Mario’s Italian Restaurant

So I’ve eaten at Mario’s quite a few times over the years and it was always pretty good, cheap Italian food… nothing special, just ok for a quick cheap meal. I went to Mario’s this past Thursday, December 10, 2016 with my fiancée, daughter, and future in-​laws for dinner. Right when we sad down we were told by our waitress that they were out of grilled chicken, and baked ziti… ok fine. So we all decide what we’ll eat and she took our order. She then came back 5 minutes later to tell us that they were out of spaghetti… which most of us ordered, so we had to settle for shell pasta, fine… but what kind of Italian restaurant runs out of spaghetti??? We all ate our dinner… I had the chicken parm sub, paid the check and left. Within 2 hours of leaving the restaurant I started to not feel so good. Within 4 hours the «loose stool» started and at the 6 hour mark… you guessed it full on vomiting, nausea, etc. Its now 2 days later and I’m back to normal. After talking to my doctor she confirmed that this was definitely food poisoning, most likely from salmonella. Needless to say, NEVER AGAIN MARIO’S!!!

My sister and I stopped here on our way back to western MA from Salem in October. We ordered pizza and were very happy with what we received. The crust was tasty, the toppings seemed fresh, and the proportion seemed adequate for the price.
As you can see from photos here on Unilocal,the décor is very traditional-​Italian-​restaurant… comfortable and unpretentious. The bathrooms are a bit of a journey to get to; at least twice I wondered, «am I really supposed to be in this area?» but kept following where the instructions said. The bathroom itself seemed clean and well-​kept.
Overall we had a lovely and satisfying dinner here after an awesome autumn day in Salem.

Been here a few times and its pretty good. I think the food is good and so is the service. I took off a few stars because the bathrooms are sketchy, but other than that its good.

A Lexington classic. I always order from here when I am in town. Chicken and eggplant Parma are the best around!

I’m giving them a five star for their customer service. We have been long time fans of Mario’s for their affordable and good homemade Italian food. We have been frequent and regular customers for a while now but yesterday they went above and beyond. I give props to the manager who took a crazy situation and made the customer feel important.
The restaurant was crazy busy last night and I was picking up take out for our family. But even the takeout line was backed up to four or five people waiting. There was a mixup on another order and my order was not ready because the pizza was delayed and didn’t get made. The manager felt bad and wanted to give me to credit of $ 10 in my order which was already generous but then the cashiers didn’t know where the gift certificates were and how to do credit. So the manager was slightly annoyed by that but he didn’t take it out on us but instead said to me and another customer who had also had his order mixed up that our orders were free of charge entirely and that he apologized for the confusion and delay. We were both surprised and not expecting such generosity but it certainly made our loyalty more solidified. Props to the manager and perhaps some more training of staff might be in their future. :)

Classic family joint. Informal, inexpensive, good filling food. A nice alternative to many of the other restaurants in Lexington.

So i have been to Marios about 10 times. I think its great but it also reminds me of Bertuccis if u know what im saying. You all probably think im crazy fr thinking this omg lol ok lets be serious. Its good it used to be our hangout for like our high school kids but honestly like i think there are better places for this. For middle age i like it but not best family hangout or dinner for couples. They have best pasta out of everything on the menu but eat anything its good.

I’ve been to Mario’s several times, and the food is always great and the waitresses very friendly and helpful. My favorite dish is the ravioli with chicken parm — SO good, and the price is very reasonable. The portions are pretty big. The food is always tasty.

Neat little Italian place near the battle green in Lexington. Great atmosphere and the service was excellent. Our server was very engaging and friendly.

First time at Mario’s and I loved it. They have nice size portions at a very good price. The staff was friendly and service was fast. Don’t forget to stop at the liquor store on the way as they have no liquor on the premises but you can bring your own.

I’ve been to Mario’s many, many times, so that alone should tell you something. I often get lunch takeout and am usually fairly well pleased. I’m a big fan of their chicken parm. Now, it’s important to note, this is not the chicken parm you’d get in Italy or even the north end. This is the breaded fried heavy on the sauce and cheese american version of chicken parm, but it’s so delicious I don’t really care. Last time I was there I ordered a side of broccoli and it was way overcooked :(. I’ll give you a pass this time Mario’s, but don’t let it happen again. Overall, great Italian comfort food place in the heart of Lexington. Parking can be a pain in the metered lot behind the restaurant, and the local police seem to be just itching to hand out tickets, so be careful.

Great food at a Great Price!
This place has that Italian restaurant feeling that you grew up with. It’s a cozy place (think slim building with tables in two rows, which brings the noise level up a little). It’s warm in the winter and the only down side is it is BYOB and the closest liquor store is about a ten minute walk. Definitely bring your own bottle of wine.
The meal: I had the eggplant and chicken parm. It cost under $ 9 and I couldn’t finish it. The eggplant parm was great and came with a side of pasta. I went with a friend who got the Stromboli which was equally large for a very reasonable price.
This is historic Lexington at its best. Customer service was great.

