Mascalzone

I’d like to preface by saying that I had a generally excellent experience here — this is definitely a 4.5 star restaurant that I’d visit again in a heartbeat.
I’d never gone to this area before, so driving to the restaurant I definitely was questioning whether or not it was a good choice as it looked like it was progressively getting more and more run down as I went west on Westheimer. However, I was really pleasantly surprised upon arrival to Mascalzone — it looked upscale and classy with an appropriate Italian flair.
The restaurant ambiance is definitely 5 stars — from the exposed pizza oven /​pizza maker to the setup of the bar and atmosphere — to outdoor seating area with water feature — I loved it. It wasn’t busy at all, and the wait staff were all very friendly and attentive, and the manager /​ (owner?) was very involved on the floor.
I started with the octopus carpaccio — I was expecting some substantial chunks of octopus, but it came more like a salad with extremely thin slices of octopus. I don’t know if this is what one should expect for this dish, but I definitely believe that I would have gotten better octopus flavour with thicker chunks or cuts of octopus — these were sliced so thinly I could barely tell what it was. Overall, considering it as a salad, it was still good.
I had the lobster squid ink pasta as a main, which was definitely great. The pasta was cooked very well, and the presentation was fantastic — it looks like they used a whole (small) lobster for the dish. the balance of flavour was great, although I would not have minded a sauce that was a little more substantial.
I also tried my friend’s order of pesto gnocchi with sea scallops — now this was an excellent dish! the gnocchi was not too starchy or chewy and were small, which is great as I find most gnocchi to be too large. the large sea scallops were done very well and were juicy and tender, and the pesto sauce was creamy and top notch.
We all had the homemade ice cream for dessert, and unfortunately I only had one scoop of the pistachio ice cream — because it was delicious and I’d have wanted to eat a whole tub.
Excellent experience at Mascalzone — one thing that I particularly enjoyed was the passion from the manager and the pizza maker. I actually spent a bit of time watching him work and make pizzas and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone that looked so happy with his job — I’m pretty jealous.

Today I had a great pizza with my Colleagues, prepared by Mr Ray, Authentic Italian pizzaiolo!
I would definitely recommend this Italian Restaurant.

This place is awesome! Customer service is my #1 thing and they definitely have that in the bag. We had a party of 15 people for a birthday party, and the manager made sure we had a memorable experience! The atmosphere is very nice and reminds me of restaurants in the heights. So it’s a very nice place for the area! I will definitely come back.

This place was average in the taste of the food but excellent in customer service. I ordered the veal cutlets with a side of Alfredo pasta. I really enjoyed the veal cutlet but I didn’t enjoy the pasta. The Alfredo sauce had too much nutmeg. Overall it’s a good experience if you go in a large party

We had dinner here today and although the staff and atmosphere was very nice and pleasant the food was by far the worst Italian food I have ever had. The pasta e fagioli was over loaded with beans and had a can flavor sauce. The TAGLIATELLE E POLPETTE
AL POMODORO $ 16.50 | 41.00 Tagliatelle with beef tenderloin meat ball, tomato sauce and parmesan cheese. Was horrible! The pasta was way under cooked, the meat balls were the size of just a bit bigger than a nickel and the sauce tasted like chef boyardee in a can. Very disappointed over all with the food but I have to say the servers were very polite and and deserve five stars.

Since moving to Houston from Italy, Mascalzone has continued to be my ‘go to’ spot for authentic Italian food and ‘ambiente’. I can never go wrong here, and after being a patron for more than 2 years I cannot help but feel welcomed like family every time… no matter what time of day or who’s running the shift.
Raimondo — an esteemed pizzaiolo from Naples (pizza capital) is one of the most talented, fun, gregarious and hilarious employees ever. He treats his customers with respect — period. Please try his work of art
I speak native Italian as I am Italian, and never have I felt like any of the staff were insinuating that I were ‘lesser Italian’ because of my color. Sometimes I felt like it was always a breath of fresh air for them to hear their native language being spoken as opposed to English — being far away from home does that to u sometimes *insert sobs here*.
When I see previous posts that imply that employees at this place were racist, I had to give my two cents — really… after all this time and money spent there I haven’t seen or sensed that. Not trying to discredit anyone, but as a Blitalian myself I beg to differ. Really hope that anyone who has had a negative experience one time try this place again… I think it deserves that second shot.
Il cibo e veramente buono. Ambiente perfetto. Ottima accoglienza. Posto da non perdere, va visitato!

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! Everything i order is always delicious. My go to dish is the fetuccini a a la bolognese. Home made fetuccini and a meat sauce that is so hearty and savory, but yet light!

