Mamma Lucia has been around Olney for a while and I think it's pretty good. Change of management has led to a slight slippage of service but the food always tastes great. The white pizza with ricotta cheese, spinach, and tomato is very good!
(4)
Jenn B.
The pizza and fries are each passable. Nothing I would turn down, but much better is to be had elsewhere. The subs are considerably better. The Eggplant Parmesan is a tongue-pleaser and whatever their worst sub is, the Chicken Parm is NOT it. Mamma Lucia's was my introduction to the world wonder known as Old Bay Wings. One could easily misapply this beloved seasoning, thus ruining what was once good food, but done correctly, the Old Bay doubles as a rocket ship to whichever planet in our solar system you think has the best food. (Probably Jupiter.) Mamma Lucia's wings are dressed up for a night where the moonlight feels right.
(3)
Patrick S.
I mostly get delivery so this is based on that I use their online ordering service which is ok, but have encountered on multiple occasions certain toppings missing , so it maybe hit or miss, just need to be attentive The entrees are rich, almost too much for my palate, but I tend enjoy the Linguine Vongole, fresh steamed clams are great pairing with pasta The Pizza is just okay, it's a little doughy if you have them do it, but you can request it not to be baked, so you can bake yourself later to your desired crispness Their Sub sandwiches are quite excellent, I prefer the Chicken Parm myself, and they come with a side of shoestring fries I think their greatest item on the menu isn't even Italian, their Old Bay Chicken Wings are beyond amazing, you can get your standard Hot Wings or BBQ Wings, but I highly recommend the Old Bay Wings, and you can get them in orders of 8, 12, all the way up to 50 For it faults, I keep coming back, It's entrees and pizza are leaving something desired , but it's Wings and Subs are top notch
(3)
Ijene L.
So you ever know you want something with pasta but not quite sure exactly what that something is? Go to mamma Lucias. They made me fresh pasta to order down to the sauce. I knew I wanted a cream sauce, ground veal, sausage and they just said hell with the pre written dishes and gave me what I wanted. AND.... It was SO durn good and creamy and satisfying that I only wish I hadve been in sweat pants or pajamas. Lol I had the risotto balls appetizer, which is risotto? Balled up, filled with ground beef and mozzarella and fried in panko bread crumbs. GOD so yummy. There is 6 of them and they are huge, so u could definitely make a meal outta them. Served with marinara, there's something SO inherently Italian feeling about the dish that I felt very godfather - ish. Lol When you sit down, they start you with garlic knot style bread and this ridiculously so good it's bad for you oil and seasoning/parmesan mixture to drown them in... geez man. Many a hour on the treadmill this place will set you back! Not gonna lie, it's a lil pricey. Well over 30 bux for one person for an app, an entree and a glass of wine. But the portion sizes make it worth it and the service was good too! I couldn't make it to dessert but I assure you that had I had room, I would've ran towards that dessert menu with gusto. They had many of much my favorites that make my inner fat fat sing with glee! Brownie ala mode, tiramisu, cheesecakes, canollis, etc. And I'm sure they'd be great as well. Anyhoo, if u are newly broken up, sad, need to gain some weight, or whatever comfort food is needed for, this place is pillows and comforters ala pasta for the soul. Good stuff.
(5)
S L.
I can't believe I'm having to do this, but I'm taking 2 stars off of my last two reviews. I had gone in for lunch a couple months back, and the veal parm wasn't very good. Chewy, and too much salt. I went back again a week ago, and the veal parm was pretty bad again. The only place I could get a decent veal parm, and it's gone down hill. So, so very sad.
(3)
Patrick G.
The worst most expensive pizza ever made. All crust and barely any sauce or cheese. If you like bread then you will love their large plain pizza for eighteen dollars.
(1)
Yasmin M.
Went with my friend to dinner yesterday to this restaurant. Outside the restaurant theres a board that reads "" buy one pasta entree for $14:99 the other one is $ 3:99. Once you get into the restaurant and want to place that order. You can forget it. The lady who took our order OMG. We had to repeat ourself to her so many times. It was redundant. It was like she had no idea what we wanted. We kept repeating our order to her over and over. My friend wanted Fettucini with shrimp instead of chicken. She said it was ok. When the food arrived she brought shrimp scampi. Charged us $22. Which was the wrong price. Then she brought the manager. Who was far from friendly. We were the only customer in the restaurant. I understand why they didn't had a lot of customers. Anyway I will never return to this restaurant ever again. Very poor service. Food not Italian taste at all. I would never recommend anyone to this restaurant. We were never ask by our waitress how was our food. Im not sure what was going on with our waitress. As I said we had to tell her our order several times. There were several waitresses just standing by just chit chatting laughing and carrying on. No customers.
(1)
M W.
The service was wonderful, but I would have to say the food was just OK. The pizza was bland and the balsamic salad was drenched in a bitter vinaigrette. The menu didn't offer many health friendly options. I would give it another try because of the family friendly atmosphere, but I wasn't impressed by the menu.
(3)
Mel A.
Mamma Lucia's is an Italian restaurant chain with locations in the Washington Metro area featuring 'down home Italian cooking.' The menu ranges from pasta to pizza and they have gluten free pasta for an additional charge. When I'm with a group, I usually go for their pizzas, ordering a simple Margherita or an elaborate Mamma's special which is a combination of pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, ham, mushrooms, green peppers, or olives. And if the group is indecisive, we'll tend to order a half of this and half of that. But if it's not gonna be pizza, my go-to pasta dish is Salsicce alla Napoletana, or penne pasta with sliced Italian sausage in a light marinara sauce with parmigiano cheese. My only gripe with this dish is that it comes with a lot of sauce. I suppose you can use it for scarpetta with the bread that's on the table. The portion sizes are huge so go easy on the bread and the garlic-parmesan-olive oil. The food is consistent and the service is always attentive. ML also has outdoor seating and a large private area for groups. 3.5 stars!
(3)
Andrew X.
Ordered a pizza at 5:45, line of people here with the same quote of 30 minutes, 7:15 my order goes in the oven. The manager has told off every customer complaint and hasn't so much as acknowledged his service failure for multiple customers. Avoid this place, and it's terrible customer service. Edit for Rick: Rick, I find your lack of acknowledging the complaint made before mine by another customer, as well as the gentleman after me in line claiming here not to notice "anyone else" complaining as laughable at best. Busy or not, you don't quote 30 minutes to your customers if you know you can't deliver on that time. Waiting nearly 2 hours (an hour of which in your restaurant) and then watching you ignore the valid complaints of myself and others, then scoffing at what we asked for when you asked us what you could do for us to compensate is another dose of terrible customer service. Your management skills are a joke and you've lost a customer. I didn't flat out ask for a discount as you put it, you asked me what you could do to make it right. Your options are more food, which clearly would be an issue since you were backlogged, so I said a 10% off the next order would be a good start; which you outright refused. It's not the customers fault, regardless of your specials that you couldn't quote a reasonable time... and instead think it resonable to invent imaginary pickup windows, waste our time, and take no responsibility while fluffing your story here to save face.
Pretty standard Italian. Everything was well made and tasted great. The ambiance didn't seem like anything special and the food itself seemed like it was a bit on the pricey side. I had checked the menu online before coming here, when I got there the menu was different, items were more expensive. This was also a lunch hour so I found that surprising. On the plus side, you get a side salad if you order a meal. We also waited quite awhile for our food once we finished our soup and salad. Will probably come here again, but won't go out of my way for it.
(3)
Michael S.
This pizza is decent for the area but the service is terrible for take out. We ordered a pizza Friday night at 6:10. They stated it would be 45 minutes for pick up. I know Friday's can be hectic so I ended up getting there about an hour later. The pizza still wasn't ready. I finally got the pizza at about 7:40 pm. It should not take an hour and a half for a plain large pie. We will not be ordering from them again.
(2)
Rosie P.
This place is CRANNNNNKKKK. The food is SOO SOO SOO gooood. The service is aight, but that bread and garlic/ olive oil dip thoughhhhhhhh. I'm still savoring the flavors. YESSSSSSSSSSSS
(5)
Tony N.
I visited a few weeks back, and I have to confess that I don't get the positive reviews for Mama's. Granted, this is the kind of neighborhood restaurant you really want to like. However I can't get past the absolutely flavorless pasta sauce. No really, they would have been better off adding a can of tomatoes to a jar of Barilla and it would have been a dramatic improvement. The meatballs were just not that good either; the best I can give them is that they were large and mostly edible. I've had their pizza on a few occasions. While the toppings are actually pretty good, here comes Mamma's extra bland sauce and an equally tasteless crust to reduce the experience to blah.
(2)
Hieu V.
The tiramisu is really good, and we also love their fries. Very friendly and helpful owner and staff. Come back every time :)
(4)
Perry S.
The service is never very good, the food takes forever to come out and it never tastes good. Wouldnt go again after the 3 visits I had.
(1)
Humberto O.
Went to the restaurant last night, they didn't seem to be super busy, but did start getting some more tables near the end. Service was just okay, and food was just okay. Not really worth the prices they charge, but we haven't been in a couple of months, so we thought we'd try it. Looks like we will be taking another break from this restaurant and won't be going for another couple of months.
(3)
Kyle D.
The pizza is delicious! I like sitting in the bar area. Bartenders Deanna and Esther are so fun!
(4)
A C.
