Mamma Onesta’s
1100 S State St, Lockport, IL, 60441
Mamma Onesta’s Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Lockport for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lockport for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lockport for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
1100 S State St
Lockport, IL, 60441 - Phone (815) 588-0900
- Website https://www.mammaonesta.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
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 : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Tim W.
When you are visiting the Lockport area. This is one of those places that you should not pass up. It's your local small own business, serving Italian cuisines. Which I'd have to say were exceptional. Before you begin you meal the waiter or waitress will bring forth dinner rolls which are fresh, with garlic and olive oil. ( you will not be able to resist by only having one. ) Our choice was to start the appetizer off with an spinach sauté. Which was amazingly good. For the main course I chose the penne w/sausage & red peppers, My wife, the Pasta Del Sol. Both dishes were cooked and prepared to perfection. Each bite was very pleasant, Not to much salt. Nor one flavor overpowering thee other. Just delicious. I'd have to say next time I decide to venture out into the Lockport area. I will be returning to try some more dishes. Oh yeah and before I forget. The staff was exceptional. Very friendly & welcoming. as well for the owner. Catering to whatever it is that you would need.
(5)Ashley L.
My husband and I just moved to Lockport from Chicago and were craving some Italian. He used to live in the area a few years ago - so knowing what was out here we were not feeling too optimistic. However found this gem on yelp tried it out and now after dinner had to compliment on how amazing it was!!!! Thoroughly impressed and this will be a regular spot for us. I ordered chicken Parmesan that was so good! The chicken was very juicy but still maintaining good balance of crisp to the breading and cheese on top. Sauce was very flavorful and fresh. Even the side of spaghetti was cooked perfectly. My husband got the special which was Asiago stuffed gnocchi. Whenever we get Italian he always orders gnocchi so this was a sign from the start! Very rich and flavorful. Both of us enjoyed sharing one another's dishes! Our waitress Ariana was so nice as well as the rest of the staff. I can't even think of one complaint. Great price point. Great portions. Loved ambience. My husband and I literally high fived each other we were so glad to find a great place out in Lockport
(5)Matt G.
So I had no idea that Lockport had a quaint little downtown area. I was even more surprised to find that Mamma Onesta's is there, and it rivals any Italian restaurant on the south side. This place is the bomb for authentic Italian served in a homey atmosphere. We came in on a Saturday night sans reservations, and there was a 45 minute wait. We decided to saddle up to the bar and we ordered a couple of martini's. Both drinks were well mixed, and both bartenders were friendly and efficient. After only 15 minutes our table opened up, so we were seated promptly by the hostess. Server was nice as can be (can't recall her name). The food was awesome. We started with the calamari (cooked perfectly, not too heavy). We also had spicy corn soup with habaneros... this was excellent. I had chicken parmigana, my GF had eggplant parmigana. Both dishes were enormous and delicious. Total bill with drinks was less than $100, which I thought was quite fair. The service and food are awesome. We also met the owner who was telling us a bit about the history of the building and downtown Lockport. Overall an excellent place- I'm excited to come here again!
(5)Kim H.
We visited here for a baby shower...food was excellent and loved the atmosphere. We are going to try to go back here for dinner! Cheese manicotti was great..loved the homemade creamy dressing...staff was very pleasant and THANK U for having a change table in the bathroom for babies! My 6 MO old and I thank u for that lol!
(5)Mary T.
Mm! I highly recommend Mamma Onesta's. My boyfriend just moved to the area, and we're so excited to have found such a gem close by! The service was great all around, our waitress (I believe her name was Caroline) was SO friendly and attentive. The food was amazing; I ordered the eggplant Parmesan, and he ordered their rigatoni special w/ sausage. The red sangria was also great. We will be back soon! :)
(5)Michael M.
Average to bad. I arrived at 5:20 by myself and was immediately seated and given a menu; it took 15+ minutes for a server to approach me. The another 15 minutes to deliver the bottled water I ordered. Then about 12 additional minutes to take my order. Another 15 minutes to bring me a bowl of soup ( minestrone / exceedingly mediocre-poor/ primarily composed of canned green beans probably from an industrial sized drum.). 60+ minutes after arriving I got my simple (chicken scallopini w/olives and sun dried tomatoes -- fine/not great.). Pretty girls and muscular boys in black tee shirts as servers. Plastic vines and grapes, a framed poster of the "David" and plastic plaques reading vino and salute! You get the picture. The server was sweet but too busy and visibly relieved by the simplicity of my order and lack of questions. Tables seated after me were served before I was. Food okay; service lousy (not unkind, simply inadequate.)
