of 8 (without reservations) showed up and was seated within 10 minutes. There were four adults and four children. All were satisfied with our generous portions of really good Italian food. Enough to bring leftovers home for the next day's lunch. Total bill for 6 adult meals and 2 kid meals was about $110 (no alcohol). Seemed very reasonable to us. We will return in the future.
(4)Bleep S.
Fettucine alfredo, meatballs. and the Joe's special...love them. Good pizza as well.
(4)Suzanne Mack O.
We have been searching for good downhome Italian food since we moved here two years ago. Someone suggested this place so we tried it tonight in celebration of our son's 24th birthday. We were thrilled. The rolls were quite good after reading such bad reviews. We were pleasantly surprised. The salad bar comes with two soups. I had Italian wedding soup which was hot. The salad bar is definitely worth the extra few dollars. My husband and I orderd veal parmigian Joe's style, and it was wonderful. The pasta is homemade and so fresh. Sauce was great. My husband and I had a few drinks which were priced below $6. We live in Starr Pass so we know a good value after drinking at the JW Marriott. Our son had clams linguine. They don't bother to make it look fancy with shells. It was very tasty. We ordered a bottle of reserve Chianti Classico. That was only $38. When the bill came to under $120 for three people with cocktails, wine and after dinner drinks we were very pleased. Staff was quick to serve, food served fast. Food was very hot. We will definitely go back here again to celebrate any occasion. We are so glad to find something without a lot of frills. Waiter does not pour the wine, no fresh grated parmeasean cheese, but we appreciate the value being retired. Manja.
(4)Andy H.
I went here for lunch and it was not bad at all. I kinda liked it, other than the slow service. I would have gone for the all-you-can-eat pasta if I had known it was going to take so long to get the food. It was good though. I got the sausage and peppers pasta and it was very tasty. Sometimes sausage and peppers at a restaurant is swimming in olive oil, but here it was not bad. I saw the fettucine alfredo with chicken and it didn't look good but got eaten anyway, and some baked penne sausage dish that got barely eaten, but the rest of it was taken home (the sorority girl method I guess). Most people who got all-you-can-eat only went up once anyway, and it didn't look nearly as tasty. Anyway I'd go again just to get to wait in line behind 4 old people in walkers, paging through book-sized wallets of credit cards and coupons, while waiting to pay.
(3)pasqual t.
Food: They are known for there fresh homemade food so, coming in I expected a lot. Bread stick with the meal where typical like Olive Garden but more flavor. For the appetizer we got pizza bread, which was like small thick crust pizza, light on sauce, heavy on cheese, we asked for a side of ranch, and it was also fresh. We got egg plant parmesan and penne with Italian sausage. Both where good except the sauce had zero flavor. I had to dump salt on it and when I ask for cheese they pointed to the shaker on the table, basically lowering them to the level of peter piper pizza. If the sauce had any taste to it I could give this place a better review. Drinks: they served drinks in little 12 oz plastic cups that had to be refilled every 10 mins. Atmosphere: Its actually quite nice inside. Decor was theme like Italy in the summer and they had a full bar. Bathroom was a one seater but not that clean. Service was ok but the cook but must work slow because it took two of us about 1.5 hours to have a meal, mostly waiting for food on a pretty slow night. Parking is scary as it was low lit in a not great part of town. Over all if the sauce was good this place would be nice for dates but due to what seemed like higher then average price to quality ratio I wouldn't take your whole family.
(3)George F.
My wife had been here before and raved about so we had to give it another shot. I had the Tuscany chicken with pasta. The sauce was excellent! Marilyn had the ravioli which had a nice cheese mix.
(4)Naveen S.
Quaint home style, local family owned restaurant. Food was good and the serving size was big. The staff were cheerful and friendly. They also have soup and salad bar for $3.50 that you can add on to your entrée.
(4)Shelly E.
I have only been here 1 time, since i live out of state, but i will be back. Old world, friendly service, quality ingredients and menu based on family recipes. Anxious to try more menu items
(4)Darryl N.
This is the original location, there is a NEW location on Houghton. I love Mama Louisa's and go back as often as I can. Smaller, but I say Comfy and decent priced with excellent service.
(5)Swass T.
Absolut hot garbage. I should say cold cause that how our food came out. Basically red sauce with no flavor. Don't waste your money.
(1)Thomas W.
I can't get to five stars as although we enjoyed are meals there are some things that could be done much better, little things like maybe fresh bread sticks with maybe garlic butter brushed on top. Better silverware would do wonders as this is another area that was less than five star. I just hate eating with cheap junky forks. The salad bar was top notch with everything we love and more. Soup was tasty as well. Then for the dinners, HUGE portions way more than either of us could eat. We could have easily split either of our meals and left happy. I had the pasta with meat sauce and Sausage, I found it excellent. My wife tried the Cannelloni which she just loved! The on line menu and the real menu are slightly different as they seemed to have scaled back a little and pricing has changed slightly as well. Over all the service was wonderful. We will be returning soon.
(4)Gabriel S.
The food was ok and a little overpriced. They do not have beer on tap but have beer bottles. We were expecting more flavor than regular Italian chains. We did like the salad and soup bar. Customer service was excellent and the servers were friendly. I ordered the chicken picatta and I felt like the sauce was heated in the microwave and added to the chicken. I am not sure if I would return to try a different dish.
(3)Sheila K.
My friends and I went here for "Girls Night Out" last weekend and really enjoyed ourselves! The service was EXCELLENT and the food was DELICIOUS! I ordered the chicken alfredo with peas and prosciutto. The noodles are homemade and I could have eaten the whole bowl, but with the portions so generous, it just wasn't happening! This is a Tucson gem and it's one not to be missed!
(4)Cindy L.
This place is the real deal and has been around for ever! ! Home made pasta AND the owners are delightful people! ! Try the eggplant parm. ..yummm!
(5)Eddie A.
I've been eating here as long as I can remember. The food is fantastic, the service is top notch, and the owners are completely fantastic. I love the pasta bar for lunch, Joe's Special with chicken parmesan for dinner. I've literally never had a bad meal here in the almost 30 years I've been eating here (incidentally the same number of years I've been on this planet). Good for dates, family events, and large parties.
