After favorable reviews appeared in the Chicago Tribune and Playboy magazine, the restaurant attracted high-profile customers that included Jimmy Durante, Candice Bergen, Sammy Davis Jr., Maureen Stapleton, Peter Boyle, Johnny Mercer, Henny Youngman, Michelle Lee, James Farentino, Joe DiMaggio and Jake LaMotta. Critics said a night at Mama Lena's felt like stepping into an Italian matriarch's private home.

from Chicago Tribune Obituary for Mama Lena Madonna