Pleasant dinning with nice ambience, friendly staffs. Their stuffed mushroom, flat bread & rigatoni pasta are my fav, the rest tasted pretty similar to Olive garden food with higher price. Over all it was pretty good.
(4)
Vickie C.
This is a wonderful place for an office party or a big family gathering. Especially love their Spumoni Ice Cream for dessert. Yummy!
(4)
Will A.
The service was excellent. The food was awesome. It was very packed for 8:30pm!! Great deals on food. We definitely will go back
(5)
Heather M.
The reviews really are mixed on this place - I had no idea what to expect. I hesitated because we weren't dressed up and reviews said you needed to be dressed up a bit to get good service. So we scoped the place out and many folks there tonight weren't dressy so I was like what the heck lets just try it. My first time here of course. Well, crowded inside and awkward. I had a baby stroller and I felt in the way and I'm sure I was and I was trying not to be. Tables are crammed in like sardines. Very uncomfortable. Booths looked better. We were sat at a table because of the baby and needed a hi-chair. It seemed liked we got bumped every 2-seconds from other guests to employees scurrying around. Annoying but couldn't be helped because there is no room. You get the drift. So looked at menu and not really diggin it or gettin it. We ordered a "classic" pasta where you get a plate of it now and get a "free" take-home portion as well. The pasta plate we ordered I was not blown away with so I don't even know the name of it. All I know was that it was a bow-tie pasta with spinach and broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes accompanied with a light oil based sauce. The sauce left much to be desired. Just bland. We asked the waitress for another richer sauce to add to it for more flavor....got 3 sauces to try a pesto, Alfredo, and some other white sauce. All were ok...our fav was Alfredo and it was it's usual heavy Alfredo self. There was hardly any broccoli or spinach included. Really scarce. don't understand why they have to skimp on 2 items that are so cheap? I counted 4 mini broccoli florets and about 5 crappy stems. Really people? I could get more dumpster diving! I guess I should have steamed my own and brought it in a zip-lock to add to my meal. Has it come to that now a days? The dish is $13 bucks. I deserve more and the dish has NO MEAT! Where is the money going? It's all cheap pasta! Rip off! I'm in the wrong line of business I swear! Annoying. The bread they give at beginning of meal for "free" was garbage. Hard as a rock. Service was lackluster. Nice girl but she never got us our lemonade she just simply "forgot", decide to charge us at the end for the extra sauces for the pasta without informing us beforehand there'd be a charge so it was a *surprise*! when the bill came and see a $6 charge for sauces and a $2.95 charge for a pretend lemonade we never got. All I ask is inform the customer and let me decide if I want to pay extra for something I ask for if that happens to be the case because maybe I'd just say forget it I'll just keep the sauce I have and not pay a rip-off of $6 dollars extra for freakin sauce! Outrageous. Ughhh. FML So yah just not a good first impression at all. So end result for us is that we were not blown away by the food. Prices are a little high for the value. Don't think I'll be back but glad I at least tried.
(1)
Todd P.
This is the place to go if you want good food, great service, and a pleasant atmosphere. We celebrated my wife's birthday and sat in the banquet area as a party of 10. We ordered the family style option for 28$ per person and got way more than we bargained for. Fresh seafood, fresh pasta, cooked to perfection ! And plenty of it! The service was prompt and continuous. Hats off the the servers, chefs, and all the crew! Maggliano's is a first choice for me!
(5)
Prisma P.
I came to maggianos on 6/21/13 with my family for my moms birthday... Our waiter was a very nice young man.... We had reservations it was 7 of us and they crammed us into a booth which was very uncomfortable and nothing would barely fit on the table... Also my uncle sat down on one of there chairs at the both and almost fell the seat was completely unglued... The good was really good... It wasn't bland at all... I also left my atm card at the restaurant and didn't notice until the next day 6/22/13 I called them and a young lady said she would have the manager call me to see if they found it or anything I haven't heard from them at all...
(3)
Danny T.
Great place for big parties. The atmosphere is very relaxed and lots of family/friends gatherings. The food is not bad, and if you order pasta dishes, you get a complimentary one to go. Make sure you come early or make a reservation though!
(4)
David N.
