This place has fantastic vibe and excellent food. The menu covers all the classics. The service was good and the prices were very reasonable. I'd highly recommend this place and I'll definitely be returning.

Mama Carolla’s, one of the more high end Italian restaurants in the Broad Ripple area of Indianapolis. I came last night to celebrate a family member’s birthday and here’s our experience written out: Pros: Yes, when you first look at the menu, you would think the prices are a little expensive. But there’s a different reason for that. And the end result is for sure worth it. Their portions are very large. I ordered the Chicken Parmesan and honestly it’s one of the best I’ve ever had. It was so incredibly tasty and cooked to perfection. I also got some cheese bread and calamari for an appetizer and all that was amazing too. Our waiter was also super friendly and attentive to us and always kept us refilled on drinks. The dining area has a nice, antique looking vibe which is nice too. Cons: Definitely no cons right now. 5 out of 5 for Mama Carolla’s.

Yuck! Yuck! This place was so disappointing! Everyone’s rave reviews had us really excited to eat here! So we went for our anniversary dinner! And sadly so disappointed….my husband didn’t even finish his meal it was far too salty! But I did share my baked ziti which as you can see used 2 different kind of pasta in it…that is a first for me the smoother noodles were insanely over cooked and pretty mushy!! 🤢 I’m so sad our experience was so poor! Sadly I don’t think we will ever return! My advice is to check out diavola right down the street!

I was glad to pamper my weekend by picking this restaurant for dinner. As soon as you step in, you'll realise that this property used to be a spacious house then converted to a restaurant. This lovely restaurant is easily one of the best when it comes to old-fashioned Italian food. The interior seating is laid in small rooms with intimate settings, though you still have an option to enjoy your meal at the patio with its beautiful little garden. The food is vibrant and lively and the menu is chock-full of Italian favorites. So, the best part about it , it’s as visually beautiful the restaurant looks as the food is delicious. You definitely come here hungry, you leave with no space vacant in your belly. Don't miss the chance to try their chicken parmesan and chicken lasagna.

This was a wonderful restaurant. The restaurant sat in an older house making you feel welcome as soon as you walk through the doors. We sat at a candlelit table surrounded by warm friendly faces and good food. The servers were nice and knowledgeable. The food was like taking a Time Machine back to my grandparents kitchen. The sauce was amazing and it was all reasonably priced with large portions( I’m happily eating my dinner for lunch today). For an appetizer we had the fried ravioli which I had never had before and it was honestly great! We were served warm bread with our Italian wedding soup. Then our entrees; sausage and peppers with spaghetti and meatballs with spaghetti. Next time we go I have to try the dessert but for now if you are thinking of an Italian meal that brings back memories, definitely try Mama Carolla’s .

This is our second time in Mama Carolla’s and it never disappoints us. The ambience of this place always makes us want to come back. Which means it’s super busy all days of the week, although they have a waiting area with limited capacity where you can start with your drinks. You might be able to dodge the wait time by reaching early. The food is great and the service is really good and fast. I love their artichoke fritters and creme brûlée. They have a whole lot of vegetarian options and the servers will also help you to tweak the dishes a little bit if you are a vegetarian. It’s a perfect place to celebrate something or for a romantic date night. I wouldn’t say that it’s the best Italian food you will ever taste but the food plus the ambience is an experience that you might not wanna miss in Indianapolis. 😊

This is a hidden gem. I didn't know it was there until recently since it's not in our neighborhood. Our waitress, Ashley, was fantastic and super attentive even though she was doing the stairs the whole time. We started with the bruschetta and it was phenomenal. A couple of us had the chicken rigatoni which was fabulous with the Rizzo style. The traditional lasagna has a unique marinara that was very tasty. I had the pasta too good Rizzo style and it was delicious. Then we tried the tiramisu and the creme brulee for dessert and they were both great. We were so excited to eat that we forgot pics until the leftovers were boxed. Highly recommend you visit.

