Mona Lisa Ristorante Italiano

We’ve been twice and the lasagna and chicken parmigiana were both excellent. Generous portions, great tasting, and personable (and excellent!) service each time. Last night we had the dessert special — espresso crème brûlée! It was amazing! We voiced our compliments to the chef (nice lady) and I hope it becomes a permanent addition to the menu. Great experience, looking forward to our next visit, and I will highly recommend the Mona Lisa!

Good size portions and very tasty. I’ve been here numerous times and the cooking is fairly consistent.

Had a fabulous dinner hear while on business. Nice atmosphere and dynamite food. I had the chicken parm with home made pasta and was delighted by the taste, portion and presentation. Everyone at the table had positive reviews of their meals.

I really like the newer décor that they have at the restaurant. It’s a nice seperation between the restaurant and the lounge area. The only bad thing is the door in the lounge area has a few tables around it and if you sit by the doors during cold weather you will certainly getting chilly.
Our server was quite good, but our food took quite a long time. I had their own take on sushi, but it was Italian style. It was really interesting. I don’t know if I would order it again, but I’m glad that I gave it a try.
Parking is a little difficult unless you get a spot right on the street because having to cross the street with no crosswalk can take a bit. Otherwise no complaints!

We hadn’t been to Mona Lisa in a while and it seems it was renovated. It looks really good.
They had live music, but we couldn’t get a table in the dining area. We were placed in a squishy table against the dessert display in the lounge. So, while the atmosphere may have been a lot better had we made a reservation for the restaurant, the service and food did not disappoint.
My husband had the cannelloni and I had the Alex pizza. I was very impressed and will certainly be back. The coffee and espresso crème brûlée was also delicious.

Found this little gem when we couldn’t find another restaurant. The inside was beautiful and the artwork was amazing. We went on a Saturday night and got a table but I would recommend reservations as they were packed. The service and food were excellent. I couldn’t finish my meal so I took the leftovers and I can’t wait to have them. This is a definite stop when you are in Winnipeg!

Great food. However, on weekends be prepared to wait over 45 minutes. We waited an hour and were thinking about leaving. The owner came up and tried to tell us waiting this long is normal and annoyed us even more by telling us to «chill» and don’t be upset. Right. Just train your staff and maybe have more helpers in the kitchen.

Amazing food and drink. Swanky, friendly vibe. Tonight I’m picking up fresh ingredients for hime pizza night. Will be back for a lunch soon!

Hmm an Italian place with only 2 pasta dishes for lunch. Mostly calzone and pizza
I had lunch pasta, penne with a side of meatballs, see photo and bread. Bread was fresh, olive oil nice
Meatballs kinda dry a flavorless, sauce was excellent, pasta a little over done
Flies inside the restaurant a constant annoyance the whole time I was there

I love any place that has yummy shareable appetizers, and this place is no exception. The cheese plate is awesome, as well as Caterina’s Crostini’s. That, and a bottle of wine, and you have a delicious meal! The service is the one area that can be a bit lacking, but not bad enough to not come back. Definitely try it out!

Wonderful little spot. food is very good, nice neighborhood. You will need a reservation on the weekend. Menu is great, probably one of the best Italian restaurants in Winnipeg unless you go to a high end restaurant. I’ve been a few times.

The ‘hood values this place as much for its late hours, great wine selection and friendly staff as for its food. But let it be known that the food is pretty great too.
One of my favourites is the «rustic» pizza. More calzone than pizza? Perhaps. All I know is, it looks fabulous on the plate and tastes even better in the mouth. It’s like a pizza in first bloom, unfolding its crusty petals to reveal the delicious tastes inside. Mona Lisa will deliver it, too… and I tell you, it is a joy to open the box and behold this hand-​crafted beauty, rather than the usual flabby facsimile that we accept as pizza at our doorsteps.
I’m also a fan of the Calabrese pizza — similar taste but with traditional crust and presentation.
Yes, this pizza is a tad expensive. You must ask yourself: Do I want something cheap to fill my somach in a hurry, or am I longing for tasty enjoyment? If you want the former, choose Dominos. No shame in that. But if you want to savour your pizza — perhaps in the company of something voluptuous and leggy, like a nice Cabernet — Mona Lisa’s it is.
For pasta, one stand-​out for me is the pescatore, packed with seafood. Mona Lisa has a nice touch with their red sauces, whether on pasta or pizza.
In years past, my favourite pasta was the shells stuffed with ricotta and shrimp. It’s still a good dish, but they’ve moved to a more artful presentation that I don’t think works as well, taste-​wise. instead of chopping up the shrimp and mixing it with the ricotta, they perch the shrimp atop the stuffed shells. Pretty, but I prefer the tastes combined in the shell, rather than deconstructed.
In summer, the patio is always popular — perhaps even more so since Corydon Village turned into one long strip of sushi joints. There our friendly and gracious host, Joe Grande, can often be seen holding court.
Sit at the bar inside the Cantina, and you will be treated to great service by a friendly bartender… with a good-​natured tolerance for women of a certain age who are out to enjoy a lively Friday night dinner.
And if you want sushi, try Mona Lisa’s Italian version. Well worth a taste, and great for sharing.

I love calamari and their «frittura di calamari» ($ 12) is probably one of the most tender squid I’ve ever had (even my 3 year old niece ate them). They’re lightly battered and very delicious. No sauce, just a lemon on the side. The portion is surprisingly small at that price but the quality made up for it.
Ordered the small margherita pizza ($ 14) which is about 10 inches. It’s on a thin crust that tasted greasy (and more akin to a foccacia taste); the toppings were okay but I don’t think I’d order this again due to the greasiness.
Tried «the rustic» ($ 16), they say it’s not a pizza but they don’t describe what it is in the menu! LOL. It’s like a rustic partially open calzone. I’ve attached a picture. It was a hearty dish filled with artichoke hearts, calabrese sausage capicollo, and mushrooms. Good filling dish and more interesting than a regular pizza.
The seafood risotto ($ 24) was the best dish of the evening served with mussels, shrimp, scallops and fish in a spicy tomato sauce. There were lots of mussels but not that many shrimp. The risotto was cooked well and the sauce was really delicious. I don’t usually eat risotto in a tomato sauce so it was a nice change from the white wine and parmesan versions.
The vitello capriola ($ 28) is veal scallopine goat cheese reduced sauce with side of rapini and rosemary roasted potatoes. Veal wasn’t that tender but the sauce was good. The rapini is not my fav veggie but it was good along with the tender roasted potatoes.
I’d skip their pizzas and go with their seafood offerings as they seem to shine in that category. Comparatively, I’d say their pricing is a tad more than other Italian restaurants like Bellisimo or Tre Visi. But I’d say their quality is pretty good.