(5)Mark F.
I ate at mama louisa's restaurant at first because of its close proximity to my apartment. I loved the food and I recommend the salad bar. It only cost 3 extra dollars to add to any meal and it is outstanding. I have been back several times since my first meal there. I cannot recommend it enough.
(5)Cassy H.
My husband used to live in Tucson and frequented this place as a youngster. Everytime he brings me into town, we MUST go here. It is a staple on any Tucson visit. If we lived in town, we would prob eat her once a week. The portions are gigantic, the food is amazing, the wine is so-so...they have a good enough selection but nothing outstanding. The salad bar is perfect...big enough to get exactly what you want & small enough that you know the food probably isn't sitting out there day after day. Ingredients always look fresh. I always get the lasagna with Joe's special sauce. It has garlic amazingness all thru it. Anything you order, I recommend the Joe's special sauce on it. My husband got the spaghetti with the special sauce and 2 giant meatballs on it. Way more food than most people can eat in one sitting...but we always try because it is so, so good! I have been coming here for 5 years now, and find it one of my favorite hole-in-the-wall local places I know. I would highly recommend it to anyone. Very family feel...family atmosphere...super casual, and laid back. Feels like the waiters & waitresses all are part of the owners family...some are, I am sure. I would give it 10 stars if I could...
(5)Stacy S.
I tried Mama Louisa's for the first time and it was pretty tasty. I placed my order for take out, as this was on my dinner hour from work. I ordered Joe's Special Pasta with a side of meatballs. The portions were huge and I will be sure to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. The sauce had a good flavor to it, it did not taste as if it came out of a can and the meatballs were juicy. The meal came with two garlic breadsticks that were fresh and hot. Price was a little much, at first glance; however seeing that I have at least two meals out of one order, I am ok with it. All in all, I'll be back for lunch or dinner.
(4)Hannah L.
Others have enjoyed their dishes here, but mine was not worthy of the high plate price ($14.00). I had the chicken Tuscany w/ eggplant. The chicken was chunked chicken from a can, the tomato chunks were mushy and not ripe, the sauce was so salty I couldn't eat it. The artichoke hearts were salty and straight from a jar. My guess is the eggplant was previously frozen and then reheated. It's breading was soggy, and mushy. For a meal that tasted like it came from the freezer and a can, I felt it was overpriced.
(1)Anne P.
I love that this is an old Tucson establishment but old school Italian it is not. I think the original family chefs would be disappointed. The place looks nice and has a nice ambiance with candles at each table. All of the staff are friendly and fast. The cooks or whomever is in charge of what comes out on the plate should be fired. Put a little love back in your food and people will love your restaurant again. The food is just mediocre and for a family restaurant I expected some more authentic Italian cooking with more flavor.
(2)Kamryn C.
I ventured out with a friend the other night to Craycroft and 29h to dine at Mama Louisa's and I have to say that the experience was the epitome of three stars. The food is average, nothing really stood out, but we left belly's full. The prices are on the high side for the food, but the portions are large, so I guess that makes up for it? I got about 3 meals out of one dish. Would I go again? Probably not. I think that Tucson has much more to offer in the area of Italian food.
(3)Lauren K.
I really want to like Mama Loiusa's, I just can't, even though I try over and over again. I am of Italian descent, born and raised in NY and NJ, so I have a very good understanding of good Italian food. Mama Louisa's is not very good Italian food. Their sauce is slightly better than most in Tucson, but that's not saying a lot when most sauces are unseasoned, mashed up tomatoes. Much of their food is pre-made, including one of the easiest dishes on the menu, the baked ziti. How hard is it to cook pasta, mix in cheese, and bake it for 20 minutes? Not very, and I've never heard of not doing it to order before. The taste is lacking because of it. It would also be nice to choose a different pasta to be cooked in the baked "ziti" style. Their chicken is far too thick, it should be cut in half and served as 2 pieces. Their fresh pasta is just "ok". Their salad bar is the epitome of NOT fresh food. The hard boiled eggs are often FROZEN when they get onto your plate. It's like eating an egg ice cube, and it's gross. When they aren't frozen when you get to them, the whites are just rubbery because they've just defrosted and all the water is out of them. Not good and not acceptable. At least the greens are usually green and fresh looking. The breadsticks often come hard as a rock and dry, and in FILTHY, DISGUSTING, baskets. I hate eating from them because they are NOT clean at all. The service is also very slow at times. I've sat without a drink during entire meals a few times there. They've never been rude, though. I can overlook the slow service if only the food was good. The atmosphere is also dingy and old and sorta dirty. I really want to like Mama Louisa's, and I'll continue going there once in a while to see if things improve.
(2)Tanya S.
This restaurant is very close to Davis-Monthan AFB. I was looking for a place close to base for dinner and quickly found this one. We went on a Wednesday night. Service was very slow. I think they only had one waitress working that night. The place was mostly empty, but still, slow service. The place is very cute. I ordered Joe's Special with a side of meatballs. It was really good, but a bit salty. Portions are fairly large and I only managed to eat half so I have the rest for today's lunch. The bread was really good as well. Overall I think it was pretty good! Would definitely visit again to try other dishes.
(4)R. V.
Love this place! This is a go to restaurant for me and my family. In fact this is my daughter's favorite restaurant according to her. The staff is awesome and the food has always been great. My daughter loves their salad bar and their pesto. My wife usually goes for the alfredo pasta with extra prosciutto. I am a big fan of the Shrimp Giuseppe. This place is great. They have been around forever and its obvious why.
(4)Vicki W.
Best salad bar in town! The potato and macaroni salads always taste home made. Soups are also VERY good. If you go for lunch be sure to give the pasta/salad bar a try. And ALWAYs order the home made linguini noodles. Yum! If you go for dinner, be sure to give Joe's Special a go. Everyone we have ever brought here has adored Joe's Special! Family owned for a gazillion years and one of Tucson's best restaurants. Love!
(5)Raul S.
