The new owners will be closing soon. Food poor at best. Slow service and very few folks eating. It can not survive
(1)
Debra E.
We love Romano's Macaroni Grill. We had a gift card so we used it while in vacation in Scottsdale. Our server was friendly and prompt. She recommended the bruschetta appetizer and it was delicious! We were seated immediately as we visited during an off time between regular meals. This Romano's was in a nice location as was large and modern. We brought back many leftovers for a late dinner back at the hotel.
(5)
Mike C.
I had lunch here with fellow yelpers Robyn N.,Masha Z.,Norm R.,Arlin B., Georgie M and Rand H. Well to start we had some bread brought to are table which was very good but was all gone by the time I got my chicken & mushroom cannolloni.They should have offered more bread when everyone one got there pasta or soup. (minus a star) food was not hot enough (oops there goes another one) service when we were done was very slow and I was still hungry (down to 2 stars) I will stop writing before they run out of stars. (will not return).
(2)
Paul V.
After a much glorified recommendation from the waiter too get the pork c hop special, result was 4 dried out chops, 4 undercooked risottos ( which they replaced with something else, ours were the last they had for the night). After mention of the chops drones, we're told they would melt in mouth, that was not going to happen with those chopsn we were offered free dessert. Took it home, tiramisu, will taste in the AM for breakfast. Disappointing as previous visit was actually quite good. Fifth person had the meatballs, said they were good. Appetizers muscles were good as was the soup.
(2)
Chris M.
Service was good, food was well prepared. The prosciutto mac and chees was rally good. Steak was cook to order and very flavorful.
(3)
Stuart F.
I stay away for chain restaurants for a reason and my recent dinner only confirmed that. Food-bland and inconsistent from person to person. Wait staff - sucked and no effort I will not be going back.
(2)
Susan W.
too much salt- house wine is poor- they are close to being good- a little more effort please the sole was previously frozen and prepped off site ( or made very poorly) very mushy. It had the tast of a commerically made dish- soggy and old. Lay off the salt- make more of an effort on the white fish
(3)
Jenny S.
I hadn't been here in a while so I came back to check it out. That was definitely a mistake... It took us 10 minutes to even be acknowledged by a waiter after we were seated. Both the appetizers and the food took forever to come out and when they did were tasteless and awful. The restaurant wasn't that crowded, yet the service was slow and when I asked my waiter for parmesan cheese, it never came. The portions of pasta were small considering the expensive price. Thankfully, they didn't charge my friend twice when she didn't like her food the first time. I would not recommend this restaurant and suggest you stay far away.
(1)
Jenn O.
Horrible atmosphere, waiters left dirty dishes on one of the three islands/pantry in the middle of the restaurant. (Which is weird enough....that you can see opened very cans of soda and cut up lime and lemons that have been sitting out for who knows how long). Horrible service. Horrible attitude waiters. Would never go back. I am surprised that this chain has not been shut down.
(1)
K B.
This is a review just for take out. If you like to get high, go to McDonald's and order a buffalo ranch mcchicken the buffalo chicken pasta from Mac grill is for you. It's similar to a buffalo mcchicken but upgraded with cheese, spices, and pasta. It's pretty dank. My compliments to the chefs.
(5)
Leanna A.
Had an absolutely terrible experience at this Macaroni Grill. I came here to celebrate my birthday with my family and boyfriend (keep in mind there were only four of us). Let it be known that Macaroni Grill was definitely far from my first of choices when it comes to a birthday meal/celebration, but the reason we decided to come here is because this is one of the only places that will liquify my grandmother's meals (due to physical/dietary restrictions she has, she MUST have her foods liquified). Anyhow, we were seated immediately and greeted by our server. There weren't a ton of tables in the restaurant, but then again there weren't a lot of servers there either. So it looked like he had his hands full. Drinks came out promptly. We ordered three appetizers: fried macaroni and cheese, a fondue dip, and fried zucchini chips. After about 45 minutes of waiting, they came out at different times. First the mac and cheese bites. There were five small 1" or so cubes of macaroni that were served with an alfredo-like sauce. Granted, they tasted okay, but for around $9 for this specific appetizer, the quantity to price ratio was definitely an issue for me. They were polished off by our table before our next appetizer even arrived. Ten minutes later, the fondue arrived. I personally didn't like it, but everyone else said it was okay. Essentially it was just melted parmesan and mozzarella. Another app that wasn't worth the high price tag. The best of the appetizers, the fried zucchini, came out about another 10 minutes later. There weren't a lot of pieces to the entree and they lacked a certain "wow" factor, so as I'm sure you can all guess, we weren't too impressed with the first course. For our entrees, my grandmother ordered the liquefied chicken alfredo (keep in mind she gave specific liquefication instructions that have been followed at this restaurant before), I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs, my mother ordered the lasagna, and my boyfriend ordered cheese ravioli with alfredo sauce. They came out all at different times. Like with three minute intervals in between the arrival of each entree. Given that there were four of us, that was a considerably disappointing amount of time for food to come out after the appetizers (enough tim to go through four loaves of bread with olive oil). And, let's not forget to mention that every single one of our meals was cold. Not warm. But cold. My boyfriend's cheese ravioli were still frozen on the outside. My mother's lasagna was lukewarm at best, and my spaghetti and meatballs were cold as well. My grandmother's dish was the worst disappointment of them all as it was prepared incorrectly and was served at what seemed like a refrigerated temperature. We notified our server of the problem and he did his best to take the meals back and have the kitchen re-prepare them. When they came back there was legitimately no improvement with any of them. We flagged down a manager and spoke with him about what had happened, and he said that he would take care of us, like any manager would. We then saw him go to our server and verbally accuse him of the entire situation being his fault. Uhm. No, homie. If anything, you should be speaking with your back of house staff. And behind closed doors, because it is unacceptable to belittle an employee in front of guests. Instead of having our food sent back to the kitchen a third time, we left two entrees and boxed the other two to take home without even eating them. The check then arrived, and the manager took off $8 from the check. The discount that was entered was a "referral comp" which didn't even account for the cost of one of the appetizers. This was the biggest disappointment, as it was obvious that he didn't want the GM to see how badly the dinner service was by comping the items that were truly messed up. Most definitely not impressed with this trip and I have to say I will not be back. The quality of the food and the service at this place has gone downhill really quickly.
(1)
John C.
Wonderful pasta, served in a pleasant setting by an attentive wait staff. Mushroom Ravioli awesome. Shrimp linguini deeeelicious. Woefully weak beer menu with NO craft beers.
(4)
Joseph G.
Food is OK. Decent taste. Chicken was weird looking though.
(2)
Brianna D.
I love this restaurant. Having grown up in Arizona I make sure to always stop by here when I am home. On my most recent visit I was very excited about the new express lunch option they offer. My brother, husband and I all ordered salads and then sandwiches. The caprese sandwich with grilled chicken is phenomenal! We were there at an off time between 2:30-3:30 so we were not expecting amazing service but we had the server, Brittany, constantly refilling our drinks and both managers, Chris and Tim, stopped by to introduce themselves and check in at separate times. We were thoroughly impressed. They even brought out their new Nutella french toast to try for dessert as we were talking about it. It was so delicious (see photo). They truly went above and beyond. Will be back again soon! Thanks for a great meal
(5)
Bella M.
Ate here a few weeks ago when I received a coupon for the express dinner. It was a little confusing at first because we didn't know how it worked but a waitress explained it to us. I had the carbonara which was good. The manager on duty that night took really great care of us and made sure everything was to our liking. I really appreciated that. There is still a little confusion about dining in with the express menu like getting refills. Since you don't have a waitress, I'm not sure who you are supposed to ask. Also the tipping I was unsure about. I tipped but we did not get catered to like when having a regular waitress so I don't feel the tip should be 20%. The bread is $1 extra for the express menu which is a little Annoying since most places when you order to go, You get the bread for free.
(4)
Andrea M.
They are lucky to get one star.... Very disappointed. Food too salty. Service was terrible, had to get up and get the server to order!! Bathrooms smelled horrible! Will not return!
(1)
McKenna A.
We waited for almost 10 minutes to get a glass of water, than another 20 minutes to not be waited on, we watched him greet two tables, give them bread, AND take their order, we had to ask another server where he went. He can back and didn't even seem like he wanted to wait on us, he was very cold and 10 minutes later we still don't have our appetizer. Horrible service !
(1)
Rich M.
Food was typical, seated and delivered fast. There were several small service problems yet the server was unapologetic throughout.
(4)
Eric E.
I have mixed feelings about this place. Bottom line- If I didn't have a $25 gift card, I would have been very disappointed for paying 50 dollars for an "Olive Garden" meal I could have gotten for 25 bucks. Food was OK/good, Wife had eggplant Parm, while I did the Fettucine Alfredo with chicken. Had Calamari as an AP, (OK), and Caprese Salad, also just OK. I don't think I'll go back, as I am a cheap bastard, and if I wanted to splurge, there are much better Italian joints in N. Scottsdale that I like more, that I am willing to fork out 20 bucks a meal for.
(2)
Dennis L.
Wife and I enjoyed our Sunday lunch. Food was excellent, and service outstanding, but there were few patrons as we arrived shortly after noon. I had not eaten in a Macaroni Grill in over 20 years and was pleasantly surprised. The facility is a step above Carrabba's and 2 above Olive Garden. But the woodwork could definitely use a good dusting.
(4)
Milke A.
You get a decent plate of food for the price. Granted, there are a few tastier Italian restaurants out there, but not in this price range. The house wine is good and inexpensive and the homemade bread is excellent.
(4)
Nedal F.
This place sucks so bad my medium steak was burned to he'll my wife's pasta had a pice of plastic in it I will not go back here if it was free Service was great they kept us ocoupied for 1:30 min before we got our food
(1)
Georgie M.
Yesterday was a mistake. We had a Unofficial Yelp Event setup by Phoenix Buffet King Rand H., along with Masha Z., Arlin B., Mike C., Robyn N., Norm R. and myself. We were early I guess, arriving at Macaroni Grill just after they opened at 11:10. I couldn't tell if there was any other employees here, because the only one who greeted us was the Bartender. Not a good sign. This foreboding aside, we had a very nice time. One of us bought the table two appetizers, while another a half-priced 1.5 liter bottles of Italian "red" wine. If we stopped there, along with the bread and EVOO, we would have rated Macaroni Grill a lot higher. BTW, our bartender/ server, order taker, chief bottle washer was outstanding! Though she looked tired towards the end of our visit, after covering several tables and the bar! I ordered the Lunch Combination "Duo" of Caesar Salad and the Capellini Pomodoro pasta. Both were very good but pricey at $8.50. The bones of the menu are very good. But it looks like the cost accountants are running the restaurant again. This was the same problem back when Brinkers (Chili's) tried to increase the margins a few years ago. Let me be specific. The serving bowls were tiny, tiny, tiny three inch, by three inch ceramics (see photos). So even when you add a delicious, well prepared, flavorful pasta dish, along with a salad in the same size bowl -- how do you charge $8.50? The same pasta dinner comes in a huge bowl for $11.00. So, if this is a business person's lunch, then I probably wouldn't be returning. Sorry! I guess I was wrong. The old Macaroni Grill isn't back.
(3)
Jan B.
I can't leave a good review as we did not stay for dinner. As we were being shown to the table we couldn't believe the thick dust on the side of the booths and along the floor railing ( highlighted by the low evening sun streaming in the open door) The next thing we noticed was the food crumbs all over the floor. I told the waitress we would not be staying because of the dirty condition of the restaurant. As we were leaving my husband said " we should never have entered" he had noted the unwashed windows as we were entering I shutter to think of the condition of the kitchen. That's why few cars in the lot consistently. To bad as we enjoy the chains restaurants as we travel. Wheaton,il Is our home base Marconi grill. Kudos to that spotless well maintained restaurant.
(1)
Rand H.
Enjoyed a fun UYE today to this Romano's today, joined by Masha Z., Arlin B., Mike C., Robyn N., Norm R. and Georgie M! Although the company was five Stars, I'm sorry to have to report that the restaurant wasn't. :-( For this first visit, I ordered a Lunch Combination, consisting of Mushroom Soup, Sausage Quadratini and half a Roasted Turkey Sandwich... * The soup tasted good but was barely warm enough. * The Sausage Quadratini had just a little bit of the Italian sausage in it, & was mostly macaroni al dente, which for this particular dish is a foofy way of saying it was undercooked and tough. Also, & the flavor, except for the actual sausage, was completely blah. * The Roasted Turkey 1/2 Sandwich had just a little bit of turkey (3/16"?), and almost no sauce of any kind on the dry bread. There was also nothing on the table to put on to dampen it up except Olive Oil, so I used that. The amount of food for the money was ok, but the food itself and the preparation were weak. Arlin B. had also joined me for lunch yesterday at an Olive Garden, and we both felt that the food was much better there, as well as 30% less expensive. I doubt I'll return to a Romano's again. 3-Item Combination: $10
(2)
Norm R.