I have been to a few Maggiano's locations... the most common ones I've dealt with in the past have been the San Jose/Santana Row location and one near South Coast Plaza in Southern California. I have created a short pros and cons list of these places as it appears all their locations are very consistent. Pros 1. Large parties are accommodated 2. Decent food selection 3. Decor and friendly staff 4. Full Bar 5. Beef Medallions 6. Side dishes are great Cons 1. Super busy/crowded (get that reservation) 2. Price (kinda expensive but you aren't really paying for the food as much as you are the accommodations) 3. Fish Plates (quite lack luster) All in all Maggiano's is a great place to go if you have a big group or just looking for a decent place to eat with a friend or a spouse. It offers a wide variety of food options and the staff, in my experience, has always been friendly. One of the downsides to the Santana Row Location is the waiting area. You have to share a lot of personal space with the rest of the big groups waiting to be seated as well as the bar goers. The space is fairly large, but with the size of the parties this location normally caters to, it become crowded very very quickly. I mainly come here for the Beef Medallions and nothing more. They are quite good and as I'm not a huge fan of a lot of other dishes, this one is definitely worth making a reservation for. Which brings me to my next point... Don't try to come here on a whim just because you are close by and u feel like eating some spaghetti. This place gets packed even on the most random nights and times of the year. There aren't many places that can truly house large parties in this general area, this place is easily one of the more popular spots for groups. The reservation can save you a lot of time and even more headache. All in all this place is a solid 3 stars... not the best but definitely not the worst in this area. If I could sum up this business in one word I would say "consistency." They deliver consistent service and food... and your expectations of this place will more than likely remain consistent if you decide to frequent this place more than once.
(3)
Kam S.
Good food . A little pricey and portions are small. Somewhat worth the wait after getting there at 9:30 and getting seated at 10:30.
(3)
Formicas F.
proposed to my wife here. Great food, good atmosphere, good service.
(4)
Crystal S.
I went here for my birthday and had the best service. My husband and I had an entree that is no longer offered but was delicious. We had some drinks and I gave the bartender my ID. He then saw it was my birthday and without saying a word, brought me lemon cookies with candles in them. That was so sweet! The restaurant was clean and well lit. It was busy but we had no problem getting bar seating. What can you expect for a Saturday night In Las Vegas?
(5)
yvette a.
My food was delicious but my waiter was not very talkative and she was slow. I think the buster was more fun and enegetic, he should have been our waiter and our experience here would have been 5 stars.
(2)
Roy T.
So interesting the reviews seem to be all over the place with this restaurant. Unfortunately for us, our experience is one of the bad ones. We made reservations ahead of time so our wait was about 15 minutes after checking in and we were seated - great! Thats when things started going downhill. After waiting for 15 minutes, we were greeted by our server. We were handed our menus and she said she'd be back shortly. She drops off some bread and olive oil. About 15-20 minutes later, she finally comes back to take our drinks. To avoid more delays we also give her our food order. My wife's drink - iced tea - came right away. About 20 min later, our salads arrived. Both were wilted and soggy - yum! Based on this, they must make their salads in bulk ahead of time. If you're lucky, your salad could be served right after they make it fresh. Unfortunately, ours were not yet they seem fine on serving it like this. BTW, still waiting for my drink. While we start to eat our salads, our entrees arrive. Perfect timing! I ordered the seafood linguine and should of received a discard bowl (like the other tables) but nothing was provided so I ended up using our salad plates and bread bowl. We abandon our salads so our entrees don't get cold. BTW, my drink - iced tea with lemonade -finally get's dropped off - 30 mins wait? Our server is MIA and never stopped by to check in on us. At this point, we're just ready to pay and leave. After finishing our entree, we sat waiting for refills on our waters. Our server finally returns and asks if we want dessert. Yeah, right. No thanks. We did enjoy our entrees and thought they were pretty good. Avoid the side salads and save your money. As far as the service? BAD! The tables next to us had a different server who seems to have his act together so I guess we just got stuck with a server who wasn't up to par or just couldn't handle the load. Too bad after spending $80 for dinner. Never again and telling our friends to go elsewhere...
(2)
Benoit H.