Ate dinner here tonight. The food was great. The service was good. The price was right. However, I do have a couple of negative observations: 1) Several girls working here have very long hair and they don't tie it in a ponytail or a bun. I saw one girl who was in the food area flipping her hair numerous times. Gross! Men should also be required to keep a neater appearance. 2) Lots of staff standing around doing nothing, just socializing and texting/reading their cell phone messages. If ya got time to lean, ya got time to clean! One guy who was off to himself was working every minute and staying busy while everyone else was standing around. 3) Female staff behind food counter was eating pizza dough balls in full view of patrons. Stop eating the pizza balls from the bowl! It looks gross and makes me wonder if they eat from my plate when they bring out the food. To be fair, I have observed staff eating in front of patrons at Riccuitis, and the Brookeville Inn, so this is no different. They also have similar reviews. My guess is the manager was "off" tonight. He may want to review the security camera film to see what was happening here and fix some of those issues with staff. It doesn't take much effort to be more professional in the restaurant business, but management needs to get firm and have some rules. I think 2 stars is the best rating I have ever given this location. Rockville location is great!
(2)
Michelle L.
We ordered dinner from here last night. I ordered ziti with butter. My fiance ordered ziti with sausage. When he got home, they were both buttered noodles. He called and they were not very apologetic. He went there and they just gave him the new meal. They never apologized or even offered him a bag to carry the food home in. I will rethink things before I go back there again! It used to be our go to place!!!!
(1)
Jeff W.
Best pizza around (if you like NY style). Try the Mezzaluna, the Lasagna, the fettuccini Alfredo w shrimp. Great Caesar salad, amazing bread and oil for appetizer. OMG now I'm hungry. Love this place.
(5)
Roger C.
This place is just not that good. Olney has better restaurants and every time I go here I feel like the food is very basic and convention style food. The pizza is tasty though and the atmosphere is nice.
(3)
Anne R.
Mamma Lucias is great. They will customize your pasta (if you know what you are talking about and can relay correctly to waitress) And they have a great party room. We have had all kinds of family friendly events there, even a two year old's birthday party. Food is consistently good, as is service. They also host many fundraisers
(5)
Jeneane B.
My husband is a native New Yorker, so he is very particular about his pizza. Although not perfectly authentic, Mamma Lucia is one of the best pizza places we have found in Montgomery County. We often go and sit down for a meal, but they make it just as easy to call in an order and carry-out. In addition to pizza, we have tried a number of their other Italian specialties - sausage and peppers, pollo brunello and pollo di Mamma are among our favorite entrees. One of my favorite dishes at Mamma Lucia is their Greek salad with grilled chicken. Service in the restaurant is good and there is a private room at this Mamma's location where you could host a good-sized group.
(4)
Sharon W.
Had a very mixed lunch at Mamma Lucia this week so more like 2-1/2 stars. I ordered the Chicken Parmesan and husband ordered a Tilapia in Red Sauce lunch special. My chicken was served on a plate that was really too small for the amount of food, making it hard to handle without sauce spilling all over the table. But even sadder, the chicken was too thick and hard to cut and was warm, not piping hot, so not a very successful dish. The Tilapia, on the other hand, had steam coming from it and husband said it was very good. Maybe I'm spoiled by the Chicken Parmesan at Il Porto but I found my food pretty disappointing. A friend who lives in Olney confirmed that the food at Mamma Lucia can be hit or miss, sometimes very good, other times not so much. Guess we hit them on a "not so much" day.
(3)
John B.
Probably the best of several Mamma Lucia locations. Huge and well-decorated place with dedicated staff. Like all ML's, they have good pizza, not the best you've ever tasted but definitely satisfying, as well as a large variety of excellent pasta dishes and ample and fantastic free garlic bread. You can get gluten-free pizza, but if you don't you'll be eating a lot of (delicious) wheat. Even though it's got a large multiroom dining area, it fills up on weekends, with good reason.
(4)
Katie A.
The food was really disappointing...we had Fried Mozzarella, which tasted like it was a few days old...the marinara was super bitter, like tomatoes straight out of the can. Our entrees were nothing special...Chicken Picatta was bland, chicken was overcooked; our other entree had marinara on it...again, it was bitter...and there was really no concept of "al dente" coming through on the pasta. We were reminded why we haven't been here in a while -- the quality of the food is definitely not worth the $$$.
(2)
Roberto N.
Outdoors dining is a real treat. Pollo Brunella is delicious.
(3)
Monica B.
Good service. Appetizers were tasty (wedding soup and risotto balls), but the entrees were barely edible. Avoid the seafood salad and chicken scampi (an Easter special). The seafood was rubbery, pasta overcooked, and chicken was bland. We ordered a side of Alfredo sauce to try and help the dish. It came out tasting like pure butter. The meal was not discounted. Disappointing holiday lunch with my family visiting from the west coast.
(1)
Amy S.
YUMMMO! While this is just a chain restaurant, the food is spectacular if you're looking for Italian! This is close to where I work and I eat here frequently for lunch. We've also had them deliver a few times for events at work...and it's always a favorite of my work people! My favorite dish is the cappellini adriatico...a delicious combination of fresh scallops, shrimp and crabmeat in a fresh cherry tomato sauce over angel hair pasta. I love it prepared in a rose sauce instead, which they gladly accomodate. Huge portions (I'll usually get two more meals out of what I order for lunch). Another great option is the veal saltimboca or pollo brunello....both of which I love. The ambiance isn't much to write home about and the wait staff is nice....but think chain restaurant. The food, however is fantastic and I'd recommend it if you ever come across a Mama Lucia's to try....
(4)
Elisabeth H.
Definitely have experienced better, not just in general but from Mama Lucia's. Granted, it has been a LONG time since I have eaten in or had anything but pizza from Mama Lucia's but this was so disappointing. The pros, the place has been renovated and looks nice on the inside and the service was good for the most part. I ended up sitting at the bar which has a couple high top tables. I ordered a cesar salad and had asked for anchovies, which I didn't get so was a little disappointed about that. I ordered mussels which were horrible. The broth was wayyy salty and most of the mussels were gritty. Just wasn't good at all. That said the wine was good... After this dinner I think I will be sticking to pizza if anything, but it might just be time for a break.
(2)
Brian S.
Ive been here many times and they have excellent food. The chicken Chesapeake, veal veal saltimbocca, and sausage pizza are a few of my favorites. One big complaint I do have is about the pasta with red sauce they serve on the side....it tastes like they use some generic pasta thats probably been sitting around for a while and then throw it with some sauce and send it out....Could benefit greatly from having fresh pasta. Sorry but to be a great italian restaurant you have to make your own pasta!! At least buy some decent not boxed stuff. Overall though itsa pretty good spot, even for a small chain!
(3)
Becky K.
The nice atmosphere, attentive waiters, and simple, yet delicious fare makes this a good place to frequent. My family members are devoted annual fans. By the way, the chocolate cake almost made my heart explode. It was moist, rich, and sweet just enough to intensify the dark chocolate flavors (sugar often smothers poor quality, which this cake was not guilty of!).
(4)
Kristi F.
Decent food and friendly staff. The food has become somewhat inconsistent so some meals are great while others are just ok. I like that it has outdoor seating options.
(3)
Farmer R.
Stopped in for a late lunch yesterday afternoon. Was served two cold, old slices of pepperoni while another patron got a steaming hot, fresh slice of plain cheese sitting next to me at the bar. I had a completely clueless young waiter who never asked how the food was although he noticed that I stopped eating the slices after a few bites and pushed the plate away. It's a nice place in a busy shopping center and should be serving better and fresher food to ALL of its customers ALL of the time.
(1)
Georgio S.
Ok, I used to love this place years ago but the product changed. Everything I ordered was not as good as it once was. The good. Service was great, Ceasar salad, bread with oil awesome. The bad: ravioli rose not as good as it was. They changed to different cheeper not as tasty frozen ravioli and the sauce was not quite as good as it was. The chicken wings were not that good. Highlight was the fresh celery and ranch. The pizza is where things got the worst. The crust reminded me of cardboard both in taste and texture. The cheese was changed to a cheaper variety What happened to the Grande? Toppings were good i had same ol same ol pepperoni and sausage. I don't know if this store has had a resent change in management but it sure is due for one. One thing I know for sure is they have compromised quality for quantity. I'm pretty sad because at one time Mammas was considered the better if the restaurants in the Olney area. Now they join all the rest of the crappy places in this small town. Looks like for descent Italian I need to drive out to Rockville.
(2)
Allison L.
Pretty good! I would definitely suggest coming for lunch instead of dinner because the dinner prices seem particularly expensive. Lunch was really good, and cheap. The garlic bread/olive oil they start you off with is pretty tasty, and there's some plain rolls they serve with your pasta (really good, and good for soaking up pasta sauce). I had the ravioli rose (tortellini with a creamy marinara sauce) and while the ravioli wasn't the best, the sauce was amazing.
(3)
Megan B.
I have been going to Mama's for years and I love it. They have amazing pizza and some great pasta dishes as well (my ABSOLUTE favorite being ravioli rose). Their bread and oil are so good that I always get some added to my carry-out meals. They also have great coffee compared to most restaurants. The staff is friendly and attentive. The atmosphere is clean, lively, and family-friendly. Mama Lucia's is a great alternative to the chain Italian restaurants in the area (like the Olive Garden).
(5)
Ellen S.
Great food! Been a patron of Mama Lucia's for years and am never disappointed. Last night we dined for Father''s Day and had a great waiter named Dave. Service was fabulous and we never had to wait long for food or drinks. Tried a new dish (can't remember name of it) but, was so yummy! Chicken breast with eggplant, prosciutto and mozzerella in Marsala sauce. Also, they have a gorgonzola cheese dressing for salads that is outstanding! Huge portions so you will need a doggy bag. Only reason I did not give 5 stars is because prices seem to increase with each visit.
(4)
H. S.
This is the kind of place that sticks in your mind when you want comfort food pasta. They're menu is varied that you will never get tired of anything here. However, be careful what you order, as the portions here are genuinely huge. Add an appetizer in there, and you're probably done.
