Mama D’s Italian Restaurant in Calvert City, Kentucky

Mama D’s Italian Restaurant in Calvert City, Kentucky – Amazing!

You cannot judge a book by its cover. You cannot judge a book by its cover. You. Cannot. Judge. A. Book. By. Its. Cover.

We spend a lot of time in the Kentucky Lake and Land Between the Lakes region of Kentucky.  Beautiful Lakes, several Kentucky State Parks, fried catfish, the Elk & Bison Prairie, The Homeplace – some of our favorite things in the world are in this beautiful area. Just try and keep us away!

We have countless (COUNTLESS) times driven right by Mama D’s on U.S. 62.  We had never even looked at the words that are clearly (CLEARLY) hung on the front of the restaurant – Mama D’s Authentic Italian, and yet – there they are in plain sight. We each had simply assumed it was a diner-meets-dive type of place.

Boy was I wrong. In fact, I don’t know when I’ve ever been so wrong. In my defense, Mama D’s Italian Restaurant is only 6 years old this year. So, before they turned this spot into a little piece of Culinary Heaven, maybe it was a diner or a dive or something in between.

I’m not sure words can even describe how far removed Mama D’s actually is from this type of place, but I’m going to summon up all the words I know in this restaurant review and give it a go.  I’ll give you a map with directions at the end –  believe me, you’ll want it.

When we walked in, my first impression was, “Wow! How pretty!” The colors, decor, and murals on the wall were very unique and, somehow, relaxing and soothing.  Whoever was in charge of choosing the color scheme did a bang up job – it’s lovely.  There were quite a few people dining in Mama D’s that evening, so I had to wait a little bit for a few tables to clear out before I could snap a few pictures – I didn’t want anyone thinking I was some kind of a nut job.

Another impression left upon me was how incredibly clean and spotless everything was. Sure, I’ve seen clean restaurants before (in fact, most are) but I would have eaten off of the floor , baseboards, or wall. Don’t ask how you can eat off a wall… frankly I have no idea. But you get the point. C-L-E-A-N.

Holy cats, this restaurant is spotless.

I also loved our server. She was equal parts sassy and sweet and if I owned a restaurant, I’d want an entire staff just like her. She knew the menu and foods inside/out and was able to make fantastic suggestions.  She wasn’t just “on her game,” she improved upon the game.  I was even more impressed with her than the beautiful colors!

The decor, food, and vibe in general defied what you’d expect when you walk through the doors.  I love it when a restaurant catches me off guard and that’s exactly what this one did.  Mama D’s Restaurant is one in a billion. It’s amazing, authentic Italian food with plenty of everyone’s favorites mixed in.  Their Facebook page describes their culinary team as “New York Pizza Man and the cook moved from Italy to New York.”

Where else will you find a menu that includes the following mixture:

• Chicken Tenders
• Meatloaf w/ Red or Brown Gravy
• Fried Catfish (What?!?! OMG, I just looked at the picture I took of the menu and registered that they have fried catfish.)
• Pork Chop – Grilled or Breaded
• Hot Open Roast Beef w/Gravy
• T-Bone Steak
• Chicken Carbonara
• Lasagna
• Seafood and Pasta
• Cheeseburgers
• Hamburgers
• Philly Cheese Steak
• Chicken Salad on Sub
• Chicken Alfredo
• Chicken & Pasta
• Penne alla Vodka 2w/Chicken
• Chicken alla Francese
• Chicken Primavera in Pink Sauce or Garlic & Oil
• Chicken Scarpariello
• Chicken Parmigiana
• Chef Salad
• Caesar Salad
• Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken
• Garden Salad or Garden Salad with Grilled Chicken
• French Fries
• Tater Tots
• Onion Rings
• Mashed Potatoes
• Spaghetti
• Broccoli in Garlic & Oil
• Penne Arrabbiata
• Pasta Mama D’s
• Pasta Primavera
• Fresh Spinach in Garlic & Oil
• Heroes
• Calzones
• Sausage Bread
• Baked Ravioli
• Stuffed Shells
• Baked Ziti
• And more!