Great location on santana row..but this place is very busy and noisy.. staff is good, professional.. The food is not great..mainly pasta and pizza. This is mainly for family who like large order, big plates..quantity more than quality.. Pasta are just average, more industrial sauce than a gourmet dish.. Last time I had a grilled salmon but the salmon was over-cooked. The side of Mashed potatoes was cold within 3 min of serving (but the potatoes were good) A good thing for people who do not like to cook at home: order some of the pasta dish and you can bring back home another serving... Food selection is not great either. So unless you are looking for a big meal at a reasonable price, I would not recommend them.. I live on the row, so I have compared with many other places around...
(2)
Raymond M.
Haven't stepped nor ate inside, but my thoughtful and caring family ordered too much food, took most of it to go, then brought it home for me to finish it. So basically I tried like 3/4 of their pastas and all were delicious. I know all my random fellow yelpers are going to hate and disagree with me but ya'll can go kick rocks.
(5)
Lorenzo B.
One bad experience lasts a lifetime on the Internet. MAGGIANOS - NO THANKS!!! Easy order for me and my two kids. We all ordered off the regular menu. (1) Mom's Lasagne, (1) Egg Plant Parmesan without marinara sauce ., (1) Linguine with Alfredo sauce. 10-20-30-40 minutes later my son gets his linguine. We were all starving. He's 10 and gobbled up the clams (Yum). 10-20 minutes later my daughter and I still have no entrees. Finally I asked the server to go ahead and give me the check and package the food to go. Talked to the manager and told him about the 1 hour wait. Other tables with larger parties that were seated after us were already finishing their meals. My daughter is DONE and wants to leave. I said 5 more minutes and then were walking. I would have still paid for the undelivered meals just to send a message. Finally the Eggplant arrives. Would have been fine but it had marinara sauce on it. My daughter won't eat it. Finally I just ask the server for the check right now and put the meals in containers. A few minutes later she comes with a bag. I asked her what's in there to make sure. Well, none of Mom's Lasagne. I asked why and she started telling me how we were supposed to share the pasta. Made no sense. Paid and took the bag to the hotel we were staying at. Special treat for the kids. I open the container and we got mushroom raviolis. I didn't care and hungrily take a bite. Surprise surprise surprise. It was COLD. Not the kind of cold where they left it out too long. It was the kind of cold that chills your teeth. Seriously. The raviolis were refrigerator cold. Ok it's so ridiculous now kind of funny. One last chance. At least well have the eggplant to dine on. Open the container and BOOM! Marinara Sauce!!!! Holy Smokes are you kidding me. We finally ordered off the menu at The Hotel Valencia. In no time at all we got our meals and it was very tasty not to mention hot. Yes I know I did mention it even though I said not to mention. Did I tip? 20% to Maggiano's even though the dead fish phony smiled server remained unflanberghasted. Uncaring but unflanberghasted. She didn't get me riled up which was good. Will I come back? Heck ya! When I have lots of time on my hands and aren't very hungry.
(1)
Caesar G.
Simple place sucks,if you don't come in in a suite and tie they will treat you like your low class, come on lady your a server at a food chain yea your all that and a bag of chips. Save your money plus the lasagna I had was colder then the snow mans. I wish I woulda just went to mcds at least I woulda saved money
(1)
Cindy L.
Literally best Italian food I have ever had. And Italian is my absolute favorite . Family style is the best cause you get a taste of everyone's dinner.
(5)
Jenn P.
Good food but overrated. This is a great place for groups. Nothing is totally out of this world here and for the price I think it should be.
(3)
Joe C.
Excellent place! Great food..A good place to take your significant other =)
(5)
Melelopa F.
love...love...love!
(5)
Amy L.
This place is very cute and romantic for dates or for a simple luncheon with friends. If you are on a budget and would like to try it out, there is section of the menu that offer great pastas for a reasonable price and a chefs complimentary pasta. In other words you are getting a two for one deal! The food always tastes fresh and offer a variety of dish combinations. Be sure to make reservations for weekends to avoid the hassle of waiting.
(3)
Sharanya A.
Their buy one pasta and take one home free offer is amazing. Great ambiance and service!
(5)
Max L.