I used to be a regular in high school and I recently came back after not having eaten here in a few years. Pretty much nothing’s changed. Marios is a very unpretentious place. Adjust your expectations to to match their prices! They definitely serve «comfort» Italian food, heavy flavors with a lot of meat and cheese.
The Marios formula: Carb (ravioli, spaghetti, lasagna noodle, etc) + Lots of homemade marinara sauce + meat + lots of cheese.
I’m not much of a cheese connoisseur so I have no idea what kind of cheese they use on their dishes – but it not a fancy cheese.
Everything on the menu is pretty basic; if you can’t make it with carb/​sauce/​meat/​cheese, the probably don’t have it.
My go-​to dish is the Chicken Parm with Ravioli. Lunch price ($ 8.99 for lunch, $ 10.99 at dinner for the same thing) is a steal for the portions they give! I can get 2 medium-​sized meals if I don’t stuff myself. (People say chipotle burritos are 2 meals, but they really aren’t. This dish is ACTUALLY 2 meals worth).
I’ve also had their pizza, calzones, and lasagna. Lasagna is your comfort lasagna: heavy on the sauce flavor and pretty simple. I’m actually a fan of their pizza and I think their calzones are solid. I don’t like Bertucci’s and Upper Crust’s thinner, dryer crusts, so if you like those kinds of pizzas, Marios may not be for you. Their crusts are thicker but not super mushy and soaked in grease like some other pizza places. Also, some of my friends who prefer Bertucci to Marios say that Marios’ marinara sauce is too sweet. I have to agree that it is a little on the sweet side, but the meat sauce is definitely less sweet. The sauces are supposed to be homemade. Whether you like sweetness in the sauce will be a matter of preference.
Service is decent; no complaints. The last time I was here the waitress was super eager (some might say, overly eager/​bordering on hovering) to get us water, check on how were we liking the food, and whether we wanted the check. She came over repeatedly, perhaps 7 – 9 times. I dont think she was rushing to get us out the door though. She was friendly and was probably trying to be attentive.

Oh Mario’s, how we love thee! When I mention Mario’s to my husband, I swear he starts salivating! I’d venture to say it’s the best place to go for cheap, delicious Italian comfort food outside of the North End or Nonni’s kitchen (If you are lucky enough to have a Nonni). It’s a hidden gem. The service is consistently great and the food has never disappointed us. Of note, the baked ziti is different than most Italian places I’ve experienced as it is similar to the Greek Pastitsio. However it is amazing! Give Mario’s a try!

Mario’s is a classic and an all time favorite. I’ve seen some reviews from people who don’t like the look of the restaurant, but I love it! It’s a low key environment, and that it hasn’t changed since I was a kid, and I hope it never does! The quality of the food is great, they have THE BEST sauce, all of the dishes here are delicious, from the pizza to the baked ziti, to the salad and bread, you must try Mario’s.

What a great little place right in the center of Lexington. It’s right off the bike path so for people like me who like to go on weekend rides, this place makes the perfect place to stop in for lunch. The décor is very simple but the food is anything but plain. Loads of hot cheese and a delicious meat sauce. There is no alcohol served here, but it is BYOB so if you want to bring a bottle of wine or a few beers to have with your meal, it is perfectly fine.

Haven’t had good inexpensive Italian restaurant in a while! If theres one word that i can describe this restaurant it would be home style Italian!
I had to drive 30 mins out here just to try this restaurant! I enjoyed this place a lot. I was recommended the chicken parm! The amount flavoring and cheese in this chicken parm was excellent. It came out in two separate bowl with the chicken in one and the noodles in another! I can’t tell you how much I thought this parm was one of the best i’ve had in a while. Everything you look for in an italian restaurant. Good Cheese, great portion, and the meal cooked at perfection. It was a great blend of home style cooking with high quality ingredients.
Must check out this place yourself!

Good family styled Italian food, can be crowded at rush hour meal times. Service was avg. not a must go.

A solid three stars. I enjoy Mario’s because I walk in that door with managed expectations — in other words, I don’t expect meals or dishes that are served up in The North End, nor do I expect stellar customer service. What I do know is that Mario’s has bargain basement prices and large portions, which should be a clear giveaway on the overall quality of the food. I really don’t mind if their pastas are frozen… as long as the person in the kitchen can thaw the pasta, boil the pasta, and serve it on a dish with meat sauce we’re square. Ditto with their lasagna.
Il Casale is moving in next door, so I’m sure the owners of Mario’s aren’t so thrilled. But they shouldn’t be too worried, if history is any guide. In true «Survivor» fashion, Mario’s outwitted and outlasted the Evil Empire Vinny T’s, which was located in Vine Brook Tavern’s current space. And I will be clear — Il Casale is no Vinny T’s.
In more retailer terms, if Il Casale is the Gap (or Gap-​owned premium brand Banana Republic), then Mario’s would be Old Navy. Mario’s value/​bargain basement prices and lower end products and services simply cater to a more price conscious demographic. And if there is another economic draw down/​recession — which is inevitable should one subscribe to market cycles — the silver lining is that all of us will most likely trade down to less expensive offerings. Hang in there Mario’s…Outwit, Outlast, Outplay.

This is a somewhat limited review as I only go here for lunch and almost always get a grilled chicken salad.
The bang for the buck is great. You get a good sized salad with a healthy portion of chicken for 2/​3rds what it will cost you at Panera across the street.
I’ve also had a meatball sub there and it was very good. Pretty much everything you’d expect from an Italian joint. Big, meaty meatballs, good sauce and some melted provolone to make sure it’s a messy, delicious treat.