(1)Robert G.
Can't say enough good things. The food is as close to homade as I can tell. Deserts are great as well. I recently had the sausage , portobello and penne pasta in garlic and oil. Fantastic. Veal was very nice as well.
(5)John S.
I have been eating here since they opened. Always friendly great atmosphere, not to mention the food is excellent.
(5)Shareef Y.
The food was pretty good. Though the garlic knots were just drenched in garlic to the point where they were inedible. I ordered a seafood dish that while tasted good, was a bit over-priced. The pasta itself seemed to just be the boxed variety and didn't seem freshly made.
(3)Mervet N.
A restaurant that is run the right way is an asset to every community. I love the owners of this place and they offer such amazing food!!! If I could eat there every day I would. Highly recommend eating here if you want fabulous food and phenomenal service.
(5)Courtney H.
I've been here a few times, usually just when I am in the area because there's not much in Lockport. This review is based on my experience last night. I had a reservation for 7:45pm. We sat down and no one came to our table for a good 15 minutes. Finally, I asked an employee where our server was and he took our table kindly even though I don't think we were his normal table. We started with their signature garlic rolls, which are good, but were practically hard as a rock. We were using forks and knives to cut through them. I had the house salad with the creamy Italian dressing, which is one of the best dressings I have had. It came with my entree, which was chicken parmasean with a side of spaghetti. I felt like there was too much sauce and not enough cheese on the chicken, but it was still good. My favorite thing here is the beer cheese soup but it's a daily special and they don't have it on Monday's apparently.
(3)James B.
Made a reservation for a Saturday night. Arrived 5 minutes early and was seated immediately. Ordered a couple of drinks and was given a chance to look over the menu. Ordered an appetizer which came out a few minutes later. Garlic knots were brought out with the water glasses. The garlic tasted vinegary, like it was pickled garlic. Not what I expected. Appetizer was good, entrees were tasty, service was a little slow. We all had stopped eating for a good ten minutes before the waiter, who had walked past us twice, stopped to box up the leftovers and ask if we wanted dessert. Large dessert portions. All in all a nice experience but I don't know if I'll travel to Lockport again just to eat here.
(3)Carl D.
Ate there last night for the first time. I had the veal marsala and minestrone soup. It was quite good. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. Prices are reasonable and the atmosphere is homey and friendly. It is a bit loud inside as it is not a big place. However, I enjoyed the décor and it is located in a vintage building in downtown Lockport. I would definitely come back here.
(4)Betsy N.
Last night was my second visit to Mamma Onesta's. I had not even known this restaurant existed, but was pleasantly surprised to find it. The décor is nice and the service is good. The menu selections are the usual for an Italian restaurant, but they seem to have some nice specials. I ate the Swai fish last night which was advertised as "spicy" and it was! The flavor was good. I would definitely order it again if it is offered. The other items salad, rolls and wine were good too. It's nice to have a good Italian restaurant close by!
(4)South B.
I have been here twice. Once for lunch which was probably a four star meal. The garlic knots that day were soft and the side order of meatballs came in their own bowl with a slightly different sauce which I enjoyed. I also liked that the meatballs were dense like my Nonna used to make. Last night, however, the stuffed shells I ordered were WAY over salted. My dining companions (who I had talked the place up to) also reported their food was over salted. My add-on meatballs came on my entree plate this visit and were dry and bland. Our garlic knots this visit were hard. I think I'll give the restaurant one more try since it is fairly close to where I live and we do not have many good dining options out here. Maybe last night was just an off night?
(3)Mike M.
We love this place. They are very friendly, the service is always good, and the food is consistently tasty. We've been going to Onestas for roughly 8 years--it's a very warm and inviting restaurant where we have always felt welcomed. My favorite dish is the veal florentine.
(5)Osama S.
italian food that will make you lick the plates after eating it. wonderful service and very sweet and romantic place in town.
(5)Ramone B.