(4)
Miguel P.
Good family atmosphere and good food.
(4)
David O.
Expect an emphasis on quantity over quality. They first bring a large basket of garlic bread using an excellent italian bread; unfortunately it was stale. The side salad was uninspiring, with only two choices for salad dressing. The chicken parmesan was very large, with an ample portion of pasta, but i suspect they baked the chicken breast instead of making it in a pan (i.e., it was thick and chewy), and the chicken and pasta was covered with tomato sauce (not pasta sauce) as the menu frankly stated. Not much flavor. No complaints about the service. Think pizza place that has a full menu, rather than a restaurant with a collection of tasty dishes they wish to share with you.
(2)
Rok L.
If there were a rating of -10, I would give that. We carried out dinner one night two weeks ago and it was HORRIBLE. The food was so disappointing, Everything tasted old and not fresh, we ended up throwing the food out without eating. I felt like we would have had a better meal if we opened up cans of Chef Boyardee. Never again!!
(1)
Geoff G.
This is an update to my previous review of Mamma Lucia which received 2 Stars. I am adding a 3rd Star to my review. The manager at Mamma Lucia was nice enough to reach out to me and asked for another chance at proving that the kitchen could produce quality food that I would be happy with. A couple of Fridays ago, I called the manager directly and asked him to prepare any dish he pleased, as long as it was in a red sauce and had protein. The chef prepared a Salsicce alla Napoletana, which is sliced Italian Sausage in a light marinara with grated cheese. The dish was very tasty and one of the better meals I have tasted at Mamma Lucia. To the manager- I appreciate the kind gesture. It is a perfect example of a restaurant caring about the clientele and hoping they are satisfied with their dining experience.
(3)
Larry D.
Having spent three years in Italy it is very hard to eat "Italian" in "the states", the taste just does not compare. I'm not sure what "it" is, but we ain't got "it". Until that is, I dined at the Mama Lucia's in Olney Md. I've only had a few of their dishes, even though I've eaten there for over 5 years, the Lasagna, the Pepperoni Pizza and a few others all carry that taste that I left behind in Italy. Is it a spice? a cooking style? I don't know, but what I do know is that they got it right. Ask to be seated in Jose's section, he is always working and has waited on me through the years. Always attentive and helpful, he will not let you down.
(5)
Robin S.
The garlic bread and the oil at Mamma Lucia's was amazing and really got my hopes up that I was in for some great Italian food. Unfortunately, the food was uninspiring in the extreme. The marinara sauce is sugary sweet and totally overpowering. The service was very good, but I would not recommend it for high quality food.
(3)
Zeina H.
Mamma!!!! Mamma Lucia!!!! Love the food. Some of my favorites are Seafood Asparagus and Penne Vodka,pretty much anything with rose/vodka sauce. Portions are huge and are priced reasonably well. you will definitely have left overs They just renovated the whole restaurant so it's very clean and chic. they have a nice bar area with wonderful servers. It is a good restaurant for families and kids, as well as a date night. They have incredible deals! Monday -pasta night (2nd pasta is $3.99) Tuesday- pizza night ( 2nd pizza $1.99) Wednesday- wine night ( half off bottles of wine) Make reservations if your planning to go at dinner time on weekends!
(5)
Carole F.
Some of my friends like this restaurant well enough, but I've tried it several times over many years and really don't like the food (over-sized, under-flavored) or that the tables are very close together. In their favor, they offer fund-raisers to local non-profits where anyone bringing in the appropriate flyer gets a percentage donated to that charity. Kudos to the owners for this! Please provide some smaller low-fat options. Thanks!
(2)
Donna M.
A friend and I had our monthly 3pm lunch here again today. The waiter has seen us enough to have our orders memorized and, once again, the food was good and service was attentive. I had the gluten-free plain cheese pizza (I go for plain because it gets a little too pricey with toppings). Mamma Lucia's has the best g-f pizza crust in this area. Although I occasionally pass up the pizza for side dishes of asparagus and mozzarella caprese in the summer, I invariably pick the g-f pizza through the winter. I've never been disappointed. They seem to have a good understanding what g-f requires, cooking all g-f pizzas in their own foil pizza pan to prevent cross-contamination from surfaces the regular pizzas touch. We've been going there for over a year, and I've never been glutened. I had an opportunity to speak with a manager a month or two ago to let him know how great the g-f pizza is and ask questions about their gluten-free pasta: with every g-f order, they start with a fresh pot, fresh water, fresh utensils, etc. I haven't ordered it yet but will report back eventually when I do; the pizza's just so good I keep forgetting about their pasta! TV in the bar, which is visible from some tables in the restaurant side. There's little noise from the bar side over in the front room of the restaurant side, unless there's an especially exciting game and especially avid fans. They also do a brisk carry-out business.
(4)
Sean A.
Average pizza IMHO. Not bad, but not WOW! I'd say that wating for the pizza while nibbling on the bread with oil and cheese for dipping is as good as the pizza eating experience - The staff here is very nice and eager to please. No complaints about service. The atmosphere is upbeat, clean and comfortable.
(3)
David M.
Thank you Pizza God, for giving me a good carry out place. I dock a star for crowds, parking, and price. It is a bit pricy. But overall, this place wins. My wife and I ate there to scout it out as a day-before-Thanksgiving pizza acquisition location. We had a great visit and were well taken care of. But the carry out was really good. We went in, my brother and I, ordered, got a time estimate, and went to run some errands at Shoppers and Olney Beer/Wine. They messed our order up. We wanted a large with one type of topping and a medium with another. So...instead of saying 'woops!' the chef had done an extra medium pizza for us at no extra charge. Muy bueno, I gotta say. Next time we're stocking a sports party with pizza, I'm calling these guys. Period.
(4)
Lauren S.
Oh Mama what has happened? The food used to be to die for and the service always stellar. Now the manager spends his time chatting with the young waitresses who sip on cups of soda and don't seem to be working at all. The take out is a mess - we placed an order for pizza, which still remains tasty, and when we went to pick it up they had no record of it. They told us to show us on our phone that we called the right Mama's and when we showed them their number on our cell they shrugged. No attempt to make it right for us- we then waited 30 minutes for our take out pizza. The pasta has changed, it s heavy, the sauces don't taste fresh anymore. Pizza still tastes good if you can deal with the poor customer service. So sad- it was so darn good at one time.
(2)
J A.
Service was great and the food was fantastic...... Awesome calamari and lasagna.... Will be my favorite place for Italian,food.....
(5)
Victoria B.
Why is Olney food just as expensive as in DC or Bethesda, but of much, much lower quality? Mama Lucia used to be decent, but their eggplant parm recipe changed for the worst and the restaurant caused me embarrassment. I brought my boyfriend and his mother once (who are from better fed Crofton) for lunch. BIG MISTAKE. The lunch prices are far from a good deal, and the chef must've just thought that the quality didn't matter. My boyfriend got a dried out chicken sandwich and I got a disgusting salad. The quality is just sad - especially considering it's the same cost as Cheesecake Factory and other quality dining areas. I am giving it 2 stars instead of one, because the decor has effort put it, it's easy to talk here, and the service is good. But it's a terrible rip-off.
(2)
stephen m.
This is a review of the Olney location. The food here stinks. They give you huge portions, but the quality of the food is terrible. I had the veal parmesan, and the cut of veal was very cheap. The sauce was gross. I have yet to find a good restaurant in Olney.
(1)
Melbourne B.
Greasy, Greasy, greasy. If it's not pizza then you won't have to put chap stick on for a month. Tried Pancetti, fettuccine Alfredo carbonara, Lasagna all the same. Even their breadsticks are just toast with a little tomato sauce and garlic! I've always heard wonderful things about their white pizza, but after trying it now I suspect people in this area don't really like anything above bland. No thanks
(2)
Natalie F.
I had a Fabulous and Delicious dinner here last night. We were seated right away, service was fantastic. I really liked our waitress, she was very attentive and friendly. I got the Eggplant parmigiana, which was AWESOME! It was so cheesy and big, perfect for eating half and having the rest for lunch the next day. My glass of wine was very generous, which I think it should be everywhere seeing as how expensive it is! I also love the bread and garlic cheese oil you get in the beginning of the meal. Overall, VERY enjoyable and great food. I will be definitely be back !
(4)
James L.
The food I had at mama lucia was satisfying, yet i cant find myself going back for more. The service at mama lucia was the absolute worst service I've ever gotten. I'm sure you can find a better Italian place close by don't sacrifice service for average Italian
Total family place, great food, generous portions. The decor is far from fancy, but the calamari fritti and freshly baked pizza are always delicious. Although we like the al fresco dining of the downtown Bethesda store, the Olney site always seems to be a little tastier.
(4)
Rachel F.
I LOVE Mamma Lucia in Olney! I have had my bridal shower, rehersal dinner and my husband's 30th birthday party there and not only has the food been delicious, the service is out of this world! The manager, Rick, even sent a follow up email from the 30th birthday party just to make sure we all had a good time and to thank us for our business. They have customers for life with me and my family.
(5)
Autumn N.
Penne vodka is out of control good. Topped with salty chunks of pancetta and swirled with Parmesan, the vodka sauce is a perfect combo of sweet, salty and a little kick. It's all I ever order when I go here -- you won't be disappointed that you tried it! So good! Salads are a little watery but bread before meal is garlicky good.
(4)
Matthew L.
Food quality is middle of the road, but it is a cheap and plentiful. The lunch buffet is the main attraction. It's fast and convenient. The pasta on the main menu is somewhat oily. The pizza has a good crust, but the cheese and toppings seem somewhat cheap.
(3)
Katie W.