I will rate it higher if this is only for the food quality. Pizza and pasta are both authentic and outstanding. Fell in love with the cheesecake after first bite. Lime gelato on Limoncello is good. The soufflé is indeed a lava cake which is misleading. However, It tastes good as well. Expresso is very Italian. It reminds me to get the first sip in Ferrara, Italy. Wait staff is not attentive even Monday business is slow. But I definitely will return

I went with the Houston Asian Junior chamber for their speed networking event. The manager was so nice and the food was just amazing. We been here many times for functions and meetings and the food has always been fresh and hot. The pasta is made fresh and the pizza are made from a nice wood fire oven.
I had the best lasagna there that I ever had in my whole life.
The service was excellent and definitely I will return!

I try to be understanding, I’ve contemplated leaving this review for a long time. Considering the fact that I actually ate there a month ago. The food is average, for a restaurant with Italian staff I was really surprised. We ordered a series of things… I had the linguine ai frutti di mare, it was al dente, how i requested it, but the tomato sauce was tasteless, no salt. My boyfriend had another type of pasta dish, dont recall the name really, guess it wasn’t memorable enough. We then ordered a «cotoletta» came with a side of tomato sauce and frozen fries… You could taste the smell of the fridge where the fries were stored.
The food was really 4/​10, I could have cooked a better meal in a shorter period of time. We each had one drink 3 dishes and spent over 70 dollars. It was absolutely not worth it. We did not enjoy our meal at all.
What really struck me was the behavior of some of the staff. I guess the pizza maker thought it was funny to make racist jokes. I’m black and raised in Italy, I’m a native Italian speaker, and I guess he was surprised, he tried to crack a couple of jokes about skin color and maybe in italy its still acceptable but here in America, its not.
Especially if i’m the paying customer. Instead of leaving, (my first instinct was right) I decided to stay, and try the food anyways. The waiter really tried hard to amend what the pizza maker said, and i had made it known to him that his jokes were not really welcomed here in America. So he then sent a «standard» bread with oil plate, which is customary at most other restaurants, even Arcodoro, gives you regular bread and oil to munch on while you wait for your meal, so when he said that it was «complimentary» I couldn’t help but laugh.
I will never return to this restaurant, the food is not worth the prize, there was no wow factor, only a bad taste in my mouth.
Come cibo comunque lascia molto a desiderare, prezzemolo dessicato, sugo senza sale… insomma un disastro, anche Russo Pizzeria la pasta, con giusta direzione la fa meglio.
Comunque, non ci torno.

great new try. Calamari, was excellent, service fantastic. I had the spinach gnocchi in 4 cheese sauce– it was cooked perfect and the sauce was great. My partner had a pizza that was very good also. I had a tiramisu made the right way with marscapone cheese. We will be back

So I eat at Mascalzone’s every time I come to Houston. This time I ordered a mascalzone to go on my way from the airport to the hotel. I should have checked it when I was there but I also trust that a restaurant is going to make what I order and have everything it’s supposed to come with. So, I check into my hotel and open the box. The mascalzone has no sauce and has pepperoni instead of salami. Wtf??? So I break into the calzone half and it’s barely cooked. The dough was not cooked all the way and the cheese wasn’t even melted. Extremely disappoint!!!

Literally my worst dining experience ever.
Where to begin… Well, let’s start with my Open Table reservation that they said they didn’t have, but that I received an email confirmation for. Not a good start. It only got worse… Our waiter has either never been in a restaurant at all before or he just really was that bad at his job. I’m hoping the former, though it’s not likely. He couldn’t do more than one thing at a time (i.e., take multiple orders, bring out multiple orders, etc.), he did not realize that everyone needed spoons for their soups even after we asked for them, he told us the incorrect soup all together for the SOTD, and he just couldn’t manage the bills at all. In fact, that reservation that they didn’t have they somehow magically found because he called me after we left to let me know that there was a mistake with the payments (of his doing, which he also didn’t realize).
It’s important to note that the restaurant was almost completely empty (there were a total of 6 other people there besides our group), there was another server on staff, and there was a woman that looked like she might be the manager, but that’s anyone’s guess. We saw them getting change (I think?) out of her purse while we were waiting to pay our bills, which was really weird. Maybe it’s a front?
The food was ok, but it was definitely too expensive for what it was. The SOTD was not good, and the calzones were good but had too little meat for the price they charge. Truly one of the worst dining experiences I’ve had in Houston from start to finish. If this place stays open another 6 months, I’ll be shocked.