FAST Review 2.5 out of 5 * Food 3/5 - Got the "Joe's special" with a couple meatballs on the side. The pasta definitely tasted freshly made, and the sauce was decent. The meatballs were large, and I was only able to get through half the pasta and one meatball before calling it quits. So portions are generous here. Meals came with warm bread sticks, which probably contributed to the carb overload. I was tempted to get the salad bar, but the selection looked pretty small. Ambiance 3/5 - Decor is a little dated, but I guess that's so it retains it's family owned old school charm? Dress is casual. Service 2/5 - We had Monday service on a Friday. Seems like our waiter would have black-out moments where he would forget about us, then finally remember to drop by. Seemed to be difficult to get their attention too, for water refills and for the check. It's not like it was super busy either. Total Impression 2.5/5 - I suppose the food is decent here. But I didn't care for the slow, haphazard service when we were there, which is why I'm rounding down to 2 stars instead of up to 3.
(2)Kat B.
I love this place! I'd eat here even if they only ever served the Joes special. The spaghetti sauce for this is amazing and you can add it to anything. The people here are friendly and the service is good. There are other italian places in tucson but I don't know any that make their own noodles and sauce from scratch. At lunch there is a pasta buffet which is pretty good but nothing compares to the joes special. I always get light cheese extra sauce, and I usually buy this for dinner and still have enough for lunch. 10.00 to me isn't very expensive for pasta considering the amount you get. The breadsticks are mediocre to me but some of my friends like them more then olive garden. The decorations aren't anything fancy but places like this remind me of home cooking. Also they hand make their own spumoni, which is amazing and very flavorful.
(5)Joshua B.
Now I had heard good things about this place for years, but never went. I finally got around to going and I was impressed. The service is just kind of average, kind of reminiscent of Olive Garden. Not bad, but not terribly good. I was told to order the Joe's Special (with extra garlic), and it did not disappoint. Simple and hard to mess up, there is a reason people talk about this dish. If you've never been to Mama Louisa's and you feel like Olive Garden, why not stop by here and try them out instead?
(4)gloria g.
Menu prices are low for Tucson; but, honestly, the food was cafeteria fare, filling but undistinquished. Mediocre. Much like the many so-called Mexican joints around the city. Tucson restaurants are, generally, a sorry lot. Find a "roach-coach" to your liking and leave "eating out" at that. Otherwise, stay home. I mean, why waste time and money beating a dead horse.
(2)Jed B.
Ugh, I hate doing this because I know this place tries, but I gotta be honest. There was no background music, so it was boring sitting there, trying to blot out the old white retirees complain about their last vacation to London. The waitress was a sweetheart, and that's why I'm torn about giving this place a couple of stars. Flat out, my food sucked! I ordered the chicken marsala with fettucine alfredo. The dish was almost soupy, the sauces were mixing, the pasta's texture was odd and the chicken was ok. Now, this place is inexpensive, so that makes up for mediocre food. I really hate saying this because i'm all about authenticity but Tucson has no authentic Italian restaurants, I promise you that! even the most "italiano" owners that swear their granparents from the old world are doing the cooking, are elaborating. Truth is, Mexicans are in those kitchens, going off of recipes. With that being known, you might as well go to olive garden, macaroni grill or even carrabas. The thing about these corporate restaurants is that they have super high standards and their products are consistent. Sad to say, but true, ya?
(2)Don C.
Pasta bar is fantastic. Loved it.
(5)Sharon D.
My husband and I have had dinner here several times and the food and service were both good every time. Our first lunch experience was today, and everyone in our party of 5 enjoyed the food. We were long-time friends getting caught up on each other, so we stayed and chatted for over an hour after we finished eating. Our waitress didn't try to rush us, checked often to see if we needed anything more, and left us to enjoy each other. We definitely recommend this place!
(5)Neo M.
We went to Mama Lousa's Italian Restaurant after seeing a laudable review in the Tucson Weekly. What a disappointment. The veal parmigiana was overcooked and tasted commercial -- as if it were previously frozen from a food vendor then nuked and served. The tomato sauce tasted like it came out of a can: I swear I could taste the tin! I tasted no original or authentic herb or spice whatsoever. The real giveaway is when one has to ask for a spoon to twirl the pasta. Do people in Tucson really not know how to eat pasta? I grant that people who think Olive Garden is authentic Italian might be enchanted by the home spun ambiance of this place. But overall it reminded me of hospital cafeteria food -- no exaggeration. I mean it. The food was lousy!
(1)Alex V.
I know the bar for Italian food in Arizona is low, but Mama Louisa's could definitely be better. The service was good, but the food was on par with say an Olive Garden. On the plus side, its priced on the low side.
(2)Brian W.
The worst Italian I have ever had. The red sauce tastes like a glass of wine. Our food was undercooked, and the wait staff thought it was more important to talk about the night before than it was to see how we were doing. Steer clear of this place.
(1)Elsbeth P.
This is probably more like a three and a half star review. Mama Louisa's has been a Tucson staple for YEARS. The decor (inside and out) will let you know that this place has been open since the early to mid-60's, and that's what I LOVE about it. It's borderline cheesy, but still tastefully maintains that classic cliche Italian flare. They offer the standard Italian fare along with a soup and salad bar for an additional $3.50. The salad bar is one of my favorite parts- it has a good selection (and is fresh and clean most of the time) but isn't overwhelming. Try the linguini- it's homemade and you can taste the difference! Excellent. The baked ziti is also good, but I like to order a dish with chicken in it to balance out the carb overload (although you can get chicken added to any dish). This time I tried the Chicken Scallopini and it was good, but we went at the end of the night and I was disappointed to taste that it had been precooked early in the day and had been sitting. The texture was just off and it was pretty salty, but overall, the meal was good. The waitress was very attentive and refilled our breadsticks and drinks very quickly. Don't expect to be totally amazed when you come here, but it's definitely a good place to go when you want to support a local Italian establishment and try something different. I feel torn- I recommend it based on Tucson street cred for how long it's been around and how charming it is, but I don't want to send people there thinking they'll have the most amazing food ever. The best part- as I mentioned we were there towards the end of the night, and a couple of the staff members who had just ended their shifts were sitting at the bar eating their dinners. That's ALWAYS a good sign, isn't it?