Back in the east coast, I enjoyed Romano's Macaroni Grill because of the good food in large portions, casual setting, and gracious and fast service. During the UYE I attended here with fellow yelpers Rand, Mike, Robyn, Georgie, Arlin, and Masha, I found the setting to be just as casual. The person who served us was courteous and friendly but it seemed that she was swamped at the time we were there. We came in at opening time and there were quite a number of tables she had to attend to simultaneously, and though she was very busy, she tried very hard to accommodate everyone. Perhaps the restaurant should have more staff around at that time. As for the food, the portions were not as large as I was accustomed to from back east, but sufficient and it was tasty.
(3)
Dave L.
We walked in and the manager looked at us three times and walked away. This place is awful. Go elsewhere.
(1)
Cherie K.
Macaroni Grill is yrying so hard to get it right. The spaghetti snd meatballs was truly delicious as was the chicken on a brick and the fish. Gena, the manager snd David our server snswere all our questions snd were bery attentive. The food was a little slow but mor time for our party to converse. Thanks MG. We'll bw back.
(4)
Charles S.
Took 50 minutes to get our pasta and we were the only ones in there. It came not cooked enough. Only 5 people came in during the 1 1/2 hr we were there. Very disappointing. We won't be back ever
(1)
Bad L.
It's been a while since I walked through the doors of a Macaroni Grille. I remember back in the early to mid 90s, this was the only MG in AZ and the wait was three hours and they didn't take reservations. Those days are long gone. We stopped in for lunch and we were clearly the youngest people in the restaurant - besides the wait staff. We both opted for the "make your own pasta" and a Bibb Salad with their balsamic vinaigrette. The salad was delish and the pasta equally delish. The service was a bit weak, but none the less a great food. Its' sad walking in this place. It appears to be a dying brand. Like Hooters and many others we come across. It's like seeing an old friend wither away. I remember when this was the new restaurant and kicking the @ss of Olive Garden, but somehow Olive Garden is always packed and Macaroni Grille seems to be circling the drain. Macaroni Grille's menu appears to be diminishing and missing some items I used to know and love.
(3)
David M.
I did not expect much from the Macaroni Grill and was surprised. Nice ambiance, good service, and food that as a whole better than I expected. One often finds restaurants like this that as a whole look great but on the whole really aren't much more than a glorified Denny's. That's not so bad if you are at Deny's but the Macaroni Grill's location and prices are such that they should be a more than a bit different.
(4)
Khloe M.
So I get to go from here occasionally on my way home.... I order at the bar and have some wine while I wait with a nice male bartender. No issues. However, this last time I was told by the female bartender that I had to place my order at the to go counter. Well that's fine I guess. However, the poor to go girl is swamped. It took 15 minutes for me to place my order. The whole time I am standing there I make eye contact with multiple servers and two managers. No one comes to this poor girls rescue. The phone is ringing. She doesn't have change. And no help. When I get back from placing my order... My bartender is indifferent... "Got it all figured out?" She asked.... It's too bad the staff is so apathetic about the convenience of their guests. The servers here are 100% independent contractors. Work on the team building and they will give great service overall! Consistent food, uninvolved managers.
(3)
Masha Z.
We got here right when they opened, so I assumed everything would be fresh. WRONG. The bread was tasty, I can give you that. You also can't mess up oil and ground pepper, so that's a freebie. My noodles were SO. DRY. I got just a very simple Alfredo with shrimp. The shrimp was an extra $4, so I thought I would get my money's worth. What I got instead were 5 quarter sized shrimp, which looked more like beta food or maybe bait for the shrimp that I should have had. The noodles were complely stuck together, and there was only alfredo sauce on the bottome 20% of the bowl -- the rest of it was a starchy, gellatenous, mess. Their $15 wine is tasty, and their tea was tasty, but we were served by their bartender and the service kind of showed through, too. I still like Olive Garden better. At least you get what you pay for. I left here with a $20.00 bill for something I don't think I would have accepted for free. Not impressed.
(3)
L K.
Food is ok, service not bad. We went out there for a team lunch. The zucchini fritti is good, bruschetta sub-standard, chicken parmegiana looked like an omelette but tasted fairly good. Prices are high like most Italian restaurants. With Italian food being almost like a staple in the United States, why it is so pricey, beats me! I think it is a Highly overrated cuisine. If there are suckers willing to pay, there are always Businesses waiting to pick your pockets!!!
(3)
Carol B.
Chicken milanese(used to be our favorite) was DRY and only cooked on ONE side...brocolini was hard as a rock. We never saw a manager the entire time we were there and the server couldn't have cared less when we pointed out the food wasn't up to par. I emailed them and of course they never bothered to respond. If you want a fabulous dinner...you might want to go elsewhere
(1)
Athena M.
When arrived out server let us know there was a wait due to a party of 50 and two cooks not showing. As we were not in a hurry we decided to stay. We ordered the tasters menu. Appetizers of fried ravioli was great. Salads were as expected. The main course was disgusting. Potatoes were in a bed of salt, the beef tasted like dog food and the chicken had no seasoning at all. The other issue is my husbands meals would be cold and mine were hot. The worst thing was when I went to the restroom while waiting for the bill. There were two employees cleaning the restroom. They cleaned the last stall, put their things away, and walked out of the restroom without washing their hands. Food can be chalked up to a bad night but there is no excuse for not being clean. Will not go to this place again.
(1)
Marty B.
Not a great place. Food wasn't good and service kind of sucked! Told the waiter that the food was horrible and all he said was, "So You're Done?". Will not go back!
(1)
Jon S.
Been going here forever... and a day. I love the ambiance and the smell of a mesquite oven. The pasta meals are fabulous... and the portions way too huge! ( I usually take 1/2 home.) Especially deadly is the delicious complimentary bread and olive oil/pepper that come with the table. So fantastic!
(5)
Amy C.
Actually walked out of this restaurant after waiting 20 minutes and no servers had even acknowledge we had been seated, and the restaurant wasn't busy at all! A first for both me and my husband!
(1)
Greg G.
We ate here a year ago and haven't been back since because the service and food was so bad. Today we thought that they might have improved so we thought we'd give it a shot - NOPE. Still the same as it was last year. Initially I was going to give this 2 stars for the bad service, but then our food arrived. Service was slow. Extremely slow. We were there at 2:00 PM and the place was a ghost town. We had to wait 10 minutes before any of the employees would acknowledge we were even in the establishment. Took another 5 minutes to seat our party of 3 at a booth. They seated us right next to the restroom when the rest of the restaurant was open and available. Our table was set for two, but they said they would bring another place setting. Eventually our waiter showed up to take our drinks - I got a feeling of resentment from him, kind of like he'd rather be anywhere but here (that feeling was mutual). When we didn't want any wine he got a little miffed. The food came out cold and nasty. The water bottles that they use to pour water from were filthy - INSIDE THE BOTTLE!!! Seriously... This place is right in the heart of Scottsdale. There are probably 100 to 200 restaurants with in a 1 mile radius. Any one of them is a better choice than here. Scottsdale has some PHENOMENAL eateries, don't waste your time at Romano's Macaroni Grill.
(1)
Elizabeth S.
This place has a great happy hour that runs till 7:00 PM and starts again at 9:00PM. $3.00 wine and $5.00 flat bread pizza. Very, very good. Great service. Will be back.
(4)
Patricia B.
Arghh... where do I start? Well, allow me to say that I am not a big fan of Macaroni Grill, but the hubby and the kids seem to like it, so we go there once in a while. Come to think about it, I think we have gotten better service consistently at the Agua Fria and Tatum locations, we also went once in Mesa. However, the few times I have been to the Gold Dust locations... huge disappointments. Once our daughter's wheat pasta was uncooked, and missing the pine nuts (we ordered it because she didn't know what they were). We like the Chianti BBQ Steak, and we have had it at Tatum location, delicious. We went to this place for Christmas Eve, and we were expecting them to be busy. To our surprise, we didn't have to wait that long to be seated. We got a booth (4 of us) and ordered fetuccini and Penne Rustica for the kids, hubby the Chianti BBQ steak and the Parmesan Veal Chop for me. We ate one piece of bread. We asked for one more. We ate it. Our server apologized for the delay. Long wait. Our server came back and apologized again. Long wait. Our server nowhere to be seen. Over 50 minutes went by since our order, which I think it is beyond a reasonable delay. We caught the attention of our server and asked for the manager. After a while a manager stopped by and explained they had 2 very big parties (he mention the number 17 each, I think) in a back room. Honestly, in my mind this translated to 'we do have customers more important than you'... we said this was beyond reasonable and were considering leaving, he said being Christmas Eve, everywhere would be busy and we would be better off waiting here, he offered a discount... and left. I tried to get his attention to ask how much longer but he didn't hear me or else... About 8-10 min later he brought our food. As he was leaving I said, pointing to the Chianti steak: this should have prosciutto and crostini, 'and garlic dip', added my husband. He said, the prosciutto is in there... and left. Well, in my mind I translated that as "I am in a hurry, so I am going to treat you like an idiot'. That is the utmost disrespect, and hence the one star. There is no discount that makes up for that. There was no prosciutto in there. At all. We caught the attention of our server and mentioned the missing ingredients, and he brought a side of prosciutto, some garlic dip, and a piece of bread... nothing like the crostini we have had at the Tatum location. Also, the veal chop is usually huge, and this time it was like half of what I usually get somewhere else. Also, sadly this still may be an improvement, because last time we ordered the Chianti steak here, they didn't even believe us it was supposed to come with garlic dip... honestly... geeezz, can't they read their own menus? oh well, no more Gold Dust in my macaroni... ever.
(1)
Ryan C.
This is a review of their take out dining only. MG hosted a fundraiser for kids baseball team. 15% of the check was donated back to the school, really nice idea. It was very good and packaged nicely, service was solid too.
(4)
John W.
Fair Waiter, VERY long wait for food (a few times we said "hey we got here before they did why did they get their food before us ?). They give you free bread. I pigged out and got the italian nachos - sounds weird but that was the best thing I had. Middle of our dinner was interrupted by the 'entertainment' - a man yelling at the crowd about this italian song and that, then he started singing and wanted everyone to clap. Sorry, I'm just too cool (others may say uptight) to do that. Luckily my back was facing him it wasn't hard to ignore. By the time my food came out I was thoroughly stuffed, so I just ate a few bites and put the rest in a box. The food prices were very reasonable - I'd bet if they charged more nobody would visit, though. Strangely the next day when I ate my leftovers they tasted much, much better. I guess hunger is the best spice! I've been to other Macaroni grills and they just seemed to be better than this place.
(2)
Crystal C.
I was incredibly unhappy with this experience. I will probably not eat at any Macaroni Grill for a very long time. The waitress was incredibly young and spacy. She put in the wrong order for our table; but you had to feel sorry for her cause the manager yelled at her. Anyone who has been to a Macaroni Grill knows they have an open kitchen; so we could hear everything. The bread wasn't as crusty as it used to be. The calamari was chewy and the batter was gritty. My Pasta Milano had too much rosemary. At the end of the meal, I noticed that our carafe of water had tiny black flakes in it.
(1)
Ron S.
Hosted a dinner for a medium sized party here. The manager and staff did a great job getting everyone their drinks and food. Noteworthy was the follow through on expediting meals for several guests who had to leave shortly for the airport. I am giving three stars for the food and a bonus star for the efficient and friendly management and staff.
(4)
Bonnie S.
I don't normally frequent the "chains" cause I like to give the locals the biz, but I had a gift card, and I took my daughter. It was early (6:00) on a Sunday, and there was a waiting list in the dining room, so we ate in the bar. Taylor was the bartender and server. I told him what I wanted to drink with not too much this and not too much that, and he made it perfect. Thank you, Taylor! I had the shrimp portofino and my daughter had the lobster ravioli. I am only giving the four stars cause I thought the shrimp should have had some kind of flavor to it -- It was a bit on the bland side -- and my daughter's ravioli was a bit on the sparse side. That being said, both dishes were good. The pasta was flavored to perfection. I wouldn't have minded having chili peppers on the table cause I like my pasta spicy hot, but that's okay. That's my taste. The hostess forgot to give us menus, and Taylor, our server/bartender was surprised at that. Slight oversight, I'm sure. No big deal.
(3)
Karen L.
