Mondello Italian Restaurant Reviews

we had a lovely meal last night. Patrick ~ you were great. we shared a nice bottle of syrah that went so nice with the bresaola. for the entrees we had lasagna. the tomato gravy was a bit sweet for my taste, but had good flavor. Jeff loves lasagna & thought it was very good. the veal saltimbocca was tasty & came with potatoes & carrots. the lemon butter sauce was so good. we ended the meal with a house~made tiramisu. light & tasty way to finish our meal. If we lived here this would be a regular place to dine. almost forgot the major +. there is actually parking! & it's free.

Hi all, our daughter was in town and picked out this eatery. We hadn't been to the neighborhood before, but are always interested in Italian (we're big fans of Italian food). For an opener cocktail we had an Aperol spritzer, which is a common summer item in Northern Italy; bubbly and fun--reminds us of sitting around in Venice. I see there were several reviews dissing this establishment, but with one exception we thought it was quite good. After dawdling with the Aperol, we had a plate of the small clams, which was a cut above the average, nice sauce. For the entree, I had the squid ink pasta with shrimp, which was very good, and I've had this dish at several restaurants along the WA coast. My wife had lasagna, which you would think would be a no-brainer, but I found it a little sweet, as if they had put cinnamon on it or something. Odd. Maybe it was just not a stunner that night. I wound up the proceedings with an espresso, just to have a slap in the face. Competently done. The family seems to be from Sicily, since that is the map they have on the wall (but I could be wrong in this speculation). It seems to be a family operation, since the mother was speaking in Italian to what looked like her daughter, serving. This is a humble neighborhood place but I would easily put it on a par with something like the much-touted Cinqueterre, downtown. Fancy tables aren't everything! Thanks Mondello, and to others, bon appetito

The three of us ate dinner here and I thought the meal was terrible! I’m surprised at the positive reviews. My husband got veal scallopini and although I didn’t taste his meal it looked like shoe leather and he said it tasted about the same. I got pasta with what I thought was going to be crumbled sausage but it ended up being unappetizing links. Our friend got ravioli with a sauce that looked more like gravy than any kind of Italian sauce I’ve ever seen. The corkage fee was $25 which is as high as I ever see it. The bread was nondescript. The Caprese salad was the smallest I’ve ever seen in terms of size of tomato and mozzarella. Likewise, the beet salad had tiny little bits of beet and was extremely salty. The tiramisu was wet and kind of tasteless. Really one of the worst restaurant meals I’ve had in Seattle!

My husband and I brought his very Italian parents to Mondello, for dinner. Needless to say, they were impressed! The pasta is homemade to perfection and the staff really cares for their customers. We thought my husband's gnocchi plate was a bit small, the Manager quickly had a 2nd dish made for him, at no charge. "We'll take care of you!" He said. There was a guitarist playing which really set a special mood. Word of advice: don't skip dessert, order a cannoli!

we went and had dinner at this cute little restaurant. we were immediately greeted by a gentlemen who escorted us to a cute little table. the atmosphere was perfect. the tables and chairs and all the decor made it seem like I was in Italy! but it was the food that really did it for me. we had steamed clams and mussels in a garlic and lemon sauce for an appetizer that was amazing. I ordered the special which was rigatoni with bolonese with a hint of cream and mushrooms and it was absolutely fabulous! there was only one waiter in the whole restaurant but he was quick and polite. we had a wonderful time here and I highly recommend this place!

Very cozy intimate dining experience. My boyfriend and I went here for our 2 year anniversary. The wine list was amazing and the food was delicious. You can taste the true authenticity of the Italian cuisine.

After our first visit to Mondello's in Magnolia to celebrate our anniversary, you can be sure we will be coming back to this marvelous restaurant! We loved all the food we tried - linguine with cod, king crab ravioli, fresh beets, and spinach salad. The dark chocolate mousse was to die for! Service was excellent. If you are looking for a special place to eat, this is it!

I make sure I go to Mondello's almost every visit to Seattle. In the Magnolia area, it's just 15 minutes from downtown, about 20 minutes from Ballard, and only 5 minutes from my son's house (lucky me!) This is the BEST Italian restaurant I have found yet in Seattle! And I have tried them in the U district, Ballard, Downtown, Capitol Hill, Green Lake area, Freemont, and West Seattle. You will need reservations on a weekend night, maybe not during the week. The staff is very friendly, accommodating, and attentive without being disruptive. I have never had anything yet that I wouldn't rate a 5 star. One of my favorite dishes is the GNOCCHI POMODORO! My son had "food envy" when he tasted mine. The SPAGHETTI GAMBERONI is incredible with large prawns, The RAVIOLI MARSALA is another favorite. Fish loving family members think the FETTUCCINE DI MARE is the best. Other favorites are the LASAGNA, TAGLIATELLE CON POLPETTE, PESTO CLASSICO, SCAMPI E SPINACI. Anything on the BRUSCHETTE menu is delicious. And we always start with the best CAPRESE I have ever had. If I haven't listed it, it is because we haven't tried it yet...but we will!

This place is really good Italian restaurant. Good service, good wine selection, great atmosphere and good food most of the time. I would order their standard entrees and not specials because it is hit and miss. Will go back again!

We went for a casual Sunday evening light dinner and were not disappointed. The server made excellent suggestions, the menu was varied, the food was very good. Our only small complaint was that we felt that it was a bit overpriced.

Service great. Nice looking place. Salads great. Entrees terrible quality. Won't be going back. Very disappointed.

I used to eat here a lot with my late wife; it was her favorite Magnolia restaurant, and after not eating here in years I decided to check it out again. Over two dinners I had della nonna soup, linguini alla vongole, minestrone, pasta carbonara, with glasses of house wine. The cooking has changed, and not for the better. Every dish was bland, the carbonara pasta was overcooked, the minestrone was thin and flavorless. Portions are fine; there are vegetarian options and a decent wine selection; prices are current for Seattle; there's easy and free parking. But don't eat here if you have alternatives.