Finally got a chance to stop in and check Mama Onestas out!! I wanted to try it for awhile, but I was worried about being majorly let down. I love Italian food, and I don't do places like Olive Garden. I want LEGIT Italian food! The couple places I tried in Lockport got awesome reviews, but didn't hit home with me when I tried them. I was totally pleased with Mama Onesta. Let's get down to Business! I brought my mom, and boyfriend here to check the place out as well. All of us loved the decor. Very cool and cozy inside! We started out with appetizers- Sausage & Peppers, and Escargot. The sausage & peppers were awesome! My mom loved them so much she ordered her dinner Sausage & Peppers over pasta noodles. I thought that was kind of boring to eat the same thing twice, but hey if she liked it then I love it. My Escargot was good. The mushrooms went well with it. I felt like such a pig because I wanted to dip all of my bread into that escargot gravy. The bread they bring you out is pretty good it's called garlic knots. They are coated in fresh garlic, and olive oil. I also tried them without the garlic and olive oil, and I think I might prefer them that way. For dinner I went for a pasta that I cannot remember the name of. #Duh What it was was lasagna noodles wrapped with ricotta cheese, spinach, and it looked like artichoke. There was melted cheese on top. It was ginormous!! It was about the size if two big cinnamon rolls!! One of the pasta shells had Alfredo sauce on top, and the other had marinara. I don't know which one I liked better because the were both really awesome! We got a choice of soup or salad, and I went for the soup. I tried a beer cheese soup. My dinner party looked at me like I was retarded for ordering it. OMG was it good. New Fav soup. I could've slapped my mama who was sitting across from me it was so good. There was no room for desert. Absolutely Not. The only way I could have managed that would've been to make a restroom trip and pull a Mary Kate #Puke #HollywoodDiet My mom and my boyfriend loved their food! I think next time we will skip the appetizers because the portions are so big! Until Next Time!!!!
(4)Elizabeth G.
A Monday night dinner meant no wait and no rush. Yippee! We got there about 6:30 and started with drinks and the bruschetta. Bruschetta was ok. Nothing amazing but delicious. Admittedly, I didn't try the garlic rolls. They looked good though. I ordered the tortellini aurora. It was basically cheese tortellini in a vodka sauce. It was amazing! I allowed my dining companion to try some and he was immediately jealous. While his penne with sausage and roasted red peppers was good, it paled in comparison. Wine rec: If you choose the amazing tortellini, try the Main Street Cab with it. It was a nice combination. The Strawberry Torte was amazing. I have very few words to describe it as the deliciousness left me speechless. An appetizer, two meals, one dessert, and six adult beverages came in around $100. It was incredibly reasonable and incredibly delicious!
(5)Grant P.
We came here on a Friday night and the place was double-packed. I'm not sure if it's just that popular, or if it had to do with the fact that it had been featured the previous Sunday on one of those Chicagoland food shows; which is how I found out about it. (Anyone noticing a trend in my reviews? *sigh* My secret's out.) Anyway, they were kind enough to find us a nice table without waiting. The service was polite and helpful, tho could have been a little more responsive. The funny thing about these family-run Italian restaurants is this. They always make the sauce according to their own family recipe, which is the case here. Sometimes it's a bit more bitter than you like. Sometimes it's sweeter. And sometimes it's just right, which is how I felt about Onesta's. There was a really nice sweet/sour balance that made me realize I was going to like it right off the bat. I had the veal parm, which I know is simple but it's how I test whether I'm going to like an Italian restaurant. My wife got more daring with the eggplant rollatini. Both dishes were delicious and the portions were massive! We had to take half of them home and were both full and beyond satisfied. We also had the calamari, and I was impressed to see they offered a grilled version. I love it grilled, but we did fried this time and were pleased that they weren't caked with batter but instead dusted (which the menu claimed, but most of the time when you read that they're lying). Though we don't go out for Italian very often, Mamma Onesta's is definitely on my frequent flyer list for Italian food. If someone was craving Italian I'd suggest it in a heartbeat.
(5)Anthony W.
I honestly am shocked and disappointed in how many people enjoy this place. Where do you people come from? Have you ever experienced authentic Italian cuisine? Clearly no one posting about this place is in tune with the good shit. After hearing such great things about this supposedly Italian masterpiece, I drove out on a warm summer night to give it a try. Upon arrival I was questioning how great this place could be.. I mean seriously it's in downtown Lockport.. The middle of nowhere to most people but hey I'm not one to judge a book by its cover. People do yourself a favor and don't make the hike out here. It's simply not worth it. Everything about this place screams mediocrity. Shitty wine list. Hardly any beer to be found. They seem to be living under a rock. Italians know how to drink so get it together management. I started my evening off with an appetizer. Baked Clams which are my all time favorite! Whoever made these must have been baked out of their skull to serve such a hypocrisy. I never did find the clam underneath all that breading so I can't really comment on them. The stroke I nearly had from all the salt is something that Ill never forget though. It was like pouring a salt shaker in my mouth... Simply disgusting. Extremely disappointed I ordered a salad to hold me over until I decided on my main course. Went with almost a fool proof salad, the Caesar. I took one look and wanted to puke. The salad was soaked in what looked like year old newmans dressing from my middle school cafeteria. Matters got worse when the spaghetti and meatballs came out. Obviously a sauce from a can and the noodles are not homemade. This place is an embarrassment to Italians.