CHAIN,CHAIN,CHAAAIIINNN, Chain of fools, that's me at the top of that chain! I know better than to go to chains but some are good and this is close to home. Beginnings, I asked waitress about something on the menu and she replied with she didn't know the menu that well??? Bread bomb they served was stale. Salad with my entree came as.a shallow salad, barely cresting an inch from bottom of bowl! COME ON! ($3.00) extra too! Entree: $ 15.00 Shrimp with spinach & mushrooms in a lemon butter sauce. I was delivered a snarled blob of Pasta in a oil/sauce (I didn't taste any butter or lemon for that matter just a fattening tasteless conductor of lube/oil to help me swallow a bite. There was maybe 4 chards of spinach tangled in the pasta and about 2 tablespoons of mushrooms in it, all for 15 dollars!!! Oh and I did get my shrimp but they were overcooked. Value :ZERO,,,This is pasta for God sake, you'd think they might throw in a little extra spinach or mushrooms to go with it and actually use butter like they claim. Oh No,,they are in the back with their weights and measures making certain no one gets an extra mushroom or spinach chard all the while balancing the books making sure their profits aren't marginal!
(2)
Ross G.
My dad and I went here after the car auction.. Our server seemed far more interested in upselling specials and wine, as opposed to listening to her customers. Had the chicken cannelloni and penne rustica, and a couple of beers. The tapas were ok. If you want a great meal, go somewhere else.
(2)
Joe V.
Disappointed again. It had been a few years since we were last at Romano's Macaroni Grill, since we have been swept off our feet by the many other great Italian restaurants around, but the 2-tapas and 2 entrees for $25 enticed us back for another try. It's a good deal but the chef attention was not in evidence. You have your choice of 6 tapas or 8 entrees, and can choose from any of the regular entrees for $3 more. At happy hour the drinks are also a bargain. Though the Margarita Prima was a bit sour for my taste, it may be just right for some. The highlight of the meal was the bread. The ciabatta delivered with our drinks was as good as they get. From there, it was all downhill. The concepts were great, but the flavor was completely lacking. Our tapas, the artichoke potato cakes and zucchini fritti were generic fried pub food lacking any Italian imagination. I had the pasta carbonara, which looked wonderful, and the poached egg on top is the perfect touch, but there was no flavor whatsoever to the sauce. Even the pancetta lacked flavor. Having just returned from Italy where I had some really great carbonara, I was completely let down. My wife had Carmela's chicken, in which we could find no hint of the advertised carmelized onion, and the chicken tasted as though it had been processed to death and butchered weeks ago. Fortunately, I was able to revive my taste buds with a good chocolate gelato before departing leaving half-empty plates and no desire for a doggy bag.
(2)
Kimberly F.
We walked in to an awful aroma of sewer gas to the hostess podium where we waited more than 5 minutes for the hostess to appear. The restaurant was maybe 1/4 full and looked "slow". I would have left by now but, was meeting friends and had to see this thing thru. We were seated at 5pm in a booth next to a huge party of noisy kids, waited a lifetime for our drinks and my friends white wine was served to her in a water glass. We placed our orders and waited, and waited, and waited! Our dinner landed on the table (1&1/2 hrs later!) at 6:30pm after many apologies from the waiter that the kitchen was behind. I ordered Sea Bass and my friends ordered salmon, shrimp and the other chicken marsala. The salmon was so burnt we could smell it (literally charred), my sea bass was not even sea bass....it was sole so overdone it was fish jerky! My other friends shrimp was supposed to have roasted potatoes on the plate....they weren't there. The only "acceptable" meal was the chicken marsala. It was mediocrity all over the place. I will NEVER go here again. Don't recommend it. They did comp the burnt salmon.....
(1)
Ann-Marie G.
Oh my gosh, what a disaster! My husband called in an order and asked me to pick it up on my way home. I arrived and went to the pick-up area where there were 3 other people in front of me. No big deal, right? Well, after about 30 minutes, the woman in line just ahead of me was told that they did not have her order that was phoned in about an hour earlier. So, she placed another order and sat down to wait. Finally, after about 45 minutes in line, I make it to the cashier, and after giving him my name and what was ordered, he proceeds to tell me that they do not have the order! Thinking that my name could have been mis-spelled or taken down incorrectly, I asked him if there was an identical order under a similar name. Instead of checking, the employee looks at me and asks, "Are you asking me to give you someone else's food?" Unbelievable! Then he asks me if I want to place an order to go! After witnessing what was happening in the kitchen during my 45 minute wait, I'm sure that I would have had another hour or more to wait for my order to be completed! The kitchen that was utterly chaotic. Absolutely no organization by the chef (who was shouting out orders to anyone who would listen, but no one in particular)! The kitchen was piled high with dirty pans everywhere. It's a wonder they got any orders out. Had the cashier not accused me of asking him to give me another person's food, I may have considered returning to this restaurant. However, after that treatment, and what I witnessed in the kitchen, I can say with confidence that I will NEVER set foot in this place again!
(1)
Joe J.
The food merits 2 stars and the service was an absolute zero. Side note: 20 years ago, this was perhaps the busiest restaurant in the Valley and had Brinker's then famous level of training and service. The place looks about the same with faux Tuscan dinner house look and Italian lessons in the restrooms. Everything else has gone in the crapper. We were there with a party of 10 to celebrate an anniversary at lunchtime. The place was virtually deserted (at 12:30p on a Sunday) and yet we were seated at the "wrong" table and reseated in the very back room. Our server came huffing and puffing to greet us muttering and flustered that we were here (not sure why customers are seen as an inconvenience in such a slow place). He reluctantly brought water glasses and later brought some of the complimentary bread. Muttering about our being early (not true) instead of drawing of sappy sayings with crayons on the white craft paper that covers the tables. We were afraid to ask for ice from our water: we didn't want him to crack or go postal. He brought out the house "wine", which is "chianti" from California. It is only one step up from Pompeii brand red wine vinegar. Much later, he took our order. Each person was greeted with a terse "next!". Don't ask for changes or ask questions, please! After another great span of time (in which we were left unattended, which in this case was better), the food came out. My Pasta Milano was only warm enough that I could eat it. I would have sent it back at a reasonable place. The "garlic cream sauce" was light on the garlic but completely overpowered by rosemary (which was not mentioned on the menu). A brave guest did send back their lukewarm pizza, which brought forth the scorn of the server. The waiter did warm up when he heard one of the guests speak of real estate (but not addressed to the waiter). He began interjecting his opinion on mortgages and the real estate market. Wow! No interest in serving people, but a veritable talking head when it comes to residential real estate. Anyhow, we were able to escape eventually, shaking our heads in disbelief.
(1)
J D.
A friend of mine invited us to dinner here. It's been a while since we've been to Macaroni Grill. We use to eat at a Macaroni Grill for lunch all the time, but in recent years have ignored it. I have a favorite dish....the Pasta Milano (Roasted Chicken, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Farfalle Pasta in a roasted Garlic Cream Sauce, $11.99).....but I got it without Chicken since I'm on a no Meat diet. The Better Half ordered the Crusted Sole (Filet of Sole topped w/Lemon Butter & served w/Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach Orzo, $14.99). I didn't like my Pasta Milano.....the Cream Sauce was very watery and didn't have much flavor....bland, which has never happened to me when I've ordered it. The Better Half enjoyed her Sole, but didn't think it was anything beyond average. My friend ordered the King Salmon ($17.99) and enjoyed it. If I was rating this dinner on my experience alone, it would have been 2 Stars....but since the other two dining with me enjoyed their meal, I'm bumping it up to 3. The service was so/so.....young wait staff here with plenty to learn about service....I didn't ding them because of their inexperience. They were pleasant and sincere....which goes a long way with me. Return Factor - 30%
(3)
Dan S.
I came to the restaurant specifically because of a recommendation. I am now on a gluten-free diet and have other allergies so, suffice it to say, I don't get to eat Italian often. However I was told that they have gluten-free pasta and other choices. I was initially impressed by the sheet that breaks down their meals by allergen so that one knows what is safe. Kudos on that. This is more than most places provide. However, they have Basil Pesto Sauce listed as NOT being gluten-free nor soy free. Finding that odd, I asked the waiter to confirm with the chef, and I was told there was no wheat product at all in the pesto, which seems correct. (I did not ask about the soy, but I would wager that sneaks in somehow thanks to the cheese.) So I ordered the Create Your Own Pasta of gluten-free penne with pesto sauce, shrimp, peppers, spinach, and mushrooms. When my bowl of pasta arrived, it had all of the above. However, it also had onions, zucchini, and eggplant, yet I had to dig to find a shrimp. I originally assumed I had somebody else's order. The waiter, who was wonderful and attentive, took the bowl away and offered to replace it as I ordered. I would have eaten the original bowl, and told him so, but I was more concerned, as I said, that it was someone else's. As a side note, if these flourishes of extra vegetables are an example of a cook's flair, I would say that if a customer orders a straight menu item, that might be acceptable. But when I fill out a cute little checkbox form with what I want on my Create Your Own Pasta bowl, I *only* want the items I checked off. A fresh bowl arrived later exactly as ordered. Except the pasta was undercooked. I don't mean really firm al-dente. I mean some were still way under done. Now, I know that gluten-free pasta takes longer to cook, and they probably rushed the bowl to get it to me. But that bowl was almost inedible. The waiter did offer to get me a third bowl. I declined and soldiered through it. We were having dinner out for my wife's birthday and I did not want to belabor the meal. The waiter then offered us dessert to make up for the problems. Though I did agree to this, and I'm not demanding or even asking for a full dinner cost to be covered, it seems inadequate for management to offer me a three dollar dessert to make up for a twice-failed $14 dinner. I do not intend to go back.
(1)
Steven A.
One star only because I was with family. Long wait for food, forgot my iced tea you're almost 20 minutes, food was edible solely because I was starving. To top it off the 2 portions of chicken parmigiana for myself and 16 year old son were more of a childrens portion with chicken medallions instead off a patty. This along with an $11 penne with butter and parmigiana came to a ridiculous $50. Never again will I waste time and another cent at this chain.
(1)
Brian O.
A comedy of errors is the best description for our experience last night. Our appetizer the mozzarella was over cooked and was more like potato chips, the bread was in short supply and took forever. Our entrees took over an hour to arrive on our table. To top it off, the waitress, didn't listen on how we wanted to split our bill and one of our party had to walk to her to coach her on how we wanted the check split. Nothing hard either, split the bill, apply my $20 giftcard to my portion and bill me the balance. While I don't blame the waitress for the slow service due to short staffing, I'm glad I don't come often. Now I understand why. For the money, there are plenty of other Italian choices. Enough said.
(2)
Roma L.
I decided to give this location a second visit over the holidays after having had a mediocre experience the first time. Also, it happened to be the most convenient location for all of us to meet. I have had wonderful experiences at both the Desert Ridge and Agua Fria locations. 45 minutes after we arrived my daughter received her entree. 5 minutes later, I told her to start eating. The server said she would check on our meals. 15 minutes later, I saw what appeared to be one of the chefs talking with a patron at a nearby table. The patron visibly upset. I waved him over and he asked how our meals were. I told him I wouldn't know, since we were missing two of them. He did not apologize but simply said they were busy and he would check. 5 minutes later we received our meals which were terrible. The pasta was hard, the sauce burnt and I'm almost certain had been run through the microwave. I will return to the two locations mentioned above but never, ever again to this location.
(1)
Debbie S.
Not a good experience. Party of 5. Got all of the orders wrong in some way. Food was cold. Server was new. Didn't refill drinks. Didn't ask if we wanted dessert. If they don't ask I don't suggest. It's their tip.
(2)
M E.
I love it here. Maybe I am the odd one out, whatever. But if I had to chose corporate goodness, I'd come here. I get to draw on the table, eat tasty bread and customize my pasta. I order the same thing every time so I know what it is supposed to taste like. It has never turned me down.
(4)
Brad S.
The chix parm is the only thing worth getting. Everything else is prepared too far in advance like the chix for pasta is prepared earlier and warmed up. Chix parm was good just very thin. It's a chain I should have known better.
(2)
TC S.
The bar area was freezing; bring a jacket even though it's 90 degrees outside!
(4)
Angela M.
Macaroni Grill is a chain, yes. But I'm a fan because their light menu is actually as tasty and flavorful as the main selections, which is definitely not true of all chains, where I have eaten some ungodly flavorless messes in the name of health. You'll feel full after a Macaroni Grill light meal, but you won't feel sick, which is a perk in my opinion. I grabbed dinner here last week and was pleasantly reminded of this.
(4)
Arp G.
The food is as good or bad as any other Macaroni grill but the reason I have given them 5 stars is because of their stupendous service. I ordered a vegetarian dish and found two small pieces of chicken in the sauce. They not only got me a new dish within 10 minutes, they also took it off the tab.
