Trattoria Mario

Locals’ best kept secret for traditional florentine food especially the steak! This is one of the best meals of our trip. The place gets packed so be sure to reserve a table in advance. We just tried our luck for a table for 2 and they had one late reservation so we got accommodated. We had tocco di costata which is like rib eye (?) it’s a smaller cut compared to the usual cut of bistecca alla Fiorentina. We also had amaaazing crostini di fegatini which is chicken liver pate (one of Florence’s specialty dishes) — don’t leave without trying it! We also got tortellini al ragu which was great as well. Overall would recommend this place.

Located in the heart of the city of Firenze they have serving times for lunch and dinner. Since I don't read Italian I am not able to figure out how to make reservations (is it online or in person) I showed up during lunch and saw they were booked. We went back 30 minutes before dinner and saw that they were booked for dinner. They said that if the guests were 5 minutes late I would get their reservation since I was 1st in line and I did. Dinner was delicious. I recommend splitting a course of meat and ordering veggies/ salad. Don't forget to pair with a glass of wine. You may share your table with another family. My son and I shared our table with another couple, and a gentleman, all who did not have reservations. It was a lovely evening and we did not have to share a check 😉 The food was amazing. I had beef and my son had the fried beef in tomato sauce.

The hype is real. Amazing Panzanella salad and an unbelievably delicious Bistecca alla Fiorentina T-bone. We we lucky to try the chicken as the recipients took notice of us pathetically salivating as it passed us by.. so they offered us a few bites!

Absolutely amazing place. Still very authentic! We had the t-bone, salad, fries, red wine and postre. Incredible!! Forza sporting!!

believe the hype. house wine, florentine steak, and anything with the meat sauce were all amazing. authentic no frills atmosphere as well. listed on a curated list of 150 dishes in the world and well worth the award

Authentic florentine steak €60 ish for 2 people, L bone. Showed it to us before they cooked it- traditionally it’s rare. 1/4 L wine for €3. We also got the famous biscuit and liquor- cantucci with vin santo- for dessert. Amazing experience. Walked in for lunch and got lucky with a table in the basement- where there were only locals. Thank you Trattoria Mario.

Still a family run business after decades. Been to a few trattoria but nothing beats this. The florentine steak is a must with all sides and pastas a must have.

Brilliant little spot for no-frills local food and authentic atmosphere. Came for an early lunch on Monday at around 12.20 without a reservation. We were told we could have a table but it had to be vacated by 1.30. Passed through the buzzy and atmospheric front bit, convivial with chatty diners, and were led down past the kitchen, down stairs and along musty corridors, to a cool subterranean room that was probably built as a wine cellar. Not as fun as the front bit, but a table of young Italian friends getting stuck into food and conversation reassured me that we hadn’t just been fobbed off with a tourist overflow area. We ordered a half litre of house wine (€6!), ribolata, florentine-style liver, roast chicken and pasta in meat sauce. Everything was memorably delicious (though if I had to cut something, I might not order the roast chicken again), fast and cheap. These four dishes were a perfect amount for lunch between three. In keeping with the food and interior, the service is no frills, flavoursome and authentic. Diehard Fiorentina fans too by the looks of things. Would come back here in a heartbeat if I’m in Florence again.

Locals’ best kept secret for traditional florentine food especially the steak! This is one of the best meals of our trip. The place gets packed so be sure to reserve a table in advance. We just tried our luck for a table for 2 and they had one late reservation so we got accommodated. We had tocco di costata which is like rib eye (?) it’s a smaller cut compared to the usual cut of bistecca alla Fiorentina. We also had amaaazing crostini di fegatini which is chicken liver pate (one of Florence’s specialty dishes) — don’t leave without trying it! We also got tortellini al ragu which was great as well. Overall would recommend this place.

Located in the heart of the city of Firenze they have serving times for lunch and dinner. Since I don't read Italian I am not able to figure out how to make reservations (is it online or in person) I showed up during lunch and saw they were booked. We went back 30 minutes before dinner and saw that they were booked for dinner. They said that if the guests were 5 minutes late I would get their reservation since I was 1st in line and I did. Dinner was delicious. I recommend splitting a course of meat and ordering veggies/ salad. Don't forget to pair with a glass of wine. You may share your table with another family. My son and I shared our table with another couple, and a gentleman, all who did not have reservations. It was a lovely evening and we did not have to share a check 😉 The food was amazing. I had beef and my son had the fried beef in tomato sauce.

The hype is real. Amazing Panzanella salad and an unbelievably delicious Bistecca alla Fiorentina T-bone. We we lucky to try the chicken as the recipients took notice of us pathetically salivating as it passed us by.. so they offered us a few bites!