I've been going to Mondello's since it opened and understand the comments about an aloof person in the front... But be assured that has changed. The people are friendly, open and appreciate the patronage of every person that comes in the door. All dishes are authentic Sicilian. The pasta, seafood and beef/veal dishes are some of the best in the City. If there is a concern address it to Corino or his staff. This is an excellent neighborhood ristorante....give it a try or re-try. Large portions give you the option of splitting an entre and salad for a quality and very economical night out.

Family owned and run. The service is outstanding. Food was excellent. Small restaurant. The Mom works in the kitchen. The Grandma sit in the front. The owner Vito is a great guy.

Mondello is wonderful. We sat outside and had a lovely meal. Their offerings are classic Italian presentations. They are like little gems. It is located in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle. The lady who greeted us and took our order made us feel like family - which is very Italian.

We’ve eaten here for lunch a few times on a Saturday after shopping at the summer farmers’ market in Magnolia, and really enjoyed it. The lasagna is perfection. It’s true that there’s not a ton of sauce between the layers but the pasta itself is light and wonderful and the sauce is great. Not overly sweet or goopy with cheese like some others. Portions are big here and we always take half our meals home with us. Great value and nice atmosphere.

We came because we had a Groupon, which was a great deal. This place is so cute and homey, the food is so good! I had the clam appetizer (no mussels available) and my husband had a salad. Both were very good and the right sized portion. Lunch for me was the Linguine Vongole and my husband ordered the Lasagna, and we were given the Ravioli to "taste". The pasta was perfect and all three were delicious. The prices are very reasonable. With our Groupon, the four items came to $7.50, not including tip. I would definitely come back here!

We visited Mondello's for our first visit on Valentine's day. Valentine's day is just too busy a day to appreciate a restaurant. We thought we would give it another chance (this time on our anniversary) and we are so glad that we did. What a pleasant, delicious, homey experience. I ordered the Insalata Cesare and the Lasagna. She and I shared La Caprese appetizer, and then she ordered Fettuccine con Polpette. The layers of pasta for the lasagna were perfectly home made and the meat sauce was delicious. I tasted her meatballs and oh! momma mia!, it tasted like my mother used to make them. I savored every bite on my plate and enjoyed our conversation with the Sicilian owners. All of my grandparents immigrated from Sicily and we immediately connected with the owners. This place is the real deal. From anitpasti to primi piatti to dolci every bite was to be savored. We celebrated with a shot of dessert wine and finally un connolo. Perfezione! Authentic Sicilian hospitality and cuisine. We are going back again with family.

Mondello's is a cute atmosphere in the middle of Magnolia Village. The food is way too expensive for what it is and the service very poor. There are many other options for the same price that are much better.

We've been on this quest for over a year now, and I grant you, we know there are still many more places to try, but my impression so far is that this eatery and Picolino's are neck-and-neck for the best Italian in Seattle. I see there are some negative reviews but we found Mondello to be much more than a neighborhood eatery. To start things off I had a garden salad, of course with bread and olive oil, and a small bottle of Prosecco. Next we had a plate of vongole, the clams, which were good. In order to really nail down who is doing the best job, we need to check out the mixed antipasti plate, which Picolino's did very well, including a selection of cheeses. For the main course, I had squid ink pasta with prawns (gamberi) and the shrimp were quite fresh. For dessert, I had the coconut sorbet. I would usually add an espresso, but it was already quite late. This was our second time at Mondello, and I appreciate the service and what I found to be consistent quality. Buon appetito!

As a preface, I am of Italian descent and grew up eating home cooked southern Italian cooking. This being said, we ate here a couple of times recently. The carbonara was the first time I've had it, since usually I don't like cream sauces. It was outstanding, truly memorable. We also had the chicken al forno, which I found to be bland. The chicken piccata reminded me of why I don't like chicken piccata, as it had too much caper flavor for me, but that is just my preference and I usually don't order it. The Caesar salad was good, though over dressed, too much dressing, but the flavor of the dressing was very good. So, depending on your taste and expectations of Italian food, it can be hit or miss. I would go back just for the carbonara alone. I also found the tiramisu to be soggy and not flavorful.

This is a smaller restaurant in the heart of Magnolia in Seattle. Worth a visit if you're in the area....must have reservations. We saw a family of 4 get turned away about 5:15 on a Saturday night without reservations! The atmosphere was nice, the tables not too close and lighting appropriate. You know its traditional when see the Italian grandmother sitting at the bar area just smiling at the customers. The mista salad was fantastic! Great italian dressing, perfect tomtatoes and fresh lettuce. The bread was warm and soft but chewy with a simple oil and italian herb dip. (Garlic would have been a good addition!). The fettuccine con salcicca was superb. With homemade noodles, a light tomatoe sauce and succulient sausage, I couldn't ask for anything more. The reason for four stars instead of five was due to two things. First, when we were asked about our drink order, the waiter was very annoyed when we didn't order wine. Secondly, if you order soda, be prepared they are $3 each and do not come with refills. Worse, the first soda I was brought the glass was only partially full and upon asking for a "refill", a can was brought to the table and the waiter only used part of the can to fill the glass (not all the way to the top, again). $6 for two partial cans of soda, no thank you. The waiter was also very annoyed at having to even bring another soda. Regardless, it was an overall pleasant experience and we would return, if for no other reason then to have the amazing food!

We attended a Christmas party here. The family style dishes were very good. The wine selection was great. Salad was tasty. Bread was ok. Service was exceptional. Glad I found this place. Atmosphere is pretty nice,,,no problem with parking.