(3)Yves J.
I had the buffet and it was good. It's not a beautiful restaurant. The service was great. The Italian Wedding soup was good but a bit salty. I'd recommend it a a nice place to go to for lunch.
(3)Frank V.
This is an old school Italian restaurant, which is good in my book. By that I mean red checkered table clothes, parmesan cheese in a shaker at the table, candles and a large portions of flavorful food. If you like contemporary chain restaurants, you might not be impressed. This is much more similar to Caruso's on 4th avenue, which is also old school, than to any run of the mill Olive Garden type establishment. I took my two sons (10 and 12 years old) there for an early Saturday evening dinner. It wasn't too crowded at first, but when we were leaving, it was beginning to get crowded. We were seated promptly, and it took a while to decide what we wanted because of the large amount of selections in the menu. My two boys each got manicotti, and I got the Mama's special, which consisted of eggplant parmesan, lasagna and cheese tortellini. We decided to also get salads, which means a trip to the salad bar. The salad bar had many selections along with soup. The manicotti was huge with two homemade noodles (without the ridges) stuffed full of a cheese mixture and covered with a delicious red sauce. My eggplant parmesan was excellent and the lasagna was very good. I wasn't too impressed with the tortellini because it seemed as if it was the refrigerated type you get at the grocery store. All of my dish was covered with the delicious red sauce. The service was outstanding. Our server constantly was attending to us without being overbearing. She immediately replenished our garlic bread sticks whenever we were out, and she refilled our drinks as soon as we were out. All in all I think this is a very good restaurant. It has tasty food, a quaint atmosphere, good service and reasonable prices.
(4)Stephen Z.
I read a few reviews from people that didn't review this restaurant well and were expecting to be impressed after ordering lemon chicken and seafood?? These reviewers then went on to compare Mama Louisa's to The Olive Garden... Let me give these people and future readers a little advice. If you are looking to have a nice sit down dinner at a chic restaurant with great food and servers that wait hand over foot for you, go to Bluefin (seafood) or Vivace (Italian). Now if you're looking for a great casual little restaurant on the south side of town that has the best homemade linguini and red sauce, go to Mama Louisa's! You won't get better. Steve P.S. Joe's Special!!!
(4)Michelle C.
I have been going to Mama Louisa's for years. Best old school Italian food in town, just like Grandma's. And yes, the decor is like Grandma's too! Service is fast and friendly. Pasta is fresh and delicious. My favorite is the pesto or Joe's special. I also love their calzones. I frequently go to the all you can eat pasta special for lunch, where they prepare your pasta and sauce right there on the spot. Fabulous.
(5)Matthew J.
My wife and I have tried this place twice..... its looks nice but the food is horrible and so was the service! We will not be making this adventure again!
(1)Chuck H.
Joe special is my favorite.
(5)Derrick D.
I wanted to like this place. I really, really did. I mean, it's family owned and local. I made the trip out here from where I live the north side (Limberlost & Campbell) because it was in a brochure the boyfriend & I picked up for the local restaurant group "Tucson Originals". Should have Yelped it first. The sauces were bland and unimpressive and so were the pastas. Honestly, as much as it grieves me to say this at the expense of what seems like a quaint local business, Olive Garden is probably better. No disrespect meant to those who have good feelings about the place and have been coming here for years. There are some places I love back home in Chicago whose food is most likely unimpressive and bland by normal standards--but the smile of recognition from waitresses and hostesses goes a long way toward creating warm fuzzy feelings and loyalty. That's very human and understandable. But to those who have no sentimental attachment, I'm afraid Mama Louisa's won't impress much. The best Italian food value in Tucson is at Roma Imports, and they are only open for lunch. Go there on a weekday.
(2)William P.
Disclaimer: considering closing time was just around the corner I'm going to give a pass on some things. I plan on giving this place another shot at a later date. Stopped in here for dinner with my boyfriend and a mutual friend. It was about 35 minutes to close (we asked), I felt like a jackass, so I encouraged our trio to order & eat quickly. Three waters, two glasses of white wine, bread sticks all hit the table pretty quickly. The S.O. had pork marsala w/ a side of sauteed mushrooms, friend had Joe's Special, I had the linguine with pesto & a side of meatballs. GF/Celiacs: Due to time constraints I didn't scour the menu or bother to ask any questions. Obviously avoid things you can't eat, but for Italian I tend to throw caution to the wind. Celiacs will want to be more careful. Breadsticks were good, a bit salty, reminded me of Olive Garden. Tap water, not surprised, didn't really care. The wine was cold and delicious. My food: pesto was delicious, I would have enjoyed a bit more to fully coat the pasta. Six pine nuts, seriously? I don't expect a blanket of them but there were so few I barely noticed them. A large portion of pasta that was fresh and tasty. The food was warm, not hot. The red sauce for the meatballs was too acidic for my liking, but it wasn't terrible. Meatballs were juicy but served warm. Sad-face. Boyfriend's food: I tried some of his mushrooms and pork marsala, it was good, but the marsala was very very thick, almost gelatinous. No idea why, it tasted fine but didn't resemble the marsala I'm familiar with. Friend's food: needed another ladle of red sauce, she said the pasta was dry.
(3)Melinda B.
Myself and my 10 yr old son love Mama Louisa's! They have a great little Italy atmosphere that is very welcoming and friendly servers that are very attentive. I've been here several times and I always love it. For lunch you can get all you can eat pasta dishes made especially for you and in front of you with the soup/salad bar for only about $9. Tonight for dinner I had the early bird Joe's Special (it has their homemade linguine) with the salad/soup bar and my son had one of the kids shells and tomato sauce, everything was awesome as well. My son loves the breadsticks that come with service too.
(4)Angelica V.