(1)Anna M.
Great Italian food! The mussels appetizer is great! My son always gets the chicken Parmesan? I've tried 3 pasta dishes, carbanora, fettuccine and calamari with spaghetti w/ red sauce. Their gelato and armaretto cake is awesome! Great place been there 3times and very reasonable with portion sizes for the price set.
(4)Maggie D.
We catered from here for my uncle's surprise 65th birthday party, around 75 people. Everyone was asking where the food was from because they loved it. We over-ordered because running out of food at a party is like, the worst thing ever...and the food was completely gone by the end of the night! Everyone was going back for seconds and thirds. My favorite was the chicken vesuvio, so flavorful and not dry at all. Cannot wait to have another party and order from here again!
(5)Rayandra S.
To sum it up: Terrible house salad, Mediocre soup, impressive wine list, the fried calamari was acceptable. My main disappointment was the Eggplant Parmigiana. It was edible and that's all it was to it. The frozen kind I get at a store is a hundred times better. Will not be coming at this dud of an Italian restaurant.
(2)Edward E.
I came in today (Friday) around 5:15pm, 9-14-2013 The garlic knots were at our table within seconds of sitting down, A MAZ ING!! I ordered a drink, Italian Sunrise, it was delicious and only $6, later with my dinner I enjoyed a delicious Lambrusco. I ordered the Veal Parmigiana, and it was quite delicious, though not as large portioned as I hoped. Overall it was very good. It came with spaghetti with tomato sauce, I love the sauce. Nice touches all around, lemons in the water, excellent service etc, they even made a child portion of Gnocchi for my little one , Although my wife disliked her entree, and only had one bite, they promptly removed it from our bill. I would of gave a 5 however the next table were 2 couples, one of them was drunk, rude and classless, Throwing F bombs like they were candy, and saying out loud," I need to piss" Not very lady like, she was so offensive and drunk, she annoyed the other lady at her table to the point where you stood up, took her keys and purse and headed out the front door Management witnessed this and didn't ask the drunk, belligerent woman to leave, that was a bad move. For this reason my wife will not come back here, but I will, the sauce is that good.
(4)Kristen S.
Though I've known about its existence for awhile (years) I never made it a point to try this place. I'm glad I finally did. We went late on Friday night and it was pretty empty (Easter weekend though,many people out of town). The place was clean and neat, nicely decorated but also not stuffy- it's comfortable. I'm not really a wine drinker but I'm happy with a good beer and you can get that here. I liked the garlic knots mostly because of the abundance of garlic on them. Had a couple chicken dishes and they were good, chicken was not dry and able to be cut with the fork alone. Salad may not be "fancy" but dressing is great (really need to grab some for home next time). Nothing was extravagant or incredible but it's a good solid meal. It's not the Olive Garden, Francesca's, or Maggiano's nonsense either so that's a huge plus. I'm not too impressed by the hype you get at a lot of places though either and could care less about the "innovative" ability of a chef- if you can't lay a plate in front of me that has something on it that tastes good then I've got no interest in whatever you're "fusing" together for "dinner". I got a peek in the kitchen when leaving and I have no qualms about dining here- it was clean. They do what they do well here, can't really say anything negative, it might be nothing fancy but it's good and I'll be back. It's great to have this option in Lockport and I hope it continues to thrive.
(3)Benjamin R.
We had a nice standard Italian meal here. My wife's pasta was very tasty. The antipasto salad was a bit much on the everything for me, but that's my fault for ordering a salad (read: pile of lunch meats and peppers). I'd give it a 3.5 stars if Yelp had that. It was a pleasant, very typical Italian joint. We'll end up back there again I'm sure.
(3)Christopher L.
My Wife and I celebrated our 27th Anniversary by dining at Mama Onesta's. The service was top notch, the menu offerings quite varied, and the portions generous. I would recommend the fried calamari appetizer, fresh, not frozen as I find in a lot of establishments. The capper to the evening was when we were informed that dessert was on the house, the owner even stopped by to wish us a Happy Anniversary. We will be going there again.
(4)Eric A.
