Mona Lisa Coal Oven Pizza (Deerfield Beach)
***** Mona Lisa Coal Oven Pizza, 2009 Northeast 2nd Street, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33441 (954) 420-5644.
Let me start by saying that…Mona Lisa Coal Oven Pizza is a “must try.”
Last night, four of us ate dinner at this casual Deerfield Beach coal oven joint…and I got to tell you, that the food is absoluetly off the charts. For menu/prices check www.menuking.com.
Mona Lisa has both indoor (70) and outdoor patio (60) seating. Inside, the walls are lined with old 1930’s-40’s gangster photos and mug shots…this joint has a real-Mulberry Street feel to it. When you see the outdoor lighting, you’ll know what I am talking about.
Mona Lisa’s menu is loaded with appetizers, salads. pizzas, sandwiches and desserts. Just so you know, this joint is an “off shoot” of the world famous Mona Lisa Pastry Shop which has been feeding Brooklyn faces for something like 80 years. This is grandson Steve’s baby…and last night, I noticed how he and his wife, Theresa visited every-table. This is strictly a “family affair”…and the personal touch shows in the top ingredients used and the relaxed-friendly atmosphere.
Let’s talk food…my “taste test” had me devouring… antipasto platter, caprese salad, roasted wings, roasted peppers, broccoli rabe & sausage, margarita pizza, bianco pizza…I’ll “discuss” the desserts later. Like I said before, the food is terrific…I am telling you, this joint’s food is top-notch and the pizza and chicken wings were some of the best that I have eaten anywhere. Not being a total-pig, I did not “sample” one of the ten-listed ciabatta bread sandwiches, but did “spot” a customer downing a grilled chicken-mozzarella-roasted red peppers-broccoli rabe…the sandwiche’s look-alone, was worth the price of admission.
I am usually not a “big” dessert eater…however, based on the fact that this joint makes its own breads, pastries and cakes in-house… I went for the whole ball of wax…absolutely delicious, tiramisu, cannolis, chocolate cheesecake…Mona Lisa also makes a flaky-crisp “lobster” shapped pastry that is-not-to-be-missed. This thing is filled with either French or cannoli creme…incredible.
Let’s talk service…pleasant, easy going. Let’s talk price…no more expensive than your favorite pizza-joint hangout.
Mona Lisa is 1-block from Deerfield Beach. Parking is usually a “horror”…just between me and you, Mona Lisa has its own customer parking lot right behind the out-door patio.
Mona Lisa is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-11pm and Friday-Saturday 11am-midnight.
This joint is a winner.
jeff, my wife and i first tried Mona Lisa about a week ago, as we live in walking distance of the restaurant. not sure of Steve’s wife’s name but she sat down with us and was a terrific person to chat with. we had chicken wings, salad and a regular pizza and everything was delicious. we are quite familiar with other coal oven restaurants like anthony’s coal mine, carolina’s, giaovanni’s and we thought that mona lisa was best of breed. what we also like, is the fact that you can eat outdoors on a private patio setback from the street. another difference, is that mona lisa unlike most of these other places has sandwiches and desserts to compliment the wings, chicken and salads.
we higly recommend that people try this restaurant. it really is good.
If this restaurant is owned by the same families that own Mona Lisa on 86th Street in Brooklyn http://www.monalisabakery.com you are in for a treat.
I lived in Brooklyn for 52 years before moving to Pompano Beach 11 years ago. I was a good customer of the Brooklyn store and can tell you that the pastries and cakes are second to none.
I haven’t gotten over to the new Florida store as I just heard about it today from jeff, but I will hit it this weekend.
Now I don’t know about the water down here, but hopefully it doesn’t effect the baked goods.
Just maybe, finally we got a place where real Italian bakery items are made.
Jimmy C.
Is this restaurant as good as Anthony’s? I eat at Anthony’s at least twice a month. My wife and I love their pizza wings and salad.
GH: Just had a chance to ready your post.
As you probably know, Anthony’s over the past several years has developed into a small-chain of coal oven pizza joints. Its menu is very sparse with pizza, wings and salad being the game.
I have eaten in Anthony’s a number of times. It’s okay but nothing great, when matched up with some of the other joints down here.
To answer your question straight up: Mona Lisa’s pizza, wings and salads are superior to Anthony’s. In addition, its menu has a whole lot more to choose from.
Give Mona Lisa a try and let me know your thoughts.