Absolutely amazing place. Still very authentic! We had the t-bone, salad, fries, red wine and postre. Incredible!! Forza sporting!!

believe the hype. house wine, florentine steak, and anything with the meat sauce were all amazing. authentic no frills atmosphere as well. listed on a curated list of 150 dishes in the world and well worth the award

Authentic florentine steak €60 ish for 2 people, L bone. Showed it to us before they cooked it- traditionally it’s rare. 1/4 L wine for €3. We also got the famous biscuit and liquor- cantucci with vin santo- for dessert. Amazing experience. Walked in for lunch and got lucky with a table in the basement- where there were only locals. Thank you Trattoria Mario.

Still a family run business after decades. Been to a few trattoria but nothing beats this. The florentine steak is a must with all sides and pastas a must have.

Brilliant little spot for no-frills local food and authentic atmosphere. Came for an early lunch on Monday at around 12.20 without a reservation. We were told we could have a table but it had to be vacated by 1.30. Passed through the buzzy and atmospheric front bit, convivial with chatty diners, and were led down past the kitchen, down stairs and along musty corridors, to a cool subterranean room that was probably built as a wine cellar. Not as fun as the front bit, but a table of young Italian friends getting stuck into food and conversation reassured me that we hadn’t just been fobbed off with a tourist overflow area. We ordered a half litre of house wine (€6!), ribolata, florentine-style liver, roast chicken and pasta in meat sauce. Everything was memorably delicious (though if I had to cut something, I might not order the roast chicken again), fast and cheap. These four dishes were a perfect amount for lunch between three. In keeping with the food and interior, the service is no frills, flavoursome and authentic. Diehard Fiorentina fans too by the looks of things. Would come back here in a heartbeat if I’m in Florence again.

If a place can have a menu that looks like this and is only open for a few hours a day, it has to be amazing! And believe me, it is! The steak cut like butter! But if you're a picky steak eater, don't bother. You get it the way they make it (medium rare) and it's delicious. Anything else will be unacceptable! The servers will be sure to tell you as much too. We went with the filetto and that was a good size. The others one are much more massive. The pasta dishes are also really good. If you're going that route, you might want to do another course or a side because they're pretty true to courses size. And the pasta is always al dente so you know what to expect. They have one small room that leads to another once the first is full. It's very casual, very local, nice and simple. The food speaks for itself!

If you're a steak lover, visiting this place is a must! While the knives aren't the sharpest, they cut through the massive steak with ease. The service is prompt and friendly, and staff are buzzing around getting plates out while they are hot. Do yourself a favor and don't forget to check the hours of operation, and absolutely do not order a steak well done!

Make a reservation! This place is super packed. The food was wonderful. I can't really tell you why Florentine steaks are so good. But they're so good. Food comes out in a timely manner too. The environment reminds me of New York. And it was super casual. Get your receipt and pay in the front.

Trattoria Mario is S U P E R bro-licious! If you're in the area, do a power jump into this tiny hole in the wall for one of the most authentic meals in Florence. Don't worry, Browser won't be waiting for you inside. Instead, you'll be put into a flavor world full of stages to explore. The first block, you may want to hit. The beans. They are the best beans n' olive oil in the land. Trust me, Princess Peach is having these beans delivered to her castle daily! The second green pipe you should travel through is a pasta dish. Don't worry about which one, there are no split bananas that will spin you out. We went for the Super Ragu. It made my taste buds go "let's-a go!" Unfortunately, the Koopas found us after this round (meaning we became full and couldn't try more of the menu - "wawhaa") Finally, the service was as fast pace and electric like the Rainbow Track! It had such energy, as well as, a neat sense of community. You'll feel like you are eating with a bunch of friends in Mushroom Kingdom. BONUS: What's the potential Superstar of this party? We didn't try it, but I'd say just from visuals... the Florentine Steak! "MAMMA MIA!" as Mario would say. So jump up and hit the block, you'll get a tasty Italian powerup worth every coin!

This spot is for sure a locals spot. Make a reservation via phone, it's open for lunch everyday but closed on sundays and has dinner Thursday and Friday. This restaurant appears to be a local institution, it's been around since 1953. We were the only non-Italians in the restaurant. Almost every table ordered the florentine steak and the prices weren't horrendous for it. I prefer my steaks closer to medium and medium rare instead of closer to the pasture. Wifey wasn't feeling pasta and got the bollito since it was delicious at da nerbone in central market. It was fine, the salsa verde wasn't very flavorful so the dish falls a little short. The beef stew is cooked in Chianti and was fall apart tender. The only issue I had was the wine wasn't cooked down enough. The potato side we ordered was great. The potato tasted almost like a hybrid of a yuca and potato fry. My rating is a 3.5 based on what we ordered but I think if we ordered the duck ragu and a Florentine steak, it would improve the rating.

