MoMo Italian Kitchen - Lake Highlands Reviews

When I first moved to Dallas from Brooklyn, Momo's on Forest was the only place I would go out for Italian food. Just like one would never eat Mexican food in Brooklyn back then, you just didn't want to eat Italian food anywhere else in Dallas. The pasta is hand made. The flavor is robust. The salads are light and simple. It is worth the trip just for the chopped caper pesto and bread they serve before dinner. They serve ice tea with an Italian twist which I see many people ordering. Sweet tea is a big thing in Texas, and I was surprised to see so many people enjoying this version of it. I've had many dishes here over the years. Some aren't on the menu anymore. I sure miss the sciuscia. It was a dessert with chocolate ice cream and an egg yolk liquor. I need to ask why they stopped offering on the menu. Anyway... all the pasta dishes are very enjoyable. The dishes that should be spicy... are spicy. The dishes that should be creamy... are creamy and rich. They don't drown the hand made pasta with sauce, so if you like a lot of sauce, let them know ahead of time. The spicy lasagna is not what is normally served anywhere. It's not the typical version of layered pasta with ricotta and meat. It is thin layers of a very spicy Bolognese. Eat it too quickly and you will sweat! I've never had a problem with service, but I could see how a larger party (more than 6) could be a problem. The tables are secured to the floors so you cant rearrange them. The good thing about that is the tables don't rock when you lean on the either. I hate tables that rock, lol. BYOB... LOVE IT. not only am I a food snob... wine snob too. So ordering wine when we go out can be very expensive. It's so much easier and affordable to bring what we like. Lunch is great. It's quick and filling. You get to watch all the TI exec's talk about each other and what deals they have going on, what secretaries they're doing, and see all the old men duck their heads and cover their faces as they come and go from the Asian massage parlor a few doors down.

Wendy and Aaron are pro's at making you feel at home, but cared for like a beloved guest! great service, and the menu choices are varied and flavorful. My go to is the puttanesca, a pasta dishes with a spicy sauce filled with olives and oregano, anchovies as well if you like. Hubby generally picks the scampi a la MOMO, but there is so much to choose from! Don't miss the rocket salad, or the desserts!

We love this place. Wonderful food, very friendly and attentive staff. A great perk for us to be able to bring our own wine with a $3 corkage fee. Something about this place always makes it seem like "date night" without the high cost or need to dress up.

Amazing authentic Italian food, great service, love the owners so much. As a New Yorker in Dallas who is a self proclaimed Italian food snob, this is the first place that truly meets the mark. Loved the servers, food was absolutely delicious, and the owners truly care about the experience. Will return and bring everyone I know!

Our group of eight got together at Momo this week, though it was my first time there, I believe the rest of them had already visited before. The starter dishes were excellent, the mushroom salad, cheese plate, etc., were all well executed. The mains we ordered ranged from pizza to vitello pizzaiola - in other words from the simple to the complex. All dishes arrived at the perfect temperatures, offering good balance and broad flavors. Service was very good. This was a BYOB night for us, and it was nice to see such quality glassware being offered. Really very beautiful and inviting inside, I look forward to a return(s).

I recently visited Momo's with my sister for dinner. The restaurant wasn't very full but it was a Sunday eve. Our server was very attentive and the food was wonderful and beautifully presented. The pricing is what you would expect for Dallas.

weak pasta

I have been here many times for lunch and it is consistently excellent, one of my favorites. My wife and I decided to celebrate our wedding anniversary here (not divisible by 5 or 10) on a midweek evening. Please note that Momo's is BYOB, with no liquor license, so if you are celebrating a special occasion you should bring your own beverage, which we did. The menu is nice sized, with a mixture of salads and appetizers and wonderful pasta entrees. They have other 'secondi' but I've never gone there, because the pasta is simply fabulous. As you are seated they present you with some foccacia and some homemade spread for it, and it's a problem. It's so good you just fill yourself up. For dinner we each had a salad for a starter. I had the regular green salad, which comes with tomato, radish, walnuts, other stuff and a very nice dressing. My wife had the primavera, which has similar things plus some feta cheese. Really good and a nice size. For our main course we each had pasta - my wife chose the quattro formaggi tortelli, which is served with a creamy tomato sauce. She loved it and ended up taking half of it home for lunch the next day. I had a dish (I may not have this right - the ticket has an abbreviated name) which was a special, called Trenette Momo, a homemade linguini with shrimp and salmon. Really, really good. Since they have no liquor license, we brought our own wine. There is a service fee of $3.85, which I guess is okay considering we had probably a $10 bottle of wine that would have cost $30 in another restaurant. This is a wonderful neighborhood gem. Not easy to find, but worth it.

