Da Mario is a quaint restaurant serving traditional Italian food which caters for private parties of up to 20 people on request. Outside seating is provided on the terrace.
Da Mario
Italian Restaurant in Covent Garden
9 / 10 from 5 reviews
Address
63 Endell Street
Covent Garden
London
WC2H 9AJ
Telephone
020 7240 3632
020 7240 3632
Cuisine
Italian
Italian
Region
Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Opening Summary
Mon-Sat 12:00 to 23:00
All In London Review
... warmth and charm is still intact.
Some 20 years ago this was a favourite restaurant of mine when I worked on Long Acre.
On Friday, having met my friend at Covent Garden tube at 6pm we’d thought that there would be loads of places we could just wander into for a glass of wine and a bite to eat. How wrong we were – the seven or eight places we tried were all fully booked. Must be the pre-theatre rush. And so I thought we’d venture along Endell Street.
I was surprised – and delighted – to find that Da Marios was still there and thriving. It’s a tiny place with just a dozen or so tables squished together. The place is run by some wonderful Italians and you have to squeeze past the maitre d’ on the front desk to get into the place.
There’s Italian music playing softly in the background (sometimes some opera) and everyone is happily chatting. There are couples, family groups, tourists and no doubt some regulars.
Service was brisk but not unfriendly. A bottle of Montepulciano was excellent value at £20.90. I started with a fresh tomato and mozzarella salad with basil infused dressing. Light and tasty.
Both my companion and I are partial to calves liver and here you will find a dependable version based on the traditional sage and butter recipe. The liver – we had ours cooked medium – was tender and succulent. Our shared sides of zucchini fritti and sautéed potatoes were good.
And then we both – unusual for us to be so similar – both enjoyed some lightly whipped chocolate mousse which was topped with a swirl of cream. We were then gently moved on (we were advised when we tipped up unexpectedly that we would need to vacate our tables at 830pm). Clearly it’s a very popular place.
The bill came to £81.90 – including service. OK, it wasn’t the most amazing Italian food I’ve eaten but it was good enough. So it you like traditional no-nonsense Italian food in an authentic Italian restaurant (we had a little chat in Italian before departing) in the heart of the West End then this is the place for you.
Whilst my colleagues who had ventured back recently and hadn’t been too impressed, I was pleased to see that its warmth and charm is still intact.
Reviewed by KimT
Published on Feb 8, 2016
User Reviews
Anonymous
Jan 11, 2010
Excellent restaurant for that "authentic" Italian feel. There are always interesting specials on the blackboard so check them and ask for advice if necessary. Service friendly and very helpful. Has a true family feel to the place. Make sure you book as you may not get a table. Buon appetito!
Anonymous
May 3, 2009
I went to this restaurant on recomendation and it was worth every penny I spent in there. Good authentic food, good location, friendly and good service. I definately will become a regular! Tip: Try the pasta dish with sausage and chilli - fanatastic! Im craving it just thinking about it.
Anonymous
Apr 27, 2009
This an excellent family-run restaurant serving high quality food at very fair prices. We've gone a lot over a number of years.
Peter Griffin
Aug 9, 2006
This is a nice little family run restaurant serving authentic Italian food. Main courses are around £6-8 and there are daily specials that are well worth trying. As well as a good selection of desserts, there is a big selection of scrumptious cream cakes and a good wine list. Service is friendly and attentive without being obtrusive. Da Marios is definitely worth a vist and the price is very reasonable for the quality of food and the location.