Mare Bello

Excellent meal and service. The seafood was delicious and quality. Spectacular view of the sound.
The owner was very friendly and our waitress Lisa took care of us throughout the meal.

Such a great location overlooking the Sound but the place needs some TLC. Had drinks
and dinner on the patio and someone came out and talked on their phone and smoked
cigarrettes 2 tables over. Not sure if she was a customer or staff. Then the owners son and his friends sat at a table and they too were smoking. We had to complain to our server. It made the place feel trashy. Overpriced food for not an upscale place. Will give it another try
because the food was good.

All I’m going to say is: it’s not the owner or the food that gives this place a (2 *)
A miscommunication between patron and server turned into a very interesting conversation with a short haired, blondish woman with glasses (owners wife), who honestly in my opinion, has no business being in a people and service oriented capacity of this restaurant.
Get the grilled octopus. It’s killer…

Food was excellent-​great service! The outside patio was perfect for this beautiful night! Perfect views of the ocean too!

This place is not worthy of the great view. The staff is not polite, professional or at all organized. The place smells funky and needs to be remodeled or replaced. Clean it isn’t. Food not worth the compromises or the $$$. I would like to buy the place and easily turn it into a gold mine.

Walked up to a half full outdoor patio, nice evening… And told by the hostess that they aren’t taking walk ins because the kitchen is backed up. Inside seating was less than half full. So apparently they have low expectations for a Saturday night. Pretty funny that a woman waiting at the bar waved us off, said that she had been there for an hour and only had gotten bread.

One of the better restaurants in Stratford for higher end dining in a casual atmosphere on the water. The menu is varied and innovative. The specials are numerous and creative. The dishes are elegant and yet simple. Delicious food served in an intimate dining room or on the deck overlooking Long Island Sound.
The prices are on the high end for Stratford but well worth it given the skill of the chef.
Attentive and friendly service that does not rush you through your meal.
On the needs improvement side: the dining room could use a little updating as well as the flatware and glassware.
Mare Bello is a hidden gem.
BONUS: they are running some cool happy hour specials between 3 p.m. And 6 p.m. for their cozy bar

This is a tough place to review. Its got a clam shack atmosphere that serves up some darned good food. mare bello tries really hard to serve upscale Italian food… but the results overall are quite uneven. 7 of us dined on a recent Saturday night… we opted to sit inside by a nice window view. many diners sit outside. slightly stuffy inside with no AC turned on. restaurant not very crowded considering its nice by the water location. servers appear to be high school/​college age ladies… they are all very nice and accommodating. the LONG list of nightly specials get rattled off. impossible to hear her or remember any of what she just said. service here is VERY slow. unless you have time for a leisurely evening. which we did… don’t eat here. bread served is warm and delicious. Caesar salad was quite tasty… my vitello martini (3 huge slabs of tender tasty veal) served with lemon and white wine sauce was very good. my wife had the blackened salmon… a huge portion… tender flavorful fish – she was happy! others had the ravioli with sage butter and cream sauce and loved it! my son had the veal parm (with thick chunks of mozzarella cheese-​a little weird but tasty)…one other had the filet mignon. he was disappointed with the small size and asked for medium rare and got medium well)… water glasses refilled on cue… all 7 of us licked out platters clean. owners wife (I believe) «ignored» our table all night yet at one point. verbally tongue lashed a waitress for clearing some plates while others were still eating. None of us thought this was a major offense at all… but she said it loud enough that we were embarrassed for the poor girl. not good! a few desserts were ordered… tiramisu got high grades. overall. good evening but could have been better. Chef knows how to cook. just needs to speed it up a bit. «wife» needs to adjust her attitude a bit… place has great location/​excellent potential!

I have been to Mare Bello a million times and it’s hit or miss every time. Tonight was a miss. The twenty-​something crew thought it was a great idea to gather behind the bar (bartenders everywhere shudder with me!) which also puts you and your gossip between me and THE OCEAN. SHUT UP and let me gaze out at the sea!!! Was looking for a peaceful meal and ended up leaving due to the incessant YELLING.

I’ve been to this place several times and it’s time to write a review. Last evening, hubs and I headed out for a nice dinner, and the food has always been exceptional at Mare Bello. When we arrived about 7:30 pm, we joined one other table in the restaurant, yet were asked if we had a reservation. Really? We were brought to a table and were told by a young waiter (didn’t get his name because he didn’t offer it) «you can sit here — THAT one is reserved». (it was by the window with water views) No problemo, Big Guy! It was then that I noticed the white kraft paper on top of the white tablecloth. I immediately requested that it be removed. If I had my 3 year old niece with me, it would have been fine to have paper on the table (crayons, please). However, my hubs & I enjoy a nice dinner (read that high priced food) — paper plates or table ‘cloths’ are not part of the experience. Guess what?!? FILTHY dirty tablecloth under the paper. Yuck! I said, «Oh no — that’s not going to fly with me». Big Guy replaced the cloth. I could tell he was having a hard time controlling his temper, as his hands went to his hips several times. He reappeared with the owner/​chef peeking around the corner from the kitchen — I wondered what he may have said to him, as he had to come peer at us. I recognized him from other times we’d been in, and I smiled and waved and said «Hello! How ARE you!?!» He promptly came over and shook hands with hubs and kissed my hand. Yes. He did. We asked for a wine list and hubs picked out something nice. We received menus and looked them over — we shared an appetiser (Calamari –meh) and I ordered the Ensalade Amore which was amazingly delcious. Big Guy asked us if we would care to hear the specials and we nodded — he began. It was an exhaustive list that he had memorized (you impressed me there, Big Guy!) He then told us that was just the appetisers — there are dinner specials too! Wowsa! Hubs had the blackened salmon and said it was very, very good. I had an appetiser — ‘dumplings’ which were little pillows filled with sausage and peppers/​onions, then deep fried, served with marinara. It was very good. I guess my beef with the place is the pretentiousness we experience whenever we go there — It’s never busy. It seems like they are trying terribly to look like a fine dining restaurant but then they throw paper on the tables. No one is looking up at the filthy ceiling fans caked in dirty, greasy dust. We were instructed by Big Guy to observe the food at a table 15 feet away — what that other couple ordered. They were referred to as «Madame» and «Monsieur». Really? Honestly, I’d say the best thing about the place is the location. Oh, and the chef/owner’s wife — one nasty piece of work. Not last evening — we actually thought she was no longer working there, as we didn’t hear her screeching. However, as we were walking out, there it was — that obnoxious voice. I think we’re done with Mare Bello.

