We would never try to go to this restaurant. They called and cancelled our reservation for 6 people two times with no explanation. We had been there in the past and liked the restaurant, but after two refusals to seat us, we are miffed to understand why. The reservations were both made well in advance which has made this even more of a mystery. We were good customers and we had a group of six people each time. Very poor customer relations!
Deb M
Wait staff was nice, but food quite marginal. Cesar salad arrive with romaine topped w/ parmesan & a single small dab of a spicy hot (!) dressing—side of dressing arrived with same: inedible. Veal piccata arrived with caper berries—edible; side dish was overcooked penne with a very thick tomato sauce. 2nd entree was Shrimp & 2 half-teaspoons of wet cold crab meat; ravioli stuffed with ??, sauced okay. Mini-mini bread underbaked & flavor-free.won’t
adventureawaits917
Excellent food, exceptional service from Marissa. Eggplant rollatini appetizer was amazing. Veal, lobster ravioli and Cavalli entrees were delicious. Charming family atmosphere.
Dean X
Intimate, cozy local Italian restaurant run by authentic Italian American couple x 42 years! A hidden gem!! Serious quality of traditional dishes as well as Chef's Specials! Everything served is made there, even the desserts. Tiramisu & Limoncello cake were fresh, superb! Mmmm, Capri..
Joan S
This little restaurant is a complete surprise. It’s tucked away in the middle of a neighborhood. We had excellent service. I ordered chicken and shrimp in a truffle cream sauce. The meal was wonderful.
B854LCsusanm
We went to a party catered by these folks and it was amazing, so we decided to check out the restaurant in person. We are glad we did. Food was superb. Stuffed mushrooms, eggplant rollatini appetizers, lasagna, veal saltimbocca were all delicious. Limoncello cake for dessert. Waitress was friendly and service was great. Only downside is that portions aren’t so big that you have any leftovers to enjoy the next day. Also, please note that there’s a service charge to use credit cards, so bring cash.
Nancy M
Marissa did a wonderful job setting the 8 of us up for our birthday's celebration. The food was wonderful and more than enough, so everyone had a box to take home. Marissa surprised us with dessert to share for the 3 birthdays. It was a wonderful experience. Would go back.
N7782ORjohns
We ate dinner @7:00 pm tonight. Lovely setting and ambience. The tortellini with shrimp, veal, and seafood fradiavolo were exquisite and well balanced. Tiramisu and limoncello ended the meal on a great note. You owe it to yourself to come and enjoy the best Italuan food you will ever taste. Mangia.
retirededward
This is a very cozy small restaurant tucked in the Meadows development. The menu was good and varied, the service was extremely good, the food was very fresh and tasty. It was as if you had an Italian grandma cooking a special dinner for you. Dessert was great and the price was correct for the level of food and service. A nicely run and friendly place. It is a bit small so make your reservations. Parking was plentiful. Try it.
waynem153
That is actually what the owner asked the four of us after we were presented with a 3-inch piece of sliced bread as we sat down and placed our wine and dinner order. I thought she was kidding, but we were subjected to a several-minute-long lecture about how guests waste bread and that the restaurant may run out. No, I am not kidding! We spend several hundred dollars on high-end dinners and bottles of wine and the owner has to lecture us not to waste bread (which we ate). I see the ratings on this restaurant are very high and I am sure many guests have enjoyed a fine meal. As for us, I would not go back. Sarasota, which is our home, has 500-plus great restaurants and dozens of outstanding Italian ones, but this is not one of them. While three out of four dinners were acceptable, not exceptional, I can think of a dozen Italian restaurants with more interesting and tasty meals.....seriously, keep looking!
Eggplant parm and chicken piccata were superb, exceeded only by the scrumptious lemonchella cake. Even the Caesar salad was tasty.
WooHooWineWoman
If my Mom had cooked it, my brother would have called it divine creations!!! Ssssssssssoooooooooo scrumpdeliocious! And the service was stellar, too!!! Marissa was AMAZING! We had the eggplant appetizer, chicken/shrimp truffle dish, veal, cheesecake and limoncello cake. And the Super Tuscan wine was super-duper!!!! So sad that we did not discover it sooner! But will become regulars! I’ll look forward to coming here every time I visit Sarasota!
GR260
What a find! Mona Lisa is an authentic, home-cooked Italian restaurant. The Caesar salad is not the typical commercial dressing. It tastes like the salads I remember that would be made table side. Their veal parmigiana is other worldly... incredibly delicious and so tender that you can cut it with a fork. Cheese is fresh, and the sauce is clearly homemade. Check them out... this place is a true gem.
bikehog
We came with friends who come here often. We sat outside, perfect weather. Blue tarp was a bit odd looking but functional to block sun and wind. Food and service were spectacular. Large portions and my wife and I both ended up with takeout from our meals. Good wine prices too. We'll definitely be back.
siestakey7155
What a surprise hidden gem. Hidden in the Meadows you can dine indoors or outside on a quaint patio overlooking a quiet pond. Marissa, the owner was an amazing hostess/waitress and added to the restaurant's charm. Besides impeccable service she truly took the time to interact with all the guests. We had clams oreganata, eggplant melanzane involtini and the house special of seafood risotto. It was by far the best Italian food we have experienced in all of Sarasota! This husband/wife team have managed to bring a taste of Italy here to the west coast of Florida. We will definitely be back.