Made a Reservation 4 days in advance but it did not make a difference, yes we got seated immediately but staff took very long to take our order and when they did take our order the dishes took over 40 mins to be ready. Not sure if they were understaffed but it was a Sunday afternoon you'd think they would have a team that can cover the dinner rush. Then to make things a little more brutal the dishes lacked flavor. Not too sure if id come back to this place. Also i get that the theme is rustic and vintage but it be nice if they cleaned and dusted,i saw they had strips of dust accumulated and hanging from the ceiling lamps. The decor is much too beautiful to not be kept well maintained.

My friends and I made a reservation for dinner @ 7:30pm, but when we showed up about an hour early, Mondello's was happy to accommodate us. Great service and delicious food. I had one of the specials which was sea bass with fresh, homemade linguine. Awesome! Highly recommend this place!

My wife and I were looking for a nice quite place to have dinner and we didn't want to go through lots of heavy traffic to get to. This is a nice place that is in the middle of the Magnolia neighborhood. The atmosphere reminds me of cafe's in Italy we visited. The menu truly Italian. The food was very good-excellent in my opinion. Service was fast but they don't try to rush you out of there. Take your time and enjoy. We plan on going back within the next couple of days. Hidden gem.

I made reservations at Mondello on a Friday evening for our 25th Anniversary because it was a neighborhood place which we had not tried. We were seated right away as the vibe was definitely small town Italy. The place was fully booked and the waitstaff was busy. We felt that our waitress was a bit preoccupied and not really attentive to our needs. The meal was decent, but not really noteworthy. The appetizer we shared was a melon with prosciutto and the melon was not ripe. The Caesar salad was excellent with the right amount of dressing and the croutons were homemade. We ordered two pasta dishes...the carbonara was quite good, but the lasagna, which was a house specialty, was average at best with not a lot of flavor. All in all, it was an okay evening, but we were expecting more given the positive reviews. We have come to the conclusion that it was an off night.

We have two families that travel together. We are staying close to this restaurant and came out for dinner. The menu has standard items but the titles of the dishes are in Italian. Our kids were intimidated but we helped them make decisions and the server was so good with them. The food was great and the service we received was awesome. As we left the owner shook our hand and thanked us for visiting while visiting Seattle. We recommend.

I met a business colleague for lunch at Mondello's. It's a small family restaurant in a beautiful neighborhood near downtown Seattle. My colleague said it was his favorite Italian restaurant in Seattle, and after enjoying one of the most flavorful lunches, it's one of my favorites too. The food is wonderful and so are the owners. They are involved in the business and add a personal touch to a most enjoyable experience.

We live nearby and decided to eat at Mondello's on Christmas Eve. We had eaten there once before several years ago when it first opened and found the food to be good. Since then we've heard many positive reports from neighbors. Not this time! We had four dishes, three of which we would not eat again. The Sicilian soup was way too salty (a common and unforgivable problem with soups). The veal saltimboca was bland and fell far short of Bucco di Beppo's, a chain restaurant. The braciole was still cold in the middle and the pasta sauce reminded me of when I was a kid and used to eat what was called "Eye-talian" food. It was a busy night. for sure, but we were there early in the evening. No excuse! One very telling item was the wine glasses. They were heavy, thick rimmed and not at all what one would expect in any Italian restaurant of quality. Perhaps the restaurant is falling on hard times? There are many, many Italian restaurant choices in Seattle that have terrific food. We welcomed this one because it's in our neighborhood but we wasted our money.

Very inviting place with warm Italian flavor. Great service and good wine list but food is not that good. Very disappointing since we would really like to go back

If you want authentic, rustic, momma in the kitchen Italian food, this is your place. The wine list is good and reasonable, the pasta dishes are great with rich sauce. The sausage is locally made and delicious. The portions are great and this time we split it while enjoying a salad stater course. Not sure about any negative reviews as this is our second time and both times were great.

We went to Mondello with high expectations because of the excellent reviews. The four of us ordered the antipasto misto, and it was very good--nice selection of tasty cheeses, meats, and olives. For main dishes, we ordered the seafood cioppino, squid ink spaghetti with shrimp, and Italian sausage over pasta. The cioppino had very little broth; the seafood selection was good (shrimp, clams, mussels, fish); the noodles were a little hard; and it was a little spicy hot. The broth, which was fish base, was tasty but there wasn't enough of it!! The squid ink spaghetti was a little dry, and there were only 4 little shrimp per order, even though the menu stated that the dish contained tiger prawns. The sausage dish was good. At the end of the meal, we presented our Entertainment coupon, expecting a 25% discount as stated in the book. However, we received only a 10% discount, and when asked, the waitress said that they have a button that they push on the register for Entertainment coupon discounts. The discount we received was much less than what was stated on the coupon. Because the restaurant was so full and customers were waiting for our table, we didn't question the bill any further. The service was good, which was impressive because all of the tables were occupied.

We had high hopes for this place, and indeed it has all the ingredients for a great restaurant, most notably a very cute and authentic atmosphere. There is SO much potential here, but they really have a lot to work on before that potential can be realized. We had issues with both the service and the food. We started off with a female server, who would disappear for long stretches, during which an older gentleman (owner? manager?) would come to our table and ask us about all the same things that had already been asked by aforementioned sometimes-missing server. It all felt confusing and disjointed and as though there was very little communication happening on the back end. Throughout the whole thing, we never got any bread, even as all the tables around us got it, and even after we'd asked twice (the third time was the charm). Overall it just felt like not a lot of attention was being paid to us as customers. Not ideal. While we liked the atmosphere and the live piano player, it did seem like the chosen piano pieces got a little loud/intense/minor key at times. It often wasn't what I'd call calming dinner music. We could have forgiven everything else if the food had been stellar, but unfortunately it wasn't. My lamb ragu was COLD in the middle, and my wife's pasta was uncooked beyond what we'd consider "al dente." The evening was disappointing, and we definitely left feeling like it was a waste of a nice atmosphere. I feel like if Mondello's ironed out these kinks, they could have a really nice neighborhood restaurant. I hope they do!