Mare Bello had an impressive list of specials, we didn’t even need the menu to decide what we wanted. Super friendly, beach town service. We thoroughly enjoyed the handmade pasta dishes and the panna cotta was delectable! Definitely would come back if we’re in town again :)

Amazing view (that only one table can see), over priced food (that came with a sun-​dried tomato with mold on the bottom), and wait staffer that knows its menu but none of the prices.
Came on a business dinner, some guests were satisfied but overall the experience was par. BEst part was leaving to look at the views of the Sound.

I have a real soft spot for Mare Bello. When my husband and I first put an offer in on our first house together a few years ago, we went there to celebrate. After we moved to Stratford, and had our daughter, we went back to Mare Bello’s to celebrate my birthday. Every time we have gone since then we have been extremely happy. I love that Mare Bello’s is one of the Stratford restaurants which can take advantage of the water. The décor of the restaurant is a little bland, but clean and pleasant. There is a fireplace which makes it extremely cozy while you sit looking at the water and enjoying your meal. My husband and I are vegetarians and we can usually find dishes on the menu that suit us without having to ask them to omit any ingredients. We have had pasta dishes, salads, and vegetable dishes that were all very good. One of Mare Bello’s best points is the service. The young male waiter we had there one time was one of the nicest waiters I have had ever. The chef comes out to check and see if we are happy.

My most favorite place in Stratford. The food is good. It Italian but with its own twist. There are dishes I have never seen at the other Italian places. The Chilean sea bass is awesome, filet with cognac sauce is outstanding. But what really sets it a part is the water front. With so much shoreline n CT there are not as many nice waterfront dining places. This is definitely a good find.

Eating here is like taking a short vacation to the beach. The food is wonderful; we have never had a bad meal. I highly recommend the risotto, which takes a bit longer because it is cooked from scratch, but worth the wait. The Amore salad is delicious – arugala, tomato and fresh mozarella chopped and tossed in homemade pesto dressing. Other standouts are the potato encrusted sea bass and the lobster ravoli in sage butter. If you choose the bar menu, do not skip the french fries! Take advantage of the front patio that overlooks the sea wall – be sure to
eat outside on a summer night and enjoy a glass of wine as the sun goes down.

I have honestly never had such a bad dining experience as I had this evening at Mare Bello. It is hard for me to believe this «restaurant» stays in business. The location is nice with a beaiputiful view of the Long Island Sound. Other than that there is nothing to recommend this restaurant. The service was horrendous. Wait staff started out being polite but they were never attentive. Drinks took 10 – 15 minutes to be delivered. The drinks they delivered were not what we ordered. We placed our dinner order at 7:30 pm and 45 minutes later we got our salads. By 9:00, when we still had not gotten our main course, we began to question the waitress (when we could find her). Her response was, «we’re busy. It’s coming soon». By 9:15, one of our party walked inside to inquire about our food, no one could be found and when we did find a member of the staff they could only say how busy they were. Yet there were very few tables either inside or outside that were full. And this was a Saturday night! Finally, at about 9:30, the waitress brought out three entrees. A full ten minutes later, after we complained, she brought out the last entrée. NEVER during this entire ordeal did anyone, the waitress or e management offer the slightest explanation or apology for the poor service. No one offered us a drink or said they we’re sorry.
Food was very average.
I’d rather throw money on a garbage pail than go to this restaurant. Do not waste your time or money!

Great meal, attentive service, nice atmosphere. I can’t wait to go back. DH had Chilean sea bass wrapped in paper thin potato slices. I had the breaded veal cutlet topped with arugula, chopped tomatoes and shaved red onions drizzled with a balsamic reduction & EVOO. They were also serving corned beef & cabbage and had an Irish beer on tap– seemed a bit strange in an italian restaurant – but it was St. Patrick’s day!

A small Italian restaurant with an excellent chef. We’ve eaten here many times in the last several years and were always satisfied.

I had an amazing birthday dinner there last night. The appetizers were delicious, especially the lump crabmeat with two different dipping sauces. Two of my friends had the salmon, I had the tuna steak. All were cooked to perfection. Desserts were decadent, and the owner brought us all over cordials of chocolate wine at the end of our meal. Loved it.