Traditional Pizza:

• Neapolitan Pizza
• Sicilian Pizza

White Pizza:

• Ricotta, Mozzarella & Garlic
• Spinach, Ricotta, Mozzarella & Garlic
• Broccoli, Ricotta, Mozzarella & Garlic

Specialty Pizza:

• Supreme (sausage, pepperoni, onion, peppers & mushrooms)
• Rustica (fresh tomatoes, pesto & mozzarella)
• Lasagna (ricotta, meat sauce & mozzarella)
• Chicken Parm (diced breaded chicken, sauce & mozzarella)
• Tri-Color (diced breaded chicken, tomato, broccoli & pesto)
• Stuffed Pizza (sausage, pepperoni, ham, salami, beef, sauce & cheese)
• Veggie Delight (fresh veggies, peso & mozzarella)
• Topping Choices: pepperoni, Italian sausage, ground beef, ham, mushrooms, green olives, broccoli, spinach, onions, garlic, banana peppers, anchovies, black olives, and a lot more.

For Kids:

• Spaghetti & Meatballs or Meat Sauce
• Grilled Cheese & French Fries
• 3pc Chicken Tenders & French Fries
• Hot Dog & French Fries

I ordered the Lasagna, while Michael went with Chicken Parmesan. He chose Linguine as his pasta. We both got a side salad and bread with our meals and ordered “Garlic Knots” (with mozzarella cheese added) as an appetizer.  Just feast your eyes on this gorgeous appetizer in the picture above. They were beyond amazing.

The appetizer was out almost immediately and it was super, super fantastic. The bread was obviously homemade and the flavors were straight up Italian – just what you’d expect in an authentic Italian restaurant. There was a wonderful flavor of garlic that made it even more extraordinary.  The mozzarella cheese was a wonderful addition, but make no mistake about it, the knots would have been just as fantastic without them.

The beautiful loaf of bread (served with real butter, always a beautiful touch) was also delicious. As I’ve said many times on Genuine Kentucky, I love to cook and baking bread is one of my favorite things – so I can tell when bread is fresh and homemade and when it was frozen in a previous life. This was, quite honestly, some of the best bread I’ve ever had in my life.

At this point – with an appetizer that blew us away and bread (with real butter… get the idea that that’s huge for me?) that was mouth-watering – I knew we were in a special place and that the “main event” would be something we wouldn’t soon forget.

Ding! Ding! Ding! I nailed that one.

First up, my lasagna. The lasagna was what I can only affectionately call, “Freaky good.”  It looked completely unlike any lasagna I’ve ever seen (or baked) in my life.  Just look at the picture above – I’m almost certain it’s unlike anything you’ve seen as well.  After eating the garlic knots and bread like I’d been cut off from food for 4 months, I knew enough to trust whomever was in the kitchen, so I didn’t bat an eye. I just dove right in.

OH – MY – GOODNESS.

The flavors and deliciousness of this lasagna were even more unique and original than its looks. Ironically, the same can be said for the restaurant the lasagna’s made in. 

This freakishly fantastic lasagna wasn’t just one of the best lasagnas I’ve ever had, it was one of the most memorable foods I’ve ever gotten in a restaurant. Anywhere. Anytime. Yes, it is that good.  The flavors defy description – suffice to say they’re genuinely Italian.

I guess Mama D’s lasagna is a two-story condominium whereas others have three or more stories. Whatever, all the key components are there – ricotta, meat, pasta, mozzarella, and the best sauce you’re going to find anywhere. So much deliciousness, you won’t be able to believe it. Even our side salads were fantastic.

Michael’s Chicken Parmesan and linguine were absolutely delicious.  Even if you took the sauce, cheese, Italian seasonings, and pasta away – the chicken was so fantastic, it alone would have been worth the price of admission, so to speak.

Speaking of prices, Mama D’s is incredibly fair.  They offer different specials at lunch and dinner which make them EVEN more affordable. You get a great deal of delicious food for a very fair price. What more could you ask for?

Italians are known for living large – and when you eat genuine, authentic Italian food, that attitude comes through in every single bite. I’ve never, ever, ever seen this truth played out more beautifully than at Mama D’s.

You simply have to find your way to Calvert City, Kentucky as soon as you possibly can and enjoy an authentic Italian meal that’ll leave you utterly speechless.

Directions to Mama D’s in Calvert City:

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Mama D’s Authentic Italian Restaurant
3885 U.S. 62, Calvert City, KY
(270) 395-0229

Mama D’s Facebook Page