(5)
Charles D.
Tonight my wife and I came for dinner. I tried the Seafood Linguini which was new on the menu. It had scallops, shrimp and clams and was very flavorful. My wife had the Scallop Salad which was also excellent. Always enjoy our dining experience there. They also have the best Chianti...$30 for a bottle which I'll get for her birthday.
(4)
Katie K.
I will never be visiting this Macaroni Grill again. I booked my company's intimate holiday party here, reserved the private room and decided the 4 course meal was perfect for our event. When we arrived, the hostess had no idea that we had a reservation. We were finally taken to the back room where there were 4 individual tables set up to hold 10 people each. I had requested place settings for 20 and hoped to have one large table, but our group had to split up. We sat down to find the full menu in front of us and when I went and spoke to the manager about our condensed 4 course menu, she said they placed the wrong menus down. I already felt upset that I had confirmed this appointment 2 times and it was not put together, but tried not to let it ruin my experience. Our server was all over the place and should NOT have been waiting on a private party. One of our guests had to ask multiple times for an item because it had been continuously forgotten. The delicious bread with oil and pepper everyone is talking about did not happen; we were given bread and there was olive oil bottles on the table, but no plates, no pepper, nothing. We were each suppose to receive an appetizer, instead they brought out one of each kind for the table to share. Overall, the service and "lack of communication" (words from the manager herself) really turned this dinner into an unorganized and stressful night.
(1)
Scott H.
During the hot summer months in Phoenix we can't wait for the weather to change and for a cool breeze and light rain to make it all better. But change is not something we necessarily want in a good restaurant. Our last visit to the Grill was definitely a change but it was more like the temperature got hotter and it simply made it more miserable. The service was less than perfect as we celebrated my daughters 14th birthday. We had to ask for water repeatedly partially because they only left small cups for us to use after removing the tall glasses from the table. The food was average which included my Sausage Pasta dish. It reminded me of pasta with chopped up sausage placed in it without it really being cooked together. Overall we like Macaroni Grill but the changes to small water glasses and average food make us cautious. We had to ask for crayons which is a fun part of the experience we have come to expect. I finally went to the front desk to get them. The server did not write her name on the table as usual and didn't even tell us who she was. "Hey you " just doesn't feel right in a restaurant that usually shines with excellence. We will be back but I'm not sure how soon.
(3)
Holly F.
great service, location, and menu selection. the food is very reasonably priced and the portions are very generous. overall, wonderful place.
(5)
Jordan H.
Food is good, but service is SLOW! I would suggest driving to a different location, the one at desert ridge is better.
(2)
CJ C.
Awesome food, awesome price, awesome service. Apparently they're working on revamping the restaurant, bringing in some new staff, and bringing this Macaroni Grille back to where it should be. I talked to the manager for a bit, and he mentioned this location as an awesome spot being in Scottsdale and an opportunity to provide a great experience to customers. Looking forward to coming back many more times!
Went to Macaroni Grill on 12/21 to celebrate my sons 20th birthday. Arrived and no one was there to greet us. Waited a few minutes and then the hostess took our name. Will waiting for our seat, I noticed the women at the To Go stand checking her phone. Waited about 20 minutes and was seated. Noticed a whole section that the tables were empty. Ordered our meal. My husband and I ordered a Caesar salad with no Caesar dressing and balsamic vinegar on the side. When salads came we received a different salad. Didn't say anything, we just ate it. We all order whole wheat pasta. They all came out hard. Mine was clumpy like you didn't cook it for very long. Told the waitress and she said that is how they have to cook whole wheat pasta so it won't be mush. She asked if we wanted another pasta and I asked for regular pasta. Mine came with my meal. My son didn't finish his pasta. My husband, son, and I ordered sausage. Will I was tasting my pasta, my son ate a piece of the sausage. He looked at the other piece and asked if it was raw. Clearly it was raw in the middle. I cut mine open and mine was raw. My husbands was a little pink. My son asked to see a manager. In the mean time, the waitress came back and asked if everything was alright. We showed her the sausage, she apologized and took one plate. The chef came out and apologized and offered something else. He offered us shrimp. We ordered that and also noticed my son did not finish his pasta. Offered to make another. We received the shrimp and it was over cooked. When we received our bill, one dinner was removed. We paid for our dinner and left. The manager was at the front door and said good night. In all my life, I have never returned a meal. I will not be returning to this restaurant ever again.
(1)
Glenn S.
A million Macaroni Grille's in the world, and this is the first one I went to. Lucky me. Seriously. On a really freakin' hot July afternoon, it was an oasis. Nice music playing in the background, big glasses of ice cold water, a great waitress and it was just dark enough and cool inside. And the food was good, the Meatball Sandwich was way too big for our companion to finish, so she had lunch for the next day settled on. The Penne Rustica was extremely filling and full of cheese and shrimp. And the Scallop and Spinach Salad was really good, however, the bitterness inherent in cooked spinach became a bit tiresome. So the salad wasn't finished. But the huge glass of water and iced tea that I consumed may have been a factor.
(4)
Cami W.
Service was horrible and food was mediocre at best~ won't be going back
(1)
Stephanie S.
Not bad, for a chain restaurant. Nicer ambiance than Olive Garden but also no free salad and breadsticks. The $5 house wines are served in rather large non-wine glasses. The bread was pretty good and I like how you get to dip it in olive oil. The Eggplant Parmesan was delicious. The service was also good... Make that brisk. Everything happened so quickly that my friend and I ended up staying a while after we were done because we hadn't had much time to catch up by the time we got our bill. Unfortunately, we were seated right next to the open kitchen, which turned out to be really loud. I honestly don't care to hear every time someone's food is "up." And I think it was rude of them to dump us in that noisy spot, considering there were tons of other open tables.
(4)
Lauri H.
We have always been big Macaroni Grill fans as it is quick and good enough when you want family dining, don't have a reservation for fine dining and they have something to please anyone. We have dined at MG in different parts of the country but probably been to this particular location 10 times. We visited Sunday and it will be our LAST. We went for early dinner (4PM) so there was no one there. Our party was 2 adults, 2 kids. We ordered meals and dinner salads. After ordering, we waited 20 minutes before I got up to ask if the waitress could bring our salads. We could see her going from the kitchen to the bar but never back in the dining room. Here response when I walked to the bar was "the chef is working on them"... it was another 8-10 minutes before we had salads. About 10 minutes later, the waitress brought 1 kids meal - burnt to a crisp chicken fingers that looked like they should not have been served. SO one of our kids was served while the other waited... and waited and waited. Then he got his spaghetti. Another 10 minutes passed and we got our meals. The food was ok but the whole experience was so poor we just wanted out. It took 90 minutes to eat with two 9-yr old boys. We had no drinks, aps or dessert - that is crazy. Never going back!
(1)
Michael C.
Not fond of chains in general, but this place is worth reviewing. The atmosphere at this location is dark, romantic, yet casual and comfortable. Our server "Richard" was a riot and served us well as he entertained us throughout the night. This goes to show how much a server can influence your overall dining experience. We also had fun drawing on the table top (which is topped with white paper and crayons for your artistic expression). The bread is really good here for those of us that fear no carbs. The salad was crisp and refreshing, and dinner was near perfection with my Lobster Ravioli melting in my mouth. My girlfriend's Lasagna was about as big as her head (9 layers) and made for delicious leftovers. Two thumbs up for Macaroni Grill.
(4)
Jeff L.
Just a quick review of Macaroni Grill. I've been to this location several times and I've never been disappointed. The service is always pleasant and fast and the food is pretty darn good for a chain. I've tried some of their pasta dishes and had the grilled pork chops once and they were quite good. I ordered them on a whim and was pleasantly surprised with them. And they make a great Insalata Blu which is bibb lettuce, walnuts, red onions, grated bleu cheese all tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette. The bread they serve with the olive oil and cracked black pepper is always pleasing. And they have a great blackberry mint iced tea. Yum. The music they play is a great mix of Italian opera and the Italian crooners of the 50's such as Frank Sinatra. And hopefully there will be a birthday or two while you're there. They usually have a singer who does a great job of "Happy Birthday" in Italian. (What does this person do besides sing? Is that all they do? Anyone know?) Oh, and if you use the restroom they play lessons in Italian while you are....um...doing your business. Pretty cool.( I just hope that if I ever need to use Italian in an emergency I don't have to duck into a bathroom to remember it.) If you're in the mood for some good Italian food with good portions and friendly attentive service, Macaroni Grill can't be beat in my book.
(4)
Jake C.
Macaroni Grill strikes me as the perfect "Office Christmas Party" location. The food is average, or maybe slightly above average in a totally conventional way, but lacks the creativity that some of its non-corporate counterparts offer. Service is actually the best thing here, in my opinion, but I get the feeling that the staff can't stand working there. I can't really back that up, and no one has ever said that to me explicitly, I just get that vibe. It would be a good place to take small children or large groups. For birthdays, there is a staff singer (I think that's how it works, at least) who sings a Venetian serenade as if it were on a gondola. A little cheesy, I know, but some people are into that.
(3)
rubali m.
my favorite part is i can write on the tables but it's still a classy environment! (:
(4)
Georgia R.
I think Macaroni Grill is a great place to take the fam, little ones included. It's not so much a romantic date spot, but it's still a fun, lively place to have some good Italian food. For apps, they have a really good spinach and artichoke dip as well as some tasty mushroom raviolis. For lunch and dinner, they have tons of pasta, pizza, sandwiches and soups to choose from as well as a pretty good wine and beverage list. The kiddie menu isn't bad either and if I remember right, they give kids placemats to color on or something along those lines. If you go, promise me you will try the dessert ravioli! Yum yum yum!
(4)
Lisa P.
I had never been to this place until I was looking for a caterer for my wedding that wasn't too expensive. I went with my then fiance and a friend and we all ordered a different dish to test out. The chicken scallopini was a clear winner. I was pleasantly surprised! We had them cater our wedding (buffet style) and the food was a hit. It was also in our budget and we were quite happy. If you need to order food for a group, this is a very good and affordable option.
(3)
C. S.
Shame on you Macaroni Grill! I ordered a "Create Your Own Pasta" dish for take out and was horrified when I got home. My $14 pasta (which included chicken for an extra $3.50) consisted of one small chunk of chicken the size of a nickel and approx. 15 noodles. There was virtually no sign of the sauce or veggies I had requested. What a horrible waste of money.
(1)
C G.
Great Value and Quick service. I was in a party of 23 on a friday night for a birthday party celebration and the service we received was very quick (for a prty of 23 on a Friday night i was impressed with the speed) and friendly. The server even sang an operatic version of happy birthday. The dinner special where you get a salad, main course and dessert (I had the lemon passion, very rich so I recommend you share it) was a great deal for those on a budget. I usually don't eat at chain italian restarants but this was a pleasent surprise.
(4)
Jim T.
Terrible Service... It took a few minutes just to be greeted by the Host. Food was ok...
(2)
todd t.
Food tastes like frozen food. Service was good but delivery of food VERY SLOW (about an hour to get pasta). Manager (Dan) will try to blame you if you have any issue like we did with the slowness of your food. Other than that, it was awesome.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Jeff W.
The new owners will be closing soon. Food poor at best. Slow service and very few folks eating. It can not survive
(1)Debra E.
We love Romano's Macaroni Grill. We had a gift card so we used it while in vacation in Scottsdale. Our server was friendly and prompt. She recommended the bruschetta appetizer and it was delicious! We were seated immediately as we visited during an off time between regular meals. This Romano's was in a nice location as was large and modern. We brought back many leftovers for a late dinner back at the hotel.
(5)Mike C.
I had lunch here with fellow yelpers Robyn N.,Masha Z.,Norm R.,Arlin B., Georgie M and Rand H. Well to start we had some bread brought to are table which was very good but was all gone by the time I got my chicken & mushroom cannolloni.They should have offered more bread when everyone one got there pasta or soup. (minus a star) food was not hot enough (oops there goes another one) service when we were done was very slow and I was still hungry (down to 2 stars) I will stop writing before they run out of stars. (will not return).
(2)Paul V.
After a much glorified recommendation from the waiter too get the pork c hop special, result was 4 dried out chops, 4 undercooked risottos ( which they replaced with something else, ours were the last they had for the night). After mention of the chops drones, we're told they would melt in mouth, that was not going to happen with those chopsn we were offered free dessert. Took it home, tiramisu, will taste in the AM for breakfast. Disappointing as previous visit was actually quite good. Fifth person had the meatballs, said they were good. Appetizers muscles were good as was the soup.
(2)Chris M.
Service was good, food was well prepared. The prosciutto mac and chees was rally good. Steak was cook to order and very flavorful.