Took friends to dinner last night and we were all blown away by everything. The staff was so friendly, knowledgeable and courteous. It was like being transported to a cafe in Sicily--seating was cozy but private--there is also outdoor-cafe style seating. And the food was spectacular. The wine selection was the best. We all ordered something different and all was delicious. The antipasto platter was the best I have every had. And the desserts--wow! I had Lemoncello frozen cream--it was to die for. The pricing was reasonable--we expected much higher prices, especially for the superior quality of the food and service.Can't say enough good things about our experience. I would highly recommend this family owned restaurant. We can't wait to go back--maybe next week!

To start, I only visited this restaurant because it was offered on a Groupon. We are from the Eastside and decided to cash in our Groupon on a Sunday night. The restaurant is located in the Magnolia neighborhood. Not being from the area is was somewhat hard to find. We drove down a dark side street three times before noticing the unlit sign. We entered and we greeted by a charming ambience which quickly died. There was no one to great us at the door and a bus boy and waitress took their time on greeting us. The restaurant was not full but they didn't have a table ready for us. Then once we sat it took 5 mis to get water (water should come in the first 30secs if you ask me). Nobody even came and acknowledged us. Then the bus boy finally comes with bread (which was stale) and he decides to take our order but failed to ask us if we wanted something to drink. The waitress wandered over some time after that and presumed to tell us how she has been running around a cried a couple times because she was alone waiting all the tables. She then took our drink and main course order and left. The prices here run at about $15 for a pasta entree, so I was expecting a good meal. My mixed green salad came with only olive oil on it and no balsamic. It was incredibly bland. The pasta came and was nothing special. A small and simple portion of pesto sauce and noodles, with no meat, for 14 dollars! Nothing special enough or tasty enough to justify 14 dollars. Bad service, food is just ok. Would not return. The review below me really sounds like something someone associated with the restaurant would write.

Wonderful small and cozy restaurant. Wonderful relaxed, informal atmosphere with great Italian food with many specialties. Never disappointed.

We had high hopes. How can you go wrong with a little Italian place in lovely Magnolia? Um. When you walk in, it DOES feel like many of the little places we visited in Italy. The hostess/waitress was lovely, but it felt at times that she was trying too hard to "sell" us on more stuff. We started with the squash soup, which was just plain bland. Not good at all. For our entrees we had the special which was a crab stuffed spinach ravioli and the walnut cream sauce gnocchi. The ravioli was in a melted butter sauce. It was pretty tasty, but you only got 5 ravioli. (And they were NOT large.) It felt more like an appetizer. The gnocchi were not very good. The consistency of the pasta itself seemed like it wasn't cooked all the way. And the sauce, again, was bland bland bland. And walnuts? I think there was one. We didn't try dessert. The cost of our meal was over $120 for barely enough food for the two of us. (No drinks; no dessert.) The prices here are outrageous for what you get. I know times are tough, but this place felt like a rip-off.

Just the place to get your visit to Italy in Seattle. Highly recommend for fantastic traditional food in a fun atmosphere.

I had high expectations for this restaurant and it was just not nearly in the vicinity of the very excellent Italian fare available in the city. Wouldn’t make my top 20—bread was unappealing, appetizer was uninspired and fell short of description, and ravioli was a small portion for price and had barely any mushrooms and no attempt to garnish or finesse. Cute environs but they could improve a lot in their control by putting themselves up against the many other impressive Italian restaurants in Seattle.

Enjoy the rustic atmosphere and definitely order the ham and melon and caprese appetizers - melt in the mouth mozzarella. The freshest minestrone soup you'll ever have, a lasagna to die for, stellar clam pasta. The caesar salad was a bit too richly sauced, but the service was good. The line to the bathroom was a bit distracting as it ran right by our table, but otherwise, excellent.

A very quant and charming Italian restaurant. The staff was so friendly and knowledgeable, helping us each pick out a glass of wine, which was absolutely delicious. Then there was the food. Wonderful, melt-in-your-mouth amazing! And if it seems a tad expensive be reassured that it is definitely worth it. It was just a fun and relaxed meal and I want to go back again and again!

My family of seven dined at Mondello on a Saturday afternoon. The adults all had wonderful and unique Italian seafood meals while my grade school-age grandsons devoured their gourmet macaroni and cheese. I chose the squid ink spaghetti with prawns. The service was prompt and helpful and I particularly enjoyed the quiet dining setting without the loud background music that seems to be the trend nowadays. The restaurant is in the quiet Magnolia neighborhood and free parking was available with a block at the time of our visit.

I took my son and daughter in law after a hard day of moving. I had a delicious bruschetta with whole basil leaves, excellent tomatoes and perfect toast. The puttanesca with kalamotta olives and a little kick was outstanding. A nice Italian wine. Their sausage and pasta was similarly delicious. Service was amusing. We will be back.

My second trip to this restaurant (my daughter and her family live in Seattle) and both times it was excellent...the greeting was appreciated and our reservation was honored....what is obviously the matriarch of the family sits at the counter, overseeing the goings on..waitstaff was attentive and professional and the meals were outstanding...it was a Saturday evening and it was crowded...the staff moved tables around to accomodate the crowd...I look forward to coming back

I have been here a number of times over the years for homemade quality . the pasta (fettuccine) was not properly made this time . We were charged for a second minuscule container of parmesan and second small bread basket. (didn't mind the bread charge). Whoever said the prices are fine dining level hasn't been out to eat in Seattle. Prices are fine and moderate. The wine pour was tiny and expensive for average wine. Sorry I can no longer recommend this place.

We ordered puttanesca, carbonara, caesar salad and caprese. None of it was good. I don't want to rate the service because restaurants are hurting for staff at this time and it is not fair to give a poor rating.

When you need a cozy place to go and eat some great Italian good try Mondello's. The food is always good and if you have any problem with it as the one review would suggest tell them and they will fix it or get you something else. I always feel at home here and have always had a great meal.