Another fantastic example of a place exceeding expectations on your views from years prior, despite then being incredibly lofty. Great service and classic Italian fare done correctly. The Misto Mare had the perfect cook on the seafood and was served over perfect al dente pasta. One of the best patios as well and excited to be able to frequent here again!

Great food, great service. Fried ravioli was a little overcooked but other than that it was a good appetizer. I personally enjoy eating steak so I ordered myself they're one and only Uncle Dino's 12 oz steak entree. For the price, you are paying for one excellent prepared meal. Looking forward to going there again.

Tucked away in an old Mediterranean-style villa near the neighborhood of Broad Ripple, Mama Carolla's offers some of the best tasting Italian dishes Indianapolis has to offer!! While we waited for our table, I grabbed a yummy Espresso Martini from the bar. For appetizers, I ordered the flavorful Tomato Bruschetta & the crispy, golden Fried Ravioli. My main course was a Caesar side salad & Cheese Stuffed Manicotti. Sauce was plentiful, food was delicious & our server, Bre, was ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!! She truly made my Mom's Birthday Dinner a special one & even gave us all hugs on our way out. I cannot recommend this place enough!! Stop whatever you're doing & get your tail over there to Mama Carolla's right now!!

A Must-Try Italian Gem in Indianapolis: Mama Carolla’s Delivers Deliciousness! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This place has such a cozy vibe, giving off those cool 1920s Mediterranean-style villa feels. Super chill and welcoming! The staff is awesome, so friendly and on top of things. We went on a Friday night, and they seated us right away, no waiting around. Now, the food - it’s amazing! Real Italian flavors that left me speechless. The portions were just perfect, and the price points were spot-on for the quality and taste. I was so into the dishes that I totally forgot to snap pics of my entrée. Oops! But no worries, I’ll be back for sure to try more yumminess from their menu. If you’re in Indianapolis and craving some tasty Italian grub, you gotta hit up Mama Carolla’s. It’s totally worth it!

Although the food was fine, it didn't live up to expectations considering how highly rated the restaurant is. Expected a long wait, got seated in a reasonable amount of time around noon on Sunday but waited interminably long for the food. Waitress said the kitchen was overwhelmed especially since outside dining was open. To which I would say... If your kitchen is too small (or inefficient?) then don't seat so many customers. Cheesy grits (a la carte) was good sized bowl, tasted fine, would have again. Corned beef hash was just grated potatoes with chunks of corned beef, kind of plain, not what I'd expect when ordering hash. Biscuits and gravy were decent too. Overall it was fine, but expected better.

Visiting from Jacksonville. This place was highly recommended by a family member and boy did it make an impression. The ambiance, staff and food were over the top. Rodney was our server and he was fantastic. I would highly recommend this restaurant if you visit Indianapolis.

This is a super cute Italian place! I got the Chicken Alfredo, and it was awesome! We also got calamari and it was really good. It's a beautiful restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. They have charming background music playing and beautiful decorations. Our server talked quietly enough that he blended with the music, and it was very hard to hear him. He also rushed us through ordering and kept coming to our table rather than just letting us eat. The servers who refilled the waters were great. They were on top of it, and we never ran out. They do not take reservations and will only seat you when your entire party is there. It was very busy when we went and we had to wait about 30 minutes. All in all, if you like Italian food, I highly recommend Mama Carolla's!

We had our anniversary dinner here, and everything was perfect! The scenery, the service, the food. Our server (Eric) was super helpful with recommendations and you can just tell he loves what he does! Pictures do not do the places justice at all, you just have to go see it for yourselves. 10/10 experience.

Absolutely delicious Italian food located in a really cool spot right along the Monon Trail. The restaurant is located in a really eclectic building with lots of different dining rooms both inside and out. The menu has all of the traditional Italian favorites and prices are actually quite reasonable considering how good the food and ambiance is. I really like the fact that a salad or soup is included with most meals. They don't do reservations on weekends so be prepared to wait or arrive early. We showed up at 5:30 and were able to walk right in with no wait, but it was much busier by the time we were leaving. Free parking is limited behind the building, but there are a decent amount of $5 parking spots.

