Forum member lemonstrevert developed a new MAME frontend called Lightning MAME for use with Linux.
This frontend was created to be easy to use, easy to install, very fast and stable. It is build to integrate the essential features necessary to quickly search and launch a rom. I felt the need to create an additional frontend because I think most Linux frontend are either too complex or too buggy. Of course, it's also completely free.
Download it
here or at
http://lightningmf.neoname.eu/