PROS: Hot servers, Hot Pizza Maker guy, Charming place, Charming Hostess, Authentic Italian Food, Cozy place, Clean & Romantic, Fresh Pasta.
CONS: Fresh bread is served for free ONLY if u ask for Bread & they give it to u in number of slices according to how many ppl are on the Table, I swear were 4 ppl we got 4 slices, its not sth usual for Italian restaurants. The prices are sooooooooooooooooooooooo high for small portions its not even a 5 star restaurant.
Did I say the servers & owner are sooooooo handsome

Chic spot totally out of place near highway 6 lol
If you like Montrose spots for novel and delicious foods, but hate the drive, Mescalzone is a spot you should definitely visit!
Weird, delicious, cool atmosphere, a volcano/​pool rock/​water feature. I had a great time.

First off, the best calamari I’ve had so far. The batter was light, crunchy, and not very oily. It’s the one dish that stood out to me at this place. Beside the calamari, the other dish I had there was pretty good. The service was great and the staff were very friendly and helpful. I’ve never been a big fan of pasta but I enjoyed the food and atmosphere of this restaurant.

So after reading all the positive reviews, especially about service, I was excited to try this place out for an early birthday dinner with my SO and his parents. His parents love Italian food. Sadly, we were greatly disappointed.
Service took forever. We ordered drinks and calamari to start. After we got our drinks, we waited and waited and waited. Finally we got the calamari, and we had to ask for the complimentary bread. It came out, but no chilli sauce, so we asked for it. That also took a very long time to get to us. Then we ordered. Food took forever to get to us, but this was somewhat understandable since it was quite busy.
Here’s what we ordered:
— Calamari gamberi e kale, calamari and kale. Pretty good. Also came with some shrimp. Large portion.
— Gnocchi di potate al pesto e capesante, which is potato pasta with scallops in pesto sauce. It was okay. The scallops were overcooked and tough. The sauce was okay. A bit salty. The gnocchi was mushy.
— Gnocchi verdi 4 ai formaggi, potato pasta with four cheese sauce. It was kind of plain.
— Spaghetti al vongole, spaghetti with clams. The noodles were very al dente. Very tough to chew. Everything was way way too salty.
— Pappardelle pollo e funghi, pappardelle pasta, which is like the pasta in lasagna sliced to about 2 inches wide, with chicken and mushrooms. This was the best dish out of all four, though the pasta was also very al dente. The sauce was good.
The busboys were pretty attentive, but a couple times they visited the wrong table. They tried to give us water we hadn’t ordered yet that were supposed to go to the next table over. They also took my fork when I still needed it. Then when we finished eating, SO’s mom didn’t finish her food. We asked for it to go and for a dessert menu. It took probably a good 15 minutes or so for the lady to bring the dessert menus before disappearing again.
SO told them it was my birthday, so they brought out a complimentary tiramisu. It was pretty good. This is the only reason I’m giving 3 stars instead of 2.
After another 15 minutes or so, she finally comes back so we could ask for the check. Get the check and pay, and she brings the receipt back without a pen and disappears. Good thing I have a pen in my purse all the time. She finally comes back to pick up the signed receipt, and SO’s mom still hasn’t gotten her boxed food. We had to ask for it.
Overall, food was hit or miss. Maybe we should try the mascalzone next time if we do ever go again. Since it’s named after the damn restaurant, it’s gotta be good right? Service was awful for us, though, so it’s probably unlikely we’ll return.

