mama carolla's old italian

great meal out!. i had the rosemary 1/2chickenand it was delicious. everything was cooked and prepped really well. beautiful setting, great food, good service and i was not waiting long for my food- the deserts looked pretty amazing too!

hands down my favorite restaurant in the city. i've dined here many times since it opened and love everything about this place. old school, traditional italian food. my dad loves the carbonara here (not something many italian restaurants make anymore). my sons love the goat cheese stuffed shrimp appetizer, which they always order for their dinners. my husband enjoys the lasagna (it is devine) and i think mama makes the best marinara sauce i've ever had. my dish recommendations would be the linguini with clams (white or red),chickenpiccata, bolognese,chickeninvoltine and the alfredo. (oh, and the caesar salad!) it is a truly romantic place, perfect for an anniversary or special date. it is kid friendly, but no kids menu & if your kids are only intochickenfingers and fries this is not the place for you. leave them with a babysitter and treat yourself to something special. also this place is popular, fills up quickly and does not take reservations on friday & saturday nights (they don't need to silly!) so plan accordingly!

outstanding!. great experience from start to finish. food was delicious. staff was helpful and accommodating. greeted at the door by the owner. he's a great guy who loves to share a quick story about the restaurant. seated much more quickly than we were first told. shrimp cocktail was a fantastic starter. firm and very fresh. house dressing is a must try on the salad.chickenparm one of the best i've had. all served hot and very fresh. our waiter meesh ( sp?) did a great job. when i'm back in town i'll return. great meal and experience.

not impressed. dined there last evening for the first time upon the recommendation of a friend. i had the walnut & herb crusted tilapia with blackberry basil sauce. the tilapia was overcooked, no seasonings were detected, only the annoying presence of blackberry seeds which should have been strained from what little sauce was on my fish. my husband had the rosemarychickenlasagna which he described as a "bunch of flavorless cheese without a hint of rosemary". the house salad was little more than a few bites, and neither the house bread nor the olive oil had any flavor. it could not have been extra virgin olive oil, which one would expect at a quality italian restaurant. our service was really the only bright spot of the meal!

loved everything about it!. the food here is fantastic! the ambiance is also great. if you go when its warm out, they have a beautiful outdoor seating area. very busy on weekends, so show up early. definitely try the manicotti and thechickenalfredo! delish!

great experience. my wife and i had dinner here. we both loved this place! i had the gorgonzola stuffed filet and my wife had thechickenalfredo. both were excellent. the only thing that was not impressive was the "stuffed" shrimp appetizer. it was far from stuffed shrimp and more like shrimp with cheese in the middle. however, that did not detract from our experience. also, our bill was only $85 including tip.

always a special night out. a friend and i plan our visit to mama's a few months ahead of time, like little school girls we look forward to it & get gigglier as it gets closer.

the location is nice - rather centrally located in south broad ripple - and the building, as many others have noted, is beautiful. dining inside or outside (as we did on our last visit) can be a treat.

the menu is expansive if conventional, service is prompt & treats you like you're important.chickeninvoltine, rosemary chicken, and the alfredos are marvelous. if you enjoy any kind of italian food, you will find something at mama's to love.

prices are fair considering portion size and ingredients.

the only negative i have about the experience is the garbage dumpster near the garden entrance from the parking lot. the aroma was overwhelming on a june evening. is it possible to have it emptied before service starts or relocate it?

i love mamas! if you are trying to impress someone this is the place to go! you'll most likely have a wait if it's the wknd but trust me it's worth the wait. just grab a glass of wine in the bar and take it all in. when it's time to order get thechickenlasagna if it's not already sold out you won't be sorry!! enjoy :)

absolutely delicious. i ordered the fried calamari &chickenrigatoni, one of mama's specialties. the flavor & seasonings were perfect. i had to take part of my dinner home and it was just as delicious as leftovers the next day.

i will recommend mama carolla's to anyone that wants delicious italian food.

rosemary chicken. i was really impressed with this dish. thechickenwas tender and delicious. the grilled veggies were well seasoned, fresh, and very flavorful.

best restaurant in indy!. after leaving the portland, oregon area 14 years ago, i've been searching for a restaurant in indiana that has all the qualities i like, namely, consistently great food, superb ambiance (outdoor seating in a cafe like setting), upscale but not pretentious, reasonable prices... and wow, i finally found it this week in mama carolla's! my wife and i liked it so much we went two nights in a row, and it was superb both times. i had the best steak i've ever had in my life the first night and one of the best lasagnas ever the second night (thechickenlasagna dish is great!). the atmosphere in the outdoor garden reminds me of being in italy, where i've had many meals. this would compete with most restaurants in italy imo. i can't say enough good about this restaurant. the service was great both times, the martinis were especially good and also the impressive wine list, the bread was so good i stuffed myself. the appetizers and desserts are equally as good as the entrees. it's the best restaurant i've experienced by far in indiana and perhaps the best one i've ever experienced in my 40+ years. we'll go back and back and back!

amazing from start to finish!. used to live a block away from the place for 5 years, a few years ago. was almost a weekly thing to walk over and eat dinner. recently moved back to area and was craving their calamari. i ordered that for appetizer and got a stuffedchickenbreast with mashed potatoes and asparagus as sides. the meal was amazing! i dont know how they did it but i think the place is better now, than when i lived close. do not pass this place up!! it will b in my weekly routine again...starting today!!

delicious.. the food here is fantastic. would definitely recommend the steak andchickenrigatoni (my personal favorite). because they don't take reservations, you're pretty much always going to have to wait for a table. the wait is well worth the food and at least they have a bar in the waiting area. inside can get a bit cramped but i would recommend sitting outside. the outdoor atmosphere is relaxing. it can get expensive but again, well worth the food. and no, it is nothing like olive graden, that's just ridiculous.

the italian american standard in indy. fritters, lasagna, & cannoli... oh my! this really is *the* dining destination in indianapolis, and has been for several years. it's a rather basic, classic italian american menu, executed wonderfully in an atmosphere that slays the competition. where else do you get the flavors of an italian home while feeling like you are actually dining in one, with antique sconces, lace tablecloths, and a fireplace? the meat lasagna is kissed with chianti, and quite possibly my favorite lasagna anywhere (the rosemarychickenversion is delicious, as well, though the meat sauce is unbeatable). cannoli are stuffed to-order, maintaining a perfectly crisp pastry shell, a sweet and creamy ricotta filling, all dipped in crushed pistachios... a superb rendition. ricotta cheesecake is spongy, sweet, and moist, and crowned with tart blackberries... these are two desserts you must force yourself to try. come with the expectation you may have to wait for a table, but trust that it's all worth it. enjoy a glass of reasonably priced wine while you wait in a heated tent by the front gate, or in the main lounge. this is a must-try if dining in indianapolis.

best overall restaurant in indy but wait can be long and service can be weak. love the stuffed shrimp andchickenrigatoni. located in cool old house near the monon.