The Meatball Cafe

We underestimated this place and thought it was just another Italian chain. Boy were we wrong! Scratch-made delicious dishes that were full of flavor! Excellent service, and great atmosphere! A MUST-visit if you love authentic Italian food!

This is my new favorite place on the island! If you haven’t been here yet, you are missing out. This spot did not disappoint. Every dish was so delicious. The sauce of the carbonara was yummy. The bread was fresh. The dipping oil was flavorful. The tiramisu was heavenly and creamy. The service was top notch. I haven’t been to a place in SPI that has left me so satisfied in a long while. Overall, great experience. We left stuffed and very happy with the deal we got at the Meatball Cafe!

We had an early dinner here and were VERY happy with the experience! Gluten-free spaghetti noodles are available, and we chose two dishes: carbonara and Bolognese. The Bolognese wasn't creamy at all, but was still very tasty and had plenty of meat. The carbonara was excellent - not too creamy, generous portions of pork and well-balanced.
We had excellent service from David and everyone there was so friendly and kind. We ate on the open-air patio, which was very comfortable. Highly recommend this restaurant for anyone visiting South Padre Island!

First time, won't be our last. Delicious, great quality, and great service. Food and desserts made from scratch, including the icecream. You have these little visitors (birds) who hang out if you dine outside and beg for scraps like little puppies. It's hilarious. Gotta go back and try the tiramisu martini!

What an absolutely phenomenal restaurant to eat at. The ambiance on the patio is adorable, the service was excellent, and the food... WOW. The food here is so dang good I'll be dreaming about it and shedding tears in my sleep that I won't be able to eat it regularly because I live over a thousand miles away 🥲 HIGHLY RECOMMEND! A must try for the South Padre island area 💯🔥

It was our first time here and it won’t be our last! From the appetizer of mozzarella sticks and seared tuna, the homemade bread, the homemade noodles for the fettuccini Alfredo and linguini with seared scallops to the crème brûlée everything was delicious! Our server Louis B was attentive and very helpful in helping us make decisions. When we come back to SPI this will be our go to restaurant !

This is the gem I’m continually searching for during travels.

I wouldn’t have ever thought to come here if I hadn’t come across their Facebook event of “half priced bottles of wine on Mondays & Tuesdays”.

Wow are we glad we did! My only regret, is that I wish I could try more items off their menu.

This is hands down the best dining experience we have had since being in south Texas. Who would have thought it would be an Italian Restaurant, with all the TexMex food surrounding us?

Our server Joelle was kind and funny. Our meal started out great with his wine recommendations and fresh baked warm bread.

We each had a different dish and they were all delicious.

Their ribeye was like butter, you could cut it with a fork!

The scallops on the pasta dish were cooked to perfection.

Both the salads we had were fairly basic but still good.

For dessert, we had the cheese cake paired with the dessert port wine. That combination was out of this world decadent.

We are glad we came here and will be back again when we visit SPI in the future!

It's really cute decor in this Italian restaurant. Our server Joe was excellent. The food was delicious and big portions.

Best restaurant on the island! The food was delicious! I had the best potato soup I have ever had. The fresh homemade bread was amazing. Hubby had a pizza that was great. Atmosphere was cute. Cozy & romantic inside & brighter outside.

Excellent service! And even better food! We came here for the Chicken Parmesan and Pizza. We loved every bite and got super full! The unsweet tea is actually very bitter, and the dessert is delectable, too. Had lots of leftovers. Worth every penny too! Will definitely want to return. If you want Italian variety, you come here

Very relaxing atmosphere don't expect fast food service. Meals are prepared and cooked when ordered. Food is always good service is good. Host has a beautiful smile

Absolutely loved this place. Came here for my birthday and everything is made from scratch! I had the chicken fettuccine Alfredo and my boyfriend had the chicken Parmigiano. The serving size is huge I was barely able to finish my plate, definitely should have gotten a to go plate. The cibata bread with garlic oil they brought out was super soft and delicious. Will definitely have to come back next time we are in the area.

After spending a couple days on South Padre Island and enjoying wonderful fresh seafood, we decided we wanted to try some good Italian food to celebrate our wedding anniversary. This restaurant has the most delicious authentic Italian cuisine ever! Their pasta is homemade and everything they make is from scratch. It was so delicious and although it was our first time eating here, it certainly won’t be our last. We’ll be visiting again soon and this will be a definite stop for us!

This place has freshly made pasta and bread. The food is to die for. The lasagna is amazing. We came here two days in a roll. Give it a try.

An amazing experience. Delicious food. Loved the drinks. The service was excellent. Our waiter Luis went above and beyond to make our dining experience great. Beautiful place. Very warm and friendly atmosphere inside. If you come to South Padre Island you have to go here. We loved it.

When you go there you know the food is going to be good. It's reliable. Is it the best Italian of ever eaten? No but it's probably the best in South Padre atmosphere is good, little bit dark but good atmosphere and the wait staff is always friendly and quick to refill your ice tea or bring you extra bread

This is always a stop for us when we come to South Padre Island. I love the environment. all of the pasta is homemade. I do have to say that it is on the price your side so expect a large bill. they have a great selection of wine and the menu is very expensive. There’s even a kids menu which is nice. There’s indoor and outdoor seating.

We have been going to South Padre for so many years and have tried many different restaurants. I have driven by this one many times and finally decided to stop and try it. This is an awesome place for a great meal. Our excellent waiter Alejandro explained to us that everything is made in house from the pizza crust to the pasta and even the salad dressing. We had the lasagna and the pasta carbonara and I can't even describe how good it was. Possibly the best pasta I have ever had! I never thought I would brag about pasta in South Padre but... Next time you're out there and get tired of the same food you need to go to The Meatball Cafe and try something different. We will definitely be back and this time we'll have the pizza!

We ate here twice during our week in SPI. The food and service were great, and our dog was welcome in their covered patio dining area. They said their pasta is all made fresh in their kitchen, and it tasted like it. We'll definitely eat there again on our next trip to South Padre.

Omg!!! The best of the best. Came in with a party of 10. Everyone had a little bit of everything on the menu. An we were all pleased. I loved the lasagna. Pack with so much flavor. I was craving more after I finished it. My wife had the pizza with ham an pineapple. So gooey cheese with she loves. I will definitely definitely be back!!!!! 10 out 10!!!!!!