If you live in or near Lake Highlands and have never visited MoMo - what are you waiting for? Cozy, intimate dining room; incredible service from staff with 15+ years with MoMo; and the best Italian food in Dallas!!! Prices are very reasonable AND it is BYOB. Grab a nice bottle of wine and head to MoMo - you won't regret it!!!

The ambiance, food, and seasonal menu are always consistent. It is one of our favorite Italian restaurants in Dallas. This visits overall service was a bit slow. The prices seem to beconvthe rise, but quality is maintained. However, the restaurant was packed, and we still enjoyed it. Great owners, friendly staff. Look forward to our next visit!!

Everybody needs a "go-to" place for their favorite foods. We have a great one for Italian...MoMo's is a great, family run restaurant that creates great, home cooked meals. Our favorites are the mushroom risotto and pesto chicken pasta. They have great pizza for the kids and a very warm and inviting atmosphere. The staff is very friendly and the brothers that run the place are very active and present every time we visit. The waiters are especially nice and remember us every time we come in.

Aaron is now introducing not just an occasional wine dinner for the locals, but with the warmer summer temps, the outdoor area has become an area to sample some of the lesser known aperitifs, i.e. vermouth... which, we learned is quite drinkable when served cold, with a lemon twist, or mixed as a lovely aperitif with other Italian light wines. I learned a lot!

This hidden gem is one not to miss for delicious homemade Italian cuisine. From appetizers and salads to a wide variety of entrees, everyone will be able to enjoy a specialty! The service is always welcoming, attentive and the food served fresh and hot. Always a go to for special occasions when Italian cuisine is needed. The lasagna and pastas are the best!!

We've been to Momo's several times now, and are always thrilled with the food and the service! Homemade!

Took some customers out to dinner. Great food and service was top notch. The only thing I didn't like is there was not the thick Italian bread. They had pita bread which is authentic too, just not my cup of tea. Everyone left full and very happy with the meal!

When we lived in Dallas we frequently dined at MoMo's old location. I had not been to the new one, even though it's a half dozen years old now. Enjoyed an outstanding dinner with their house salad and dressing followed by Trenette alla MoMo with Texas huge shrimp and bits of salmon. A beautifully-designed interior, and very attentive service rounded out my visit. One more hint: even if you normally do not drink sweet iced tea, try "MoMo's sweet tea." It's a carefully-crafted house specialty.

We were visiting family and they took us to this great little restaurant. Do not let the shopping center location fool you. This was some of the best Italian food I have ever tasted. The waiter was wonderful and the ravioli was delicious.

I was looking for a "typical" Italian place near me in Dallas while on a trip and found MoMo's. The setting was comfortable, upscale casual. The food dishes were excellent. Their specialties seem to be "pink sauce" rather than the typical heavy Italian. My capellini had shrimp and smoked salmon in pink sauce. Very good. The salads were good also. I did not see any heavy Bolognese sauce on the menu, although they did have a steak special that the tables near me commented favorably on. There were many vegetarian dishes. Note--the restaurant is BYOW (bring your own wine), so I was not able to have wine with my dinner.

I had a ravioli dish with added chicken. I think it was coming in at about $30. It tasted very good. My friend (who paid the tab) seemed satisfied with his dish. The wine I had complemented the meal well. The server did well. There is little sound damping, so it can be noisy, esp. when a demanding baby is nearby.

I met 7 other women for dinner last night, asking in advance for separate checks. The server had no problem agreeing to this arrangement. Everyone raved about the salads, soups, and entrees--several taking home half the portion of her entree. This new location, a short distance west of the original, is tastefully appointed. It is BYOB, and a corkage charge is added for opening and serving wine, although the tables are set with wine glasses. No one tried dessert, although they sounded yummy, but the staff was very accommodating and let us stay to visit long after dinner was completed. Can't wait to return! (I wonder if they're attempting to change the name of this establishment since the website shows a slightly different wording but the same address.)