Thanks for reading…
We visited Mona Lisa last night, what a fantastic place for serious Italian food. We started with the broccoli rabe and sausage. I usually find broccoli rabe to be bitter but the chef at Mona Lisa must have a different method of preparation. The flavors just come alive.
The pizza was just wonderful! All fresh ingredients with a professional, homemade touch.
Now, just when we thought the meal was over, our server James brought the dessert menu. And by menu I mean a full tray of homemade pastries, you just have to see this!! 5 kinds of cheesecake, mousse, canoli, you name it. We decided on the chocolate mousse cheesecake. You just don’t get food like this around here.
Thank you Mona Lisa for a great time and thank you James for keeping us laughing all night long. Keep up the great work. We’ll be back.
Jeff,
Me and my wife walked into this place after being on the beach all day and when I tell you it was everything you said and more.The sandwich that I split with my wife was mouth watering and the pizza was 100 percent NY style.The desserts were also unreal. 2 thumbs up will return again soon
Robert: Just had a chance to read your post. As you guys know, I have eaten in a “ton” of Italian restaurants down here in South Florida. To be perfectly honest with you, most of them are “average” at best. Every so often, I find a joint which really is “dynamite”…Mona Lisa is one of them.
I absolutely love the outside decor of this joint…that outdoor patio with its string lights reminds me of a number of great NY Little Italy joints that I use to frequent. Just imagine how cool it would be,if City code allowed a band like The Bronx Wanderers http://www.thebronxwanderers.com to work oustide on the patio.
Mona Lisa’s food is dynamite. If you re-read my review, I tried a load of items…and everyone of them was delicious.
This is a relatively new joint…it has been open maybe 3-4 months. The “word” hasn’t gotten around…but it soon will and then the lines will be out the door.
Glad that you and your wife enjoyed the joint.
Thanks for reading…
best pizza and best wings that i have eaten in a long long long time.
great joint.
Hey Jeff, I know that you follow http://www.worstpizza.com. The site has some good reviews. Just read the latest about Capone’s and I just don’t get it. Anyone who would order pineapple topped pizza can’t possibly know anything about what good pizza is all about. Thanks.
rr: Just had a chance to read your post.
I am not sure how many times I have said it, but pizza is suppose to be dough-sauce-cheese…end of story. Maybe you throw sausage or meatball or pepporoni on it and that’s just maybe…but pineapple, absolutely no way.
I enjoy http://www.worstpizza.com. Sometimes I agree, sometimes I don’t…but the site is always coming up with new joints for me to checkout for myself.
What I do know, is that Mona Lisa is top-notch coal oven pizza…just don’t put pineapple on it.
Thanks for reading…
Been reading for awhile. Have tried a number of suggestions. Tried this one last night and it was exactly as described. Delish pizza and wings. Actually the coal oven wings were the best that I have had in Florida. The pizza was also very good though I think that Carolina’s pizza which you also suggested is drop better.
The desserts were excellent especially that lobster claw one.
This is a good no make that a very good restaurant.
You gave Mona some review. What’s this guy Steve your cousin or something? Have to try this one to see if you are just b-sing.
Ben W. here. Mona Lisa is as good as you said it was.
Pizza, wings excellent.
That lobster claw filled creme filled pastry sensational.
Nice recommendation.
I LOVE COAL OVEN PIZZA and COAL OVEN CHICKEN WINGS.
I LOVE MONA LISA’S.
One of the best pizza/wing restaurants. Great location right near the beach. Love the outside patio. Couldn’t be better.
Hello Jeff, you spotted 2 wonderful coal oven pizzerias namely Carolina’s and Mona Lisa’s. Two different areas Delray Beach and Deerfield Beach so they aren’t competitors.
Thanks.
This has to be one of the top 5 pizza places in Florida. I have tried Anthony’s, Carolina’s Coal Mine, Giavonni’s, and several others and Mona Lisa is right up there with the best. What I especially like about Mona Lisa is that in addition to its pizza its chicken wings are incredible and the pastries to die for. I haven’t tried any of their sandwiches yet but I’ll get to those on the my next visit. I have already been to Mona Lis 3 times and Can’t wait for my next visit. I have told loads of friends about Mona Lisa as it really is that good.
food–a
service–b
prices–b
very good pizza
incredible wings
excellent pastries
service just ok
This joint serves pizza as good as John’s of Bleeker Street which is my all time favorite pizzeria. Are you familar with John’s?
barry w.: Just had a chance to read your post. I am quite familar with John’s…have eaten at its Bleeker Street location at least 20 times. That joint makes some real good pizza.