Great local food at amazing prices. However, you MUST make a reservation! Don't wing it! We had the house (fiasco) wine. Orders the bean soup which is really more of a paste but tastes well, good for cold weather. Then the pasta pomodora was good but better at Osteria Santo Spirito across the river. But the big big taste was the special of the day; the beef stew! So tasty. So mouthwatering good!!! If you feel like the soup nazi on Seinfeld has approved you, then you get a bit of that here. Worth it!!!!

Friendly, best bistecca Fiorentina I've found at price that won't require a second mortgage. New procedure- no line, reservations only. Love those guys- been there for 10 years or more, still the best around. Depending on the size of your party you may share a table; all good fun. Go!

Our absolute favorite. Most recent trip, we came twice (first times with two kids) and they were so wonderful -- they had a high chair set up for our one year old, and both of our kids loved their pomodoro pasta. For us, it's still the ragu that will keep bringing us back forever (this is a dish so great that it's still almost surprising how incredible it is no matter how many times we get it), but their steak is also among our very favorites. We also got to try some new (to us) stuff this trip, including their beef stew, which was absolutely phenomenal.

Best place we ate in all of Europe. Hands down. Locals eat downstairs. Bolognese Bolognese Bolognese. Bolognese Bolognese Bolognese.

Had a wonderful experience at Trattoria Mario with my family. We ordered everything on the appetizer menu and two large steaks. First things to know about Italians they do not eat meat well done, at best it's medium to rare so don't bother asking for anything else. The charcuterie plate had the Salami, Cheese, Prosciutto, Liver Pate on bread. The ravioli and pasta bolognese was delicious. But the steaks where absolutely stunning. We had so much food that I would highly recommend you share plates. And the staff was the best you could ask for. Enjoy this family restaurant please.

It's easy to say that no trip is complete without having visited Trattoria Mario, a highly recommended bistro just on the back side of Trattoria Za Za. It's hard to get a table though. I saw countless groups turned away surprisingly disappointed that this place was booked out all week for dinner service. But I pleaded with them to seat lil ol me...and you know what? They squeezed me in and happily served me in a tight hour. They put me at a shared table with another lone diner and set up a plastic shield between us...because covid... That plastic shield didn't block me from a glimpse of my tablemate's amazing Florentine T-Bone, as rare as ever and with a delicious yellow fat. Had I not already had steak this trip, I would have gone for the same...but the daily-handwritten-on-graph-paper menu had many other goodies. I got the vegetable soup appetizer which came out really fast and was thicker than any soup I've had. The boiled beef was delightful as a second course and I complemented it with a simple salad because I need some greens in my diet. ...All while images of big thick raw steaks dance around me in this tight space which is Florence's retort to New York's Katz Deli. The waiters enthusiastically bring out the raw steak to the table before it is sent back for searing to perfection. A feast for the eye even if I chose to have something else. I finished with Biscotti and Vin Santo, which was not something I'd ever seen before and it was a great closer. The final tab was super reasonable and thus represents truly great value when a meal like this could get out of control elsewhere. Pay at the counter.

Words cannot describe how good this place is five stars hands down here if you want to get out of the heat, best place ever great red wine lots of water very very kind people and amazing atmosphere

Cozy place. Great food (strongly recommend the beef stew cooked in Chianti). Friendly service. Would recommend.

Delicious lunch. Recommended. We were seated in the basement cave as our timing sucked. And, no Wi-Fi for you. Simple food done well. Verminto 3 Girole for €20. Tart. Spaghetti pomodoro. Perfect. Pollo alla Cacciatore. Great. Fell off the bone. + service €43.50 for lunch for 2

I went to Trattoria Mario's restaurant and I didn't have a reservation. Mario was there and he was very kind and told me to wait a second and he got us seated. The price in the food was very good, authentic and delicious. I definitely recommend this restaurant. FYI - Mario loves Fiorentina FC!

Before arriving in Florence, google told us Florence is known for their T-Bone steaks. After talking to some locals, we knew we had to come to a more traditional Florentine restaurant. With the help of Yelp, we found Trattoria Da Mario, a very very local restaurant that is really high rated, and best part? Very close to our B&B. We ordered the Beef Tripe in tomato sauce, a huge steak for 21 Euros (I forgot the size, but it seems to be smaller than their typical steak) and half a liter of house red wine. First of all, without going directly to the star of the show, the T-Bone steak, the house red wine, was SO CHEAP! 1/2 Liter for only 4 Euros. Easily shareable by 2 people, cheaper than water....so definitely opt for the Wine, you may need to ask the waitress for some help though as all of their menu isn't in English. The tripe in tomato sauce was really tender and flavorful, and the tartness/acidity of the sauce really balanced out the tripe itself. After a couple of bites if the flavor gets tiring, simple go in with the bread (complimentary!) and make it a nice tripe spread. Lastly, the steak. The legendary Florentine T-Bone steak. When you ask for it, their default option was a huge steak for 45 or 40 Euros, which is a little expensive for us, but after opting for the cheaper option of smaller portion we were surprised when the steak still showed up raw initially to be sized and examined to be huge! After they grilled the steak, the fat was beautifully rendered, and I loved how the sizes were a little crispy. The only only downside is that due to the size of the steak, the fat on the inside close to the bone was still a little too chewy, but I'm guessing most people don't eat that part anyways. Note: Internet recommended to let the chef decide how raw you want it, but when they brought it out while it was perfectly cooked for me, it might be a little raw for the average person.