Family dinner on a quiet Sunday evening. Our first time trying out MoMo we were impressed and will definatley return. The bread (seemed more like pita) that was served when we were seated had a unique parsley/garlic/oil spread that was unique and enjoyable. We shared mussels and carpaccio appetizers which everyone enjoyed as well. My salmon puttanesca entree was well-executed and flavorful, and the family devoured the pasta dishes they ordered, though the portions were too large for dinner alone, with everyone taking at least a little back home for lunch today. We don't go out to eat often because we're wine geeks with a large personal cellar and can't justify the high wine markups most places charge (plus, Mrs Davidandrose is an awesome cook) but the markups here were very reasonable. And the food was very fairly-priced as well. Should also commend our server Rosie who was friendly, pleasant and attentive. We'll definately return here.

Outside doesn't look like much but the food is excellent italian fare. Give it a try.

An evening out with friends and decided to try the local Italian restaurant just two blocks from home. NOTE TO SELF: Bring you own wine. The thin pizza dough bread was paired with Momo's signature Pesto. We all started with salad, two of us with the house salad with balsamic vinaigrette dressing or house Italian dressing and two with the Insalata Fantasia featuring leaf lettuce, tomatoes, mixed vegetables, hearts of palm, artichokes, prosciutto, Gruyere, walnuts, hard boiled eggs, and a creamy dressing. Salads were all fresh and tasty and all the plates were cleaned Two had the Gamberi alla MomoGamberi alla Momo made with succulent Texas Gulf shrimp with smoked salmon, in a cream sauce with brandy and wine, spices and a pinch of bird's-eye peppers served in a nest of homemade linguine or with a side of your choice. It was phenomenal - just enough smoked salmon to pair with the large gulf shrimp with tails removed and the cream sauce was light and very flavorful. One had the Veal Scaloppine al Limone which is veal-eye-round scaloppine, cooked with lemon, garlic, parsley and a slice of prosciutto accompanied by a side of creamed peas. And our fourth had Fresh Linguine alla Puttanesca comprised of tomato sauce with Nicoise olives, capers, onions, red pepper, garlic, olive oil, a touch of anchovies. We all shared tastes and sighs of awesome where heard throughout the meal. We could not turn down dessert to top off our meals so we shared Zabaione which is a creamy egg custard with Marsala wine, strawberries and whipped cream and Sciuscia, a chocolate ice-cream with homemade egg-liqueur, crushed Amaretto cookies and whipped cream. Prices were reasonable. Less than $30 per person even with alacarte salad and dessert. Again, don't forget to bring your wine which they open and pour with no corkage fee.

MoMo Italian Kitchen on Forest lane near Greenvile Rd should not be confused with the other MoMo restaurants in Dallas. I have not visited them,I don't know anything about them and I am sure they are fine. But frankly, as long as this MoMo's is around, I am not even tempted. I have been a regular for nearly 30 years and my mouth is watering just at the thought. Ohh Yeah.. The setting is small, maybe 16 tables, But a long thin room so there are never more than just a few tables around you. Intimate, quiet and pleasant and of course food worth going out into the sleet or Texas summer. It is our go to for out of town guests and special occasions, or just when we want a great meat that we don't have to cook. I am normally an adventuresome kind of guy, moutian climbing, SCUBA diving, Bejeweled on my iPhone, but 80% of my meals there have been only one dish : Maccheroni alla Vesuviana. Simple and tasty....I just got a cold shiver down my spine. The house salad is light and flavorful. From two of the major Freeways (75 and 635) it is easy to get to the restaurant. Just punch the address in your GPS. To be clear, it may not be the pinnacle of Italian cooking. But it is delicious and comfortable... good for what ails you.