Just ok. a bit over rated !
(2)
J l.
I had no issue with the food and service was great.
(3)
Del M.
Believe it or not this was my first time eating here; needless to say, I was pleasantly surprise. The place has a good vibe and even though we were late for our reservation, they managed to accomodate us pretty quickly. The staff was friendly and willing to go the extra mile to make sure our food was gluten-free and the kitchen staff aware of it all. The place seems to be a meca for birthdays; at least 4 were going on at the same time. It is not the quietest of places, but if you don't mind that then you should stop by and visit.
(4)
Bill O.
Excellent ambiance, but just like most of Santana Row, it's mostly show and very little substance & over priced. Great place to take a date (as long as she's never had authentic east coast Italian food before). Otherwise there's better tasting food for less and of course shorter lines.
(3)
Raffi S.
Typical Americanized-Italian food.
(3)
Syed Ali Hasan ..
a perennial favourite. I relish most of the items on their menu, especially the crab cakes and shrimp scampi. the service is friendly and they make everyone feel at home. case in point - in 12, i had invited an agrarian couple and their toddlers new to the dining out concept. the village they came from in pakistan, they were wheat farmers but surprisingly, the lady was found to have a gluten allergy upon arrival in california. she summoned the maitre d' and asked him if the salmon was gluten free who in turn called the chef over, to which he politely replied in the affirmative. five stars all the way for serving delicious food, sizeable portions, delicious desserts, fantastic service and making guests feel comfortable.
(5)
Igor S.
I love their lasagna. Buy it and take one home! Great deal! My girlfriend and I visited them again tonight for a romantic date!
(4)
Angela T.
Been here around three times now, it's a pretty fancy restaurant with a nice atmosphere, so it is a little bit on the pricier side. The waiters are really friendly and it's a nice place to catch up with old friends. The food was great, especially the appetizers (calamari is DELICIOUS), but the ravioli/pasta/main dishes are a little too rich and creamy for me (hence the 4 stars). But their desserts are delicious and adorable (get the sample size of all five if you want to be ambitious) My favorites are the creme brulee and tiramisu! I would definitely go here more often!
(4)
Reece D.
Reservation at 6:45pm on a Wednesday night. Place is packed, had to wait for about 20minutes. I wanted to try their steak, ordered Prime NY steak, 16oz. For a $50 meat, it came with 3 small potato. Just that. It was cooked a little more than asked, medium-well, for just medium. Tiramisu and Coffee for dessert. Tiramisu was a little too sweet. For the steak, I prefer Outback steakhouse.
(3)
Hector G.
I came here on a date with my girl and had no reservation so we had to wait more than a hour. But it was worth it. Great service our waiter was friendly and nice guy. Good food. love the wine bottle we got (Prisoner) recommend it.
(4)
Kate S.
delicious eggplant parmesan! the food was heavy but that's how italian food in america is. we were seated quickly because we made reservations. the waiter was very attentive, almost too attentive, but it's better than being ignored. good ambience.
(4)
Nidhi J.
Appetizer after wait of 1.5 hrs, main course after wait for more than 2 hrs.... Manager brought the wrong dish. I started eating and guess what, there was hair in the food. We left the place right away, without eating the food. And the worst part is....air conditioner is not working so sweating crazy...
(1)
Thomas N.
Went here for a luncheon in the banquet room. I haven't been here in over 5 years. And back then, I remembered the chicken Alfredo had a watery sauce. And still today it is the same consistency. I did have some chicken marsala and that was very well prepared. I'm glad that they offer banquet rooms for parties such as this. But sometimes the food is not up to par with what my expectations of this fine restaurant.
(2)
Allen M.
This is one of those places that you want to like. Great location and great ambiance. The food just keeps getting worse. I really think its difficult to mess up the type of Italian food they have but they some how do that. I just avoid it. If I want to do family style, I'll just go to buca.
(2)
Esther S.
Came here for a business lunch around the holidays and it was decorated beautifully. Loved the high ceilings and warm ambiance. Service was great and food was very tasty. Very popular place for larger parties and business meetings as it was quiet busy when we went. I think it would be a great place for a romantic date for dinner as well!
(4)
Esther Y.