Highly rated but a bit of a disappointment. Granted we were a group of 20 with reservations but we were stuck at the back of the the cellar, really a storage room. They were too busy upstairs to pay much attention to us but we survived. The food was good, not great. Not on my list for retries to Florence.

Our Airbnb host recommend Mario and said that many of her guests really thank her for this one. The restaurant was closed on May 1, as it is a major holiday in Italy, so we got there a little past opening on May 2nd. There were already tons of people seated, but we got in no prob. We ordered the Florentine steak, which is only served medium rare - not a problem for us. They show you the raw steak before they grill it, I guess to show you that it's 1.5 kg until it shrinks down with cooking. Parts of it were tough, some parts were straight up fat (I'm not one to complain about that though), other bites didn't have much flavor. Sure, the price is a steal when compared to what other Florentine steaks may cost, but I'd rather pay more for quality. The salad was literally just lettuce with some wedge tomatoes. I'm not sure there was even any dressing on it. The search continues for a satisfying Florentine steak!

I had been in Italy for roughly 7 days until I finally found the "home" Italian cooking that I was looking for. The service was amongst the best as we were served within the first 20 minutes of sitting down. The crowd is a mix of locals and tourist and it's hard to get a reservation, but if you're able to manage it - it's to melt for!!!

Tight seating area but cozy. Fast and friendly service, in English too. Their specialty is what people come for and this specialty flies off the shelves. Bistecca alla Fiorentina (T-bone steak Florentine style). Which is a well seasoned T-bone steak that is cook on open fire grill, chard on the outside and super rare on the inside. They'll cut it in to sections before serving. You'll need to like your steak cooked that way because there is no telling them how you want your steak cooked. Florentine style is Florentine style and that is it. They ask how many people will eat the steak to determine the weight you'll need and then show you your steak raw before cooking it. For me I thought it was delicious!! I couldn't have enough of this well seasoned meat with the char and the raw of the steak balancing each other out. They also sell pasta dishes and French fries and other sides. They also have a great house chianti in stead of a bottle brand. Accepts credit card!

Popular destination amount food lovers who wants to get a taste for good Tuscan food. Food was food. Had higher expectations. For those that do not like their steak rare, do not order Florentine steak. It's cooked to rare - medium rare, depending on your definition of medium rare. It's the way they do things here so don't ask to have it cooked well done. Crust is flavorful and salty, which goes well with the red center. But is it anything great? No. Tripe was good with its flavorful tomato sauce but feels like there are better elsewhere in Italy. Pasta of the day was a colorful noodle with a bit of ragu. Delicious but not mind blowing. Overall, a worthy visit.

This is THE place to go for lunch in Florence. It's only open for a few hours each day and once they run out of something they just cross it off the menu. It's small and there will be a line so get there early but it's so worth it. The meat sauce is where it's at! I regularly think about how amazing these meals were. Can't wait to go back!

I heard this place was great, so had to come by during our trip in Florence. This place is popular! We walked in on a Saturday afternoon at 12:30pm, and they already had a line with a sign saying that they're booked up already. I tried to check with the host and he said that it's impossible, they can't get me a seat. They were very busy inside. Unfortunately, we were leaving the next day, and asked if they could squeeze us in, or find us a reservation the next day before we leave (but we're told they're closed on Sundays, so that isn't possible). After several requests, the host made it happen and got a small table for us, which was amazing! The food came out super quick too, and I could see how fast they function here with the number of people that came in. I wasn't blown away by the food, but that might have been because of my selections. It was good, but it didn't stand out to me. However, I enjoyed going here and was very happy they were able to squeeze us in.

If you want a low-key Tuscan meal, Mario's is the place. I've eaten here over 30 years, very little is changed. Try to get a reservation if you can. Otherwise, it's touching go. And a wait. But it's a fantastic lunch. They move fast. Which is good if you're waiting, but be precise about your order. The only place in Florence I've ever had them forget a course. It's a great place to get steak if you want that whole experience.

If youre looking for bistecca Alla Florentina or Florentine steak, look no further than Trattoria Mario. Located near the mercato centrale, this spot has perhaps some of the best steak I have ever had. It's 35 euro per kg (2.2 lbs), but you can get it in various sizes cuts. Very friendly vibe, to the point where you'll share tables with randoms. Mostly tourists when I went, but it was a weekday and it still lived up to the hype. They only do a rare/rare-plus here, though I saw someone successfully ask for medium to the laughter of the cook (just do the rare, it's worth it). Steak was a super tasty, thick cut that was so so good. Reminded me of chi spacca in LA but at a fraction of the price. Credit cards allowed.