We've been going to MoMo's for almost 20 years. It changed ownership a couple of years ago, but the new owners have maintained the atmosphere and food variety/quality. Just went there again a couple of weeks ago. It can be a little noisy, but usually enjoyable dining.

ten of us went to the restaurant for supper and conversation. We each ordered and asked for separate checks; some decided to share an entrée. The food arrived haphazardly, not everyone got everything they ordered and one meal was extremely late. This is a byob location that charges a corkage fee, an extra plate fee for split entrees and automatically added a large party tip on each tab with no explanation and not indicated on the menu. Some of the extra charges may be justified but it seemed to be nickel and diming the customer for average (at best) food

Fell into MoMo's on Forest the other night for dinner. What a good decision. Since it is a BYOB we thought a nice sangiovese, (vino nobile), would be a good wine choice. We did not have reservations on a Friday night and got there about 7:45 or so and they were packed. No room so we waited about 20 minutes for a table. To our surprise we learned it is under new management. After almost 30 years being owned by the same family a new team now operates this restaurant and they are really good at it. The new team is a husband wife team who we know has many years of restaurant experience. They were really handling this new opportunity well. Seems to be the same kitchen, same waiters who we have known for years. Menu is exactly the same. The energy level seemed a little higher and the execution seemed a little more honed as well. The food was spot on. If you are new to town or not been here do not expect spaghetti and meatballs with red sauce or alfredo sauces or ceasar salads, or Sunday gravy etc. This is an actual Italian restaurant that serves the type of food you find in parts of Italy. Pasta dishes are quite hearty and usually are perfectly made. Pizza is solid. They usually have a few nice specials that are interesting and worth considering. Remember to take your own bottle of wine. There is a small corkage fee but they do provide the wine service. It's a great deal as you can wonder in with a monster Brunello and pay the same small corkage fee as some poor rube who walks in with a bottle of J "Bohr". I wouldn't be surprised if this lovely new ownership duo start venturing out with some well thought out Italian classics so it will be fun to see how this plays out. From what I see it will continue to be one of the few bright spots in Dallas authentic Italian dining.

Four of us met after work to give this restaurant a try. First, let me say that the service is excellent. Our waitress was very knowledgeable and helped us pick out several items on the menu. We had the cheese plate. Not enough cheese for the price., but it was good. I love the flat bread they serve with the pesto. We had Spinach Tortelli, Ravioli di Carne, and Fettuccine alla Santalloro. On my Ravioli, I should have asked for more sauce. Everything was really good though. The pasta is homemade and fresh. Nice surroundings with a homey feel. We enjoyed our dinner and brought along a bottle of wine. I like that part.

My wife and I went to Momos because we had a gift certificate. We were expecting the usual Italian fare but we were not expecting such really good food. The pasta is made in house and was al dente. We had salmon wrapped in parchment paper that was one of the best salmon dishes I have had in quite a while. We recently were in Italy and this was every bit as good as the food we had there. The dessert was a panna cotta which was light and delicious. We had the multi course dinner and each course was interesting and delicious. The meal with wine paring was about $130. We wish Momos was closer ( It’s by Forest and TI boulevard). I highly recommend Momos Italian Kitchen.

The best food I have ever had...bar none!

Love this place for it's traditional Italian food. BYOB too! Ingredients are fresh and make all the difference. Don't expect Caesar salad here. This is the real thing. Knowledgeable staff (especially Fernando) and an extensive menu. Love everything from appetizer (Carpaccio is my favorite) to the dessert (panacotta is my favorite). I often back the meal up with an espresso. I will return again and again.

I have grown up going to this place, the food and service are always consistant. The pasta is perfectly prepared and all fish, seafood and meats are very fresh. The free bread and pesto sauce is the best! I would dine here every night if I could afford it!

The calzone's here are absolutely amazing. Definitely one of the best I have ever had, mostly due to the homemade crust. It is fantastic. I would almost get a job here just to try and see how they make this crust. The staff was friendly and the service as great. Only thing they could improve in my opinion are some of the other menu options. Almost all the pasta dishes were one type of meat and a cheese. I was really hoping to order carbonara or seafood pasta. Great atmosphere. Hours are a bit strange - it didn't open until 12:30 for lunch! We got there at 12 and had to wait in the parking lot.