I have not been to Italy yet, but my friend was raving about how frequent he and his Italian friends go to Mascalzone. There are great Americanized Italian places, but the food here was so authentic.
There are 2 locations — one on Westheimer and the other in the Heights. There is a private lot for this location, and the other offers complimentary valet.
Excellent service. Roberto was a great entertainer and waiter throughout our dining experience. (Sometimes) My friend and I are terrible at choosing plates from the menu, especially extensive menus. Roberto took our menus and simply asked us about our preferences.
Complimentary focaccia (⁵⁄₅) was delicious especially with their hot sauce. Served freshly made. The hot sauce reminded me of those Asian peppered hot sauce in Chinese restaurants but with a greater kick! Hot sauce was so good yet spicy, that I kept on eating more and more. My friend and I probably finished ²⁄₃ of the jar.
Calamari Gamberi e Kale (⁴⁄₅): Flour dusted baby calamari, shrimps, and baked organic kale chips with spicy marinara sauce. Interesting concept with the kale chips. Calamari here is much lighter than those at other places. It is lightly fried and perfectly seasoned. Marinara wasn’t spicy, but it was chunky! Mmmm.
Tortelloni di Granchio Alla Catalana (⁴⁄₅): Crab meat tortelloni in a lobster sauce and cherry tomatoes. I loved the lobster sauce. I would have dipped the focaccia bread into the sauce if there was more. I didn’t have any complaints besides the tortelloni being slightly undercooked. There was a decent amount of crab meat within each.
Risotto Frutti di Mare (⁴⁄₅): Seafood risotto with shrimp, calamari, clams, mussels, octopus, and a touch of tomato sauce. I actually preferred this over the previous entrée because of the flavor and seafood! In a way, it reminded of grits, which I am not a fan of due to the texture.
Gelato
We ordered their homemade Pistachio (⁴⁄₅) and Mascarpone (³⁄₅). I preferred the Pistachio. It was my first time trying Mascarpone, which tasted like whipped cream with a hint of caramel to me. Both were very creamy!
Affogato
Roberto insisted we try these after we ordered gelato. These were okay, nothing memorable. Affogato al Caffe (³⁄₅): 2 scoops of gelato with a shot of expresso and topped whipped cream. I’m not a big coffee person but when you mix this baby up, it wasn’t that bad. Affogato Frutti di Bosco (³⁄₅): 2 scoops gelato with blueberries and topped whipped cream. I devoured this one only because I love fruit.
Overall, solid 4 stars! I would recommend Mascalzone if you’re in the mood for Italian! Prego. ;)

A friend suggested that we go here for real Italian food. He was also good friends with the owners, so our service was very good.
The atmosphere is casual. They have a seating area outside that’s surrounded by plants. Kind of mimicking a café in Italy maybe. I guess you can take your date outside to make it more romantic.
The menu is large… I had a hard time choosing what I wanted so the manager/​owner (not sure), Roberto, asked me what I liked and surprised me.
Before I go into reviewing the food, I need to mention their special hot sauce. It comes in a little cute mason jar thing. It reminds me of the Asian sambal hot sauce without the oil. Good kick to it. I added it to EVERYTHING. I love spicy food.
You get complimentary bread that was garlicky goodness. I wanted to eat more and more but I had to save my stomach for the other items. I wish I took some home though hahaha.
We got fried calamari as an appetizer, this also had shrimp in it too. It was lightly battered, unlike most Americanized places. The tomato dipping sauce was nice, chunky and hearty.
For my entrée, they chose a seafood risotto for me. I took a bite too fast and it was extremely hot, which is a good sign for freshness. I’m not sure how the texture of risotto is supposed to be but this had a bit of a bite to it. It came with clams, calamari and shrimp. Good portion size. I could have probably finished it if I didn’t eat the bread or appetizer. It made a good lunch the day after!
They chose a crab and lobster ravioli for my friend. It was good but we liked my dish better. Just as a personal preference, I wish it was cooked more. I like soft pasta/​noodles vs a bite to mine. Not overly saucy either.
For dessert, we got pistachio and mascarpone ice cream. Pistachio was a bit melted but none the less, good! The mascarpone didn’t have much of a flavor to me. Reminded me of whipped cream. Just texture.
Roberto also brought us out a small sample of this expresso shot with ice cream. If you’re a coffee lover, this is for you. It was getting late so I didn’t want to eat it all and be wired all night. He also brought us a small fruity flavored one. Had blueberries and maybe a strawberry syrup.
Would I come back? Yes! I’m looking to try the squid ink pasta next… And get more of that bread :).

My boyfriend and I came here on a Thursday night as an invitation from a co-​worker whose mother was performing that night.
The ambiance was nice… subtle Italian decorations with a modern flair.
Once we sat down, we were served a basket of fresh bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. A standard for a typical Italian restaurant. As a starter we ordered the prosciutto e mozzarella. The cheese was very creamy and fresh and went perfectly with the salty prosciutto and bit of basil.
My boyfriend ordered the tagliatelle e polpette al pomodoro (tagliatelle with meatballs) as his main dish. He thoroughly enjoyed it. The pasta was very fresh and the meatballs were flavorful and tender.
I ordered the linguine allo scoglio (linguine with a seafood medley). The dish overall was delicious. The seafood was fresh, it was very garlicky (which I love) and had tons of flavor.
We were also given a complementary basket of focaccia bread which was clearly freshly made. The bread was warm, crispy and chewy and was the perfect accompaniment to our pasta dishes.
For dessert, I ordered my favorite — tiramisu. It did not disappoint (despite being overloaded with a bit too much cocoa powder on top). I loved the creaminess of the mascarpone cheese and that the dessert itself wasn’t too cloying. It was meant to be shared with my boyfriend, but I ended up eating it all.
The performance in the background was a nice addition to the overall experience of the dinner. We’ll definitely be coming back.