$$$$Price: Moderate • Italian • Elmhurst
Sometimes you just get lucky. I mistakenly booked Mangia Napoli thinking I was booking another place for 7 of us. Upon arrival I thought "Oh no this is not what I thought it was".
Turns out, that was a very good thing.
Mangia Napoli is a true gem.
The staff is extremely warm and welcoming, from the time you step in the building until you leave, there are smiles, greetings, and a desire to make your visit better.
While the dining area was a little loud, overall it was a festive (decorated for St. Patty's Day) dining room, not fancy, but rather very functional.
And the food was amazing. HUGE portions. Many times when a restaurant serves large portions, its to cover up a lack of quality in their cooking. That was clearly not the case here, as every entree was delicious, with enough leftover to have at least one, if not two meals over the next few days.
The Eggplant Parm was several very thin layers of eggplant, topped with their delicious red sauce and mounds of cheese, accompanied by enough penne pasta "on the side" to be a meal at many high priced "fancy" places.
The Chicken Parm was two substantial breasts prepared perfectly, and accompanied by the same sauce/cheese/pasta combo.
Others in our party had Lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, and fettuccine alfredo, all huge portions and reported as "Delicious".
The price/value in Mangia Napoli is wonderful, and the warmth and helpfulness of the staff is unmatched.
If you are looking for great quality food in a warm setting, you cannot go wrong with Mangia Napoli.
My only complaint about the place is that it is 40 minutes away from my home. If I lived nearby, I would be there once a week.