I'm sorry, I REALLY hate cheese so I can't comment on most of the entrees here. So instead of grading down because of my hate of cheese, I'll just ignore all the cheesy dishes in this review, to be fair. :) Service: very professional, friendly Appetizers: yummy calamari! super tender, delicious red sauce. Entrees: [see other reviews for most entrees since they can be pretty cheesy]...the salmon was delicious! it was very moist and tender and fresh, and I usually don't like cooked salmon because it's so dry when it's not fresh or if it's cooked too long. Dessert: o.m.g. I'm glad I hardly ate any of the entrees, because the desserts are amazing. Way better than the entrees but I might be biased. We had an apple tostada (delicious apple turnover with ice cream) and tiramisu. Due to the face-pinching sweetness of the tiramisu, I think I liked the apple tostada more, which was surprising to me. Parking: fortunately, parking for dinner is fairly simple in one of the two Santana Row parking garages!
(4)
Meggie M.
I have eaten at Maggiano's in the past and it has always been good in both service and food. However, recently Maggiano's has stepped up their gluten free game. I called a day before my family was supposed to go to there for lunch for my grandma's 80th birthday. I asked to speak to the manager per usual and I was telling her about my concerns about cross contamination. She said they now have a separate kitchen that they use for banquets and when they have an allergy request. This ensures zero cross contamination because everything is separate. She also said that when we arrive to let the waiter know that I have Celiac and everything should be fine. Talk about full service! When we arrived we were seated in a timely fashion. I alerted our waitress about my Celiac and the chef came out to talk to me. He was very nice and said he could make any of the sauces for me as they were made gluten free anyway. Unfortunately, I had had some bad restaurant experiences recently and played it safe with just pasta. However, after this experience I might just be more adventurous next time! The restaurant was busier than usual so our food took a little longer to arrive. Everything was very good though. The chef made me some calamari with cornstarch and the gluten free pasta was tasty and not undercooked like most places do. Kudos. The end of our meal was the best, we had told the waitress it was Grandma's birthday so they brought out complimentary lemon cookies with candles in them. The cookies looked absolutely delicious and for a moment I wished I didn't have Celiac, which is rare after having lived with it for 7 years. Bonus: I love how Maggiano's is decorated, the bathrooms are so nice and feel cozy, the whole vibe is friendly and family-oriented. Overall, Maggiano's is a great restaurant to begin with, but the fact that they have upgraded their gluten free precautions to accommodate those of us with serious allergies is amazing. Never did I think a chain restaurant would be capable of this kind of hospitality. I will be returning and I am so grateful that Maggiano's has made their kitchen 100% safe. Perhaps there is hope for us Celiacs who are trying to stay safe in the time of the gluten free fad. Maggiano's takes us seriously and that is a huge victory. Bravo!
(4)
Kyle T.
Went here the other night with a friend and this place is definitely a winner. We made a reservation for 5:45 and were seated by 5:50, the restaurant was packed so I have no problems with a 5 minute wait. Upon sitting down our waitress was with us immediately taking drink orders, dropping off our bread and providing us with some amazing balsamic for dipping. Seriously, it tasted like apples.. it was pretty amazing We ordered some of the bruschetta for an appetizer, the glaze on it was so awesome that we took the time to eat all the extra tomato pieces after the bread was gone. As for a main course, my friend got the 4 cheese ravioli under the classics menu. The classics menu also carries the perk of coming out with 2 orders, one to eat and one to take home, so nothing short of amazing. Tasted great and left overs..'nuff said I ordered the lobster carbonara which had bacon, lobster and snap peas. The snap peas gave a lot of difference to the dish, nothing that detracted from taste, but very different. After dinner the tiramisu was ordered, and it was good, but I had never had it with that strong of a coffee flavor. All in all wonderful evening. Although, beware if you come... These are the things food comas are made out of
(5)
Zhou L.
Good foods and services.
(4)
M F.