Real rating: 2.5 stars. I'm not sure why this place has such good reviews. Maybe I just have higher standards and expectations than everyone else in Lockport. Like others have said, the garlic knots were delivered to the table pretty quickly. The only problem is that they were literally covered with what appeared and tasted like canned garlic. Don't get me wrong, I love garlic, but why not use fresh garlic? This was clearly the stuff you get by the giant jar at a warehouse club. I got the sausage, penne, and portobello mushrooms. The dish was okay for the price and was hot, but again, had way too much of the canned garlic. My girlfriend got the stuffed shells. The plate came with only 3 shells and covered in red sauce. She said the food was barely room temperature and had hot spots meaning it was probably microwaved. The shells looked and tasted like they came from Aldi (which isn't a terrible thing because Aldi has good stuffed shells, when they have them) but we expected more (quantity and quality) from a restaurant and for the price ($13.00). The worst part (and this is one of my biggest gripes) is the check took about 10-15 minutes. We got boxes for the food which were brought quickly. One would think that if you were going to bring boxes, naturally you would bring the check with the boxes or immediately afterward. Not here. The waitress brought the boxes and then stood and chatted with another table for at least 10-15 minutes. Not until I stood up and put my coat on did she bother to get the check.
(2)Jeremy C.
I'm going to go ahead and give this place 5 stars. The food was excellent and the portions were ample. There were too many things that I wanted to eat that made it difficult deciding what I was going to order. The specials sounded sexy and the regular menu had me drooling. The beer selection was decent and I'm sure they sold wine too. There were four of us out to eat that night and everyone greatly enjoyed their meal. Not one complaint was to be had. The service was something that needed to be mentioned as a separate note. They waiter we had was excellent, he was friendly and not too in your face. Was around often but not to the point of being annoying. He even gave what felt like actual opinions on the food when asked. He didn't just say that everything was good. Our drinks never got empty other than of our own will and everything came out perfectly. The prices were better than expected, it was actually cheaper than we had calculated in our heads between the beers and everything else. While it's not the cheapest meal you'll eat, for a nice Italian restaurant it didn't clean out my wallet. I came her on a suggestion from a few other people and will now be telling others to go here myself.
(5)LOIS B.
Yes, it is a trek to get here. First, it is a very small space and I would NEVER consider sitting at the table right next to the door, I mean really, why not just seat people right outside the bathroom doors. HIGHLY UNDESIRABLE. The food is okay. I will admit that the homemade creamy Italian dressing was probably the best dressing I have ever had. The fried ravioli was ample to share. Our entrees were fine. Were they on the caliber of Capri of Woodridge or Petey Z's in Naperville? (Boy do we ever miss you guys) Not even close. And, since I had checked out the menu before making our reservations, I knew to bring my own pine nuts, thanks Petey Z. for that tip. The peaches and cream gelato was outstanding. It was creamy with great texture and one serving was too much for 2, but we tried to finish it. Other notes: make reservations, come early, and be prepared to NOT be able to hear the server or anyone NOT seated directly next to you. The noise level is what cost this place more stars. White table clothes and you might as well be sitting by yourself. The tables are so close you feel like you are dining with total strangers and we, unfortunately, were seated next to a woman who had the most obnoxious laugh that was amplified by the acoustics. DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE NOISE ~ CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
(3)Sue D.
We went to dinner there last Friday , 2/21/14. We were a party of 17! I want to say I had the best waitress in the world! Her name is Sara. She took are orders on a timely manner. All are food came out hot. Never had to wait to re order a drink. My 2nd glass of wine didn't taste like the 1st glass. I told Sara. She went to the bartender , told him. He gave her the bottle of wine and she poured me another glass . She gave us separate checks. Always had a smile on her face. Never got flustered with the big loud group of us. I always recommend This restaurant . The food is very good. ( but the chef could cut back on the garlic, ) This is a nice place in a dump of a town!
(5)Antoinette B.
Great authentic Italian food! The chicken picatta was delicious. Caprese salad was so fresh. Large portions just like my mama would make! Our server Rachel was very friendly and was knowledgeable about the menu. Tiramisu was brought out for my birthday and it was so So SO good! We will definitely go back again! It's a small restaurant so I'd definitely call and make reservations.
(5)Fran A.
We found this place on Chicago's Best and had to try it. The Chicken Fiorintino and the veal zingara were both great, tender and tastey. The olives on the veal dish were not pitted, which was a little surprising. Great marinara! Our server, Will, was attentive and brought our old school dirty Martinis with blue cheese olives without spilling a drop. We did not try any of the appetizers because I saw the desserts and had to try the gelato, which are huge, and big enough to share. Four stars for sure.
(4)Alixx C.