(3)Stuart F.
I stay away for chain restaurants for a reason and my recent dinner only confirmed that. Food-bland and inconsistent from person to person. Wait staff - sucked and no effort I will not be going back.
(2)Susan W.
too much salt- house wine is poor- they are close to being good- a little more effort please the sole was previously frozen and prepped off site ( or made very poorly) very mushy. It had the tast of a commerically made dish- soggy and old. Lay off the salt- make more of an effort on the white fish
(3)Jenny S.
I hadn't been here in a while so I came back to check it out. That was definitely a mistake... It took us 10 minutes to even be acknowledged by a waiter after we were seated. Both the appetizers and the food took forever to come out and when they did were tasteless and awful. The restaurant wasn't that crowded, yet the service was slow and when I asked my waiter for parmesan cheese, it never came. The portions of pasta were small considering the expensive price. Thankfully, they didn't charge my friend twice when she didn't like her food the first time. I would not recommend this restaurant and suggest you stay far away.
(1)Jenn O.
Horrible atmosphere, waiters left dirty dishes on one of the three islands/pantry in the middle of the restaurant. (Which is weird enough....that you can see opened very cans of soda and cut up lime and lemons that have been sitting out for who knows how long). Horrible service. Horrible attitude waiters. Would never go back. I am surprised that this chain has not been shut down.
(1)K B.
This is a review just for take out. If you like to get high, go to McDonald's and order a buffalo ranch mcchicken the buffalo chicken pasta from Mac grill is for you. It's similar to a buffalo mcchicken but upgraded with cheese, spices, and pasta. It's pretty dank. My compliments to the chefs.
(5)Leanna A.
Had an absolutely terrible experience at this Macaroni Grill. I came here to celebrate my birthday with my family and boyfriend (keep in mind there were only four of us). Let it be known that Macaroni Grill was definitely far from my first of choices when it comes to a birthday meal/celebration, but the reason we decided to come here is because this is one of the only places that will liquify my grandmother's meals (due to physical/dietary restrictions she has, she MUST have her foods liquified). Anyhow, we were seated immediately and greeted by our server. There weren't a ton of tables in the restaurant, but then again there weren't a lot of servers there either. So it looked like he had his hands full. Drinks came out promptly. We ordered three appetizers: fried macaroni and cheese, a fondue dip, and fried zucchini chips. After about 45 minutes of waiting, they came out at different times. First the mac and cheese bites. There were five small 1" or so cubes of macaroni that were served with an alfredo-like sauce. Granted, they tasted okay, but for around $9 for this specific appetizer, the quantity to price ratio was definitely an issue for me. They were polished off by our table before our next appetizer even arrived. Ten minutes later, the fondue arrived. I personally didn't like it, but everyone else said it was okay. Essentially it was just melted parmesan and mozzarella. Another app that wasn't worth the high price tag. The best of the appetizers, the fried zucchini, came out about another 10 minutes later. There weren't a lot of pieces to the entree and they lacked a certain "wow" factor, so as I'm sure you can all guess, we weren't too impressed with the first course. For our entrees, my grandmother ordered the liquefied chicken alfredo (keep in mind she gave specific liquefication instructions that have been followed at this restaurant before), I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs, my mother ordered the lasagna, and my boyfriend ordered cheese ravioli with alfredo sauce. They came out all at different times. Like with three minute intervals in between the arrival of each entree. Given that there were four of us, that was a considerably disappointing amount of time for food to come out after the appetizers (enough tim to go through four loaves of bread with olive oil). And, let's not forget to mention that every single one of our meals was cold. Not warm. But cold. My boyfriend's cheese ravioli were still frozen on the outside. My mother's lasagna was lukewarm at best, and my spaghetti and meatballs were cold as well. My grandmother's dish was the worst disappointment of them all as it was prepared incorrectly and was served at what seemed like a refrigerated temperature. We notified our server of the problem and he did his best to take the meals back and have the kitchen re-prepare them. When they came back there was legitimately no improvement with any of them. We flagged down a manager and spoke with him about what had happened, and he said that he would take care of us, like any manager would. We then saw him go to our server and verbally accuse him of the entire situation being his fault. Uhm. No, homie. If anything, you should be speaking with your back of house staff. And behind closed doors, because it is unacceptable to belittle an employee in front of guests. Instead of having our food sent back to the kitchen a third time, we left two entrees and boxed the other two to take home without even eating them. The check then arrived, and the manager took off $8 from the check. The discount that was entered was a "referral comp" which didn't even account for the cost of one of the appetizers. This was the biggest disappointment, as it was obvious that he didn't want the GM to see how badly the dinner service was by comping the items that were truly messed up. Most definitely not impressed with this trip and I have to say I will not be back. The quality of the food and the service at this place has gone downhill really quickly.
(1)John C.
Wonderful pasta, served in a pleasant setting by an attentive wait staff. Mushroom Ravioli awesome. Shrimp linguini deeeelicious. Woefully weak beer menu with NO craft beers.
(4)Joseph G.
Food is OK. Decent taste. Chicken was weird looking though.
(2)Brianna D.
I love this restaurant. Having grown up in Arizona I make sure to always stop by here when I am home. On my most recent visit I was very excited about the new express lunch option they offer. My brother, husband and I all ordered salads and then sandwiches. The caprese sandwich with grilled chicken is phenomenal! We were there at an off time between 2:30-3:30 so we were not expecting amazing service but we had the server, Brittany, constantly refilling our drinks and both managers, Chris and Tim, stopped by to introduce themselves and check in at separate times. We were thoroughly impressed. They even brought out their new Nutella french toast to try for dessert as we were talking about it. It was so delicious (see photo). They truly went above and beyond. Will be back again soon! Thanks for a great meal
(5)Bella M.
Ate here a few weeks ago when I received a coupon for the express dinner. It was a little confusing at first because we didn't know how it worked but a waitress explained it to us. I had the carbonara which was good. The manager on duty that night took really great care of us and made sure everything was to our liking. I really appreciated that. There is still a little confusion about dining in with the express menu like getting refills. Since you don't have a waitress, I'm not sure who you are supposed to ask. Also the tipping I was unsure about. I tipped but we did not get catered to like when having a regular waitress so I don't feel the tip should be 20%. The bread is $1 extra for the express menu which is a little Annoying since most places when you order to go, You get the bread for free.
(4)Andrea M.
They are lucky to get one star.... Very disappointed. Food too salty. Service was terrible, had to get up and get the server to order!! Bathrooms smelled horrible! Will not return!
(1)McKenna A.
We waited for almost 10 minutes to get a glass of water, than another 20 minutes to not be waited on, we watched him greet two tables, give them bread, AND take their order, we had to ask another server where he went. He can back and didn't even seem like he wanted to wait on us, he was very cold and 10 minutes later we still don't have our appetizer. Horrible service !
(1)Rich M.
Food was typical, seated and delivered fast. There were several small service problems yet the server was unapologetic throughout.
(4)Eric E.
I have mixed feelings about this place. Bottom line- If I didn't have a $25 gift card, I would have been very disappointed for paying 50 dollars for an "Olive Garden" meal I could have gotten for 25 bucks. Food was OK/good, Wife had eggplant Parm, while I did the Fettucine Alfredo with chicken. Had Calamari as an AP, (OK), and Caprese Salad, also just OK. I don't think I'll go back, as I am a cheap bastard, and if I wanted to splurge, there are much better Italian joints in N. Scottsdale that I like more, that I am willing to fork out 20 bucks a meal for.
(2)Dennis L.
Wife and I enjoyed our Sunday lunch. Food was excellent, and service outstanding, but there were few patrons as we arrived shortly after noon. I had not eaten in a Macaroni Grill in over 20 years and was pleasantly surprised. The facility is a step above Carrabba's and 2 above Olive Garden. But the woodwork could definitely use a good dusting.
(4)Milke A.
You get a decent plate of food for the price. Granted, there are a few tastier Italian restaurants out there, but not in this price range. The house wine is good and inexpensive and the homemade bread is excellent.
(4)Nedal F.
This place sucks so bad my medium steak was burned to he'll my wife's pasta had a pice of plastic in it I will not go back here if it was free Service was great they kept us ocoupied for 1:30 min before we got our food
(1)Georgie M.
Yesterday was a mistake. We had a Unofficial Yelp Event setup by Phoenix Buffet King Rand H., along with Masha Z., Arlin B., Mike C., Robyn N., Norm R. and myself. We were early I guess, arriving at Macaroni Grill just after they opened at 11:10. I couldn't tell if there was any other employees here, because the only one who greeted us was the Bartender. Not a good sign. This foreboding aside, we had a very nice time. One of us bought the table two appetizers, while another a half-priced 1.5 liter bottles of Italian "red" wine. If we stopped there, along with the bread and EVOO, we would have rated Macaroni Grill a lot higher. BTW, our bartender/ server, order taker, chief bottle washer was outstanding! Though she looked tired towards the end of our visit, after covering several tables and the bar! I ordered the Lunch Combination "Duo" of Caesar Salad and the Capellini Pomodoro pasta. Both were very good but pricey at $8.50. The bones of the menu are very good. But it looks like the cost accountants are running the restaurant again. This was the same problem back when Brinkers (Chili's) tried to increase the margins a few years ago. Let me be specific. The serving bowls were tiny, tiny, tiny three inch, by three inch ceramics (see photos). So even when you add a delicious, well prepared, flavorful pasta dish, along with a salad in the same size bowl -- how do you charge $8.50? The same pasta dinner comes in a huge bowl for $11.00. So, if this is a business person's lunch, then I probably wouldn't be returning. Sorry! I guess I was wrong. The old Macaroni Grill isn't back.
(3)Jan B.
I can't leave a good review as we did not stay for dinner. As we were being shown to the table we couldn't believe the thick dust on the side of the booths and along the floor railing ( highlighted by the low evening sun streaming in the open door) The next thing we noticed was the food crumbs all over the floor. I told the waitress we would not be staying because of the dirty condition of the restaurant. As we were leaving my husband said " we should never have entered" he had noted the unwashed windows as we were entering I shutter to think of the condition of the kitchen. That's why few cars in the lot consistently. To bad as we enjoy the chains restaurants as we travel. Wheaton,il Is our home base Marconi grill. Kudos to that spotless well maintained restaurant.
(1)Rand H.
Enjoyed a fun UYE today to this Romano's today, joined by Masha Z., Arlin B., Mike C., Robyn N., Norm R. and Georgie M! Although the company was five Stars, I'm sorry to have to report that the restaurant wasn't. :-( For this first visit, I ordered a Lunch Combination, consisting of Mushroom Soup, Sausage Quadratini and half a Roasted Turkey Sandwich... * The soup tasted good but was barely warm enough. * The Sausage Quadratini had just a little bit of the Italian sausage in it, & was mostly macaroni al dente, which for this particular dish is a foofy way of saying it was undercooked and tough. Also, & the flavor, except for the actual sausage, was completely blah. * The Roasted Turkey 1/2 Sandwich had just a little bit of turkey (3/16"?), and almost no sauce of any kind on the dry bread. There was also nothing on the table to put on to dampen it up except Olive Oil, so I used that. The amount of food for the money was ok, but the food itself and the preparation were weak. Arlin B. had also joined me for lunch yesterday at an Olive Garden, and we both felt that the food was much better there, as well as 30% less expensive. I doubt I'll return to a Romano's again. 3-Item Combination: $10
(2)Norm R.
Back in the east coast, I enjoyed Romano's Macaroni Grill because of the good food in large portions, casual setting, and gracious and fast service. During the UYE I attended here with fellow yelpers Rand, Mike, Robyn, Georgie, Arlin, and Masha, I found the setting to be just as casual. The person who served us was courteous and friendly but it seemed that she was swamped at the time we were there. We came in at opening time and there were quite a number of tables she had to attend to simultaneously, and though she was very busy, she tried very hard to accommodate everyone. Perhaps the restaurant should have more staff around at that time. As for the food, the portions were not as large as I was accustomed to from back east, but sufficient and it was tasty.
(3)Dave L.
We walked in and the manager looked at us three times and walked away. This place is awful. Go elsewhere.
(1)Cherie K.
Macaroni Grill is yrying so hard to get it right. The spaghetti snd meatballs was truly delicious as was the chicken on a brick and the fish. Gena, the manager snd David our server snswere all our questions snd were bery attentive. The food was a little slow but mor time for our party to converse. Thanks MG. We'll bw back.
(4)Charles S.
Took 50 minutes to get our pasta and we were the only ones in there. It came not cooked enough. Only 5 people came in during the 1 1/2 hr we were there. Very disappointing. We won't be back ever
(1)Bad L.