This place looks the part but doesn't have great Italian food. For their price point I know of 2 Italian restaurants in Balard that have better food at much cheaper prices.

Incredibly noisy in the small restaurant, to the point where my husband and I had a hard time hearing each other over the people in the main area. The service was poor and the food nothing to write home about. The servers weren't on top of water refills or checking in with us. At one point I asked for a fresh bottle of water for the table and it didn't come until after I had completed my meal. We had fettuccine with sausage and gnocchi with gorgonzola and they were okay, but not up to the standard of other Seattle-area Italian restaurants. Huge portions. We will not return.

We came here for a birthday lunch and found the place charming with good food and a nice owner. My sister was treated by the restaurant to a slice of tiramisu in celebration of her birthday. There were a couple of tables there with patrons who were speaking Italian, so I took that as a further good sign.

Our first visit to Mondello's in the Magnolia Village area of Seattle was great. Friendly staff, fine food. The three of us had a gnoche, a ravioli, and a Italian sausage fettucine. The gnoche and ravioli are made in house. These sausage fettucine has a very nice, mild Italian sausage, which does not overpower the dish, as it sometimes does. The wine list is satisfactory (we can't say more as we do not know wines!). We just know what we like.

Always enjoyed my meals here

I really loved the authentic italian cuisine! Noodles were perfect, al dente. I had the clams and white sauce. Really tasty, tender clams and no sand! :-) The atmosphere was perfect. Intimate and cozy. I loved the friendliness of the servers. It takes a reservation to get seated quickly, but once seated, enjoy the non-rushed atmosphere and sip some great wine. Server recommended a merlot that was outstanding and reasonable in price. Great authentic Italian cuisine. Be prepared to be impressed. Overall, a good memory of fine dining. A local said this is Magnolia's best kept secret. I believe it!

The restaurant is a very traditional Italian restaurant owned by an Italian family. If you have not been to Italy or appreciate true Italian food (not American-Italian), you won’t like it. But right when we entered, I️ felt right back at home in Rome or Sorrento. Great food, traditional Italian wine, and great atmosphere. Will be back!

So my wife chose this place because she wanted good Italian food for dinner. The place is very small, quaint and had a rustic feel to it. The food (we both ordered pasta dishes) was very good and the prices were not overly high. We split the tiramisu for dessert and it was great. The wine we ordered was a Chianti and was well-priced for the quality. We had a great experience with one small exception. The bottle of wine we ordered was a little late arriving to the table after the appetizer was served. I would've preferred that it come right away so that it can be opened well ahead of the meal arriving. I think the waiter noticed his mistake because he gave us dessert for free (we never complained). Overall I would recommend Mondello's. The service was good and the food was also very good.

The aroma is what hits you when you enter...simply italian! The Nonna sits at the bar, mother and son greet you and seat you, and then, you immerse yourself in Italian classic dishes....great wine selection and the waitstaff can help you decide between a barolo or a chianti or a wonderful nebbiolo....I had the bucatini alla amatriciana, heavenly! The best sauce! My nephew had gnocchi and he swears it is the best he has ever eaten...brother in law is partial to the meatballs...you can tell they are made with veal, very tender...my sister enjoyed a tuscan chicken. Classic food, well prepared in a wonderful rustic atmosphere...I could eat here every night!

I had high expectations for this restaurant and it was just not nearly in the vicinity of the very excellent Italian fare available in the city. Wouldn’t make my top 20—bread was unappealing, appetizer was uninspired and fell short of description, and ravioli was a small portion for price and had barely any mushrooms and no attempt to garnish or finesse. Cute environs but they could improve a lot in their control by putting themselves up against the many other impressive Italian restaurants in Seattle.

Amazing food! Darling decor. Always well taken care of!

If you are looking to stay close to home in Magnolia - you can't find a much better option than Mondello's. While the menu isn't as expansive as I would have hoped and you are somewhat limited in choices, the food has always been reliably great. You can tell that a lot of love and prep has gone into the crafting of each noodle or meatball. The vibe is always neighborhood friendly, and you can tell the owners care about their product. Will return!

I so want this to be a good restaurant. Every couple of years I go back. I ordered the clam linguine. The pasta wasn’t fully cooked. Pre-al dente. Clams and sauce were tasty. Service wasn’t good. I ordered coffee and had to ask her back for cream and sugar and then she wanted to pour the cream in my cup for me!!

I have so wanted this restaurant to be good as it is in my neighborhood and I am a huge fan of Italian cuisine. Sadly, after three visits and three different meals I have been very disappointed each time. Their pasta is made on sight and it is usually pretty well done, though it always arrives only slightly warm. Both times I have ordered their veal meatballs they have arrived cold, very crumbly and grainy in texture and packed way too tight. Like wise the Scampi e Spinaci was overcooked and arrived cold and the white wine & roasted garlic reduction was more like a soup. Since their prices are on the upper end of the scale for Italian food, I have to recommend going elsewhere such as Assaggio or Volterra, which is just 5 minutes away from Mondello's. On the plus side, the staff is friendly and attentive and the wine selection is good.

Great authentic Sicilian food. This is a smallish restaurant in Magnolia. Plenty of free on street parking was available. The service and food was excellent. They serve wine and beer only.

The menu states a gratuity added of 18%. Our bill arrived with a 22% gratuity added. The menu stated the beer was $4.00; our bill arrived and they charged $4.50 per beer. Not much, but what's the deal? There was nothing included with the pasta entree. Not a single vegetable or whatever. How can a pasta dish cost $23? Can't figure that one out!

We've never had less than great experiences at Mondello's. The carbonara is the very best I've eaten (outside of Sicily, anyway), and the puttanesca is perfect for those who like a lighter-style sauce. If you're in Magnolia, skip Szmania's - Mondello's is the way to go.