Okay, gave it another shot. Look, I'm not one of those people that get off on leaving a bad review but this time it's well deserved. The waitress was rude and condescending and I specifically asked for no cheese in or on my sauce and that wasn't honored either. I wasn't impressed the first time and this second time was even worse. You would think with the reviews from this place the food would be good. Such a letdown. All I can say is "no ma'am". I'll stay away from mamas and with all the other rave reviews I'm sure they will be just fine.
(1)Jake M.
Same great food, now with great service too. Trisha, our server was really great. She brought out full coloring books and full crayon sets for the kids. We sat outside since the weather was nice and had a great time. I'd highly recommend Mamma Onestas to anyone traveling near Lockport.
(5)Brittany M.
I went here for lunch with a friend. 11/13/2012 We received some complimentary buns with fresh minced garlic and olive oil on top. They were perfectly soft inside and crisp on the outside. If the food is anything like these buns, it's a sure win. My friend and I ordered and split the meatball sandwich and eggplant parmesan sandwich. The meatballs were lacking a seasoned flavor, but were pretty meaty tasting. It was good quality meat in the meatballs. The eggplant had more flavor, probably due to the breading. The red sauce on both sandwiches is absolutely yummy. I would say that is what made the sandwich. The side of pasta was cooked well, but I thought it had too much oregano in the sauce. It was obviously different than what were on the sandwiches. The meatballs could have had some of that flavor. The buns were good. All the bread was amazing. All in all, not bad for $9 a sandwich. Service was good and friendly. We started out being the only table and left with only 2 other tables in there.
(4)Monica B.
Sorry to say this was just average Italian food for me. I am very picky on my Italian food and Know what I like and what I don't. I would go back for their amaretto cream cake though, but would probably just stop in for that and some cappuccino. The service was real good, so no complaints on that.
(3)Rosann F.
Phenomenal doesn't even begin to describe how great the food is here! From beginning to end, I don't have a single complaint about the food. Which probably has you scratching your head as to why I gave it only 4 stars. Unfortunately, the table service was less than stellar. Had our waitress done a better job I would have given 5 stars. Also, entering the restaurant is odd. During the winter, you have to come in the back door and shuffle past customers waiting for the restrooms. When we arrived, they were quite busy but they prepared a table for us immediately and they seated us quickly. Let's start with the bad service so we can end this on a good note, shall we? Our server was Trish. Although she was very friendly, she was not so timely and she would disappear for long periods of time. Also, when we asked for more water, she brought wine. Overall, the service was lacking. The food itself was as good as it gets. I ordered the Spicy Tilapia. It came with shrimp, mushrooms, spinach and pasta. It was cooked in a wine sauce with red pepper flakes. Very spicy but, good. The fish was cooked perfectly. The portions are good size and you won't go home hungry. My husband ordered the chicken that was featured on Chicago's Best. The name escapes me but, holy heck was it delicious! The chicken was so tender, you only needed a fork. The creamy Italian dressing with the salad was really good too. I mean 'lick the plate' good! The dinner rolls were drenched in oil but, it's just bread. So, no worries. We had the tiramisu for dessert and it was a nice ending to a great meal. The prices were so reasonable, $67 for two entrees, dessert and two glasses of wine. I really can't wait to go back and try it again.
(4)Will A.
A friend took me here and I had such a great experience! The food is great and the decor is exactly what you'd want from a family owned Italian restaurant. My favorite part of the meal was the sausage, it was so fresh. Get something with sausage. If you're hesitant to visit because of reviews of the staff, ask for Marty. He was a fantastic server. Also, be sure to make a reservation so you won't have to wait. And if you aren't sold yet, here's a YouTube video review about it. youtube.com/embed/Ic7gzx… I highly recommend Mamma Onesta's.
(5)Dee R.
Great place. Food was delicious and the atmosphere was excellent. Service was fantastic and very friendly/accommodating. For an Italian restaurant they had GREAT low-carb/Paleo options too (which was unexpected).
(5)Deidra W.
Quaint Italian cafe in downtown historic Lockport. Great food! I love their homemade soups! The restaurant seats approx 85 or so people. I think due to the ceiling not being insulated, it can be loud in there. Family operated establishment, pleasant folks!
(5)Linda B.
went for lunch with daughter. wanted to share but after asking was informed of 3.95 split plate charge. Another restaurant with this ridiculous fee. waitress was extremely rude when i told her we were not paying it and i would order soup. $2.95 for a thimble sized cup of soup. Had to ask for crackers from miss attitude and finally she brought some and then threw done bread after i was almost done. Nice. Would not go back.