Usually I love it here. But this time I was highly disappointed. We were told about a 20-30 minute wait and to come back in about 15. We came back in about 10 just in case. I kept waiting for our table and was right next to the hostess since it was packed. People kept putting their name in (not reservations). Eventually I realized like, "hey that person put their name down after us, so did that person, and that person and so on". She kept saying, oh our table will be ready soon. That was complete bull*sh*t. Larger parties went before us, I remember this guy trying to kiss ass to the hostess to see if they could get a table sooner (we had already been there over 30 minutes). He ended up getting a table before us. Eventually we were finally seated about 1 hour later, twice as long as we were told and as we watched numerous people sit before us that did not have reservations. We finally sat down. We were served stale tasting bread. Our waitress took our order and said she would be out with butter and vinegar for the bread after she put our order in. We eventually got butter, but no vinegar. I had to ask about 5 minutes later. The side salad was very bland (chopped salad). Prosciutto tasted just like extra burnt bacon. Our pasta dishes were pretty good. One was spaghetti and meatball the other was the ziti. The waitress kept forgetting refills and was friendly when she said if we need anything just ask. When we did ask she would always forget tho! ? ugh. We ordered pasta to go and asked for a separate bag because we were going to different cities. She did that and we put our leftovers in the bag. She was coming out with out pastas to go and handed us each which one we got. When I got home she switched the 2 meals!!! How do you hand a meatball in a little container with eggplant in the other to one person, then just hand plain spaghetti to the other persons bag. I was pretty upset because I don't go to Maggiano's for some dang spaghetti. The only good thing about that night was that the slice of cake we got was rather large, large enough to take a lot home. There was nothing special of this $50+ meal for two. People were not as attentive as they could have been. We were frustrated to begin with for waiting that long and seeing so many people go before us (worst part of the night). I have come here multiple times before, all of them better than this. But one overall thing I have noticed, as well as my family, the quality has definitely gone down, including food quality/taste. I honestly used to love Maggiano's. I do not know if I will come back tho. :(
(1)
Norman P.
Great for large groups. We had a going away dinner for our VP here. 80 people. Reservation was made less than a week before we needed it. We got a room in the back that comfortably held us all. Open bar for an hour before dinner. There were some appetizers too, though I didn't partake. I heard it was around $70 per person. Seemed totally reasonable as we had 2 kinds of salads, 4 entrees, and 2 desserts plus drinks. The service was really great. Very friendly and helpful! Just a great experience. Will have to come here with a smaller group sometime.
(4)
Mandie J.
me and my boyfriend went on a date here over the weekend, since we'd never been and its so close to home. our reservation: was supposed to be 8..8:10 rolls around, and we hear them 4 parties in a row for two people..despite my hunger, i sat tight...8:30 rolls around and just as im about to say something, our name is called without appology or explanation. this was extremely frustrating-if i wanted to eat at 830, thats when i wouldve made the reservation. our server: she was eh. i just dont like when people are super cheesey with the fake smile.. as soon as we sat we were served water by a busser and some bread.. our server came by 5 mins later to greet us and was asking if we wanted anything to drink-we didnt even look yet, so she said shed come back- im pretty sure that meant coming back from her 20 minute break...by the time she came back my wAter had already been refilled, and we were ready to order up drinks, an appetizer, and dinner.. not being able to sit down and order in a timely matter was a little frustrating-i was already starving from having to wait for a table. everything else though, was good after that. the food: the food was good! mmmm it melted in my mouth. authentic,it was. we got a calamari appetizer which was enough to feed about 5 and was perfectly fried. for dinner we had cantelonni and manicotti-both had amazing cheesy sauce and were piping hot. if we werent so full from dinner, we probably wouldve gotten dessert. obviously i dont feel this place deserves 5 stars since they require reservation and im not the only one that had to wait... but they deserve more than one, thats for sure...the reason im knocking an extra star, is because it was SO hot where we were sitting ,as soon as we sat down, we literally started taking our clothes off...we both found this bizarre since most restaurants try to freeze you out of there! when our extremely hot dinner plates came, we were sweating! i might try this place again, but i do NOT recommend coming here on a friday or saturday
(3)
Denise L.