There are some promising aspects to this restaurant including an easy neighborhood location and a very suitable room. The servers were generally friendly when they came by but that wasn't very often. Most peculiarly, we were served by a succession of men and women. Some were good and some weren't, but overall we didn't know who to turn to. As for the food, it was flavorful for the most part but we all thought the pasta was significantly undercooked. The desserts were good however and the wine selection was good and very fairly priced.

I just had the absolute best chicken dinner ever ! On the menu the was an entre that stated " DARK MEAT " and the said leg to me and I just had to try it. If you like dark meat chicken you absolutely enjoy this as much as I did. Everyone else in my party had different meals and they were all excellently prepared and delicious.

Im giving them 5 stars based on their service.. But the food would be a 3/4... Great little place we found.. There were a few mix ups when we got there, but they were made up for it by accommodating us.. Definitely not a place to bring kids (we did but wouldn’t again) Very small space with only 12 tables... Menu is very different and not many choices...

Stopped for a quick- delicious- bite before we needed to be at nearby baseball game. Great wine selection. Had a great antipasto with cured meat, fresh parm and fresh mozerella. We also tried their lentil sausage soup. Our palettes ended with a ling cod with veggies. Nothing was a disappointment! Quaint place with ambiance. Very friendly staff! We will be back to this gem!

My husband and I have been loyal customers of Mondello for years because it was the homey spot for good Italian food in our neighborhood. We were able to look past their fairly regular service blunders and mishaps, and the fact that the red wine was always served at 85+ degrees because we still felt welcomed and the food was plentiful and the quality was high. But, after eating at Mondello a week ago, they have lost us. The family has faced the very sad loss of their matriarch, and the eyes on this restaurant now have a very different arrogance and focus on cutbacks for their own benefit. The place now feels like another manipulative Seattle restaurant taking sneaky steps to give you less for the same cost which will backfire as the experience and food quality has massively suffered. We were made to wait for 10 minutes for a table even though we had a reservation. A pack ‘em mentality. Newly implemented, bread is rationed at one piece per customer and refilled for a charge. Red wine is still served too hot, yet the price per glass probably exceeds the value of the whole bottle. Portion sizes have shrunk, now 5 ravioli where there used to be 6 and they taste nothing like they used to. Veal has been replaced with bread in the no-meatballs. I mean, come on! Isn’t that like the oldest trick in the book? It is so disappointing to see how greed has messed with was used to a pretty good thing.

We were warmly greeted. The menu had lots of good options including a mushroom cheese ravioli, nice toasted bread, lots of Italian wine selections, friendly service. We Enjoyed delivery of spaghetti, veggie pizza and Greek salad.

Growing up first generation southern Italian in the 1950's , you rarely ate Italian food in a restaurant because Mama's cooking was always far better. The best compliment I can give to Mondello is that it is authentic Italian home cooking and almost as good as Mama's (and that is saying a lot!!). It's the real deal. Every dish I've had there has been top notch and as I mentioned to Sofana in my last visit, her Cannolo was the best I"ve had since I was in Sicily a few years ago. Salute a Mondello....Deliziosa!!!

Five of us had dinner here. Two of us had salad as an entree, one had carbonatta, another had veal, last had prawn pasta dish. Bread served was over toasted and more like unflavored croutons. The tiny dishes of olive oil although sprinkled with dry crunchy herbs was bland. My roasted beer salad had full sized raw plain walnuts, chunks of beers that could have come from a can, and about three chunks of Gorgonzola. The yummiest desserts were sold out. Huge wine list. Everyone stated that food was nothing much to be happy for. I thought tiramisu was nice but husband thought okay.

We have been looking for a second "go to" Italian in Seattle, and I think we found it. Overall, our first experience was a very good one. We made reservations for a Saturday nite. Upon arrival we were seated immediately, and it was busy. This is a small establishment (seating for about 40). We order four different entrees. We wanted to try the Lasagne, but it was sold out already. I had the Italian sausage Salsiccia and it was outstanding. Two large sausages, fettuccine, and a zesty sauce. Excellent. The Pollo Al forno, Prawns, and Bolognese were also excellent. I must admit, the Ceasar Salad was a big disappointment, not fresh lettuce and very bland dressing. As to the desert, the Dark Chocolate Mouse was outstanding and the Tiramisu was good, not great. Service was excellent. Overall, a Very Good experience.

Having vacationed in Italy, this restaurant brought back fond memories of delicious Italian food. Our lunch started with fresh baked bread and an herbed oilive oil. My friends had the mixed Mista salad, and then the Linguine alle Vongole (with clams). I started with a cup of lentil soup. The cup was the size of a bowl. I then had the Sicilian Bolognese. Both entrees came with homemade pasta. The wines on the wine list were very affordable, with several bottles under $30. The food portions were plentiful. We had enough to take home for another meal. The young Bulgarian woman who served us was very attentive, but did not hover. She allowed us to dine at a leisurely pace. My apologies for not getting her name so that I could include it in this review. This was my second time to Mondello's, and I'm looking forward to returning.

Met a good friend who's daughter was in town along with I and my daughter who both were visiting from college. Dinner and drinks were great. Service was excellent. Good conversation. Sprang for desert. Will have to do this again.

Magnolia has wonderful restaurants and this is one of them. The decor is eclectic and inviting. My husband had the homemade pasta ravioli dish and I had the gnocchi gorgonzola pasta with walnuts - both delicious. Unless you go between 4 and 5, I'd recommend making a reservation even on a weeknight. We were lucky to be seated within 5 minutes on a Thursday night at 6.

Seven of us were looking for a great place to eat dinner in Magnolia and stumbled on Mondello. The place was full but the staff was wonderful and found us a table. Food was DELISH and ambiance terrific. We each ordered something different and tasted everything. Highly recommend if you are nearby!