We had a wonderful dinner tonight. The patio was lovely, the food was fantastic, and the staff was so helpful in regards to navigating my daughters serious food allergies. The manager had excellent ingredient/allergen knowledge so as the parent, I felt very reassured & confident. Meanwhile my daughter was able to have an excellent meal & feel included. We will certainly be back!

The atmosphere made this experience something worth talking about! The service was good, but not the best I've had. I waited with an empty glass of water for about 10 minutes before it was filled, but the food was very memorable and I'd recommend for sure. I had the veal parm with a side of sausage.

I went on St Patrick’s day because I figured it wouldn’t be as busy - was exactly the case. We were able to be seated in less than 5 minutes. It was my first time, and I’ve heard lots of great things about this spot from friends. I chose to order: Holly’s Artichoke Fritters, dinner salad, wedding salad soup, misto mare (split). The fritters were the best thing, nice and crispy on the inside with a delicious goat cheese filling. Then the soup, salad and bread was served. That was only quite mediocre in terms of taste. Decided to split the misto mare (seafood) pasta, and that’s a $3 charge- they split it for you into 2 separate bowls. Some of the seafood tasted reasonably fresh, but overall was quite salty. Our waitress seemed to be irritated that evening, not so much with my table but the vibe was off. Happens, we’re human.

The food is amazing every time I go. There can be a wait to be seated if you go on the weekend but this is my favorite date night dinner place to go! The service can also be kind of slow because it’s always so packed. Overall the food, atmosphere, and overall experience is definitely worth it if you want a sweet relaxing date night!

I liked the atmosphere, the service was excellent Ashley took great care of us, she is a very cheerful and professional girl. the food was good although it was not a Wuao! I think we had high expectations as this place had been highly recommended. but it's fine to spend some time with family or friends. PS: bread is the exception to Wuao!!! I might go back just for the bread service.

The food was good. Some dishes at the table were great while others were very average. The waitress, Olivia was extraordinary and you should hope she has your table when you visit. The seating/reservation situation on the weekend is a little silly but not a huge deal. Basically you get there and put your name in and wait. Reservations are not taken for the weekend. There’s a bar that is small and when it’s cold people are stuffed in there very tightly. During warm months people hang out around outside which is better.

Cozy romantic setting, perfect for a date night dinner or an intimate gathering. Extensive wine list and varied menu, with sea food, meat and vegetarian options. The fresh pasta was delicious. Service was good. I would have given 5 stars ⭐️ but the coffee choice was poor and limited to regular or decaffeinated coffee. I always enjoy a cappuccino or a latte to finish my meal when I eat Italian, also some raw/brown sugar would have been nice.

This is a great little Italian restaurant. The service was great, the food was tasty. We had reservations and we were seated immediately. Had a great time, will definitely be back!

What a great atmosphere! The staff is fun and really knows how to banter! #mycosmoisntpinkenough #firstworldproblems Was worth the 45 min wait for our table— We went with an incredible eggplant with red sauce linguine and chicken rigatoni’s and the most amazing and delectable house specialty PORK CHOP W Orange balsamic glaze! (And I’m not a meat eater traditionally)—- but it was divine. Mashed potatoes and veggies were incredible- The wait staff was fun and personable and efficient with juggling multiple tables and demands. Great Italian local place.

The calamari was soo good and tender. Would recommend anyone to try Mama Carolla's. Loved the atmosphere as well. Very much enjoyed my experience tonight!

Jennifer was a wonderful server! She was very professional, helpful, and funny! She gave great suggestions for food. We all enjoyed our entrees, the bread and the wine! It was a good atmosphere inside, a little chilly for some under the AC! Will definitely have to go back to try the cheesecake sometime!

I was blown away by the quality of the food and especially the service. Everyone there was professional and attentive to our needs. Our waitress was very conscious of my food allergies and helped adjust all items I ordered before they came to our table. Calamari was perfectly prepared. The roasted chicken was succulent. Make a reservation and find your favorite! To the staff: Thank you for the wonderful food and an amazing experience!