MoMo's on Forest Lane is always a delightful experience. Now that they have moved to the location that has adequate parking, you can actually access this great Italian restaurant. Too many times in the past we were wanting to dine there, but there was simply not one single parking spot available. In Texas, if you are in retail, and especially if you own a restaurant, either you offer adequate parking or you live a hand-to-mouth existence regardless of the quality of your offerings or how hard you work. Friends and relatives from out of town always demand to eat at Momo's during visits to Dallas, they are that good. While they are not on the menu, if you ask for the mushroom appetizers, you will love them. They only offer them when mushrooms of the exceptionally high quality the chef demands are available, so frequently they are simply not available The portion sizes are such at MoMo's that we will probably be taking doggy bags home if we do not just share a salad and one entree, plus, of course, the mushroom appetizers. Always the mushroom appetizers!!! As MoMo's does NOT have a liquor license, you get to bring your own bottle of wine to enjoy with dinner. While we might order a drink with dinner only a third of time eating out, due to the cost, we always enjoy wine with dinner at MoMo's. We who live in the Lake Highlands area of Dallas are plagued by the absence of near-by healthy, sit-down family restaurants. Unless we eat at MoMo's, we face at least a twenty minute drive to a favorite healthy restaurant, then another twenty minute drive to get home. This is not a good use of time. So we campaign for more healthy, sit-down dining family restaurants to open in the underserved Lake Highlands area. In the meantime we enjoy those not-on-the-menu mushrooms at Momo's, where you now can find a parking space. We have dined at MoMo's over fifty times. Not one single time have we ever had a bad experience.

This is one of the best Italian eatery’s we’ve had the pleasure of experiencing in Dallas! From the warm greeting upon our arrival to the delivery of our delicious entree’s, the service was impeccable. The ambiance of the decor combined with the soft lighting provided the perfect setting in which to enjoy each of our delightful meals. We will spread the word about this special find and look forward to returning soon!

I thought I was a loyal customer of Mono since I kept coming back and bringing my friends over. But my mind is changed from last experience at Momo. I had dinner with three friends and stayed to talk a bit after dinner. Just before we were leaving (a friend went to restroom), the manager came over and asked us to leave (politely) and told us he has another reservation. It wasn't a big deal. If the manager didn't come, we would have left in 1 minute any way. It was true that it made me feel a bit uncomfortable when I saw there were another 5 free tables (same size) and no other customers waiting. I talked to the manager that I felt a bit uncomfortable. The manager said that they give each table around 1h30mins. I looked at my watch and we stayed for 1h39mins. We had to leave basically it's not because of another reservation but 9 mins over his "rule". The experience made me to think a loyal customer doesn't mean much to Momo and it is more important that their rigid "rule" can be carried out. I wouldn't recommend this restaurant to my friends. If you would go, don't forget to set up an alarm before you sit down.

This is a higher-price place with a nice atmosphere. I had the tortelli and a fruity Pinot Grigio, and it was delicious. So far, this is the best Italian food I've had in a Dallas restaurant.

The food was tasty, but it was room temperature. The appetizer arrived tepid at best. We informed both the waitress and the owner. They apologized. After that we expected main course to be steaming hot, but only one of the three was hot, the other two were again room temperature. One of our group said the entree seemed to have been warmed over, it didn’t taste real fresh, and at that it was not warmed through. Again the taste was good, it would have been so much better hot. Apologies were again offered. Extra dessert was provided as compensation. They were to be cold or room temperature anyway so no “heat” problems there. The restaurant was not crowded, so there should have been no delay in serving meals right after the chef cooked them. Service was good. The restaurant just did not live up to our 20 year experience with Momo’s.

We were given a table in a corner in which the seat was just a long, flat, hard bench in an L shape along the walls. VERY uncomfortable. They need to spend a couple hundred bucks and get cushions made. Food wasn't great. Carbonara (special of the day that day) was bland, and the gnocchi with meat sauce had an odd taste. They give you focaccia with a dollop of pesto when you sit down. Great if you like pesto, but how about olive oil and balsamic instead? Took a long time to get the check, like once we were served, we were forgotten for a while. We used to go to a Momo close to this one that closed down, a small place in a strip mall, so we thought maybe this was the same place in a new location. But the menu wasn't familiar at all, and the waitperson had no clue when we asked. Maybe other dishes are better, and maybe there are more comfortable seats, like actual chairs maybe, but since we liked neither of our dishes, we probably won't go again. We will stick with Kenny's Italian Grill, though it is a longer drive.

We just stumbled upon this neighborhood joint and I cannot believe we did not find it sooner. It doesn't look like much from the outside and well, the inside decor doesn't escape the strip mall feel, but the food! Oh the food! The pasta is made fresh and the service is great. Definitely add this to your list of places to frequent. We had the carpaccio (raw beef), conchiglie al modo mio (shell pasta in a tomotao cream sauce with ham, chicken, meat), and the tortelli con spinaci-- fantastic! We will be back with friends. Remember it is BYOB!