This small family restaurant in Magnolia has a nice, cozy atmosphere and friendly service but the food was very disappointing on two occasions. Most recently, the beet salad was one of the worst salads I've had. The greens and walnuts were soggy and the beets tasted like they came from a can. My husband had the lasagne which he described as mushy and overcooked. I had gnocchi with meat sauce. The gnocchi was also overcooked and flavorless and the meat in the sauce was tough. We were given a complimentary Tiramisu for dessert, which surprisingly was served at room temperature. While the service is enthusiastic and friendly, the prices are on the high side, the food is not good and we will not go back.

Recently took clients /friends for dinner there and, as usual, it was fantastic. The atmosphere, menu, and location in the Magnolia Village makes Mondello's a great go-to choice regardless of occasion. We'll be back again.

We stopped in for a light lunch and found a new favorite. Since we were not very hungry, we ordered the frittata to split. It arrived served on two plates with the salad also divided. Not only was this a perfect portion for each of us it was delicious. The dressing on the salad was seasoned just right. The fresh vegetables in the frittata added great color, texture and flavor. We are looking forward to a return visit.

Mondello's was recommended by a friend and we decided to make a reservation for Valentine's day. We had an early seating, so the restaurant was mostly empty when we arrived. We were greeted by several friendly faces just waiting for a torrent of customers. Our server was very friendly, but it was clear very early that there was time-pressure. With barely a minute to look at the menu we were asked if we were ready to order. Each transition came with a sense of urgency. That was the pattern throughout our meal. When a course was done it was swept away and the next was placed in front of us. Not a relaxed feeling. The three course menu for the evening was prix fix. It certainly was delicious. Very delicious. In the end, I did not feel the meal was worth the price, primarily because of the time pressure. I started with the Fennel Blood Orange Salad; she had the Gamberoni Diavola Shrimp. Main course: Lobster Tortellini for me; Rabbit Ragu for her. Both were exceptionally good. Yes, I tasted the rabbit. Dessert: Passion Fruit Panna Cotta for me; Tiramisu del amor for her. I also had the wines paired with each course. I cannot recount the three pours, but I felt all three were perfectly paired with the course. To be fair, we will have to go back, in order to enjoy their regular menu. Final thoughts: With such a great menu the focus should be to give your customer a thoroughly relaxing, enjoyable feast, with patient and helpful service. The haste makes one feel that the evening was overbooked, which suggests a priority not in the interest of the guests' enjoyment.

When going through the list of Eater's "Iconic Dishes That Define Seattle Dining" article, Mondello was the one restaurant I didn't recognize. They listed their lasagna as their signature dish. I had a business meeting coming up in the Magnolia area so I made it a point to my coworker to make a stop here for lunch. The decor is old school, almost stereotypical, Sicilian. I got their iconic lasagna while my coworker got the gnocci al gorgonzla. The lasagna wasn't just cut out of a pan and plopped down in an unappetizing square as I expected. It almost looked like it was individually baked to order (of course I know it wasn't) and then dressed with a delicious sauce. The pasta was very soft but not soggy at all. I can see why this dish is so famous now.

Excellent Italian take out whether it be pizza or dinner dishes.

The pesto and lasagna are best here.

The prices for this quality of food were very good. Super fresh tomato sauce and homemade pasta. Friendly service- the chef came out to greet us! Server was quite knowledgeable about the wines and offered his favorites. Italian wine list was a nice touch. My salad was so simple and so delightful. Too full for the desserts but the cannoli looked divine.

Home cooked meal! This was like visiting grandmas house. Warm and inviting neighborhood restaurant. Our pasta was delicious and freshly made to order. Tiramisu was incredible. Will definitely visit again

this place is really cute and had very good food. The Cioppino was especially tasty. Definitely try the antipasti for an appetizer, it's excellent.

This is the kind of Italian place where Mama is in the kitchen. The food is delicious, pay attention to the specials. The noodles are served a perfect al dente, and the bread is rustic and served slightly toasted, We love coming here.

Had dinner a bit early so the restaurant was mostly empty. Most tables were filled by the time I left. This is a "true" Italian restaurant -- if you speak Italian it is fun to listen the the kitchen/wait staff conversations! The food has been excellent every time I have been there with one exception -- a caprese salad with tomatoes not great (really difficult to get a good tomato is Seattle!) No complaints, good service, great food, small easy to access restaurant that might be a little difficult to find if you are from out-of-town.

We went to Mondello's for an engagement celebration for our son and his bride to be, there were 8 of us. The service was slow, we had to ask like 3 times for more bread and they would bring 4 slices for all of us. We finally quit asking! Three of us had lasagna and it was not even luke warm! It would have been good. The others all said their food was pretty good. For the price we paid for all of us to eat you would think we could have gotten better service and atleast warm food. When they ask us if we wanted dessert my husband ask for a dessert menu but theysaid all they had was vanilla ice cream! Was expecting a really special place but they fell short! It was nice inside.

This is a very important fact when you are searching for a restaurant you can bring your dog to in chilly Seattle. The heaters really make the streetery really warm. Now for the food: we thought it was excellent! We ordered the bronzino and shared it. There was plenty for two and it was delicious. Our kids had pastas and they loved them. The owner is from Sicily so the authenticity of the food is apparent.

The price point is fine dining. That is the only thing fine. The food is average and the service is average to below average.. The lasagne was runny and unformed slop-like, meatballs runny, portions small, haphazardly served. The decor was nice, though. I had heard that this was authentic but, having been to Italy many times, I would say that the real deal is better. With wine and tip worked out to $70 per person.

We visit Seattle every year, always looking for new dining experiences. This restaurant was recommended on some dining review sites so were excited about trying this place The restaurant motif was minimalist-cement floors, plank board tables and the like. As we were shown to our table I was encouraged about our upcoming meal as we passed a counter with loaves of fresh baked bread. When we got a chance to sample the bread it was tasteless and disappointing. We first shared an arugula salad, a disappointedly small portion. My husband always tries the lasagne as a touchstone for judging Italian restaurants. The portion was small and it was far from the best he has had. I had the cioppino, one of the daily specials. It was delicious. My son had the puttinesca which he liked. Any possible enjoyment of the meal was tarnished by the overbearing behavior of the waiter. For example: He felt the need to comment on our having a Groupon. He also denied me my request for Parmesan cheese. I would not eat here again.