Came back here again with the fam less than 2 weeks after my first visit! Even at 5 PM on a Sunday, this place was packed! Thank goodness for Opentable reservations! We were seated right next to the waiter station and doors to the kitchen. It was a tad annoying to have people constantly shuffling by, and you're pretty close to the tables next to you, but we still enjoyed our dining experience regardless. I was afraid the parents wouldn't like how the place was so dimly lit (darker than I remembered) but your eyes slowly adjust, so it was fine. I wish I remembered our waiter's name, but he was really attentive and friendly. We started off with some wine and bread, but made sure not to get refills on the bread since we wanted to save our appetite for the family dinner. Although I really wanted my shrimp scampi again, the family wanted to opt for the classic dinner option. Although we're not huge eaters, we probably could have done with the light option too. We ordered calamari, stuffed mushrooms, and the chopped salad to start with. The calamari was tasty, and I'm glad I read someone's review on asking for aoli with it, as I'm not a fan of the marinara sauce. The stuffed mushrooms were pretty darn big and super tasty as well! We definitley got seconds of that. The chopped salad, they gave us quite a bit for 4 people, and with all the proscuitto, blue cheese, and avocado, it was all a very nice combination. The dressing was not overwhelming either. For our main courses, we went with the linguine with clams in red sauce, gnocchi with italian sausage, chicken parmesean, and the parmesean crusted tilapia. Since there were 4 of us, we each chose an entree, and mine was the gnocchi since a coworker raved about them. Fail. I like the light fluffy gnocchi, these were a bit gummy for my taste. The whole family agreed that my choice was the worst. :( The linguine with clams was the hit, as the pasta was cooked perfectly, and lots of clams, and no sand! The chicken parmesean was great too, and the tilapia was cooked and seasoned nicely. A great touch of spinach and orzo pasta as well. For dessert, I had to get the cheesecake again, and the family liked how light it was. The apple crostado was good, but I think it would be better without all the crystalized sugar on top. We had 2 plates of each, and could barely finish off one of each. We had lots of leftovers for sure, and ate the linguine the next day, still very delicious! Also, when our waiter asked if we were there for a special occassion and I had let him know it was the parents' anniversary, he put candles on the dessert, even though they normally don't do it for anniversaries! Very nice touch! Will definitley be back, and may even try their buy one get one free classic pasta deal. :)
(4)
Richard M.
I fear this restaurant falls under the regrettable category of "mutton dressed as lamb." On the one hand, the wine and the . It's as if, being unable to decide whether it wanted to be Olive Garden or Scalini Fedeli, the management decided to split the difference. On one side of the menu are 25-40$ veal, steak, and seafood entrees; on the other is the 12.95 value pasta that comes with a free double portion you can take home for lunch the next day. Right. The restaurant was ridiculously overcrowded, with tables squeezed together so closely that they almost certainly violates fire code. There is no maitre d' or hostess at the door; their booth is hidden at the back left corner of the bar, which is so tightly packed you have to squeeze through rows of tables to get there. Ambiance? Not likely. As crowded as it is, the restaurant is very loud, and has poor acoustics. To compensate, they play Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack at high volume. It could be worse, I suppose, but the effect is cheap. All of this would be forgiveable had the food and service been up to scratch. They were not. Our waiter was clearly badly overburdened, but that's still no excuse for the absurd amount of time we waited for our food. After what was already far too long a wait--especially given the fact that the entrees do not come with soup or salad--someone other than our waiter brought my friend A. his food. My other friend and I waited for a solid fifteen to twenty minutes before our waiter finally noticed us, and, apologizing profusely, scurried off to the kitchen. This was despite the fact that the adjacent table, whose party had arrived after ours, was served even before A. By the time we finally got our food, A. had practically finished his. The waiter and the manager offered vague excuses and apologies, but made no offer to comp anything. After what seemed like an interminable wait, my fettucini di mare finally arrived. Unfortunately, far from the spicy, flavorful dish the menu described (and which I have enjoyed in many an Italian restaurant better than this one) it was bland and rubbery. Needless to say, I will not be returning under any circumstances.
(1)
Veronica T.
I have better experiences here when I come with more than one person because it's family style Italian dining. A little price-y but hey, after all, it's Santana Row.
(4)
Joe W.
good italian food, tuscan mussels and situated in a nice location (santana row)...
(3)
Zeenat U.
average food. good profiteroles.
(3)
Nicole A.