It's been a while since I walked through the doors of a Macaroni Grille. I remember back in the early to mid 90s, this was the only MG in AZ and the wait was three hours and they didn't take reservations. Those days are long gone. We stopped in for lunch and we were clearly the youngest people in the restaurant - besides the wait staff. We both opted for the "make your own pasta" and a Bibb Salad with their balsamic vinaigrette. The salad was delish and the pasta equally delish. The service was a bit weak, but none the less a great food. Its' sad walking in this place. It appears to be a dying brand. Like Hooters and many others we come across. It's like seeing an old friend wither away. I remember when this was the new restaurant and kicking the @ss of Olive Garden, but somehow Olive Garden is always packed and Macaroni Grille seems to be circling the drain. Macaroni Grille's menu appears to be diminishing and missing some items I used to know and love.
(3)David M.
I did not expect much from the Macaroni Grill and was surprised. Nice ambiance, good service, and food that as a whole better than I expected. One often finds restaurants like this that as a whole look great but on the whole really aren't much more than a glorified Denny's. That's not so bad if you are at Deny's but the Macaroni Grill's location and prices are such that they should be a more than a bit different.
(4)Khloe M.
So I get to go from here occasionally on my way home.... I order at the bar and have some wine while I wait with a nice male bartender. No issues. However, this last time I was told by the female bartender that I had to place my order at the to go counter. Well that's fine I guess. However, the poor to go girl is swamped. It took 15 minutes for me to place my order. The whole time I am standing there I make eye contact with multiple servers and two managers. No one comes to this poor girls rescue. The phone is ringing. She doesn't have change. And no help. When I get back from placing my order... My bartender is indifferent... "Got it all figured out?" She asked.... It's too bad the staff is so apathetic about the convenience of their guests. The servers here are 100% independent contractors. Work on the team building and they will give great service overall! Consistent food, uninvolved managers.
(3)Masha Z.
We got here right when they opened, so I assumed everything would be fresh. WRONG. The bread was tasty, I can give you that. You also can't mess up oil and ground pepper, so that's a freebie. My noodles were SO. DRY. I got just a very simple Alfredo with shrimp. The shrimp was an extra $4, so I thought I would get my money's worth. What I got instead were 5 quarter sized shrimp, which looked more like beta food or maybe bait for the shrimp that I should have had. The noodles were complely stuck together, and there was only alfredo sauce on the bottome 20% of the bowl -- the rest of it was a starchy, gellatenous, mess. Their $15 wine is tasty, and their tea was tasty, but we were served by their bartender and the service kind of showed through, too. I still like Olive Garden better. At least you get what you pay for. I left here with a $20.00 bill for something I don't think I would have accepted for free. Not impressed.
(3)L K.
Food is ok, service not bad. We went out there for a team lunch. The zucchini fritti is good, bruschetta sub-standard, chicken parmegiana looked like an omelette but tasted fairly good. Prices are high like most Italian restaurants. With Italian food being almost like a staple in the United States, why it is so pricey, beats me! I think it is a Highly overrated cuisine. If there are suckers willing to pay, there are always Businesses waiting to pick your pockets!!!
(3)Carol B.
Chicken milanese(used to be our favorite) was DRY and only cooked on ONE side...brocolini was hard as a rock. We never saw a manager the entire time we were there and the server couldn't have cared less when we pointed out the food wasn't up to par. I emailed them and of course they never bothered to respond. If you want a fabulous dinner...you might want to go elsewhere
(1)Athena M.
When arrived out server let us know there was a wait due to a party of 50 and two cooks not showing. As we were not in a hurry we decided to stay. We ordered the tasters menu. Appetizers of fried ravioli was great. Salads were as expected. The main course was disgusting. Potatoes were in a bed of salt, the beef tasted like dog food and the chicken had no seasoning at all. The other issue is my husbands meals would be cold and mine were hot. The worst thing was when I went to the restroom while waiting for the bill. There were two employees cleaning the restroom. They cleaned the last stall, put their things away, and walked out of the restroom without washing their hands. Food can be chalked up to a bad night but there is no excuse for not being clean. Will not go to this place again.
(1)Marty B.
Not a great place. Food wasn't good and service kind of sucked! Told the waiter that the food was horrible and all he said was, "So You're Done?". Will not go back!
(1)Jon S.
Been going here forever... and a day. I love the ambiance and the smell of a mesquite oven. The pasta meals are fabulous... and the portions way too huge! ( I usually take 1/2 home.) Especially deadly is the delicious complimentary bread and olive oil/pepper that come with the table. So fantastic!
(5)Amy C.
Actually walked out of this restaurant after waiting 20 minutes and no servers had even acknowledge we had been seated, and the restaurant wasn't busy at all! A first for both me and my husband!
(1)Greg G.
We ate here a year ago and haven't been back since because the service and food was so bad. Today we thought that they might have improved so we thought we'd give it a shot - NOPE. Still the same as it was last year. Initially I was going to give this 2 stars for the bad service, but then our food arrived. Service was slow. Extremely slow. We were there at 2:00 PM and the place was a ghost town. We had to wait 10 minutes before any of the employees would acknowledge we were even in the establishment. Took another 5 minutes to seat our party of 3 at a booth. They seated us right next to the restroom when the rest of the restaurant was open and available. Our table was set for two, but they said they would bring another place setting. Eventually our waiter showed up to take our drinks - I got a feeling of resentment from him, kind of like he'd rather be anywhere but here (that feeling was mutual). When we didn't want any wine he got a little miffed. The food came out cold and nasty. The water bottles that they use to pour water from were filthy - INSIDE THE BOTTLE!!! Seriously... This place is right in the heart of Scottsdale. There are probably 100 to 200 restaurants with in a 1 mile radius. Any one of them is a better choice than here. Scottsdale has some PHENOMENAL eateries, don't waste your time at Romano's Macaroni Grill.
(1)Elizabeth S.
This place has a great happy hour that runs till 7:00 PM and starts again at 9:00PM. $3.00 wine and $5.00 flat bread pizza. Very, very good. Great service. Will be back.
(4)Patricia B.
Arghh... where do I start? Well, allow me to say that I am not a big fan of Macaroni Grill, but the hubby and the kids seem to like it, so we go there once in a while. Come to think about it, I think we have gotten better service consistently at the Agua Fria and Tatum locations, we also went once in Mesa. However, the few times I have been to the Gold Dust locations... huge disappointments. Once our daughter's wheat pasta was uncooked, and missing the pine nuts (we ordered it because she didn't know what they were). We like the Chianti BBQ Steak, and we have had it at Tatum location, delicious. We went to this place for Christmas Eve, and we were expecting them to be busy. To our surprise, we didn't have to wait that long to be seated. We got a booth (4 of us) and ordered fetuccini and Penne Rustica for the kids, hubby the Chianti BBQ steak and the Parmesan Veal Chop for me. We ate one piece of bread. We asked for one more. We ate it. Our server apologized for the delay. Long wait. Our server came back and apologized again. Long wait. Our server nowhere to be seen. Over 50 minutes went by since our order, which I think it is beyond a reasonable delay. We caught the attention of our server and asked for the manager. After a while a manager stopped by and explained they had 2 very big parties (he mention the number 17 each, I think) in a back room. Honestly, in my mind this translated to 'we do have customers more important than you'... we said this was beyond reasonable and were considering leaving, he said being Christmas Eve, everywhere would be busy and we would be better off waiting here, he offered a discount... and left. I tried to get his attention to ask how much longer but he didn't hear me or else... About 8-10 min later he brought our food. As he was leaving I said, pointing to the Chianti steak: this should have prosciutto and crostini, 'and garlic dip', added my husband. He said, the prosciutto is in there... and left. Well, in my mind I translated that as "I am in a hurry, so I am going to treat you like an idiot'. That is the utmost disrespect, and hence the one star. There is no discount that makes up for that. There was no prosciutto in there. At all. We caught the attention of our server and mentioned the missing ingredients, and he brought a side of prosciutto, some garlic dip, and a piece of bread... nothing like the crostini we have had at the Tatum location. Also, the veal chop is usually huge, and this time it was like half of what I usually get somewhere else. Also, sadly this still may be an improvement, because last time we ordered the Chianti steak here, they didn't even believe us it was supposed to come with garlic dip... honestly... geeezz, can't they read their own menus? oh well, no more Gold Dust in my macaroni... ever.
(1)Ryan C.
This is a review of their take out dining only. MG hosted a fundraiser for kids baseball team. 15% of the check was donated back to the school, really nice idea. It was very good and packaged nicely, service was solid too.
(4)John W.
Fair Waiter, VERY long wait for food (a few times we said "hey we got here before they did why did they get their food before us ?). They give you free bread. I pigged out and got the italian nachos - sounds weird but that was the best thing I had. Middle of our dinner was interrupted by the 'entertainment' - a man yelling at the crowd about this italian song and that, then he started singing and wanted everyone to clap. Sorry, I'm just too cool (others may say uptight) to do that. Luckily my back was facing him it wasn't hard to ignore. By the time my food came out I was thoroughly stuffed, so I just ate a few bites and put the rest in a box. The food prices were very reasonable - I'd bet if they charged more nobody would visit, though. Strangely the next day when I ate my leftovers they tasted much, much better. I guess hunger is the best spice! I've been to other Macaroni grills and they just seemed to be better than this place.
(2)Crystal C.
I was incredibly unhappy with this experience. I will probably not eat at any Macaroni Grill for a very long time. The waitress was incredibly young and spacy. She put in the wrong order for our table; but you had to feel sorry for her cause the manager yelled at her. Anyone who has been to a Macaroni Grill knows they have an open kitchen; so we could hear everything. The bread wasn't as crusty as it used to be. The calamari was chewy and the batter was gritty. My Pasta Milano had too much rosemary. At the end of the meal, I noticed that our carafe of water had tiny black flakes in it.
(1)Ron S.
Hosted a dinner for a medium sized party here. The manager and staff did a great job getting everyone their drinks and food. Noteworthy was the follow through on expediting meals for several guests who had to leave shortly for the airport. I am giving three stars for the food and a bonus star for the efficient and friendly management and staff.
(4)Bonnie S.
I don't normally frequent the "chains" cause I like to give the locals the biz, but I had a gift card, and I took my daughter. It was early (6:00) on a Sunday, and there was a waiting list in the dining room, so we ate in the bar. Taylor was the bartender and server. I told him what I wanted to drink with not too much this and not too much that, and he made it perfect. Thank you, Taylor! I had the shrimp portofino and my daughter had the lobster ravioli. I am only giving the four stars cause I thought the shrimp should have had some kind of flavor to it -- It was a bit on the bland side -- and my daughter's ravioli was a bit on the sparse side. That being said, both dishes were good. The pasta was flavored to perfection. I wouldn't have minded having chili peppers on the table cause I like my pasta spicy hot, but that's okay. That's my taste. The hostess forgot to give us menus, and Taylor, our server/bartender was surprised at that. Slight oversight, I'm sure. No big deal.
(3)Karen L.
CHAIN,CHAIN,CHAAAIIINNN, Chain of fools, that's me at the top of that chain! I know better than to go to chains but some are good and this is close to home. Beginnings, I asked waitress about something on the menu and she replied with she didn't know the menu that well??? Bread bomb they served was stale. Salad with my entree came as.a shallow salad, barely cresting an inch from bottom of bowl! COME ON! ($3.00) extra too! Entree: $ 15.00 Shrimp with spinach & mushrooms in a lemon butter sauce. I was delivered a snarled blob of Pasta in a oil/sauce (I didn't taste any butter or lemon for that matter just a fattening tasteless conductor of lube/oil to help me swallow a bite. There was maybe 4 chards of spinach tangled in the pasta and about 2 tablespoons of mushrooms in it, all for 15 dollars!!! Oh and I did get my shrimp but they were overcooked. Value :ZERO,,,This is pasta for God sake, you'd think they might throw in a little extra spinach or mushrooms to go with it and actually use butter like they claim. Oh No,,they are in the back with their weights and measures making certain no one gets an extra mushroom or spinach chard all the while balancing the books making sure their profits aren't marginal!
(2)Ross G.
My dad and I went here after the car auction.. Our server seemed far more interested in upselling specials and wine, as opposed to listening to her customers. Had the chicken cannelloni and penne rustica, and a couple of beers. The tapas were ok. If you want a great meal, go somewhere else.
(2)Joe V.