As a single diner I was treated pretty much with distain. I was extremely snubbed. The food mediocre. Locations ok. Too bad they think they are better than the rest of us.

We were warmly greeted. The menu had lots of good options including a mushroom cheese ravioli, nice toasted bread, lots of Italian wine selections, friendly service.

We took a group of 7 to this restaurant when we rented a house in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle. Inexpensive wine is available as well as medium-priced wine. Ravioli, gnocchi-excellent; Pulpo appetizer, lentil soup-VG; Cioppino, saltimbocca-OK; linguine with crab incredibly salty and not at all acceptable. These folks attempt with limited success to have an "interesting" menu but for the local place in your neighborhood we would definitely return (having learned a bit about the menu). Service was by several different people with no one person taking responsibility for the table as a whole.

food was good,tasty,and nice portions. atmosphere was authentic Italy with a nice wine selection. salad was fair at best but mains were very good-pasta was home made and served just right. service was fine

If you're looking for overcooked pasta, ridiculous portions and sweet tomato sauce and melted cheese on everything, this is not the place. The waitress greeted us with an authentic Italian frantic friendliness. It doesn't matter what you go for as the food is all delicious, real Italian food. Looking at the food on other tables around me made me want to come back again and try everything, which i'm sure I will! The service is friendly, quick and helpful. Nice Italian wine list and even desert wines made this a truly special meal.

Mondello's is our favorite neighborhood restaurant because they welcome grandkids and visiting dignitaries with the same outstanding service and excellent food. They are sooo nice and their food is sooo good!! Chiao!!

Mondello is a cute and charming restaurant located in downtown Magnolia. Besides the food, there are a few things that I enjoy when I eat out at a resutaurant. The first is how I'm treated by the staff, and the second is that 'wow' factor when you walk into the place. Mondello definitely has a nice 'wow' factor and surprised me. The vibrant colored pastel paint on the walls reminded me of a coastal town in italy. The ambient lighting (just right for a date night setting), combined with some cute/classical looking decor pieces made me feel like I was eating at an Anthropologie store (sans scents). Furthermore, the tables were spaced far enough where you can have a great conversation without fear of overhearing/being overheard. Speaking of tables, I think their tables were well chosen. The wooden chairs were comfortable, sturdy, and gave you that feeling of soft wood (which I really like). More importantly, there was enough space for all of the plates we ordered. I think that if you're in an Italian restaurant, your table should be able to at least handle 4-6 full dinner plates. The staff was great. Our waiter (who I'm assuming is someone related to the family) was very hospitable and nice. What made me happy about the staff though was how they treated another table close to us. Another guest forgot to mention that they had allergies to certain food items and when the food came out, the staff apologized and had the item re-made and also accommodated other small wishes like extra marinara sauce. I'd like to know that if I had some special dietary needs, I would be treated without judgment. I think Mondello's demonstrated that right in front of me. However, the food fell well below my expectation. We started with a Bruschetta. I noticed that the bread they used for the Bruschetta and the free bread they gave us were exactly the same. Though it was good, I did expect something more special (like a focaccia) and not the same free bread, especially if I was paying $9 for it! The tomatoes were fresh, not too much garlic, and fresh basil made the appetizer very fresh tasting without relying on too much olive oil. For our main courses, my wife and I decided to get the Spaghetti Al Carbonara and the Lasagne. We were supposed to split the two items but she ended up eating all of the Lasagne. After the meal, she told me that she was very hungry but that she ended up thinking that the Lasagne was mostly noodle and not enough sauce. As for my dish, I thought that the carbonara had very little taste other than salty. There were hunks of pancetta that didn't taste very much, and although the parmesan cheese they used was very tasty, there wasn't a lot of taste to the dish. I was sorely disappointed and felt like I had eaten a lot of carbs and was not even close to being satisfied for all of the carb I had ingested. Here's a breakdown of the price of the meal: Bruschetta: 9, Lasagna: 18, Carbonara: 16 - subtotal 43 (I ended up using a groupon). For 43 bucks, I would've expected something that tasted better. Keep in mind that we didn't get any beverages so expect your tab to be $10-$20 higher if you're dining out for two. This leaves me feeling a bit dissatisfied with my entire experience. Bottom line: I'm not going back and I wouldn't recommend (especially if you're expecting great Italian food). I strongly feel that the 4 stars on Tripadvisor and Yelp are very misleading and want to give readers a better idea on what to expect should they think about dining out at Mondello's. Food: 3 stars, Ambiance: 4 stars Service: 4 stars Price: 3 Stars

We've been eating here almost since it opened -- we and they moved into the neighborhood at about the same time. Run by a Sicilian family, and they also sell their pasta and sauces at the Magnolia neighborhood farmers' market (May-Sept.). Good salad and bruschetta (try the olive and the artichoke), soup (try the lentil), pastas (try the carbonara; the bolognese; the lasagna), and a few secondi. Specials depend on what's fresh: the fresh fish specials are popular. Wine is a strength here, as some other family members import wine, so the selection is good and reasonably priced. It is a popular neighborhood place, so call for reservations, especially on weekends. Some weekend nights an acoustic guitarist plays (no vocals). If it's crowded here, go around the corner and a block up to the Neapolitan pizza place run by the same family -- check out the Madonna on top of the pizza oven!

Ten of us went the first night. Enjoyed it so much we went back a few nights later. Somewhat expensive but, wow!!!!, great food and wine. two grandparents, four parents and four teenage grandchildren. They treated us like guests in their home. Grandma was there and conversed with our grandma.