A good restaurant with a good price. The steak is very nice. The beef tripe stew is good but not a fan of any kind of livers. It has very strong tomato favour which is good. The Parmigiano cheese on the top makes the whole dish a lot better. I was going to give a five star due to a good price and good taste. After tasting the €7 sandwich in Siena, I willl give a 4 star.

Thank you Fabio for finding us a seat at Trattoria Mario! We are so grateful to be able to experience your restaurant and eat the AMAZING Florentino Steak! The seasoning was perfect the steak was perfect! Honestly this was the highlight of my trip to Florence. I loved my seat as we could see all the action and even feel the floor vibrate as the steaks we sawed and chopped in front of us. We picked one that was the right size and had a salad S a side dish. With 2 bottles of sparkling water the bill was $38 euros. I do highly recommend that you make reservations as the tables were completely full and they are closed on Sunday

I had a lot of great food in Florence, but Trattoria da Mario was hands down the best. We went twice and loved it both times. It's a small restaurant and you share tables with others, but it's that simplicity that is part of what makes it such a great experience. The menu is hand written and taped to a wall. They suggest you take a picture of it with your phone then sit down and review it beore ordering. No frills just great food. I had a risotto with octopus and squid one time and a roasted veal the next time. Both were amazing and the risotto was probably the best thing I had in two weeks of stuffing my face in Italy. Great, great food.

This place is definitely a hole in the wall and deserves 5 stars. Mom and pop restaurant serving authentic Tuscan cuisine at very reasonable prices. They are open for lunch only 12-3pm so get there early! We ordered Penne with ragu sauce and the ribollita. Both were outstanding and cooked to perfection!! We saw a lot of people get the Florentine steak here, so I'm assuming it's good (the place we went for steak was horrid). Note: the restaurant is across from the Mercado Centrale.

A true Italian trattoria filled with mostly locals and mouth watering Florentine cuisine. The same family has been running this spot since its birth and from what I'm told the food quality has always been supreme. This trattoria had a massive wait and no room inside so prepare to hangout on the street while you wait to be called. Once called in you need to understand you will be sharing a table with other customers. The inside is sort of like a family reunion. Locals talking to other locals a few tables away, waiters walking slowly between crammed chairs to bring out dishes and a kitchen that is visible from every seat. Everything we ordered was out of this world and I am not kidding. Order the Florentine steak but do not ask them to cook it a particular way. They will only sell it to you the way they want it consumed which is rare/medium rare. Before they cook it, a butcher will yell at you from across the restaurant and ask if the piece of meat he is holding is up to your standards. After a simple thumbs up he lays that massive and delicious piece of meat on the grill. Crispy on the outside and semi warm in the middle but a local delicacy. This steak is a lot for two people but tackle it like we did its a challenge! We also recommend you order the ribollita soup. This soup is another Tuscan staple. It is made from the leftover vegetables, beans and old bread. This is hands down "THE BEST SOUP" I have ever had. When you think old vegetable and bread do you think yummy soup? Tuscan's put every remaining piece of bread and vegetable to use. The conclusion is a soup that will be very hard to forget. We also ordered the pasta pomodoro which was light and tasted of fresh picked tomatoes. For dessert we ordered the Cantuchi e Vin Santo which is biscotti and dessert wine. The food here is some of the best I have ever had, but its the people and experience that sets eating here apart. We had a gentleman sitting next to us who was born in Iraq but had moved to Florence 25 years ago. He talked to us about Florence's culture, love, the mafia and everything in between. He even told us we should go make a baby after eating the Florentine steak! He said it is good luck! hahahaha Florence is a special place and if you would like to have a truly once in a lifetime experience while visiting, you must eat at Trattoria de Mario.

Little place with decent breakfast sweets. The employees are nice and welcoming. Great spot to run in get something and go home r hangout at one of their outside tables.

After reading all the hype! I had to try to this spot for myself while in Florence. The space is very small and everyone gets seated family style! You get to meet some new friends while eating! There is a menu is posted on the wall and written by hand, making it a little bit hard to read! We decided to order the Osso bucco and veal chop! The Osso Bucco was amazing! It came with a little bone and bone marrow inside! Delicious!!!!! the veal was cooked to perfection! They don't ask how you want your steak, but they made it on the medium rare side which is how I think steaks should be made. The crust was crispy and the meat was juicy! Definitely not super flavored, but you can add salt and pepper to your liking. We also got beans in olive oil! So simple, but the olive oil in Florence is so good, you don't need to fancy things up!