Mama Louisa's (or Weezies, as it's called in my family), is FAN-TAS-TIC. The best bet by far is the Joe's Special. It's easily the best red sauce I've ever had (outside of my own Italian family). I've never had anything alfredo here, that's not my cup of tea, but it's probably just as delicious as the red sauce entrees. My boyfriend lives for the salad bar. The Italian wedding soup they have on the line is very good. I'm also a giant fan of the baked ziti, which always reminds me of my Grandma Annie in Yonkers, NY. The ambiance is casual and chill, the staff is phenomenal, and if the decor is a little campy, it feels like home to me. This is Italian (American-Italian) food at it's finest. If you're into taste and heat and spice, this is the place for you. If you're into bland, try Olive Garden down the road (but please don't say you're eating Italian there).
(5)Victoria M.
Great food and excellent service, it's a hidden tucson gem. Great family atmosphere, I'll definitely be back.
(5)Jacob R.
My first visit to Mama Louisa's was pleasant. The decorations and paintings caught my eye and had a positive impact. I liked the cozy setting, it definitely had a family feel about the place. It was in the evening, so I ordered the Chicken Piccata- slightly less "lemony" than I was hoping, but still very good, and definitely filling. The server looked like Stephen Lynch, but was friendly and attentive. I'd go again and will likely try the Tuscany chicken per the owners recommendation.
(4)Russ C.
The best Baked ziti ever!!! My girlfriend and I went in for what is always a great meal and we were not surprised that it was better then ever. We are addicted to ziti and now the new addiction is the all new hand made mozzarella cheese sticks. Our waitress ( I wish I could remember her name) was awesome, we even met Chef Michael Elefante, actually he came out and greeted us after dinner! He was very nice and made an already incredible experience even better. All I can say is that we will be back!
(5)Casey R.
Mama Louisa's is a great place to bring your family. Such a great atmosphere and even better food. They've recently added an awesome selection of draft beers, so now I'm even happier here than before. The chef is amazing and nothing ever comes out of the kitchen lacking.
(4)Valerie S.
One does not simply go the Mama Louisa's and not order the Joe's Special. The best sauce this side of Italy. I love Mama Louisa's. I've been coming here for my 18 years, and I think it's the best, such a cute and quaint restaurant. The Chicken Marsala is so good! TIRAMISU IS TOO DIE FOR!
(5)Sean S.
I love this place. I have been coming here for nine years and it is my favorite lunch spot in Tucson; it is very convenient that it is so close to the base. I almost always get the pasta bar because it is the best bang for your buck if you don't feel like taking food home. They now have it so the meat isn't in the sauces and you can throw them in whatever sauce you want, WINNING!! Homemade pastas, homemade sauces, homemade bread.... I love it.
(5)Krishna V.
Service was good, so one star, but other than that, people who run this joint need to fold up and do something else. Tired of giving pointers to people who should not be running restaurants. For about a 100 people they had one bathroom with one commode....I will not describe the rest. Like I said they really need to give this up.
(1)Bell K.
We were in town & decided to try this place. Overall pretty good. Everyone liked their meals & the breadsticks were fluffy & delicious. They have a salad bar too. Like most places- the portions were ridiculously huge. I wish there was an option to get a half size for a cheaper price. $11 for a bowl of pasta is a bit much. & since we were in a hotel, taking leftovers wasn't an option. What really made me happy was that this place had aperol spritzes. I hadn't yet seen an italian place in the Arizona with this real Italian drink! It was made correctly & delicious.
(4)Darcy M.
Superb experience for our first dine in at this quaint decorative restaurant. Food is fresh and taste great. GF options as well.
(5)Stephanie D.
We decided to go here again after about a year. We could not remember why we never went again. I remembered why after about ten minutes. The decor is dated, the food is overpriced, and the bathroom is less than clean. I love lasagna, so I ordered it. I got it with the salad bar (average). When my lasagna came out it was cold in the middle! That means it was previously frozen or prepared and refrigerated for an uncertain period of time. They did re-re-heat it for me but even warm it was not edible. I did complain and was not offered anything to appease me. It seemed as if the wait staff was not surprised by my complaints and no longer cared about the quality of things. I was sad because there is really no place to get awesome authentic Italian food in Tucson unless you count Olive Garden and I don't. I will remember not to go back this time.
(1)Vi T.
First time and it was fairly busy, service was moderately attentive. It is on the pricier side for the quality of food. Large proportions. Give tons of mushrooms on the pasta. I enjoyed the Fettuccini Alfredo with chicken. Breadsticks were lackluster. Leftovers reheated well, were not oozing in grease. Would try again. Better than most chains for the price.
(4)Paul C.
I had heard mixed things about Mama Louisa's, varying from "it's the best" to "it's not very good". I went there with the "it's the best" crowd from work but, for me, it was somewhere in the middle, and I wouldn't mind going back and trying it again. We were given a table near the back, next to a salad bar, with a full wall mural that was very attractive. The restaurant was fairly busy, but by no means full during a late Friday lunch. One friend ordered pasta and asked the waitress to make sure it was cooked properly, because in the past she's had it mushy. She told me it always comes out overcooked if she doesn't say that. I ordered the same dish -- Veal Parmigiana with the Joe's Special sauce. The pasta on mine seemed right on. The veal was disappointing. When I cut into it, I noticed it resisted. Veal is usually quite tender, so I was surprised to have to work to cut it with a knife. The Joe's Special sauce, which the waitress described as spicy, had a little heat. But it was mild at best. It also had that "canned food" flavor which can be hard to cook out of canned ingredients. Nothing was actually bad, other than the cook on the veal. For me, this restaurant was a solid 3 stars. Next time I would probably skip the Joe's Special, and I'd choose a different protein.
(3)Mariah D.
Quite good! Brought my family here the night before my graduation and everyone commended me on finding such a lovely place. Not crowded at all and I ordered the Alfredo with prosciutto. Anything with prosciutto in it is A+ in my books.
(4)G D.