Glad you enjoyed…Mona Lisa…that joint makes some real good pizza.
Thanks for reading…
My friends and I left Long Island NY to spend a week in Boca Raton. I lived in Boca for about a year when I was younger, and I knew the pizza situation was dismal in Florida. Nevertheless I can never go more than five days without a pizza. By chance we happened to walk into this tight lil spot called Mona Lisa and the rest is history. If florida can produce more lil gems like this one, their pizza rap is sure to sky rocket. Everything is made in house, from the tomato sauce for the pizza, bread, and even the deserts. You can really taste the freshness of the ingredients. As difficult as it is to confess, not even in NY have I found pizza this awesome!
Have been eating at Carolina’s in Delray Beach for well over a year now. A bit of a trip as we live in Lighthouse Point, but the pizza is delicious. Your 9 best coal oven joints review had us try Mona Lisa in Deerfield Beach, by the way the guy is brave opening across from Bob’s, and you are correct Mona Lisa’s pizza is excellent. Its wings were also real good and that Italian cheesecake great. Got a new place now.
You got me thinking about Mona Lisa’s. The other day there were several coupons in the newspaper. The combination got me off my big behind to try this place. Excellent pizza and wings. Wonderful pastries. Highly recommended.
This has to be one of your best recommendations. Pizza, wings and cannolis were sensational. Plus a newspaper $5 off coupon save me a few bucks.
Hey Jeff, sometimes you are right on the spot, as is the case with Mona Lisa’s. It has a load of competition from Bob’s right across the street but its pizza and wings were delicious.
This is a nice addition to the area.
Food A
Service A
Food A
Service A
Pizza A+
Perfect night (7-4).
Pizza, wings, salad, pastries at Mona Lisa.
Association Concert on the beach.
GreatFireworks.
1 hour to get out of the Cove Parking lot.
Outstanding pizza. Amazing cannolis.
Based on your recommendation we ate at Mona Lisa’s last night. Pizza was delicious. Thought that the salad was bit too sweet with some type of raspberry dressing. Nice looking restaurant and enjoyed eating outside on outdoor patio. Nice area and great for people watching.
Visiting from Montclair NJ. Friends recommended Coal Mine Pizza in Boca Raton and Anthony’s Coal Oven Pizza in Boca Raton. Purely by accident while walking near the pier we saw Mona Lisa’s in Deerfield. Don’t know about the the other two as we haven’t yet tried them but Mona Lisa’s pizza was great not to mention a chocolate cheesecake. Big plus is that you can eat inside or outside on a nice sized patio. Very nice server and the owner treated us to delish cannoli.
We were in Deerfield Beach for vacation this past week and had dinner twice at Mona Lisa’s – This is great pizza – love the thin crust, sauce and cheese – the salads are large enough to split and just as good! The staff are very friendly – we met the owner who was very nice and took to chit chat with us! It will definitely be a place we return each time we are in deerfield beach
Been searching for a great coal oven pizza-salad-wings restaurant. Tried Anthony’s and thought it was crap. Also gave Giovanni’s a try and it wasn’t much better.
On Saturday night I read your review and decided to try Mona Lisa. My wife both agree that it is everything that you said it was, that being great pizza wings, salad and pastries.
Great call and thanks,
Jay Berger
Jeff, this has to be one of your best picks. the coal oven pizza is right up there with the best my wife and i have ever eaten.
Enjoyed our lunch-time pizzas and wings but the service was “pretty clueless” (that is to say, servers who were attractive but had little idea about diners’ needs)
jeff, was at deerfield fair yesterday afternoon. huge crowd and all restaurants were busy except mona lisa. looked in and counted 1 table taken.
there is a new owner and the place looked a bit dingy on a fast look.
New owner messed up a good thing. Should take lessons from Steven. Cheese is garbage. Go to grimaldis this place went down the tubes. There is an Asian lady that owned it now. She is obnoxious and annoying and now the pizza sucks.
I agree with Nate. We ate at ML last night. The place was virutally empty. Pizza was mediocre
at best. I suggest you delete all the rave reviews from 2009 & 2010. They are no longer valid. You might also consider moving the most recent reviews to the top of the page, rather than
oldest first.
I agree new owners destroyed a great thing. I was also a fan of Johns on Bleecker St
Nicks New Haven is pretty good or Sccillain Oven in Pompano also decent.
Still in search of really good Italian Bread, any ideas?
CLOSED!