Disappointed again. It had been a few years since we were last at Romano's Macaroni Grill, since we have been swept off our feet by the many other great Italian restaurants around, but the 2-tapas and 2 entrees for $25 enticed us back for another try. It's a good deal but the chef attention was not in evidence. You have your choice of 6 tapas or 8 entrees, and can choose from any of the regular entrees for $3 more. At happy hour the drinks are also a bargain. Though the Margarita Prima was a bit sour for my taste, it may be just right for some. The highlight of the meal was the bread. The ciabatta delivered with our drinks was as good as they get. From there, it was all downhill. The concepts were great, but the flavor was completely lacking. Our tapas, the artichoke potato cakes and zucchini fritti were generic fried pub food lacking any Italian imagination. I had the pasta carbonara, which looked wonderful, and the poached egg on top is the perfect touch, but there was no flavor whatsoever to the sauce. Even the pancetta lacked flavor. Having just returned from Italy where I had some really great carbonara, I was completely let down. My wife had Carmela's chicken, in which we could find no hint of the advertised carmelized onion, and the chicken tasted as though it had been processed to death and butchered weeks ago. Fortunately, I was able to revive my taste buds with a good chocolate gelato before departing leaving half-empty plates and no desire for a doggy bag.
(2)Kimberly F.
We walked in to an awful aroma of sewer gas to the hostess podium where we waited more than 5 minutes for the hostess to appear. The restaurant was maybe 1/4 full and looked "slow". I would have left by now but, was meeting friends and had to see this thing thru. We were seated at 5pm in a booth next to a huge party of noisy kids, waited a lifetime for our drinks and my friends white wine was served to her in a water glass. We placed our orders and waited, and waited, and waited! Our dinner landed on the table (1&1/2 hrs later!) at 6:30pm after many apologies from the waiter that the kitchen was behind. I ordered Sea Bass and my friends ordered salmon, shrimp and the other chicken marsala. The salmon was so burnt we could smell it (literally charred), my sea bass was not even sea bass....it was sole so overdone it was fish jerky! My other friends shrimp was supposed to have roasted potatoes on the plate....they weren't there. The only "acceptable" meal was the chicken marsala. It was mediocrity all over the place. I will NEVER go here again. Don't recommend it. They did comp the burnt salmon.....
(1)Ann-Marie G.
Oh my gosh, what a disaster! My husband called in an order and asked me to pick it up on my way home. I arrived and went to the pick-up area where there were 3 other people in front of me. No big deal, right? Well, after about 30 minutes, the woman in line just ahead of me was told that they did not have her order that was phoned in about an hour earlier. So, she placed another order and sat down to wait. Finally, after about 45 minutes in line, I make it to the cashier, and after giving him my name and what was ordered, he proceeds to tell me that they do not have the order! Thinking that my name could have been mis-spelled or taken down incorrectly, I asked him if there was an identical order under a similar name. Instead of checking, the employee looks at me and asks, "Are you asking me to give you someone else's food?" Unbelievable! Then he asks me if I want to place an order to go! After witnessing what was happening in the kitchen during my 45 minute wait, I'm sure that I would have had another hour or more to wait for my order to be completed! The kitchen that was utterly chaotic. Absolutely no organization by the chef (who was shouting out orders to anyone who would listen, but no one in particular)! The kitchen was piled high with dirty pans everywhere. It's a wonder they got any orders out. Had the cashier not accused me of asking him to give me another person's food, I may have considered returning to this restaurant. However, after that treatment, and what I witnessed in the kitchen, I can say with confidence that I will NEVER set foot in this place again!
(1)Joe J.
The food merits 2 stars and the service was an absolute zero. Side note: 20 years ago, this was perhaps the busiest restaurant in the Valley and had Brinker's then famous level of training and service. The place looks about the same with faux Tuscan dinner house look and Italian lessons in the restrooms. Everything else has gone in the crapper. We were there with a party of 10 to celebrate an anniversary at lunchtime. The place was virtually deserted (at 12:30p on a Sunday) and yet we were seated at the "wrong" table and reseated in the very back room. Our server came huffing and puffing to greet us muttering and flustered that we were here (not sure why customers are seen as an inconvenience in such a slow place). He reluctantly brought water glasses and later brought some of the complimentary bread. Muttering about our being early (not true) instead of drawing of sappy sayings with crayons on the white craft paper that covers the tables. We were afraid to ask for ice from our water: we didn't want him to crack or go postal. He brought out the house "wine", which is "chianti" from California. It is only one step up from Pompeii brand red wine vinegar. Much later, he took our order. Each person was greeted with a terse "next!". Don't ask for changes or ask questions, please! After another great span of time (in which we were left unattended, which in this case was better), the food came out. My Pasta Milano was only warm enough that I could eat it. I would have sent it back at a reasonable place. The "garlic cream sauce" was light on the garlic but completely overpowered by rosemary (which was not mentioned on the menu). A brave guest did send back their lukewarm pizza, which brought forth the scorn of the server. The waiter did warm up when he heard one of the guests speak of real estate (but not addressed to the waiter). He began interjecting his opinion on mortgages and the real estate market. Wow! No interest in serving people, but a veritable talking head when it comes to residential real estate. Anyhow, we were able to escape eventually, shaking our heads in disbelief.
(1)J D.
A friend of mine invited us to dinner here. It's been a while since we've been to Macaroni Grill. We use to eat at a Macaroni Grill for lunch all the time, but in recent years have ignored it. I have a favorite dish....the Pasta Milano (Roasted Chicken, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Farfalle Pasta in a roasted Garlic Cream Sauce, $11.99).....but I got it without Chicken since I'm on a no Meat diet. The Better Half ordered the Crusted Sole (Filet of Sole topped w/Lemon Butter & served w/Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach Orzo, $14.99). I didn't like my Pasta Milano.....the Cream Sauce was very watery and didn't have much flavor....bland, which has never happened to me when I've ordered it. The Better Half enjoyed her Sole, but didn't think it was anything beyond average. My friend ordered the King Salmon ($17.99) and enjoyed it. If I was rating this dinner on my experience alone, it would have been 2 Stars....but since the other two dining with me enjoyed their meal, I'm bumping it up to 3. The service was so/so.....young wait staff here with plenty to learn about service....I didn't ding them because of their inexperience. They were pleasant and sincere....which goes a long way with me. Return Factor - 30%
(3)Dan S.
I came to the restaurant specifically because of a recommendation. I am now on a gluten-free diet and have other allergies so, suffice it to say, I don't get to eat Italian often. However I was told that they have gluten-free pasta and other choices. I was initially impressed by the sheet that breaks down their meals by allergen so that one knows what is safe. Kudos on that. This is more than most places provide. However, they have Basil Pesto Sauce listed as NOT being gluten-free nor soy free. Finding that odd, I asked the waiter to confirm with the chef, and I was told there was no wheat product at all in the pesto, which seems correct. (I did not ask about the soy, but I would wager that sneaks in somehow thanks to the cheese.) So I ordered the Create Your Own Pasta of gluten-free penne with pesto sauce, shrimp, peppers, spinach, and mushrooms. When my bowl of pasta arrived, it had all of the above. However, it also had onions, zucchini, and eggplant, yet I had to dig to find a shrimp. I originally assumed I had somebody else's order. The waiter, who was wonderful and attentive, took the bowl away and offered to replace it as I ordered. I would have eaten the original bowl, and told him so, but I was more concerned, as I said, that it was someone else's. As a side note, if these flourishes of extra vegetables are an example of a cook's flair, I would say that if a customer orders a straight menu item, that might be acceptable. But when I fill out a cute little checkbox form with what I want on my Create Your Own Pasta bowl, I *only* want the items I checked off. A fresh bowl arrived later exactly as ordered. Except the pasta was undercooked. I don't mean really firm al-dente. I mean some were still way under done. Now, I know that gluten-free pasta takes longer to cook, and they probably rushed the bowl to get it to me. But that bowl was almost inedible. The waiter did offer to get me a third bowl. I declined and soldiered through it. We were having dinner out for my wife's birthday and I did not want to belabor the meal. The waiter then offered us dessert to make up for the problems. Though I did agree to this, and I'm not demanding or even asking for a full dinner cost to be covered, it seems inadequate for management to offer me a three dollar dessert to make up for a twice-failed $14 dinner. I do not intend to go back.
(1)Steven A.
One star only because I was with family. Long wait for food, forgot my iced tea you're almost 20 minutes, food was edible solely because I was starving. To top it off the 2 portions of chicken parmigiana for myself and 16 year old son were more of a childrens portion with chicken medallions instead off a patty. This along with an $11 penne with butter and parmigiana came to a ridiculous $50. Never again will I waste time and another cent at this chain.
(1)Brian O.
A comedy of errors is the best description for our experience last night. Our appetizer the mozzarella was over cooked and was more like potato chips, the bread was in short supply and took forever. Our entrees took over an hour to arrive on our table. To top it off, the waitress, didn't listen on how we wanted to split our bill and one of our party had to walk to her to coach her on how we wanted the check split. Nothing hard either, split the bill, apply my $20 giftcard to my portion and bill me the balance. While I don't blame the waitress for the slow service due to short staffing, I'm glad I don't come often. Now I understand why. For the money, there are plenty of other Italian choices. Enough said.
(2)Roma L.
I decided to give this location a second visit over the holidays after having had a mediocre experience the first time. Also, it happened to be the most convenient location for all of us to meet. I have had wonderful experiences at both the Desert Ridge and Agua Fria locations. 45 minutes after we arrived my daughter received her entree. 5 minutes later, I told her to start eating. The server said she would check on our meals. 15 minutes later, I saw what appeared to be one of the chefs talking with a patron at a nearby table. The patron visibly upset. I waved him over and he asked how our meals were. I told him I wouldn't know, since we were missing two of them. He did not apologize but simply said they were busy and he would check. 5 minutes later we received our meals which were terrible. The pasta was hard, the sauce burnt and I'm almost certain had been run through the microwave. I will return to the two locations mentioned above but never, ever again to this location.
(1)Debbie S.
Not a good experience. Party of 5. Got all of the orders wrong in some way. Food was cold. Server was new. Didn't refill drinks. Didn't ask if we wanted dessert. If they don't ask I don't suggest. It's their tip.
(2)M E.
I love it here. Maybe I am the odd one out, whatever. But if I had to chose corporate goodness, I'd come here. I get to draw on the table, eat tasty bread and customize my pasta. I order the same thing every time so I know what it is supposed to taste like. It has never turned me down.
(4)Brad S.
The chix parm is the only thing worth getting. Everything else is prepared too far in advance like the chix for pasta is prepared earlier and warmed up. Chix parm was good just very thin. It's a chain I should have known better.
(2)TC S.
The bar area was freezing; bring a jacket even though it's 90 degrees outside!
(4)Angela M.
Macaroni Grill is a chain, yes. But I'm a fan because their light menu is actually as tasty and flavorful as the main selections, which is definitely not true of all chains, where I have eaten some ungodly flavorless messes in the name of health. You'll feel full after a Macaroni Grill light meal, but you won't feel sick, which is a perk in my opinion. I grabbed dinner here last week and was pleasantly reminded of this.
(4)Arp G.
The food is as good or bad as any other Macaroni grill but the reason I have given them 5 stars is because of their stupendous service. I ordered a vegetarian dish and found two small pieces of chicken in the sauce. They not only got me a new dish within 10 minutes, they also took it off the tab.
(5)Charles D.
Tonight my wife and I came for dinner. I tried the Seafood Linguini which was new on the menu. It had scallops, shrimp and clams and was very flavorful. My wife had the Scallop Salad which was also excellent. Always enjoy our dining experience there. They also have the best Chianti...$30 for a bottle which I'll get for her birthday.
(4)Katie K.
I will never be visiting this Macaroni Grill again. I booked my company's intimate holiday party here, reserved the private room and decided the 4 course meal was perfect for our event. When we arrived, the hostess had no idea that we had a reservation. We were finally taken to the back room where there were 4 individual tables set up to hold 10 people each. I had requested place settings for 20 and hoped to have one large table, but our group had to split up. We sat down to find the full menu in front of us and when I went and spoke to the manager about our condensed 4 course menu, she said they placed the wrong menus down. I already felt upset that I had confirmed this appointment 2 times and it was not put together, but tried not to let it ruin my experience. Our server was all over the place and should NOT have been waiting on a private party. One of our guests had to ask multiple times for an item because it had been continuously forgotten. The delicious bread with oil and pepper everyone is talking about did not happen; we were given bread and there was olive oil bottles on the table, but no plates, no pepper, nothing. We were each suppose to receive an appetizer, instead they brought out one of each kind for the table to share. Overall, the service and "lack of communication" (words from the manager herself) really turned this dinner into an unorganized and stressful night.
(1)Scott H.