I went all the way to Momo's based on Trip Advisor reviews and b/c I am Italian and grew up with authentic Italian food I rushed to this restaurant. I ordered the special of the day which was a pink cream sauce, spaghetti, salmon and shrimp. The salmon was so fishy tasting the and the noodles dry and sticky that I couldn't eat but a few bites and the shrimp. The side of spinach gnocchi I ordered were round balls (not typical gnocchi) and were so incredibly greasy/buttery it turned my stomach. They were just dripping with grease. I ate two and didnt eat the rest. The salad was sparse and the dressing had no flavor. To top it off, every employee I encountered was mexican--which NOTHING wrong with mexicans, but I came here for an Itailian owned family restaurant---where was the Italian family??? I wouldn't go back----and its in a strip mall now----poor ambiance.

A ladies night out with high food expectations. Oh it was soooo good.but each entre was about 5-6 bites. they were appetizer size and at the prices to order 2 entrees each would have been over the top. Everyone went home hungry. It is a byob bottle place, but even tho a couple of us did not drink wine a corkage fee was charged for each person. A special rolled pasta dish was delish but only 7 spirals of rolled pasta were on the plate. This is a neighborhood place and should be plentiful with food as Italian is very inexpensive to make. First and last time. There are many Italian restaurants in Dallas area that know how to feed you like italians eat. Way too expensive for what you get and location is not high rent to justify the prices .

Enjoyed a great dinner during the weekend at this much recommended and written about family restaurant. Started with a few appetizers, small portions for the price, followed by six different entrees, each very tasty and completed our meals with a variety of desserts...which I'd skip on our next visit. Although the restaurant recently began serving liquor and wine, they maintain their BYOB policy at this time. Overall a positive experience and will be back!

This is a rare find for an authentic Italian lunch or dinner. It is great because one can BYOB and enjoy a choice wine without having to pay restaurant prices for the vino. The restaurant is clean and neat, the service great, and the food is fresh and delicious. The menu offers a variety of good selections to keep one from getting bored on more frequent visits, and they have daily specials. They are in the process of procuring a beer and wine license, but even when they do, one can still BYOB because they will not be licensed to sell hard liquor.

My brother lives in Richardson, TX and we have been taking out at Momo's for years. It had been sometime since we were there, and it was a pleasure to be able to enjoy their authentic, unique, and distinctive dishes again in January, 2018. The family-owned restaurant has never faultered, in the 20 years I have eaten their food.

My wife and I try to eat here at least once a week.

The meal was okay but when it came to the bill. I presented a Groupon($30) for $60. But the groupon was wrongly applied for $30 claiming that they only offer $30 per couple. Instead of letting me know the problem and taking another Groupon($15) for $30 from me, the owner of the place, Mr. Darwin furiously defended his stand and used my $60 Groupon. He mentioned that they expect people to order more food so that they could profit after using Groupon. Even with their $30 per couple rule which was never mentioned anywhere I should have still been allowed to use another Groupon($15) and saved my orginal Goupon($30) for a later date. But after this ordeal I don't think that there is going to be a later visit to this restaurant. They have no decency and very poor ethics, putting money over customer satisfaction even when the mistake was on their part, they did not fix the problem but asked me to pay first and then call Groupon later and all this was done while there were other diners at the restaurant. I don't mind paying an extra $15 dollars but my money spent should be just. If you have a thick skin and don't mind the money oriented business like this one, sure go ahead and give it a visit.

It was so delicious! It was hard to decide because everything sounded good. The staff was great. The best tiramisu I've ever had. We will be back.

We had dinner here last night with two dear friends. The experience was top notch. This place had been around for many years, but is now under new ownership. The couple who took it over are making every effort to bring quality food and service to the forefront. And the are succeeding. Oh, and I should mention. It is BYOB. Go! Enjoy!

Since moving down the street on Forest Lane, the experience of having a meal at Momo's has gotten much better. the décor is very nice, and the food had improved from very good to excellent. It has been a favorite for us for decades!

Have been a fan of Momo's for 20 years. The Northern Italian dishes, authentic flavors, seasonings just phenomenal. First time try the Moto Mia meet sheels in creamy tomato sauce ! Can bring in your own wine ! You won't be disappointed