We were sorely disappointed with our dinners on a recent visit. We read the article in the Arizona Daily Star highlighting the chef, son of the owner, Suzanne Elefante, which stated that he had worked at Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain prior to returning to the family business. Feeling that such credentials would bode well for this Tucson favorite, we decided to trek from the far northwest side of town to have dinner. The salad bar was fresh; the Italian Wedding Soup lacked depth of flavor, being entirely flat to our taste buds. We ordered two entrees: Joe's Special and Veal Parmigiana. Joe's Special was, in deed, quite spicy..so much that it was difficult to really savor the precious little linguini. The garlic oil did not have a fresh flavor and the melted cheese was, well, melted processed mozzarella. The Veal Parmigiana looked delicious, but the veal was not pounded thin and breaded; instead, it was thick (at least 1/2") and tough underneath the breading - almost too tough to cut with the dinner knife that was on the table. The sauce (gravy), too seemed lackluster. Neither entree was finished, not did we opt to have the remains boxed for later....very unusual for us. The service was efficient but, sadly, we were not enjoined to return here again. We had used a Groupon....we'll give our other one to someone else.
(2)Adam F.
Mama Louis's has been an Italian joint longer than my parents have been alive. It has gained a reputation as being one of Tucson's premier old school Italian restaurants. The looks and food reflect that. A family of four sit in that "not too small but definitely not big enough" table with just enough arm length to reach the parmesan cheese. A candle sits at every table that makes up most of the lighting. The larger-than-life food portions sit on a undersized plate waiting for its glory to be eaten. Yes, Mama Louisa's does a fine job creating that atmosphere that for a brief moment you might second-guess yourself that you're in Tucson. Now onto the specifics. The hostesses can be better than to simply ask how many, bring you to the table, toss the menus in the middle, and leave. Maybe that's the Italian way, but you must accommodate. The rest of the service was decent but still could use a little improvement. I give much props to the owner for talking to patrons and chatting it up. That reflects the owner of the place cares about the customers. Joe's special is, well, special. I thought it was pretty good, but not as good as the spaghetti and meatballs. Those meatballs are (wait for it), dynamite! The ravioli was good but can be served slightly on the cold slide. The breadsticks were okay but if they are going to serve it without butter they have to add a little more flavor to it. The salad bar is great. They give you just the right amount of options so that you can have plenty to choose from but are not standing there forever deciding what to put on it. The minestrone soup was vary tasting as was the italian wedding but that latter could use more substance than broth. Lastly, whatever sauce they've been using...stick with it. That sauce is truly special. This is the very type of establishment that Guy Fieri would want to visit and air on Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives. I would certainly approve of that.
(4)Liz G.
I remember trying Mama Louisa's many years ago, and being deeply unimpressed with the food. Well, we tried it again last night, and I have to say my opinion remains the same. The restaurant could use some renovations, as it hasn't changed much since the last time I was there. The service was quick and polite, and I liked that they had a few beers on tap that weren't made by Coors or Budweiser. I ordered the spaghetti Pomodoro, and while the pasta was fine, the sauce was way too thick. And tasteless. As mentioned in other reviews, it tasted like it came straight out of a can. The breadsticks were ok, but I'm pretty sure they started out as frozen, and were just baked and slathered in butter before they came to the table. I wish I had paid the extra $4 and got the salad bar, because that actually looked pretty good. The best part of the meal was the mixed berry creme brûlée that I had for dessert. That was actually very good. Overall, I can see why people keep coming here. It's a Tucson tradition, unchanged since the 70's probably, and the food it ok. But just ok. If I want good Italian food, I'll look elsewhere.
(3)Michael S.
My family has been coming here since they opened over 60 years ago. I'm a third generation diner here and my daughter is a fourth generation diner. First of all I'm going to say that I don't understand why people go to Olive Garden when this place is only two miles away. The service has always been friendly like the stereotypical family restaurant and almost always above average as far as efficiency goes. The food is very good. I normally get the Joe's Special with the soup and salad bar. I love their Italian Wedding soup. The breadsticks are awesome. The prices are very reasonable. I hope Mama Louisa's keeps going for many more decades.
(5)Melinda C.
Enjoyed our dinner here the other night. They've reorganized the menu since the last time I'd been in, which had been quite a while. But as far as I could tell it was basically the same items with some new ones added in. Hubby and I started with the salad bar. Good as always. He then got spaghetti with meat sauce. I think the portion size has increased because he got 2 meals out of it. I tried the linguine in white clam sauce. Huge also. Both were delicious. No surprise there at all. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. For the most part, my reviews here sound like a broken record: good food, large portions, friendly service. There's a reason why they've been open and highly recommended for so long!
(5)Megan M.
Oh mama's, how I remember a time when I would jump for joy finding out you were making dinner! Not so much anymore. My mother loves this restaurant, she has been going there since she was in high school! So naturally I was born a Mama Louisan. But I hate to say, that ever since Mama died, it lacks something. Maybe it's her spirit but it for sure is lacking flavor. I heard recently, that the sisters parted ways, and that one of them is opening another Mama Louisa's in Rita. Maybe that sister can really cook like her mom.
(2)Leah C.
Was staying close by and was hungry so I desided to check out this place, as it sounded great and I love homemade Italian food. I called and placed an order to pick it up and 20 minutes later it was ready. The employees were all super friendly which was the only good thing about the experience and they weren't friendly enough to make it worth going there again. The food was overpriced and gross. The antipasto salad was nothing but a plate of mushy pickled vegetables and raw meat. The manicotti was edible IF you are it steaming hot. The colder it got the less edible it became. The "house sauce" appeared to be watered down tomato sauce and tasted like it too. The price would have been decent if the food would have been as described but it wasn't therefore the price was ridiculously expensive.
(2)Mariel T.
Yuck. The salad bar was mostly toppings plopped out of a can and mayonnaise for dressings. The Eggplant Parm was soggy beyond believe and the sauce tasted straight acidic and so old. My husband said the Lasagna noodles were mush and his sauce was just as bad as mine. Two stars because the service was good and the kids menu Pizza Bread was tasty.
(2)Eric J.
Refreshed with some new touches and menu items with out losing any of the old world classic Italian flavor. Chef Michael Elephante has nailed it! If you haven't been lately....you haven't been.
(5)Billie M.