Huge portions, quick service, kind service when they're not swamped with orders (so not often). I don't understand about this Florentine Steak, though. While the price is great for massive slabs of meat, and while the seasoning is simple and hearty (salt and pepper with lemon), the texture is disheartening. Yes, it's medium rare, like it should be, but it's been a while since I had the pleasure of chewing so much gristle, and I pity the knives that come in contact with this cut-resistant meat. Boo hoo. Pros: - Cover charge is only .5 euros/person - The Tripe is good, and the Beef Stew is reportedly what you should really come here for - Italians have said that they only hang around near touristy places when making a stop here - As much as I boo hoo'd about the steak, it was a lot of protein for a relatively low price, and isn't eating a Florentine Steak really just about the experience? Isn't it? (Isn't it...?)

I went to Trattoria da Mario for my first meal in Florence. After spending an entire month in this beautiful city, I can honestly say Trattoria da Mario was my favorite lunch spot. This small eatery had a line out the door due to its popularity and short window of hours. The menu is handwritten daily on a piece of paper, ensuring only the freshest ingredients. If the ingredients aren't fresh, they aren't serving them that day. From the rest of my trip, no place compared with price or value. The prices were extremely affordable, especially compared to the rest of the city's lunch spots! It was mainly locals inside, with a little bit of tourists. I normally am not too big of a fan of ravioli. I like it, but I get sick of it easily. I decided to take a chance and order the ravioli and oh my goodness. It was the best ravioli I have ever had! No exaggeration. It was so fresh and felt so light. It truly redefines clean eating. It was different than anything I've ever had in the States. My only complaint about this place is that it's so small that you will most likely share a table with strangers, which was more than fine in the end. It's a small price to pay for a slice of Heaven! The owner and waitstaff were so kind and tried their best to give us the best experience possible. I'll remember this place forever!

Hyped. I do not recommend their Florentine Steak but their soup is a MUST and their ravioli was very good too. The location is pretty nondescript and very close to Trattoria Zsa Zsa and Mercato Centrale. It's a small place and we were the first in line when we lined up around 11am, they start seating at 1130am and kitchen opens up at noon. Definitely come early and also be prepared to share a table with strangers, we ended up sitting with a super cool couple from Nor Cal and had a blast. We had half liter of house red wine, Florentine steak, ravioli with meat sauce and bean soup. The bean soup was my absolute fave, it's sounds so simple but the flavors were so good, the beans were cooked but not overcooked that I could still bite down a bit, and the drizzle of olive oil is indescribably good. The ravioli was super fresh and their sauce was good. The Florentine steak unfortunately was somewhat disappointing, I hadn't had steak in a while before this so super hot with a little squirt of lemon the first bite felt amazing. Then afterwards I realized it was actually slightly overcooked, pretty tough and just... not that good. Service was pretty slow but hey they were busy. I think that bean soup is still worth a drop in but would skip the Florentine steak and look elsewhere.

This was literally our first stop in Florence because we couldn't wait to have Florentine steak and this place came highly recommended. We were disappointed. It felt very touristy and the steak was tough. It turned out to be our least favorite of the four places we had steak. It's a lively atmosphere, though a little crowded. The highlight was the local couple that shared our table with us.

For me it was overall a 3 star place. But it's not because the food was bad. I just think what we ordered was not my cup of tea... So I can't give this place more than 3 stars... This place is super popular and super busy all the time. My friends and I went in around 3pm and it was still crowded with people and people kept coming in and out. The place is on the tiny side and seats are close together so it can get tight. We ordered the Florentine Steak which is seriously HUGE! It's literally a huge piece of rare steak. They season it w salt and pepper and give you lemon on the side. I'm personally not a fan of rare steak but still ate some. It was good just not my cup of tea... I can see how rare steak lovers would love this. My friends and I also ordered the Pasta w Meat Sauce which was just ok for me. Personally I'm not a big fan of meat sauce pasta so it didn't do anything for me. But other friends loved it and kept talking about it on our trip so it must be good. If I'm ever in Florence again I would go back and try some of their other dishes. Overall an ok place in my book!

We were told by multiple friends that we had to come here for lunch, particularly the steak Florentine. We arrived at about 12:20 pm on a Monday and waited only 5 min for 2 people (communal seating). We saw some Americans ordering spaghetti and tortellini (shame! Jk), but what most people get is the Tuscan stuff. By 12:30, they were out of the €11.50 osso bucco (they open at noon.) - Ribollita: very filling, traditional, good with extra pepper and some salt: €5 each - Bistec fiorentina: €35 per kg. We got 600 grams to share since I'm not a big meat eater. The flavor was great. We were told it comes only as medium rare (the American version of rare), but I did see some people send it back to be cooked more, and I would say our's was medium. House wine is only €4 for a 1/2 L, but it's not particularly interesting, so I would just pay a little more for the brunello at €7 per chalice Seating is tight, and food comes out quickly, so turnover is pretty quick. Most people who work there speak some English, and the guy in front had perfect English. I think it is more Americanized now that it's become so popular, but it didn't change that the food was very solid. It was a pretty amazing deal at €37 for two people for a substantial steak lunch with wine. Credit cards accepted. Lunch only. No reservations.