I have been to Mamma Lucia more times than I can count. My trip last Monday may however, have been my last. My favorite dish for a long time was the Ravioli Rose. Simple and delicious, but the last time I ate it, I ended up not feeling so well. Last Monday I decided to switch it up a bit and tried the Spaghetti Al Funghi. NEVER AGAIN! I thought it tasted a bit funny, but didn't notice the smell until I heated up my leftovers at home. A cloud of rancid tomato stench filled the kitchen. The smell actually woke my fiance up from a deep sleep!!! I would like to forget the 24 hours that followed, but it will be difficult. My sister, fiance, and mother also felt ill after the dinner. What are you putting in the sauce, Mamma?? I offer 2 stars for the history my family and I have had with this restaurant, especially the fabulous service we received at the lunch following my grandmother's funeral. I wish it didn't have to be this way, but I have such a bad taste in my mouth that it will be difficult to return.
(2)
Emily R.
In my opinion, Mama Lucia's is "A Ok." I've honestly felt like the food has never been amazing and the prices aren't that convincing either. I do have to say that the portions are huge and I always take home leftovers. But this one is in the middle for me. When I went last month, they seemed to have only hired high school/college servers, perhaps because it is the summertime. Specials Monday night (pasta night, buy one dish get one for $4) and Tuesday night (pizza night, BOGO for $4, carry out only). You can be seated outside at this location, if there's a spot available, and this is a kid-friendly restaurant. It is probably one of the busiest spots at night aside from Cheeburger and Coldstone in this particular Olney shopping center.
(3)
Christine N.
I love this place! My boyfriend and I come specifically for their pizza. It's thin crust and delicious. The boyfriend is a particularly picky pizza eater and this is one of the only places out of the ones we've tried in the area (more than I can count) that he likes. When I'm not in the mood for pizza I usually get the Fettucini Bolognese. It's incredibly unhealthy, but definitely hits the spot. The bread that they give you when you dine in or have entrees in your carry out order, is incredible. It's warm with a spice blend slathered on it and there is an olive oil dip they put on your table if you eat there. I'm looking forward to our pizza tonight! Mushroom, pepperoni, and onion always hits the spot!
(4)
Rachel G.
Seafood with whole wheat pasta or asparagus in spicy marinara. Yum! I try not to be tempted by the bread.
(5)
Ricky M.
The best pizza in Olney. The Tuesday night special is a great deal considering the pizza is a little more pricey but worth it.
(4)
Jeff H.
We were disappointed in the quality of the chicken entrees. The service was great--fast and attentive--but our main courses were just fair. The chicken in my chicken marsala and my son's chicken florentine was thick and flavorless. To compensate, each dish had too much salt and sauces. There was no subtlety to these dishes. Frankly, I could have been at a diner and received the same food. The good news was that the pasta that accompanied the dishes was excellent. My wife's calamari was good, not great. I was surprised at how mediocre the main courses were and would be reluctant to go back.
(2)
Lorraine M.
The first time I went to this place I sat down and looked at the menu and it looked like an infant had thrown up all over it. Smelled like it too. I asked the waiter for another menu and he pretended not to hear me so a different waitress brought me a menu. I ordered the carbonara. It tasted like baked butter in a heavy butter cream sauce smeared in butter. No flavor. Just butter. Mediocore. It is pricey unnecessarily so, granted that they did have big portion sizes. Nevertheless I gave them the benefit of the doubt. I went there the second time and yet again there was literally food on my menu. My food came out with a long piece of string on it that looked like shavings of rope. Not to mention it was disgusting- the bolognese. It looked like the mixed cat food in my fettuccini and topped it off with some herbs for presentation. This place is a no go.
(1)
Robert H.
We regularly dine at this Olney location. Wife is addicted to their Antipasto salad. It's huge and yummy. Me, I'm a former New Yorker, Brooklyn to be exact, and I love their lasagna. The taste is very close to my old Brooklyn neighborhood's best Italian joint. Ask to be seated at Rick's station. He's the best server around. Prices are reasonable and service is outstanding. Place is quite large with more than adequate seating. Noise level is acceptable. Parking is OK. Sometimes we need the long walk back to the car after a sumptuous and filling Italian meal. When you are waiting for a table or walking to be seated, take one of the small pizza doughy buns on the take out counter. There are delicious. As the Italians always say, "Eat and enjoy"
(5)
Stephen C.
I liked the food, quite a bit. Thought the service was superb. However, I would only eat there again if it was "off peak" and a lot less crowded. I ate there with my wife, cousin and her husband last night at about 6:20. Nice dinner and the first rule was certainly met. Good food. I had the Scampi, wife had the mussels. The rest had one of the specials, a seafood "sampler". Everyone really liked what they had and enjoyed the food. The service was quick, alert and attentive and not too much. I got my iced tea refilled as if by magic, she was great and knew the menu & specials. Now for the not so great... The location is in a very busy "strip mall" which, by itself is OK, but is horrible to park in and worse to walk from your car to the restaurant in. The restaurant is itself very busy and VERY crowded. Not only crowded with people, but crowded with tables, diners, servers and waiting diners and takeout getters. That also makes it incredibly loud and difficult to have dinner conversation. Our first seating was at a corner booth where the four of us could barely fit. We were reseated (at our request) to a table without fuss or delay and did gain a couple more inches, but only inches. They had another room to the right which was also in use and I quickly it checked before we left but it was pretty much the same.
(3)
Brittney V.
My husband and I decided to venture out to Olney for our date night tonight. We came across Mama Lucia's in this shopping center and were lured by the outside patio seating (as the weather was excellent today). The saving grace for this restaurant is the bread they give you for starters. I should have just stopped there. I ordered a caesar salad with my entree, and it was basically lettuce with watered down dressing and some parmesan cheese and three croutons. I ate just a few bites. The waitress recommended the Pollo Saltimboca to me, so I went ahead with that. Meh, it was alright. Maybe other people may like it, but I was not a fan. I should have stuck with something classic for my first visit. It may have been a little better if the dish was not $18, but at least I have leftovers for tomorrow. My husband got the eggplant parmesan, which I did not try, but it looked quite delicious. Looking around, I saw some dishes that looked promising and we may give it another shot on Monday (pasta night) or Tuesday (pizza night), but I will probably just try another restaurant in the area. The Olney area is quite cute and reminds me of my neighborhood back home in TX, so that is a plus - still not enough for me to give this place 3 stars though.
(2)
Johnny B.
Food is really not that good. Pizza is good but over priced. The tiramisu is not that good either. Pretty much all other Mamma Lucia's restaurants are better.
(2)
Serena M.
My family has been eating at Mamma Lucia's in Olney for years and we've never had the pizza. We usually have a dinner or the dinner salad with chicken on it. I think we've tried most every entree over the years. We've very rarely had a bad meal. My favorite is the Penne Norcina--which has a touch of nutmeg. Delicious and calorie laden. My husband usually has one of the seafood specials and my son often has the dinner salad with chicken. One of my favorite things about the restaurant is the garlic dipping oil and the bread they serve with it. I love it! I usually take most of my dinner home because I eat too much of the bread and oil. Except for Jose, most of the servers are borderline professional. They really need some training. Jose, who used to be the busboy at the Chinese restaurant next door is exceptional. Unfortunately, his area is usually full and we can't get him for our waiter. The place recently underwent some renovations. They made the bar area bigger and more practical. The rest of the redecorating looks like cheesy American Italian restaurant--with tacky painted murals on the walls, etc. No more tablecloths or pretty modern hanging lights. It's really a shame because it was so attractive. At least, they still have cloth napkins. I can understand not having real tablecloths, but the rest of the new decor I don't understand at all. We've very seldom had a bad meal at Mamma Lucia's. I don't understand the complaining about the prices. The prices from the menu are very reasonable and the specials which aren't really specials because the specials are usually the same are in the $25 range. When I have to leave this area I will be very sad to say goodbye to Mammas and the Chinese restaurant next door.
(4)
Donghyuk Y.
Great local Italian restaurant. Pasta and Pizza special on Monday and Tuesday is really good deal.
(4)
Paulette M.
love this place..we get good service everytime and the amount of food you get for the price is wonderful!
(5)
Deepak B.
My wife and I loves this place. The bread and salad yummy. The entree is awesome. Don't go there for the decor, but only the food;-)
(4)
Consumer W.
The waiter was very rude to me. I waited over half an hour for a simple dish! When I aksed for the spagetti the cook threw it into a to go tin and sent me on my way. When I set the food down it was so heavy it tipped over and out came a gallon of water. The cook didn't even drain the noodles and the damn sauce spilled all over my car. So I ended up with a gallon of spagetti water in my car. It smelled like pasta primavera with marinara and extra veggies on the side with garlic bread for a month!
(2)
Margaret C.
The pizza is great! (usually Tues special is buy one large, get second for a buck) I like the pasta too (Mon special is buy one entree, get second for 4 or 5 bucks). I like this location even though it's a bit tucked away, it's roomier and a little nicer feeling than a few of the other locations.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No 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
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
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.
Frank V.
Mamma Lucia has been around Olney for a while and I think it's pretty good. Change of management has led to a slight slippage of service but the food always tastes great. The white pizza with ricotta cheese, spinach, and tomato is very good!
(4)Jenn B.
The pizza and fries are each passable. Nothing I would turn down, but much better is to be had elsewhere. The subs are considerably better. The Eggplant Parmesan is a tongue-pleaser and whatever their worst sub is, the Chicken Parm is NOT it. Mamma Lucia's was my introduction to the world wonder known as Old Bay Wings. One could easily misapply this beloved seasoning, thus ruining what was once good food, but done correctly, the Old Bay doubles as a rocket ship to whichever planet in our solar system you think has the best food. (Probably Jupiter.) Mamma Lucia's wings are dressed up for a night where the moonlight feels right.