We would never try to go to this restaurant. They called and cancelled our reservation for 6 people two times with no explanation. We had been there in the past and liked the restaurant, but after two refusals to seat us, we are miffed to understand why. The reservations were both made well in advance which has made this even more of a mystery. We were good customers and we had a group of six people each time. Very poor customer relations!
Wait staff was nice, but food quite marginal. Cesar salad arrive with romaine topped w/ parmesan & a single small dab of a spicy hot (!) dressing—side of dressing arrived with same: inedible. Veal piccata arrived with caper berries—edible; side dish was overcooked penne with a very thick tomato sauce. 2nd entree was Shrimp & 2 half-teaspoons of wet cold crab meat; ravioli stuffed with ??, sauced okay. Mini-mini bread underbaked & flavor-free.won’t
Excellent food, exceptional service from Marissa. Eggplant rollatini appetizer was amazing. Veal, lobster ravioli and Cavalli entrees were delicious. Charming family atmosphere.
Intimate, cozy local Italian restaurant run by authentic Italian American couple x 42 years! A hidden gem!! Serious quality of traditional dishes as well as Chef's Specials! Everything served is made there, even the desserts. Tiramisu & Limoncello cake were fresh, superb! Mmmm, Capri..
This little restaurant is a complete surprise. It’s tucked away in the middle of a neighborhood. We had excellent service. I ordered chicken and shrimp in a truffle cream sauce. The meal was wonderful.
We went to a party catered by these folks and it was amazing, so we decided to check out the restaurant in person. We are glad we did. Food was superb. Stuffed mushrooms, eggplant rollatini appetizers, lasagna, veal saltimbocca were all delicious. Limoncello cake for dessert. Waitress was friendly and service was great. Only downside is that portions aren’t so big that you have any leftovers to enjoy the next day. Also, please note that there’s a service charge to use credit cards, so bring cash.
Marissa did a wonderful job setting the 8 of us up for our birthday's celebration. The food was wonderful and more than enough, so everyone had a box to take home. Marissa surprised us with dessert to share for the 3 birthdays. It was a wonderful experience. Would go back.
We ate dinner @7:00 pm tonight. Lovely setting and ambience. The tortellini with shrimp, veal, and seafood fradiavolo were exquisite and well balanced. Tiramisu and limoncello ended the meal on a great note. You owe it to yourself to come and enjoy the best Italuan food you will ever taste. Mangia.
This is a very cozy small restaurant tucked in the Meadows development. The menu was good and varied, the service was extremely good, the food was very fresh and tasty. It was as if you had an Italian grandma cooking a special dinner for you. Dessert was great and the price was correct for the level of food and service. A nicely run and friendly place. It is a bit small so make your reservations. Parking was plentiful. Try it.
That is actually what the owner asked the four of us after we were presented with a 3-inch piece of sliced bread as we sat down and placed our wine and dinner order. I thought she was kidding, but we were subjected to a several-minute-long lecture about how guests waste bread and that the restaurant may run out. No, I am not kidding! We spend several hundred dollars on high-end dinners and bottles of wine and the owner has to lecture us not to waste bread (which we ate). I see the ratings on this restaurant are very high and I am sure many guests have enjoyed a fine meal. As for us, I would not go back. Sarasota, which is our home, has 500-plus great restaurants and dozens of outstanding Italian ones, but this is not one of them. While three out of four dinners were acceptable, not exceptional, I can think of a dozen Italian restaurants with more interesting and tasty meals.....seriously, keep looking!
Restaurantji Recommends
Eggplant parm and chicken piccata were superb, exceeded only by the scrumptious lemonchella cake. Even the Caesar salad was tasty.
If my Mom had cooked it, my brother would have called it divine creations!!! Ssssssssssoooooooooo scrumpdeliocious! And the service was stellar, too!!! Marissa was AMAZING! We had the eggplant appetizer, chicken/shrimp truffle dish, veal, cheesecake and limoncello cake. And the Super Tuscan wine was super-duper!!!! So sad that we did not discover it sooner! But will become regulars! I’ll look forward to coming here every time I visit Sarasota!
What a find! Mona Lisa is an authentic, home-cooked Italian restaurant. The Caesar salad is not the typical commercial dressing. It tastes like the salads I remember that would be made table side. Their veal parmigiana is other worldly... incredibly delicious and so tender that you can cut it with a fork. Cheese is fresh, and the sauce is clearly homemade. Check them out... this place is a true gem.
We came with friends who come here often. We sat outside, perfect weather. Blue tarp was a bit odd looking but functional to block sun and wind. Food and service were spectacular. Large portions and my wife and I both ended up with takeout from our meals. Good wine prices too. We'll definitely be back.
What a surprise hidden gem. Hidden in the Meadows you can dine indoors or outside on a quaint patio overlooking a quiet pond. Marissa, the owner was an amazing hostess/waitress and added to the restaurant's charm. Besides impeccable service she truly took the time to interact with all the guests. We had clams oreganata, eggplant melanzane involtini and the house special of seafood risotto. It was by far the best Italian food we have experienced in all of Sarasota! This husband/wife team have managed to bring a taste of Italy here to the west coast of Florida. We will definitely be back.
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