mamma'Zu

The food deserves five stars. The service tonight was unbelievably sub-par. The waitress in the striped dress was fine upon us ordering of their house red. She began to become slightly rude after two out of three of us ordered the Lamb Meatballs (we had both eaten earlier and just wanted a snack). So the the entree and one of the apps arrive at the table about 12-15 min later. No problem. She lets us know that the other app will be out shortly. Over ten minutes later once one person's food was finished and the other was mostly done they arrive with the appetizer for our third guest. The waitress was calm and kind during the discussion of him not really wanting to take it with him or eating since we were basically finished. However the general feel from the server was distaste and attitude towards us. I don't know if the server has a rough night leading up to our table, but there was no excuse for how we were treated. No manager or anyone chose to stop by. I will be back, but I hope the service steps up a notch next time. This visit was saved by the quality of food.

Fantastic Italian Mediterranean food. Great buzzing restaurant. Excellent service.

They have a 13 percent sales tax. The food is very good. I judge a restaurant by the bread. If the bread is bad the food usually is too. The bread is very good.

Come to mamma’Zu for amazing food and the intimate atmosphere. The word is out about this small gem of a restaurant in Richmond’s Oregon Hill neighborhood, and it is frequently overcrowded. Grab a drink at the bar and prepare for a long wait. While the food and drink is excellent, it loses a star in my book for not having a host podium to get on the list for a table. Getting a table feels chaotic and involves flagging down an already busy member of the wait staff to get on the list. There doesn’t really seem to be a designated waiting area, and if the bar is full it’s hard to find a spot to wait inside where you don’t feel in the way. Once you’re seated, though, it’s all smooth sailing. The restaurant’s menu is all written up on a chalkboard behind the bar. In my opinion it’s all good, whatever choice you make you can’t go wrong. But if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the menu options, the attentive waitstaff is more than happy to make a recommendation. Food quality is excellent and portion sizes are large. The dim, candlelit dining area combined with the crowds gives mama’Zu an intimate atmosphere perfect for a date or a special family occasion.

Excellent pasta and fantastic cooking. The veal marsala is great. It's hard to get a reservation for a small group, and there will definitely be a wait. The staff is a bit no-nonsense but they take care of you. Definitely one of the better restaurants in the city.