This place is highly recommended on yelp and only open for 3 to 4 hours a day (closed Sundays). So they only do lunch time service. The menu is great! They go past the pizzas and pastas that most places like to do and focus on many dishes made from many animals. Menu chanhes but expect dishes with rabbit, veal, beef, chicken, liver, tongue etc. You can try some new stuff you haven't yet. Bottle of water is cheap at 1 €, service charge is only .50, not even noticeable. The dishes are in the 8 to 14 € range.

This place is only open for a few hours during the day but it is one of the best restaurant in terms of value for what you get. The steak is amazing here - you won't regret it as it's the typical Florentine steak. We got 1.5kgs of it and it was definitely enough food for us! We also got the chicken, pork chops, and the vegetable soup. I would come back here again for sure!

Delicious. Ravioli with ragu delicious and fresh. The roast was tender and flavorful. Good prices 22 euro for 2 plates wine and water!! We loved getting to share a table and learn about other travelers experiences. Our waiter was friendly. We didn't have to wait but few min for a table. We would definitely come back and recommend this place. Ps no English menu.

In Italy the key to a "good meal" doesn't necessarily need to involve Michelin stars or white tablecloth service. Much of my dining experiences during this trip were in family-run trattorias. That was intentional: the premise of a trattoria was that it served the local cuisine via recipes passed through multiple generations of the family that owned the restaurant. In Florence I ate all of my main meals at such trattorias and never had a single bad dish - the pastas I ate are considered some of the best I've ever eaten. Trattoria Mario is an example of your typical Tuscan trattoria. Tuscan cooking at its core is simple and hearty - as "peasant cuisine" you have to use inexpensive ingredients and make them last. The bold flavors make it distinctive among other Italian regional cuisine, hence why Tuscan (along with Sicilian) cuisine was able to succeed outside its home region and gain popularity worldwide. As a solo traveler this meant another thing: I can make a meal solely on the primi piatti and house wine without having to break my daily food budget! VENUE: Located near Mercato Centrale. Though the restaurant is considered a "hole-in-the-wall", it is by no means undiscovered; every major guidebook and travel company has mentioned this place in some form for multiple years. As a result you can find the restaurant based on the plethora of stickers found in the front door and on busy days, a line in front. On a Sunday the restaurant was full (but no line) but they squeezed me in with a family of 4 in a tiny corner towards the back of the restaurant. That was fine as I enjoyed their company plus they let me have their carafe of wine as they couldn't finish it. I was grateful. My meal consisted of two primis: the soup ribollita and their pasta in ragu sauce. In retrospect I should've ordered a meat dish but I didn't want to spend so much on meat and potentially waste it because the secondi was made for more than one person. Instead I had a filling meal primarily based on carb for about €15. I made up for the calories by doing more walking in the afternoon. - Ribollita: This is your typical Florentine bread soup consisting of bread and beans cooked together. This could've been a meal in itself because it was so filling. - Ragu pasta: The pasta served here can vary depending on what the restaurant feels like cooking that day. In this case it was a thick tube pasta. In Italy there is such a thing as a balance between pasta and sauce. As a result you won't see as much meat on the pasta as its counterpart in America. Easily the best pasta in ragu I've ever eaten as the dish is at is core quite simple and Trattoria Mario makes the dish in its pure form. Earlier reviews state cash only, but as of this writing credit cards were accepted and I paid for my tab using credit card. Trattoria Mario just got themselves another follower. Still hasn't lost its charm even after being discovered. I look forward to the opportunity of coming back here with someone so I can finally try their famous bistecca!

Pasta with meat sauce was so good. Also ordered the steak. Excellent flavor but a little too fatty.

This is a great local spot for Florentine steak. It is also close to the central market if you need anything. This was meant to be our first meal in Florence, but there was around a 40m wait even for a late lunch. We ended up putting our name down and went to grab a sandwich nearby. We got the ribollita and the Florentine steak. The ribollita was hearty and went well with the bread. This was our first Florentine steak and having split a sandwich earlier, we weren't able to completely finish it. We got close, but 2.2. pounds destroyed us. This was a reasonably priced Florentine steak; I believe it was around 35 euros. We were sat next to local, frequent customer. We really enjoyed the experience as he told us about just going at the bone with your hands toward the end as a normal thing and what he was drinking - vin santo, which would later find out ourselves.