(1)Jessica E.
Great service and good home style Italian food. Chicken piccata is delicious. Their garlic rolls are super garlicky but amazing. Servers are all friendly and very accommodating.
(4)Angela U.
We visited here for a birthday dinner with a friend. Love the restaurant decor. Drinks were perfect, plenty of wine choices on the menu. I tried the chicken Anthony, mushrooms, spinach, cheese, proscuitto, pasta. It was divine. Portions are large, so it was lunch the next day too. We will definitely come back here when we are in the area.
(4)Steven R.
My wife and I enjoyed our dinner here but I wouldn't say it's the best Italian food we've ever had...
(4)Joe G.
WARNING!!! Call ahead!!! Travelled all the way from Los Angeles to try this place and couldn't get a table.
(1)Bill O.
A great little gem in Lockport. Reasonable prices and fantastic food.
(5)Sean G.
Love this place. Excellent service, great atmosphere, fair prices.
(5)Marlene K.
I take my mom here for lunch often. She loves their manicotti. They use homemade lasagna noodles rolled with ricotta cheese topped with fresh marinara sauce. Very delicious. We love the homemade garlic knot rolls topped with fresh semi roasted garlic bits. The lunch menu has smaller portions and is less expensive. They serve lunch until 3:00. We went the other day at 3:30 and they only had the dinner menu available. The portions are larger with more sauce. I ordered the chicken with marinara but the spicier version. It was so yummy for a cold winters day. We love this place. The decor is so homey and comfy. Every waitress we've had has been very nice and attentive. That's why we keep going back there.
(4)J. W.
I've heard nothing but good things about this place so I was surprised when i showed up, the place was empty. It was a little early for dinner time and did start to pick up as we ate. I'm sure this place has to get packed on friday/saturday nights after 6. I ordered the penne with portabella and sausage and it was outstanding. Finally, an italian place in the area that really works! my only complaint is that considering the place was nearly empty, it still took forever for the waitress to replenish my drinks. I will definitely be back.
(4)Rich R.
I really like this place....not for special occasion but as a go-to, local place for a solid, pleasant meal. Decor is mostly nondescript. Service is always cheerful and attentive, yet not always accurate (as far as what I ordered). My highlight is always the sauteed spinach-so good. The warm buns bathed in olive oil and diced garlic look better than they taste. Wine selection is pedestrian but reasonably priced. I've had a number of their entrees and I've always been satisfied with quality and portion. Spaghetti putenesca is always good, if you like spicy. The restaurant is in historic Lockport and an after-meal stroll down State St. is an entertaining and informative way to walk off a great meal.
(5)Sarah P.
Horrible!!!! Too much oil. Terrible service. Never will I go back. Just awful.
(1)P C.
FANTASTIC place. The portions are incredible - you'll have left-overs for sure!! A little pricey, I thought, but hey, you get a lot of food...
(5)Steve K.
went back again for the second today, great food !!!!!!!
(5)Jill B.
4/22/2012. First time dining here with friends who recommend it. Nice menu choices, along with daily specials and one that I had; Colossal Shrimp with angel hair pasta, topped with Lobster sauce-Excellent! Big portion, enough leftovers for my husband & I to split for a dinner this week. Only had a half of one, but their" warm to the table" garlic rolls are delicious. Service also very good. (Thanks, Erica) Will definitely go back.
(4)P R.
Enjoyed the meal. Had the Veal Marsala - very good, sauce was full of flavor without being too thick. Had their homemade Tiramisu for dessert - very good. Locally owned place - the grandson of the family served us (and he did a good job).
(4)James D.
Can't say enough good things about this place. This is a nice little Italian restaurant in Lockport and we are usually greeted by the owner who is very nice. The menu is easy to read and not like the huge size menus at other restaurants. Many items on the menu to choose from. For starters we went with the fried calamari and I had the veal parmesan for my entree, which was really good. Portions are big, so bring your appetite. For dessert we had tiramisu, a cannoli, and an amaretto cake which was really delicious. That was the first time I had amaretto cake and I'm mad at myself for not trying that much sooner. The restaurant staff was really friendly and was on top of things. Never had to wait until the glass was empty to get another drink. Make sure you get a reservation on the weekends because it fills up, but if you walk in, just grab a drink at the bar and I'm sure they will squeeze you in without too much of a wait. We will definitely go back to Mama Onesta's and make this a regular stop.
(5)Diane S.
Loved this place!! Great service and the food was excellent. I LOVED the creamy italian dressing. I will be going back for sure!!!!!!!!!