Been wanting to go to MLs for 3 years. Was kind of taken aback when we pulled into the lot on 8/1 @ about 4:30 PM; the lot was nearly empty!Greeted and seated and tended to in good time. I was a little apprehensive seeing the plastic tablecloths and vinery!My manhatten was good, good enough to have a second.MLs has a salad bar....a typical, non descript salad bar that had been left out way too long. Ranch dressing was OK, red wine whatever dressing tasted like the liquid remains of grape jelly! So called garlic bread sticks were tasteless and presented alone in a basket with a napkin!On to the entrees: I had veal parm & pasta, my sister eggplant parm and pasta.VERY VERY GOOD.....the red gravy was simple, not too sweet and not too spicy. The pasta was nearly al dente and very good, indeed!The eggplant parm was reported to be excellent! My veal was "cut with a fork" tender and very flavorful! No gristle, lightly breaded, perfect!Within the hour in which we were there, they were packin' them in!We left very satisfied but not overly full. The portions were perfect for us.Next time, yes there will be, I think the anti pasta will be in order instead of the salad bar!
(4)Jodi B.
The sign says, "Home cooking the Italian way." Bah. Generous servings of "mama's combo" (lasagna, eggplant parm) arrive covered in a thick red sauce which sadly lacks the enticing aroma of the Italian food I am accustomed to. Simply nothing about this sauce hits my smell receptors with the feeling of "wow." Nothing announces the use of fresh garlic or any sacred marriage of herbs and meat often so well orchestrated by ancestral cooks. Nothing here says to my nose: "Tell your mouth this will be delicious." I taste the Mama Louisa sauce. I notice a mysterious unpleasant sweetness, is it nutmeg? I cannot figure it out. I swallow only as many bites as necessary to quell my hunger. The cheese-filled tortellini (3rd item in the combo plate) is not completely covered in the bland, mystery-spiced, too-sweet red sauce, so i eat more of that than the sauce covered items. I am grateful for its decent, al-dente texture. The garlic bread at Mama Louisa's delivers a welcomed, slight aroma of garlic, and is served warm. It is not, however, authentic Italian bread, (which would have had a slightly hard, crunchy crust outside to contrast with a softer center, and would have been baked from simple, four-ingredient recipe of flour, water, yeast and salt, No sugar). Next time I crave Italian food, i will cook, or go elsewhere. Buona fortuna to all.
(2)Mike P.
Nice quality Italian fare done the old fashioned way. This is a place for those who know the national chains do not make real Italian food and prefer the taste of food not salt. This is one of the last parts of Vintage Tucson not yet erased by the libtard invasion.
(5)Lisa J.
Yesterday was my second time dining at this location in a very long time. Do not confuse this restaurant with the one of the same name that is located on Houghton Rd. (I dined there just last week) Menu might be similar but they are NOT the same... You want this location!!! So much better and you will find a little more variety but still find the old favorite "Joe's Special" and it is better here. Especially the gluten free pasta. This restaurant sources it from a local business and it is far and above the very best gluten free pasta I have ever had. The "other place" will tell you it is the same, it is not, they use a commercial gluten free pasta and it is not very exciting. If you want well made, fresh and very tasty Italian food go to this location. Everyone in our party loved what they ordered and the service was friendly and efficient. They also have a full bar with local brews, another nice plus that several in our party enjoyed. I also had the opportunity to sample some of the gluten free breads they will be bringing in from the same local business that provides their gluten free pasta and it was tasty, fresh and delightful. The new owners of this location are doing a great job maintaining the history that this restaurant has in the community while giving it a fresh new edge with some new menu items. Keep it up! I will be back!
(5)F D.
I really, really wanted to like this place. I love these old little places that have been a part of the landscape for generations. The building itself is so charming and inviting from the outside. The paintings on the inside really make the experience visually fun. Unfortunately, the food was not very good. I had the Chicken Piccata, which is usually a chicken breast. Theirs was made from little chunks of chicken. It left me wondering if they were possibly the scraps left over from some other chicken dish. It was tasty enough, so I tried to ignore the feeling that I was eating table scraps. The dish came with a side of homemade spaghetti which was supposed to be their specialty. I think I've made better pasta than this. But the worst was the sauce. I've had lots of different tomato sauces over the years and they're always different .. you learn to ditch your expectations and just go with it. Most times you're pleasantly surprised .. it may be different than your mother's sauce, but still very tasty. Unfortunately, that's not the case with Mama Louisa's. The sauce was horrible. It had an overwhelming taste of tomato paste that's been in the can too long. It really was not edible. Maybe they just had an off night. But I won't be going back to find out.
(1)Mindy S.
Still a Tucson legend, and the service has definitely improved. Finally strayed from my usual (the baked ziti) to try the pasta special (Joe's spaghetti?) & it was awesome, as was my dessert. I just love this place!
(5)Kathy N.
Hey! Wassa matta you? You no likea the spicy meatball? Can't believe I've live in Tucson 30+ years and have never ventured to Mama Louisa's. Met a large group for dinner there not too long ago and I rather enjoyed the old, home like feeling I got from the restaurant. I'm so used to a more modern and up to date look from the restaurants I frequent so Mama's gave me a bit of a nostalgic feeling when I walked through the doors. The service was friendly and not too chaotic despite our large group (14 people) and the one seated right next to us. Several people in my party went to the salad bar first and they all raved about the quality and variety of the ingredients. The person seated across from me is Italian and very picky about her Italian Wedding Soup and she thought Mama's did a good job on theirs. I have to say the breadsticks are horrible. The sample ladies at Costco do a better job making frozen, pale breadsticks tasty. Mama's definitely should toss the sticks and get some good garlic bread out to the customers. The Chicken Scallopini was good, not great. The flavor of the sauce was pretty good however Mama's advertises homemade pasta and the linquini served with my dish was cold and undercooked. I enjoyed the fact that the owner was in the dining room greeting customers and wishing a good night to those leaving. I like that hometown, little guy feeling.
(3)Carrie B.