(3)Patrick S.
I mostly get delivery so this is based on that I use their online ordering service which is ok, but have encountered on multiple occasions certain toppings missing , so it maybe hit or miss, just need to be attentive The entrees are rich, almost too much for my palate, but I tend enjoy the Linguine Vongole, fresh steamed clams are great pairing with pasta The Pizza is just okay, it's a little doughy if you have them do it, but you can request it not to be baked, so you can bake yourself later to your desired crispness Their Sub sandwiches are quite excellent, I prefer the Chicken Parm myself, and they come with a side of shoestring fries I think their greatest item on the menu isn't even Italian, their Old Bay Chicken Wings are beyond amazing, you can get your standard Hot Wings or BBQ Wings, but I highly recommend the Old Bay Wings, and you can get them in orders of 8, 12, all the way up to 50 For it faults, I keep coming back, It's entrees and pizza are leaving something desired , but it's Wings and Subs are top notch
(3)Ijene L.
So you ever know you want something with pasta but not quite sure exactly what that something is? Go to mamma Lucias. They made me fresh pasta to order down to the sauce. I knew I wanted a cream sauce, ground veal, sausage and they just said hell with the pre written dishes and gave me what I wanted. AND.... It was SO durn good and creamy and satisfying that I only wish I hadve been in sweat pants or pajamas. Lol I had the risotto balls appetizer, which is risotto? Balled up, filled with ground beef and mozzarella and fried in panko bread crumbs. GOD so yummy. There is 6 of them and they are huge, so u could definitely make a meal outta them. Served with marinara, there's something SO inherently Italian feeling about the dish that I felt very godfather - ish. Lol When you sit down, they start you with garlic knot style bread and this ridiculously so good it's bad for you oil and seasoning/parmesan mixture to drown them in... geez man. Many a hour on the treadmill this place will set you back! Not gonna lie, it's a lil pricey. Well over 30 bux for one person for an app, an entree and a glass of wine. But the portion sizes make it worth it and the service was good too! I couldn't make it to dessert but I assure you that had I had room, I would've ran towards that dessert menu with gusto. They had many of much my favorites that make my inner fat fat sing with glee! Brownie ala mode, tiramisu, cheesecakes, canollis, etc. And I'm sure they'd be great as well. Anyhoo, if u are newly broken up, sad, need to gain some weight, or whatever comfort food is needed for, this place is pillows and comforters ala pasta for the soul. Good stuff.
(5)S L.
I can't believe I'm having to do this, but I'm taking 2 stars off of my last two reviews. I had gone in for lunch a couple months back, and the veal parm wasn't very good. Chewy, and too much salt. I went back again a week ago, and the veal parm was pretty bad again. The only place I could get a decent veal parm, and it's gone down hill. So, so very sad.
(3)Patrick G.
The worst most expensive pizza ever made. All crust and barely any sauce or cheese. If you like bread then you will love their large plain pizza for eighteen dollars.
(1)Yasmin M.
Went with my friend to dinner yesterday to this restaurant. Outside the restaurant theres a board that reads "" buy one pasta entree for $14:99 the other one is $ 3:99. Once you get into the restaurant and want to place that order. You can forget it. The lady who took our order OMG. We had to repeat ourself to her so many times. It was redundant. It was like she had no idea what we wanted. We kept repeating our order to her over and over. My friend wanted Fettucini with shrimp instead of chicken. She said it was ok. When the food arrived she brought shrimp scampi. Charged us $22. Which was the wrong price. Then she brought the manager. Who was far from friendly. We were the only customer in the restaurant. I understand why they didn't had a lot of customers. Anyway I will never return to this restaurant ever again. Very poor service. Food not Italian taste at all. I would never recommend anyone to this restaurant. We were never ask by our waitress how was our food. Im not sure what was going on with our waitress. As I said we had to tell her our order several times. There were several waitresses just standing by just chit chatting laughing and carrying on. No customers.
(1)M W.
The service was wonderful, but I would have to say the food was just OK. The pizza was bland and the balsamic salad was drenched in a bitter vinaigrette. The menu didn't offer many health friendly options. I would give it another try because of the family friendly atmosphere, but I wasn't impressed by the menu.
(3)Mel A.
Mamma Lucia's is an Italian restaurant chain with locations in the Washington Metro area featuring 'down home Italian cooking.' The menu ranges from pasta to pizza and they have gluten free pasta for an additional charge. When I'm with a group, I usually go for their pizzas, ordering a simple Margherita or an elaborate Mamma's special which is a combination of pepperoni, sausage, meatballs, ham, mushrooms, green peppers, or olives. And if the group is indecisive, we'll tend to order a half of this and half of that. But if it's not gonna be pizza, my go-to pasta dish is Salsicce alla Napoletana, or penne pasta with sliced Italian sausage in a light marinara sauce with parmigiano cheese. My only gripe with this dish is that it comes with a lot of sauce. I suppose you can use it for scarpetta with the bread that's on the table. The portion sizes are huge so go easy on the bread and the garlic-parmesan-olive oil. The food is consistent and the service is always attentive. ML also has outdoor seating and a large private area for groups. 3.5 stars!
(3)Andrew X.
Ordered a pizza at 5:45, line of people here with the same quote of 30 minutes, 7:15 my order goes in the oven. The manager has told off every customer complaint and hasn't so much as acknowledged his service failure for multiple customers. Avoid this place, and it's terrible customer service. Edit for Rick: Rick, I find your lack of acknowledging the complaint made before mine by another customer, as well as the gentleman after me in line claiming here not to notice "anyone else" complaining as laughable at best. Busy or not, you don't quote 30 minutes to your customers if you know you can't deliver on that time. Waiting nearly 2 hours (an hour of which in your restaurant) and then watching you ignore the valid complaints of myself and others, then scoffing at what we asked for when you asked us what you could do for us to compensate is another dose of terrible customer service. Your management skills are a joke and you've lost a customer. I didn't flat out ask for a discount as you put it, you asked me what you could do to make it right. Your options are more food, which clearly would be an issue since you were backlogged, so I said a 10% off the next order would be a good start; which you outright refused. It's not the customers fault, regardless of your specials that you couldn't quote a reasonable time... and instead think it resonable to invent imaginary pickup windows, waste our time, and take no responsibility while fluffing your story here to save face.
(1)Jania C.
I've been dining at Mamma Lucia's since they first opened in Rockville Federal Plaza. I have eaten at all of their locations except for Bethesda and College Park. Although they are not all consistent, I really enjoy their food. I am reviewing only the Olney restaurant for now. My favorite of all their dishes is their Gamberetti alla Fra Diavolo. The shrimp are large and cooked perfectly, but the sauce...wow! I can't get enough of their sauce. By the way, their marinara sauces are much better than their tomato sauces. Scampi is also good, and so is Gamberetti alla Montese (fresh shrimp and crabmeat in a pink sauce over penne pasta). In fact, I doubt you could go wrong with any of their seafood dishes. This is not the least expensive Italian restaurant around, but salad comes with the entrée, which is rare for Italian restaurants. Their Italian bread is addictive. The pizza is usually terrific, though a little pricey. One time I had it served slightly burnt, but the crust is wonderful most of the time, and they give you the right amount of sauce and cheese. On Monday's, for every dish you order you can get a pasta of equal or lesser value for $3.99. It's really worth it. The only negatives are a few of their pasta dishes. Tomato sauce is not their strong point, in my opinion, so I stick with their marinara sauce or their pink sauce. Mostaccioli alla Arrabiata (penne pasta in a spicy marinara sauce) is not wonderful. The sauce is on the dry side. I am also not fond of their Baked Ziti (actually penne). For me, there is entirely too much ricotta cheese and not enough sauce. It looks delicious but tastes bland. Maybe others would disagree with me. The Olney restaurant has a back room for private or semi-private parties. Some of the other locations are rather small. Mamma Lucia's also caters and does a very nice job. They have fundraisers for nonprofit organizations and they donate to the community. For that reason alone you should give them your business.
(5)Paul S.
Pretty standard Italian. Everything was well made and tasted great. The ambiance didn't seem like anything special and the food itself seemed like it was a bit on the pricey side. I had checked the menu online before coming here, when I got there the menu was different, items were more expensive. This was also a lunch hour so I found that surprising. On the plus side, you get a side salad if you order a meal. We also waited quite awhile for our food once we finished our soup and salad. Will probably come here again, but won't go out of my way for it.
(3)Michael S.
This pizza is decent for the area but the service is terrible for take out. We ordered a pizza Friday night at 6:10. They stated it would be 45 minutes for pick up. I know Friday's can be hectic so I ended up getting there about an hour later. The pizza still wasn't ready. I finally got the pizza at about 7:40 pm. It should not take an hour and a half for a plain large pie. We will not be ordering from them again.
(2)Rosie P.
This place is CRANNNNNKKKK. The food is SOO SOO SOO gooood. The service is aight, but that bread and garlic/ olive oil dip thoughhhhhhhh. I'm still savoring the flavors. YESSSSSSSSSSSS
(5)Tony N.
I visited a few weeks back, and I have to confess that I don't get the positive reviews for Mama's. Granted, this is the kind of neighborhood restaurant you really want to like. However I can't get past the absolutely flavorless pasta sauce. No really, they would have been better off adding a can of tomatoes to a jar of Barilla and it would have been a dramatic improvement. The meatballs were just not that good either; the best I can give them is that they were large and mostly edible. I've had their pizza on a few occasions. While the toppings are actually pretty good, here comes Mamma's extra bland sauce and an equally tasteless crust to reduce the experience to blah.
(2)Hieu V.
The tiramisu is really good, and we also love their fries. Very friendly and helpful owner and staff. Come back every time :)
(4)Perry S.