My wife and I loved this place. The food was delicious, came in big portions, and was inexpensive. The only downside is you'll almost certainly have to wait for a table. Even at 2:30pm, we had to wait about 30 minutes to get seated. Inside, you're packed in with strangers. No seat is wasted. Chances are, if you're traveling solo or as a couple, you'll get seated at the same table with complete strangers. No worries though. This can be fun (unless you get seated next to a passionately amorous German couple, like we did, who spent more time kissing each other's faces than eating their pasta). The daily menu is written on a piece of paper taped to the wall. Super casual. We decided to go with: 1) Pappardelle pasta with pork ragu sauce. My favorite dish. Super savory with a surprising burst of Italian herbs. The pasta was cooked just a smidge more than al dente, which is just the way I like it. 2) Rigatoni with bolognese sauce. A solid dish. 3) Veal chop. This was also delicious. The meat was cooked perfectly - tender, juicy, with just the right amount of char for flavor. The dish was very simple. Just some olive oil, salt, and lemon served as the accompanying flavors. The entire ambiance of the restaurant was warm and friendly - just what you'd expect if you were to go to a friend's home in Italy, where they were serving a dinner party with 50 guests :) With a bottle of water, our big lunch for two came out to just 30 euros total. I'd highly recommend this place!

Despite the hype over the Florentine steaks, I thought this place was just ok. We got there early to avoid a line, and they were already seating people twenty minutes before noon. The tables are small and you have to share with strangers. Mildly awkward. The ribolito soup (bean/vegetables thickened with bread) was a little bland and underseasoned. It had a nice drizzle of olive oil over it that was good. House wines were also cheap and enjoyable. The florentine steak was huge and had simple flavors, but it was just too raw for me personally. I know that's their style. But it was just too much of a raw, cold center and kind of tough and fatty. I probably wouldn't order it again.

I remember coming here is the past so I found myself back in Trattoria da Mario once again. This is communal dining which means you share your table. Make friends with your neighbors. The menu is large so choose something and share it with your companions. You'll get to try different dishes that way. I ended up getting a pasta with tomato sauce and some ribbolita (Tuscan vegetables and bread soup). The soup was a bit salty but the pasta was just right!

Florence is full of steak restaurants, being renowned for their Fiorentina steak. So with a bit of researching we found this homely little place, packed full of people. Trattoria Mario is quite small so do come early to grab at seat as they only take face to face reservations on the day. If the place is full they will ask you for a name and give you a time to come back. You are expected to share tables with other guests and some of the tables don't seem to be designed for sharing. We had to share a small table with two local diners. However the quality of food made up for any discomfort. As cramped as it was the place had a lovely atmosphere. It was so lively, full of staff making sure your order is served quick and efficient. The kitchen is also open in the center of the restaurant so you can see the steaks being cooked and the fresh meat being delivered in. The vibe was excellent but maybe not so for physical comfort. The menu is usually pinned at the entrance and on the wall at the side of the restaurant so don't expect to be given one. A previous diner commented that there was no English translation but there is and it is written right next to the Italian description of it. Pasta and starters also changes every now and then to keep it fresh and new for diners. Ravioli al Pomodoro fresco We wanted to try a bit of everything so started with some pasta first. This was lovely and simple. Thin al dente parcels of pasta in a light zesty tomato sauce. The filling was creamy, herby yet light. A sprinkle of Parmesan for complexity and depth. Simple yet delicious. Penne sul capriolo Looks like any regular mince on pasta but it was actually deer meat. Simple looking yet deliciously made. It was cooked the traditional way too with no tomatoes but yet packed full of flavour with simple seasoning of Italian herbs. Beef stew This was made for wine lovers as the richness of the red wine was all I tasted. I don't think they allowed all the alcohol to evaporate as it made me a little light headed. Sadly I found the wine too strong for my liking but Ren, my fiance enjoyed it very much so. The meat was beautifully tender and juicy though and was something I appreciated. Fiorentina steak And the infamous Fiorentina steak (T-bone) for one. It was incredibly juicy and sweet, full of flavour. Without asking, it was served pink like how we like it. It's no melting soft fillet so it does require a bit of a bite but that gives you chance to enjoy it's flavours and savour it. A high quality steak and delicious! We also ordered a sides to accompany our mains which included boiled white beans and thick cut chips. Both were seasoned well, very fluffy and soft. No complaints there. I loved Trattoria Mario. Shame it isn't open for dinner or a place to unwind and relax. The fast pace of it all actually made it seems like fast food but on a complete different quality level. As we leaving to pay, staff were thanking us and saying goodbye. At the same time we saw many diners get rejected at the door and asked to come back another time or another day. We felt so lucky to have made it early.

Oh my freaking GODDDDD you have not lived until you have a florentine steak from here!!! By far the best steak I have ever had and I've been to them all the food is absolutely delicious it was so good I went back the next day!!! Best part is when I went back everyone at the restaurant remembered me!!! Absolutely delicious place highly recommend. Even their pastas are out of hand!!! P.s. They are only open for lunch and get there early it gets full quick!