(5)Tony M.
This the best little hidden gem in Will County! I have been here about 5 times. I never order off the menu. I always ask what the chef's specials are and order from that. I have never been unsatisfied. The decor is pleasant and the wait staff is very courteous. I will definitely be going there again! A+ in my book
(5)Mike M.
Mamma Onesta's has good food and a good atmosphere. We have always had good service. The creamy Italian dressing is delicious. I had a side of creamy marinara spaghetti and it was fantastic. Every main dish I have ever tried has been at very least good.
(4)Alan M.
It's a schlep to get here but well worth it for this San Francisco-based food snob. (How I got there in a terrifying Midwest T-storm is too long a story to relate here.) Your meal at Mamma starts moments after your hit the chair with a bowl of freshly warmed rolls drenched in olive oil and bristling with chunks of fresh, diced garlic. With a bottle or two of the restaurant's reasonably priced wine, you could stop right there. But I went for the politically incorrect veal parmigiana, which is topped with a thick, smoky, clearly home made tomato sauce - the best I have tasted since the last time my wife made red sauce. Our party tried a variety of pasta dishes, which were freshly executed and more than abundant. As my brother in law correctly noted, the sauce on every dish is unique - a sign that Mamma takes pains to get it right. Any one portion would have been enough to serve a party of four at a fancy eatery in downtown Chicago, New York or San Francisco. And the prices are cheaper than an appetizer at most places that promise lots more and deliver lots less. Go there before the premiere of the Johnny Depp remake of "Public Enemy," which was filmed in part at this restaurant. When the place becomes a tourist destination, Mamma may be hard pressed to sustain its authenticity and its charm.
(5)George G.
We had the rehearsal dinner for our son's wedding on 7/25/12 at Mama Onesta's and I can't say enough about it. We had 26 people, and everything went well. We selected the chicken florentine for the meat course, the penne pasta with red peppers and sausage for the 1st pasta course, and 4-cheese ravioli for the second. A sumptious salad was served with warm garlic rolls. All were delicious.The food was served family style which complemented the decor and cozy ambiance. The owner, Frank DeGrassi, was very accommodating, and his staff gave great service. We have been there twice, and we intend to go back. This is a real jewel in the Lockport-Joliet area and is on our favorites list.
(4)Jody R.
I enjoyed the fairly authentic Italian food here. It could be good for families or just couples. Large portions and well priced. We tried the bruschetta, calamari, gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce, pasta with puttanesca sauce, and the tiramisu. All very good.
(4)Lisa A.
AMAZING! My fiance and I were in the Joliet area (where our wedding will be in several months) and were looking for a rehearsal dinner spot. Well, we found nothing in Joliet but wandered up to Lockport. Mamma Onesti's caught our attention as a cute little spot in the downtown area, so we decided to go in. Frank, the owner, was extremely helpful and showed us the options we could have for our dinner party. We were very satisfied with the quaint, cozy, Italian ambiance in the restaurant and the great menu prices. We decided to stay to try out some of the food before deciding on booking our dinner there. We each ordered a dish and Frank brought out a 'sample' of about everything else on the banquet menu! I almost cried!! I LOVE Italian food, and especially good quality Italian food, which this was. I am so excited to go back to Mamma Onesti's. After living in Chicago for several years, it's really nice being able to experience a more reasonable, true Italian restaurant where all of the servers are friendly and polite.
(5)Marie V.
This place really is hit or miss. I've been here about 5 or 6 times, service is slow and you have to know what to get. I've had the smoked mozzarella gnocchi which was so awesome. The Lasagna is pretty good. Their chicken is not good at all, so stay away from anything with chicken, it's really fatty and not seasoned at all.
(3)Leny C.
Check you bill before you pay it
(3)Julie B.
I've been meaning to try this place for awhile now. The decor is okay. The walls are painted orange and the ceiling is painted black. It was a bit halloweenesque, but I decided to look past and concentrate on the food. They bring out rolls to begin with. The rolls we got were cold and were soaked in oil and jarred, chopped garlic. Eh, I'll pass. I did get a salad and hubby got the minestrone. I got the Italian dressing and it was the best creamy Italian dressing I've ever tasted. It made up for the cold, soggy rolls. I got the spaghetti and meatballs and he got the chicken fiorentina. They were both decent, but not amazing. The meat in the meatballs were overly ground up and the seasoning was non-existent. The chicken fiorentina was definitely a lot more flavorful than the meatballs. I don't think I'll be back anytime soon, but it was worth a shot.
(3)