The service is never very good, the food takes forever to come out and it never tastes good. Wouldnt go again after the 3 visits I had.
(1)Humberto O.
Went to the restaurant last night, they didn't seem to be super busy, but did start getting some more tables near the end. Service was just okay, and food was just okay. Not really worth the prices they charge, but we haven't been in a couple of months, so we thought we'd try it. Looks like we will be taking another break from this restaurant and won't be going for another couple of months.
(3)Kyle D.
The pizza is delicious! I like sitting in the bar area. Bartenders Deanna and Esther are so fun!
(4)A C.
Ate dinner here tonight. The food was great. The service was good. The price was right. However, I do have a couple of negative observations: 1) Several girls working here have very long hair and they don't tie it in a ponytail or a bun. I saw one girl who was in the food area flipping her hair numerous times. Gross! Men should also be required to keep a neater appearance. 2) Lots of staff standing around doing nothing, just socializing and texting/reading their cell phone messages. If ya got time to lean, ya got time to clean! One guy who was off to himself was working every minute and staying busy while everyone else was standing around. 3) Female staff behind food counter was eating pizza dough balls in full view of patrons. Stop eating the pizza balls from the bowl! It looks gross and makes me wonder if they eat from my plate when they bring out the food. To be fair, I have observed staff eating in front of patrons at Riccuitis, and the Brookeville Inn, so this is no different. They also have similar reviews. My guess is the manager was "off" tonight. He may want to review the security camera film to see what was happening here and fix some of those issues with staff. It doesn't take much effort to be more professional in the restaurant business, but management needs to get firm and have some rules. I think 2 stars is the best rating I have ever given this location. Rockville location is great!
(2)Michelle L.
We ordered dinner from here last night. I ordered ziti with butter. My fiance ordered ziti with sausage. When he got home, they were both buttered noodles. He called and they were not very apologetic. He went there and they just gave him the new meal. They never apologized or even offered him a bag to carry the food home in. I will rethink things before I go back there again! It used to be our go to place!!!!
(1)Jeff W.
Best pizza around (if you like NY style). Try the Mezzaluna, the Lasagna, the fettuccini Alfredo w shrimp. Great Caesar salad, amazing bread and oil for appetizer. OMG now I'm hungry. Love this place.
(5)Roger C.
This place is just not that good. Olney has better restaurants and every time I go here I feel like the food is very basic and convention style food. The pizza is tasty though and the atmosphere is nice.
(3)Anne R.
Mamma Lucias is great. They will customize your pasta (if you know what you are talking about and can relay correctly to waitress) And they have a great party room. We have had all kinds of family friendly events there, even a two year old's birthday party. Food is consistently good, as is service. They also host many fundraisers
(5)Jeneane B.
My husband is a native New Yorker, so he is very particular about his pizza. Although not perfectly authentic, Mamma Lucia is one of the best pizza places we have found in Montgomery County. We often go and sit down for a meal, but they make it just as easy to call in an order and carry-out. In addition to pizza, we have tried a number of their other Italian specialties - sausage and peppers, pollo brunello and pollo di Mamma are among our favorite entrees. One of my favorite dishes at Mamma Lucia is their Greek salad with grilled chicken. Service in the restaurant is good and there is a private room at this Mamma's location where you could host a good-sized group.
(4)Sharon W.
Had a very mixed lunch at Mamma Lucia this week so more like 2-1/2 stars. I ordered the Chicken Parmesan and husband ordered a Tilapia in Red Sauce lunch special. My chicken was served on a plate that was really too small for the amount of food, making it hard to handle without sauce spilling all over the table. But even sadder, the chicken was too thick and hard to cut and was warm, not piping hot, so not a very successful dish. The Tilapia, on the other hand, had steam coming from it and husband said it was very good. Maybe I'm spoiled by the Chicken Parmesan at Il Porto but I found my food pretty disappointing. A friend who lives in Olney confirmed that the food at Mamma Lucia can be hit or miss, sometimes very good, other times not so much. Guess we hit them on a "not so much" day.
(3)John B.
Probably the best of several Mamma Lucia locations. Huge and well-decorated place with dedicated staff. Like all ML's, they have good pizza, not the best you've ever tasted but definitely satisfying, as well as a large variety of excellent pasta dishes and ample and fantastic free garlic bread. You can get gluten-free pizza, but if you don't you'll be eating a lot of (delicious) wheat. Even though it's got a large multiroom dining area, it fills up on weekends, with good reason.
(4)Katie A.
The food was really disappointing...we had Fried Mozzarella, which tasted like it was a few days old...the marinara was super bitter, like tomatoes straight out of the can. Our entrees were nothing special...Chicken Picatta was bland, chicken was overcooked; our other entree had marinara on it...again, it was bitter...and there was really no concept of "al dente" coming through on the pasta. We were reminded why we haven't been here in a while -- the quality of the food is definitely not worth the $$$.
(2)Roberto N.
Outdoors dining is a real treat. Pollo Brunella is delicious.
(3)Monica B.
Good service. Appetizers were tasty (wedding soup and risotto balls), but the entrees were barely edible. Avoid the seafood salad and chicken scampi (an Easter special). The seafood was rubbery, pasta overcooked, and chicken was bland. We ordered a side of Alfredo sauce to try and help the dish. It came out tasting like pure butter. The meal was not discounted. Disappointing holiday lunch with my family visiting from the west coast.
(1)Amy S.
YUMMMO! While this is just a chain restaurant, the food is spectacular if you're looking for Italian! This is close to where I work and I eat here frequently for lunch. We've also had them deliver a few times for events at work...and it's always a favorite of my work people! My favorite dish is the cappellini adriatico...a delicious combination of fresh scallops, shrimp and crabmeat in a fresh cherry tomato sauce over angel hair pasta. I love it prepared in a rose sauce instead, which they gladly accomodate. Huge portions (I'll usually get two more meals out of what I order for lunch). Another great option is the veal saltimboca or pollo brunello....both of which I love. The ambiance isn't much to write home about and the wait staff is nice....but think chain restaurant. The food, however is fantastic and I'd recommend it if you ever come across a Mama Lucia's to try....
(4)Elisabeth H.
Definitely have experienced better, not just in general but from Mama Lucia's. Granted, it has been a LONG time since I have eaten in or had anything but pizza from Mama Lucia's but this was so disappointing. The pros, the place has been renovated and looks nice on the inside and the service was good for the most part. I ended up sitting at the bar which has a couple high top tables. I ordered a cesar salad and had asked for anchovies, which I didn't get so was a little disappointed about that. I ordered mussels which were horrible. The broth was wayyy salty and most of the mussels were gritty. Just wasn't good at all. That said the wine was good... After this dinner I think I will be sticking to pizza if anything, but it might just be time for a break.
(2)Brian S.
Ive been here many times and they have excellent food. The chicken Chesapeake, veal veal saltimbocca, and sausage pizza are a few of my favorites. One big complaint I do have is about the pasta with red sauce they serve on the side....it tastes like they use some generic pasta thats probably been sitting around for a while and then throw it with some sauce and send it out....Could benefit greatly from having fresh pasta. Sorry but to be a great italian restaurant you have to make your own pasta!! At least buy some decent not boxed stuff. Overall though itsa pretty good spot, even for a small chain!
(3)Becky K.
The nice atmosphere, attentive waiters, and simple, yet delicious fare makes this a good place to frequent. My family members are devoted annual fans. By the way, the chocolate cake almost made my heart explode. It was moist, rich, and sweet just enough to intensify the dark chocolate flavors (sugar often smothers poor quality, which this cake was not guilty of!).
(4)Kristi F.
Decent food and friendly staff. The food has become somewhat inconsistent so some meals are great while others are just ok. I like that it has outdoor seating options.
(3)Farmer R.
Stopped in for a late lunch yesterday afternoon. Was served two cold, old slices of pepperoni while another patron got a steaming hot, fresh slice of plain cheese sitting next to me at the bar. I had a completely clueless young waiter who never asked how the food was although he noticed that I stopped eating the slices after a few bites and pushed the plate away. It's a nice place in a busy shopping center and should be serving better and fresher food to ALL of its customers ALL of the time.
(1)Georgio S.
Ok, I used to love this place years ago but the product changed. Everything I ordered was not as good as it once was. The good. Service was great, Ceasar salad, bread with oil awesome. The bad: ravioli rose not as good as it was. They changed to different cheeper not as tasty frozen ravioli and the sauce was not quite as good as it was. The chicken wings were not that good. Highlight was the fresh celery and ranch. The pizza is where things got the worst. The crust reminded me of cardboard both in taste and texture. The cheese was changed to a cheaper variety What happened to the Grande? Toppings were good i had same ol same ol pepperoni and sausage. I don't know if this store has had a resent change in management but it sure is due for one. One thing I know for sure is they have compromised quality for quantity. I'm pretty sad because at one time Mammas was considered the better if the restaurants in the Olney area. Now they join all the rest of the crappy places in this small town. Looks like for descent Italian I need to drive out to Rockville.
(2)Allison L.
Pretty good! I would definitely suggest coming for lunch instead of dinner because the dinner prices seem particularly expensive. Lunch was really good, and cheap. The garlic bread/olive oil they start you off with is pretty tasty, and there's some plain rolls they serve with your pasta (really good, and good for soaking up pasta sauce). I had the ravioli rose (tortellini with a creamy marinara sauce) and while the ravioli wasn't the best, the sauce was amazing.
(3)Megan B.
I have been going to Mama's for years and I love it. They have amazing pizza and some great pasta dishes as well (my ABSOLUTE favorite being ravioli rose). Their bread and oil are so good that I always get some added to my carry-out meals. They also have great coffee compared to most restaurants. The staff is friendly and attentive. The atmosphere is clean, lively, and family-friendly. Mama Lucia's is a great alternative to the chain Italian restaurants in the area (like the Olive Garden).