During the hot summer months in Phoenix we can't wait for the weather to change and for a cool breeze and light rain to make it all better. But change is not something we necessarily want in a good restaurant. Our last visit to the Grill was definitely a change but it was more like the temperature got hotter and it simply made it more miserable. The service was less than perfect as we celebrated my daughters 14th birthday. We had to ask for water repeatedly partially because they only left small cups for us to use after removing the tall glasses from the table. The food was average which included my Sausage Pasta dish. It reminded me of pasta with chopped up sausage placed in it without it really being cooked together. Overall we like Macaroni Grill but the changes to small water glasses and average food make us cautious. We had to ask for crayons which is a fun part of the experience we have come to expect. I finally went to the front desk to get them. The server did not write her name on the table as usual and didn't even tell us who she was. "Hey you " just doesn't feel right in a restaurant that usually shines with excellence. We will be back but I'm not sure how soon.
(3)Holly F.
great service, location, and menu selection. the food is very reasonably priced and the portions are very generous. overall, wonderful place.
(5)Jordan H.
Food is good, but service is SLOW! I would suggest driving to a different location, the one at desert ridge is better.
(2)CJ C.
Awesome food, awesome price, awesome service. Apparently they're working on revamping the restaurant, bringing in some new staff, and bringing this Macaroni Grille back to where it should be. I talked to the manager for a bit, and he mentioned this location as an awesome spot being in Scottsdale and an opportunity to provide a great experience to customers. Looking forward to coming back many more times!
(5)Brenda L.
I have not been to this restaurant in over a year. I was somewhat excited to have an late lunch/early dinner of Italian today so I decided to give it another try. The service was awesome. I was the first to request to dine outside and they quickly accommodated and provided attentive service. I started with the appetizer of baked stuffed mushrooms that are stuffed with goat cheese, spinach and spicy Italian sausage.($8) Tasty and I'm told popular, however I was not impressed and would never recommend them. Something about that spicy just didn't click for me though I like spicy food, I just felt it was not a good paring with the smooth mild goat cheese and mushroom. Still it was the best thing I would eat at this experience. I ordered a Caesar salad ($3) - over priced should be free. A small handful of bitter romaine lettuce and a drizzle of Caesar dressing 3 or 4 croutons with a generous portion of cheese in a small bowl. So bad it took three croutons to get the fork-full of lettuce down. The server was kind enough to remove it from the bill. My entrée was to be Carbonaro ($13). I have had it at other restaurants and loved it. I have made it and served it to a number of people and they loved it. Never have I seen or even heard of a pouched egg served on this dish, as I was assured it must have to be Carbonaro. So I tried it. Noodles are some kind of pasta I never heard of but it's served hard and I mean about 3x harder than el dente' . Sauce was not creamy and did not coat the noodles or the crisp ham in this case. sauce was tasteless. I tried about 3 bites but once asked I had to admit I didn't care for it. My server admitted it was quite different and agreed to bring me another entrée. So I went with the Chicken Malino ($12). Roasted chicken, bow-tie pasta, creamy garlic sauce, mushrooms & sun-dried tomatoes. Served in a large bowl. A generous portion about 2 servings actually. It was better or as I told the server more palatable. I ate half of it took the rest to go but feed it to my dog what does she know about good Italian anyway? Ruby (my dog) says: "Andiamo! Sono un cane-io non so nemmeno il cibo è italiano!" Anyway as I thought about the food after trying 2 entrées I came to the this conclusion. The building, the tablecloths, the interior and even the patio are what this restaurant chain sells well. It makes ones visit memorable. It's the setting for a nice date or to bring out of town guest to, to socialize of wines and to break bread together. It's the backdrop to some nice dining photos as well. It's moderately priced yet over priced after all it's mostly pasta and lettuce you're getting. But when it comes to the food, they pretty much threw together ingredients that would sound or appear in print to be appealing. It's a simple menu that doesn't take much talent or time to prepare. It's really rather awful food placed in a beautiful setting. How anyone who can cook Italian or has ever been to one of the many little Italy communities in America or Canada can really say they love the food here is beyond my ability to believe or comprehend. So if you go drink lots of wine and maybe you'll forget that the food is lousy you are buying. But hopefully the staff will be attentive and keep your glasses full. And maybe you'll get a few nice photos on your phone. Oh and none of the food looks like it does in the pictures added to this review site! I knew I should have took pictures of something while there. My meal plus ice tea ($2.50) Was $24.51. NOT a cheap date for my book. Multiple that by 2 or more and add wine or other drinks and you'll scratch your head and ask yourself " For this I paid what? And I'm hungry in 2 hours!" I gotta go I'm sure there's something in my home fridge that will hold me over until my next meal!
(2)Mary S.
Went to Macaroni Grill on 12/21 to celebrate my sons 20th birthday. Arrived and no one was there to greet us. Waited a few minutes and then the hostess took our name. Will waiting for our seat, I noticed the women at the To Go stand checking her phone. Waited about 20 minutes and was seated. Noticed a whole section that the tables were empty. Ordered our meal. My husband and I ordered a Caesar salad with no Caesar dressing and balsamic vinegar on the side. When salads came we received a different salad. Didn't say anything, we just ate it. We all order whole wheat pasta. They all came out hard. Mine was clumpy like you didn't cook it for very long. Told the waitress and she said that is how they have to cook whole wheat pasta so it won't be mush. She asked if we wanted another pasta and I asked for regular pasta. Mine came with my meal. My son didn't finish his pasta. My husband, son, and I ordered sausage. Will I was tasting my pasta, my son ate a piece of the sausage. He looked at the other piece and asked if it was raw. Clearly it was raw in the middle. I cut mine open and mine was raw. My husbands was a little pink. My son asked to see a manager. In the mean time, the waitress came back and asked if everything was alright. We showed her the sausage, she apologized and took one plate. The chef came out and apologized and offered something else. He offered us shrimp. We ordered that and also noticed my son did not finish his pasta. Offered to make another. We received the shrimp and it was over cooked. When we received our bill, one dinner was removed. We paid for our dinner and left. The manager was at the front door and said good night. In all my life, I have never returned a meal. I will not be returning to this restaurant ever again.
(1)Glenn S.
A million Macaroni Grille's in the world, and this is the first one I went to. Lucky me. Seriously. On a really freakin' hot July afternoon, it was an oasis. Nice music playing in the background, big glasses of ice cold water, a great waitress and it was just dark enough and cool inside. And the food was good, the Meatball Sandwich was way too big for our companion to finish, so she had lunch for the next day settled on. The Penne Rustica was extremely filling and full of cheese and shrimp. And the Scallop and Spinach Salad was really good, however, the bitterness inherent in cooked spinach became a bit tiresome. So the salad wasn't finished. But the huge glass of water and iced tea that I consumed may have been a factor.
(4)Cami W.
Service was horrible and food was mediocre at best~ won't be going back
(1)Stephanie S.
Not bad, for a chain restaurant. Nicer ambiance than Olive Garden but also no free salad and breadsticks. The $5 house wines are served in rather large non-wine glasses. The bread was pretty good and I like how you get to dip it in olive oil. The Eggplant Parmesan was delicious. The service was also good... Make that brisk. Everything happened so quickly that my friend and I ended up staying a while after we were done because we hadn't had much time to catch up by the time we got our bill. Unfortunately, we were seated right next to the open kitchen, which turned out to be really loud. I honestly don't care to hear every time someone's food is "up." And I think it was rude of them to dump us in that noisy spot, considering there were tons of other open tables.
(4)Lauri H.
We have always been big Macaroni Grill fans as it is quick and good enough when you want family dining, don't have a reservation for fine dining and they have something to please anyone. We have dined at MG in different parts of the country but probably been to this particular location 10 times. We visited Sunday and it will be our LAST. We went for early dinner (4PM) so there was no one there. Our party was 2 adults, 2 kids. We ordered meals and dinner salads. After ordering, we waited 20 minutes before I got up to ask if the waitress could bring our salads. We could see her going from the kitchen to the bar but never back in the dining room. Here response when I walked to the bar was "the chef is working on them"... it was another 8-10 minutes before we had salads. About 10 minutes later, the waitress brought 1 kids meal - burnt to a crisp chicken fingers that looked like they should not have been served. SO one of our kids was served while the other waited... and waited and waited. Then he got his spaghetti. Another 10 minutes passed and we got our meals. The food was ok but the whole experience was so poor we just wanted out. It took 90 minutes to eat with two 9-yr old boys. We had no drinks, aps or dessert - that is crazy. Never going back!
(1)Michael C.
Not fond of chains in general, but this place is worth reviewing. The atmosphere at this location is dark, romantic, yet casual and comfortable. Our server "Richard" was a riot and served us well as he entertained us throughout the night. This goes to show how much a server can influence your overall dining experience. We also had fun drawing on the table top (which is topped with white paper and crayons for your artistic expression). The bread is really good here for those of us that fear no carbs. The salad was crisp and refreshing, and dinner was near perfection with my Lobster Ravioli melting in my mouth. My girlfriend's Lasagna was about as big as her head (9 layers) and made for delicious leftovers. Two thumbs up for Macaroni Grill.
(4)Jeff L.
Just a quick review of Macaroni Grill. I've been to this location several times and I've never been disappointed. The service is always pleasant and fast and the food is pretty darn good for a chain. I've tried some of their pasta dishes and had the grilled pork chops once and they were quite good. I ordered them on a whim and was pleasantly surprised with them. And they make a great Insalata Blu which is bibb lettuce, walnuts, red onions, grated bleu cheese all tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette. The bread they serve with the olive oil and cracked black pepper is always pleasing. And they have a great blackberry mint iced tea. Yum. The music they play is a great mix of Italian opera and the Italian crooners of the 50's such as Frank Sinatra. And hopefully there will be a birthday or two while you're there. They usually have a singer who does a great job of "Happy Birthday" in Italian. (What does this person do besides sing? Is that all they do? Anyone know?) Oh, and if you use the restroom they play lessons in Italian while you are....um...doing your business. Pretty cool.( I just hope that if I ever need to use Italian in an emergency I don't have to duck into a bathroom to remember it.) If you're in the mood for some good Italian food with good portions and friendly attentive service, Macaroni Grill can't be beat in my book.
(4)Jake C.
Macaroni Grill strikes me as the perfect "Office Christmas Party" location. The food is average, or maybe slightly above average in a totally conventional way, but lacks the creativity that some of its non-corporate counterparts offer. Service is actually the best thing here, in my opinion, but I get the feeling that the staff can't stand working there. I can't really back that up, and no one has ever said that to me explicitly, I just get that vibe. It would be a good place to take small children or large groups. For birthdays, there is a staff singer (I think that's how it works, at least) who sings a Venetian serenade as if it were on a gondola. A little cheesy, I know, but some people are into that.
(3)rubali m.
my favorite part is i can write on the tables but it's still a classy environment! (:
(4)Georgia R.
I think Macaroni Grill is a great place to take the fam, little ones included. It's not so much a romantic date spot, but it's still a fun, lively place to have some good Italian food. For apps, they have a really good spinach and artichoke dip as well as some tasty mushroom raviolis. For lunch and dinner, they have tons of pasta, pizza, sandwiches and soups to choose from as well as a pretty good wine and beverage list. The kiddie menu isn't bad either and if I remember right, they give kids placemats to color on or something along those lines. If you go, promise me you will try the dessert ravioli! Yum yum yum!
(4)Lisa P.
I had never been to this place until I was looking for a caterer for my wedding that wasn't too expensive. I went with my then fiance and a friend and we all ordered a different dish to test out. The chicken scallopini was a clear winner. I was pleasantly surprised! We had them cater our wedding (buffet style) and the food was a hit. It was also in our budget and we were quite happy. If you need to order food for a group, this is a very good and affordable option.
(3)C. S.
Shame on you Macaroni Grill! I ordered a "Create Your Own Pasta" dish for take out and was horrified when I got home. My $14 pasta (which included chicken for an extra $3.50) consisted of one small chunk of chicken the size of a nickel and approx. 15 noodles. There was virtually no sign of the sauce or veggies I had requested. What a horrible waste of money.
(1)C G.
Great Value and Quick service. I was in a party of 23 on a friday night for a birthday party celebration and the service we received was very quick (for a prty of 23 on a Friday night i was impressed with the speed) and friendly. The server even sang an operatic version of happy birthday. The dinner special where you get a salad, main course and dessert (I had the lemon passion, very rich so I recommend you share it) was a great deal for those on a budget. I usually don't eat at chain italian restarants but this was a pleasent surprise.
(4)Jim T.
Terrible Service... It took a few minutes just to be greeted by the Host. Food was ok...
(2)todd t.
Food tastes like frozen food. Service was good but delivery of food VERY SLOW (about an hour to get pasta). Manager (Dan) will try to blame you if you have any issue like we did with the slowness of your food. Other than that, it was awesome.
(1)