Mama Louisa's is a great little place. It's been in town longer than Caruso's on 4th and is very similar, in my opinion. We went during lunch on a Thursday before grocery shopping. We decided to order from the menu despite the lunch buffet offerings. We were almost blown over by the air conditioning as we entered and I would like to add: I'm not complaining! As you enter a waiting area is ahead and you hang a left to the hostess stand. If you make another left there is a smallish cantina. Mama Louisa's is very clean. The smells coming from the kitchen offerings are sublime. We were seated in a dining room that is painted to look like a cabana tent with Mediterranean scenery painted all around you. It is very romantic! It has serious kitsch appeal. The lunch buffet will run you $8.25 for soup/salad bar with pasta made to order. The baby was with us and they let her partake of the buffet for free even though we weren't. Two soups were offered: Minestrone & Italian Wedding. The baby loved the minestrone. She found some good stuff at the salad bar and then tried the shells with red sauce (huge hit after she dunked them in the minestrone). I had the Eggplant Parmesan. Yum. Sliced thin and stacked then smothered in red sauce. For those that complain that Caruso's red sauce it too garlicky, consider Mama Lousia's whose sauce is milder and flavorful. I was so full after eating the Egg Parm that I didn't even touch my side of pasta that came with. Olive Garden-like breadsticks were offered, too. Their iced tea was crisp and flavorful. I am so glad we found Mama Louisa's and we will be returning with the older kids & gramps soon. Mark my words.
(4)Jessica M.
Saw on FB they had new kitchen mgmt... decided to give it a shot... it was absolutely amazing. It was the best Italian food i had experienced in quite some time. will be back now that they have these great cooks working there. Yummy!
(5)Isidro S.
The first time I was here with friends and family. Had a great time. The place was packed. Food was very good. The second time I was here just family and was disappointed. The place wasn't as packed. A semi new waiter was helping us. Instead of other staff helping him out, they decide to talk about him to other staff in the bar area. Loud enough for us to hear. Very NOT professional at all. Food wasn't as great as a result. Still left a decent tip for the guy.
(2)Amber B.
DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY!!! We spent $30 on two entrees and an appetizer. Not bad for Italian food that boasts about having homemade pasta. BUT the food was so horrible neither one of us could even get through half of our food. That $10 appetizer was supposed to be Bruschetta..instead it was half of a piece of subway bread with pickled veggies. Pickled. I paid $10 for someone's idea for using their left over vegetables. Now the entrees.. The noodle were indeed homemade or at least tasted like they were. The gravy (sauce) however, tasted like the inside of a Hunts spaghetti can without the curtesy of adding some addition herbs/spices to try to mask the aluminum flavor. The bread sticks were so dense and dry and I couldn't even finish one of them. Needless to say, we will not go back/order take out/or recommend this place to our worst enemies.
(1)Art C.
My wife & I visited for the first time on a February Sunday @ 7:30 pm and were encouraged that people kept coming in and dining while we were seated in "the cage" which is on the side of a room decorated a few decades ago to resemble a patio, with a curved fence containing the shape. Dinner comes with large hot buttery breadsticks, we were served two. We asked about the house Chianti & our young server offered a sample which was quite nice, sweeter and fresh. Entrees were a nice buttery-lemony Chicken Piccata for me, (served as chicken chunks rather than a chicken breast) with linguini, and spaghetti with mariana & sausage for her. She felt the marinara was a bit thicker than she'd have liked, the sausage was good. The homemade pasta was properly cooked al'dente. We ate every bite and were happy with the friendly service and value.
(4)Larry S.
I went to the new location on Houghton road, I sat down with my 3 children for at least 15.minutes with no service, what made it worse, is the manager Seen me leaving and said nothing. Good part is that I went to buddy s grill down the street and was extremely satisfied, never going back to the other restaurant.
(1)Kris C.
First it took 10 minutes to get our drinks, it was also very confined and loud. But I had the Marsala chicken which was very good so the food was good but everything else was kinda shit.
(2)Heidi H.
Not impressed. Lasagna tastes like ragu...sin said prego.....not worth the time or the wait.
(3)Gary C.
My cousin and I are visiting Tucson for the Gem show. We were looking for a nice Italian restaurant, and were referred to Mama Louisa's with a great recommendation. We easily found the restaurant, and were pleasantly greeted and promptly seated. Our waitress was Jordan, a very enthusiastic young lady. Once we looked at the menu, we were disappointed in the limited selections; however, we decided to try their pasta offering, and I ordered the whole wheat linguini with their signature red sauce, and my cousin ordered the same pasta with a different sauce. We were promptly served, which was not a good sign to us. The first bites were very telling, the noodles were over cooked, broken into 2-3 inch lengths, and had no flavor. We both pushed the dishes away after no more than 3-4 bites, we were done. There is no way that we could recommend this restaurant, do not go!
(1)Allison O.
I went to Mama Louisa's while I was in Tucson with my parents, and we loved it. I had remembered hearing that it was delicious, but hadn't tried it. I had fettucine with proscuitto and peas, which was amazing, and my Dad had Caesar salad and the spaghetti with meatballs, which he loved. The Caesar salad was gigantic, but he loved it! The chef came out to talk with us because of my Mom's food allergies and made sure that her food would be fine for her. He chatted with us for a while and was incredibly cool. If I lived in Tucson, I'd be back often!
(5)Vinnie F.
The place is nice looking on the inside, although not in the best of areas. The service was fine. Polite and cordial. No rush. The margaritas were pretty good. The bread was so-so. Kinda doughy, not real Italian bread. We both ordered the Veal Parmesan. Hers with linguini, mine with spaghetti. They both came with spaghetti. I told the server it was spaghetti. She said it was linguini. (uh oh). But I didn't make an issue of it, except to note to myself that the server obviously doesn't know the difference. I've never seen round linguini before. Spaghetti is round, linguini is flat. But the kicker was it didn't make any difference: linguini or spaghetti, they were both grossly overcooked. The pasta had the consistency of mashed potatoes. That is bad. You might expect that from a diner, but not an Italian restaurant. The veal was OK, nothing to stand in line for. I could cut it with my fork, but the sauce was a bit harsh (salty) and that didn't help the veal at all. (Nothing on the planet could help the pasta.) It was our first time there. I doubt we will return. From where we are it was not worth the ride (40 mins), and we did not like the neighborhood.
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