(5)Ellen S.
Great food! Been a patron of Mama Lucia's for years and am never disappointed. Last night we dined for Father''s Day and had a great waiter named Dave. Service was fabulous and we never had to wait long for food or drinks. Tried a new dish (can't remember name of it) but, was so yummy! Chicken breast with eggplant, prosciutto and mozzerella in Marsala sauce. Also, they have a gorgonzola cheese dressing for salads that is outstanding! Huge portions so you will need a doggy bag. Only reason I did not give 5 stars is because prices seem to increase with each visit.
(4)H. S.
This is the kind of place that sticks in your mind when you want comfort food pasta. They're menu is varied that you will never get tired of anything here. However, be careful what you order, as the portions here are genuinely huge. Add an appetizer in there, and you're probably done.
(4)Miguel P.
Good family atmosphere and good food.
(4)David O.
Expect an emphasis on quantity over quality. They first bring a large basket of garlic bread using an excellent italian bread; unfortunately it was stale. The side salad was uninspiring, with only two choices for salad dressing. The chicken parmesan was very large, with an ample portion of pasta, but i suspect they baked the chicken breast instead of making it in a pan (i.e., it was thick and chewy), and the chicken and pasta was covered with tomato sauce (not pasta sauce) as the menu frankly stated. Not much flavor. No complaints about the service. Think pizza place that has a full menu, rather than a restaurant with a collection of tasty dishes they wish to share with you.
(2)Rok L.
If there were a rating of -10, I would give that. We carried out dinner one night two weeks ago and it was HORRIBLE. The food was so disappointing, Everything tasted old and not fresh, we ended up throwing the food out without eating. I felt like we would have had a better meal if we opened up cans of Chef Boyardee. Never again!!
(1)Geoff G.
This is an update to my previous review of Mamma Lucia which received 2 Stars. I am adding a 3rd Star to my review. The manager at Mamma Lucia was nice enough to reach out to me and asked for another chance at proving that the kitchen could produce quality food that I would be happy with. A couple of Fridays ago, I called the manager directly and asked him to prepare any dish he pleased, as long as it was in a red sauce and had protein. The chef prepared a Salsicce alla Napoletana, which is sliced Italian Sausage in a light marinara with grated cheese. The dish was very tasty and one of the better meals I have tasted at Mamma Lucia. To the manager- I appreciate the kind gesture. It is a perfect example of a restaurant caring about the clientele and hoping they are satisfied with their dining experience.
(3)Larry D.
Having spent three years in Italy it is very hard to eat "Italian" in "the states", the taste just does not compare. I'm not sure what "it" is, but we ain't got "it". Until that is, I dined at the Mama Lucia's in Olney Md. I've only had a few of their dishes, even though I've eaten there for over 5 years, the Lasagna, the Pepperoni Pizza and a few others all carry that taste that I left behind in Italy. Is it a spice? a cooking style? I don't know, but what I do know is that they got it right. Ask to be seated in Jose's section, he is always working and has waited on me through the years. Always attentive and helpful, he will not let you down.
(5)Robin S.
The garlic bread and the oil at Mamma Lucia's was amazing and really got my hopes up that I was in for some great Italian food. Unfortunately, the food was uninspiring in the extreme. The marinara sauce is sugary sweet and totally overpowering. The service was very good, but I would not recommend it for high quality food.
(3)Zeina H.
Mamma!!!! Mamma Lucia!!!! Love the food. Some of my favorites are Seafood Asparagus and Penne Vodka,pretty much anything with rose/vodka sauce. Portions are huge and are priced reasonably well. you will definitely have left overs They just renovated the whole restaurant so it's very clean and chic. they have a nice bar area with wonderful servers. It is a good restaurant for families and kids, as well as a date night. They have incredible deals! Monday -pasta night (2nd pasta is $3.99) Tuesday- pizza night ( 2nd pizza $1.99) Wednesday- wine night ( half off bottles of wine) Make reservations if your planning to go at dinner time on weekends!
(5)Carole F.
Some of my friends like this restaurant well enough, but I've tried it several times over many years and really don't like the food (over-sized, under-flavored) or that the tables are very close together. In their favor, they offer fund-raisers to local non-profits where anyone bringing in the appropriate flyer gets a percentage donated to that charity. Kudos to the owners for this! Please provide some smaller low-fat options. Thanks!
(2)Donna M.
A friend and I had our monthly 3pm lunch here again today. The waiter has seen us enough to have our orders memorized and, once again, the food was good and service was attentive. I had the gluten-free plain cheese pizza (I go for plain because it gets a little too pricey with toppings). Mamma Lucia's has the best g-f pizza crust in this area. Although I occasionally pass up the pizza for side dishes of asparagus and mozzarella caprese in the summer, I invariably pick the g-f pizza through the winter. I've never been disappointed. They seem to have a good understanding what g-f requires, cooking all g-f pizzas in their own foil pizza pan to prevent cross-contamination from surfaces the regular pizzas touch. We've been going there for over a year, and I've never been glutened. I had an opportunity to speak with a manager a month or two ago to let him know how great the g-f pizza is and ask questions about their gluten-free pasta: with every g-f order, they start with a fresh pot, fresh water, fresh utensils, etc. I haven't ordered it yet but will report back eventually when I do; the pizza's just so good I keep forgetting about their pasta! TV in the bar, which is visible from some tables in the restaurant side. There's little noise from the bar side over in the front room of the restaurant side, unless there's an especially exciting game and especially avid fans. They also do a brisk carry-out business.
(4)Sean A.
Average pizza IMHO. Not bad, but not WOW! I'd say that wating for the pizza while nibbling on the bread with oil and cheese for dipping is as good as the pizza eating experience - The staff here is very nice and eager to please. No complaints about service. The atmosphere is upbeat, clean and comfortable.
(3)David M.
Thank you Pizza God, for giving me a good carry out place. I dock a star for crowds, parking, and price. It is a bit pricy. But overall, this place wins. My wife and I ate there to scout it out as a day-before-Thanksgiving pizza acquisition location. We had a great visit and were well taken care of. But the carry out was really good. We went in, my brother and I, ordered, got a time estimate, and went to run some errands at Shoppers and Olney Beer/Wine. They messed our order up. We wanted a large with one type of topping and a medium with another. So...instead of saying 'woops!' the chef had done an extra medium pizza for us at no extra charge. Muy bueno, I gotta say. Next time we're stocking a sports party with pizza, I'm calling these guys. Period.
(4)Lauren S.
Oh Mama what has happened? The food used to be to die for and the service always stellar. Now the manager spends his time chatting with the young waitresses who sip on cups of soda and don't seem to be working at all. The take out is a mess - we placed an order for pizza, which still remains tasty, and when we went to pick it up they had no record of it. They told us to show us on our phone that we called the right Mama's and when we showed them their number on our cell they shrugged. No attempt to make it right for us- we then waited 30 minutes for our take out pizza. The pasta has changed, it s heavy, the sauces don't taste fresh anymore. Pizza still tastes good if you can deal with the poor customer service. So sad- it was so darn good at one time.
(2)J A.
Service was great and the food was fantastic...... Awesome calamari and lasagna.... Will be my favorite place for Italian,food.....
(5)Victoria B.
Why is Olney food just as expensive as in DC or Bethesda, but of much, much lower quality? Mama Lucia used to be decent, but their eggplant parm recipe changed for the worst and the restaurant caused me embarrassment. I brought my boyfriend and his mother once (who are from better fed Crofton) for lunch. BIG MISTAKE. The lunch prices are far from a good deal, and the chef must've just thought that the quality didn't matter. My boyfriend got a dried out chicken sandwich and I got a disgusting salad. The quality is just sad - especially considering it's the same cost as Cheesecake Factory and other quality dining areas. I am giving it 2 stars instead of one, because the decor has effort put it, it's easy to talk here, and the service is good. But it's a terrible rip-off.
(2)stephen m.
This is a review of the Olney location. The food here stinks. They give you huge portions, but the quality of the food is terrible. I had the veal parmesan, and the cut of veal was very cheap. The sauce was gross. I have yet to find a good restaurant in Olney.
(1)Melbourne B.
Greasy, Greasy, greasy. If it's not pizza then you won't have to put chap stick on for a month. Tried Pancetti, fettuccine Alfredo carbonara, Lasagna all the same. Even their breadsticks are just toast with a little tomato sauce and garlic! I've always heard wonderful things about their white pizza, but after trying it now I suspect people in this area don't really like anything above bland. No thanks
(2)Natalie F.
I had a Fabulous and Delicious dinner here last night. We were seated right away, service was fantastic. I really liked our waitress, she was very attentive and friendly. I got the Eggplant parmigiana, which was AWESOME! It was so cheesy and big, perfect for eating half and having the rest for lunch the next day. My glass of wine was very generous, which I think it should be everywhere seeing as how expensive it is! I also love the bread and garlic cheese oil you get in the beginning of the meal. Overall, VERY enjoyable and great food. I will be definitely be back !
(4)James L.
The food I had at mama lucia was satisfying, yet i cant find myself going back for more. The service at mama lucia was the absolute worst service I've ever gotten. I'm sure you can find a better Italian place close by don't sacrifice service for average Italian
(2)Séamus C.
Total family place, great food, generous portions. The decor is far from fancy, but the calamari fritti and freshly baked pizza are always delicious. Although we like the al fresco dining of the downtown Bethesda store, the Olney site always seems to be a little tastier.
(4)Rachel F.
I LOVE Mamma Lucia in Olney! I have had my bridal shower, rehersal dinner and my husband's 30th birthday party there and not only has the food been delicious, the service is out of this world! The manager, Rick, even sent a follow up email from the 30th birthday party just to make sure we all had a good time and to thank us for our business. They have customers for life with me and my family.
(5)Autumn N.
Penne vodka is out of control good. Topped with salty chunks of pancetta and swirled with Parmesan, the vodka sauce is a perfect combo of sweet, salty and a little kick. It's all I ever order when I go here -- you won't be disappointed that you tried it! So good! Salads are a little watery but bread before meal is garlicky good.
(4)Matthew L.
Food quality is middle of the road, but it is a cheap and plentiful. The lunch buffet is the main attraction. It's fast and convenient. The pasta on the main menu is somewhat oily. The pizza has a good crust, but the cheese and toppings seem somewhat cheap.
(3)Katie W.
I have been to Mamma Lucia more times than I can count. My trip last Monday may however, have been my last. My favorite dish for a long time was the Ravioli Rose. Simple and delicious, but the last time I ate it, I ended up not feeling so well. Last Monday I decided to switch it up a bit and tried the Spaghetti Al Funghi. NEVER AGAIN! I thought it tasted a bit funny, but didn't notice the smell until I heated up my leftovers at home. A cloud of rancid tomato stench filled the kitchen. The smell actually woke my fiance up from a deep sleep!!! I would like to forget the 24 hours that followed, but it will be difficult. My sister, fiance, and mother also felt ill after the dinner. What are you putting in the sauce, Mamma?? I offer 2 stars for the history my family and I have had with this restaurant, especially the fabulous service we received at the lunch following my grandmother's funeral. I wish it didn't have to be this way, but I have such a bad taste in my mouth that it will be difficult to return.
(2)Emily R.
In my opinion, Mama Lucia's is "A Ok." I've honestly felt like the food has never been amazing and the prices aren't that convincing either. I do have to say that the portions are huge and I always take home leftovers. But this one is in the middle for me. When I went last month, they seemed to have only hired high school/college servers, perhaps because it is the summertime. Specials Monday night (pasta night, buy one dish get one for $4) and Tuesday night (pizza night, BOGO for $4, carry out only). You can be seated outside at this location, if there's a spot available, and this is a kid-friendly restaurant. It is probably one of the busiest spots at night aside from Cheeburger and Coldstone in this particular Olney shopping center.
(3)Christine N.
I love this place! My boyfriend and I come specifically for their pizza. It's thin crust and delicious. The boyfriend is a particularly picky pizza eater and this is one of the only places out of the ones we've tried in the area (more than I can count) that he likes. When I'm not in the mood for pizza I usually get the Fettucini Bolognese. It's incredibly unhealthy, but definitely hits the spot. The bread that they give you when you dine in or have entrees in your carry out order, is incredible. It's warm with a spice blend slathered on it and there is an olive oil dip they put on your table if you eat there. I'm looking forward to our pizza tonight! Mushroom, pepperoni, and onion always hits the spot!
(4)Rachel G.
Seafood with whole wheat pasta or asparagus in spicy marinara. Yum! I try not to be tempted by the bread.
(5)Ricky M.
The best pizza in Olney. The Tuesday night special is a great deal considering the pizza is a little more pricey but worth it.
(4)Jeff H.
We were disappointed in the quality of the chicken entrees. The service was great--fast and attentive--but our main courses were just fair. The chicken in my chicken marsala and my son's chicken florentine was thick and flavorless. To compensate, each dish had too much salt and sauces. There was no subtlety to these dishes. Frankly, I could have been at a diner and received the same food. The good news was that the pasta that accompanied the dishes was excellent. My wife's calamari was good, not great. I was surprised at how mediocre the main courses were and would be reluctant to go back.
(2)Lorraine M.
The first time I went to this place I sat down and looked at the menu and it looked like an infant had thrown up all over it. Smelled like it too. I asked the waiter for another menu and he pretended not to hear me so a different waitress brought me a menu. I ordered the carbonara. It tasted like baked butter in a heavy butter cream sauce smeared in butter. No flavor. Just butter. Mediocore. It is pricey unnecessarily so, granted that they did have big portion sizes. Nevertheless I gave them the benefit of the doubt. I went there the second time and yet again there was literally food on my menu. My food came out with a long piece of string on it that looked like shavings of rope. Not to mention it was disgusting- the bolognese. It looked like the mixed cat food in my fettuccini and topped it off with some herbs for presentation. This place is a no go.
(1)Robert H.
We regularly dine at this Olney location. Wife is addicted to their Antipasto salad. It's huge and yummy. Me, I'm a former New Yorker, Brooklyn to be exact, and I love their lasagna. The taste is very close to my old Brooklyn neighborhood's best Italian joint. Ask to be seated at Rick's station. He's the best server around. Prices are reasonable and service is outstanding. Place is quite large with more than adequate seating. Noise level is acceptable. Parking is OK. Sometimes we need the long walk back to the car after a sumptuous and filling Italian meal. When you are waiting for a table or walking to be seated, take one of the small pizza doughy buns on the take out counter. There are delicious. As the Italians always say, "Eat and enjoy"
(5)Stephen C.
I liked the food, quite a bit. Thought the service was superb. However, I would only eat there again if it was "off peak" and a lot less crowded. I ate there with my wife, cousin and her husband last night at about 6:20. Nice dinner and the first rule was certainly met. Good food. I had the Scampi, wife had the mussels. The rest had one of the specials, a seafood "sampler". Everyone really liked what they had and enjoyed the food. The service was quick, alert and attentive and not too much. I got my iced tea refilled as if by magic, she was great and knew the menu & specials. Now for the not so great... The location is in a very busy "strip mall" which, by itself is OK, but is horrible to park in and worse to walk from your car to the restaurant in. The restaurant is itself very busy and VERY crowded. Not only crowded with people, but crowded with tables, diners, servers and waiting diners and takeout getters. That also makes it incredibly loud and difficult to have dinner conversation. Our first seating was at a corner booth where the four of us could barely fit. We were reseated (at our request) to a table without fuss or delay and did gain a couple more inches, but only inches. They had another room to the right which was also in use and I quickly it checked before we left but it was pretty much the same.
(3)Brittney V.
My husband and I decided to venture out to Olney for our date night tonight. We came across Mama Lucia's in this shopping center and were lured by the outside patio seating (as the weather was excellent today). The saving grace for this restaurant is the bread they give you for starters. I should have just stopped there. I ordered a caesar salad with my entree, and it was basically lettuce with watered down dressing and some parmesan cheese and three croutons. I ate just a few bites. The waitress recommended the Pollo Saltimboca to me, so I went ahead with that. Meh, it was alright. Maybe other people may like it, but I was not a fan. I should have stuck with something classic for my first visit. It may have been a little better if the dish was not $18, but at least I have leftovers for tomorrow. My husband got the eggplant parmesan, which I did not try, but it looked quite delicious. Looking around, I saw some dishes that looked promising and we may give it another shot on Monday (pasta night) or Tuesday (pizza night), but I will probably just try another restaurant in the area. The Olney area is quite cute and reminds me of my neighborhood back home in TX, so that is a plus - still not enough for me to give this place 3 stars though.
(2)Johnny B.
Food is really not that good. Pizza is good but over priced. The tiramisu is not that good either. Pretty much all other Mamma Lucia's restaurants are better.
(2)Serena M.
My family has been eating at Mamma Lucia's in Olney for years and we've never had the pizza. We usually have a dinner or the dinner salad with chicken on it. I think we've tried most every entree over the years. We've very rarely had a bad meal. My favorite is the Penne Norcina--which has a touch of nutmeg. Delicious and calorie laden. My husband usually has one of the seafood specials and my son often has the dinner salad with chicken. One of my favorite things about the restaurant is the garlic dipping oil and the bread they serve with it. I love it! I usually take most of my dinner home because I eat too much of the bread and oil. Except for Jose, most of the servers are borderline professional. They really need some training. Jose, who used to be the busboy at the Chinese restaurant next door is exceptional. Unfortunately, his area is usually full and we can't get him for our waiter. The place recently underwent some renovations. They made the bar area bigger and more practical. The rest of the redecorating looks like cheesy American Italian restaurant--with tacky painted murals on the walls, etc. No more tablecloths or pretty modern hanging lights. It's really a shame because it was so attractive. At least, they still have cloth napkins. I can understand not having real tablecloths, but the rest of the new decor I don't understand at all. We've very seldom had a bad meal at Mamma Lucia's. I don't understand the complaining about the prices. The prices from the menu are very reasonable and the specials which aren't really specials because the specials are usually the same are in the $25 range. When I have to leave this area I will be very sad to say goodbye to Mammas and the Chinese restaurant next door.
(4)Donghyuk Y.
Great local Italian restaurant. Pasta and Pizza special on Monday and Tuesday is really good deal.
(4)Paulette M.
love this place..we get good service everytime and the amount of food you get for the price is wonderful!
(5)Deepak B.
My wife and I loves this place. The bread and salad yummy. The entree is awesome. Don't go there for the decor, but only the food;-)
(4)Consumer W.
The waiter was very rude to me. I waited over half an hour for a simple dish! When I aksed for the spagetti the cook threw it into a to go tin and sent me on my way. When I set the food down it was so heavy it tipped over and out came a gallon of water. The cook didn't even drain the noodles and the damn sauce spilled all over my car. So I ended up with a gallon of spagetti water in my car. It smelled like pasta primavera with marinara and extra veggies on the side with garlic bread for a month!
(2)Margaret C.
The pizza is great! (usually Tues special is buy one large, get second for a buck) I like the pasta too (Mon special is buy one entree, get second for 4 or 5 bucks). I like this location even though it's a bit tucked away, it's roomier and a little nicer feeling than a few of the other locations.
(4)