Don't like this place, it's overpriced, not very good, and cheesy atmosphere. Sorry I'm a hater. It's an okay place to go with family or parents or something like that, but I wouldn't really choose it.
(2)
Vee D.
Great food and service! Large portions of food and leftover make for great 2nd meals. A little noisy at times but that depends on the crowd.
(4)
amber y.
We have celebrated our anniversary here and have had date night here multiple times. Being one of our favorite restaurants, I decided to have my boyfriends B day here. It was a reservation for a party of 8-10 people in which I made 4 weeks before his special day. Upon arrival , traffic was wild of course it was a Saturday at 6 pm. With that being said , we arrive at 5:50 pm and had to wait until 6:15 pm to be seated. Very disappointed with that service. I made the reservations far in advance , along with calling to confirm two days prior to the event and explained that one of our guests didn't like loud Roaring sounds , so I requested a quiet or near quiet area in the restaurant . I am a strong believer that if a reservation is made . You follow and accommodate that reservation first most and immediately . The customer took the time to reserve the table and service. You aren't prepared? That reflects your business and restaurant . Huge disappointment but with that said , once we were seated , the night began to turn into a humbling experience. Our server was Amazing . He was tentative to our needs even though we were a large party . He was friendly and expressed fabulous customer service. I strongly recommend to be prepared to pay $30 plus per person with a party of 8 or more . You don't get full range of menu because they make everything by scratch in the kitchen . I highly recommend to do your homework and decide if everyone in your party is willing to pay $30/40 per person . Seeing that that can get pricey . At the end of it all , you get what you pay for ! Great , delicious , homemade food! We ordered the stuffed mushrooms, artichoke dip and calamari for appetizers ! Amazing . Entrees were a salmon dish , rigatoni and mushroom raviolis . Absolutely mouth watering and delicious ! Dessert was Creme brule with tiramisu cake. Five star on the food. 3 star on reservation service . 5 star on customer service (waitress).
(4)
Carolina M.
Sometimes the food is really good but you never know quite what you're going to get. I've had some excellent dishes but also have had to return a few things to the kitchen. The only thing that seems to always be great is the Mushroom Ravioli al Forno. Service isn't the best but not horrible either. Just a decent mid-level family Italian restaurant. Live music on the weekends is fun.
(3)
Rona S.
It's not terrible but not great. Situated and decorated as a higher-end Italian restaurant, though serves family style - quite a mismatch there.
(2)
Erik N.
Food tastes like it was frozen. Service is hit and miss. Cocktails last time were undrinkable. On the plus side they have live music on the weekend.
(2)
Belinda T.
We came for a dual birthday lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Since we had a group of 12, it was "recommended" that we do the family style. I think they say recommended but they suggest that is all you do, I believe it makes serving easier on them? We did the cheapest one that was $22.95 a person. We got to choose 3 appetizers, 2 entrees, and lemon cookies as desserts. We went with the mussels, calamari, and stuffed mushrooms for the appetizers, clam linguine and Taylor Street baked ziti. The way the table was shaped it was rather difficult reaching for food to serve ourselves, we first noticed when the bread was placed on our table. For a table of 14 they gave us 3 bread baskets and 3 dipping plates of olive oil and vinegar. The bread comes out warm and plentiful, it's hard not to get full off that.. especially if you're going to do the all you can eat. The first batch of mussels we had were fresh and well seasoned, especially when paired with the garlic bread that came in the bowls. However, the second round of mussels, tasted more "fishy" and were chewy. Definitely not up to the par with the first batch and didn't come out as pretty either. The first bowl the garlic bread was lined up and made for great presentation the second one had like 4 pieces of garlic bread thrown in with the mussels. The calamari was a heaping plate and came out crispy and delicious. The stuffed mushrooms were also good. What surprised me was the panko breading in them that was extra crispy without being greasy... but be warned, the mushrooms may not look hot but will definitely burn your mouth if you aren't careful. The clam linguine was good, it came in a liquid "white" sauce, but not like the typical white sauce you see. It was more water based/soup like. The clams were plentiful and there was extra basil that gave it more flavor. The baked ziti, wasn't spectacular, it tasted like any other baked ziti, next time I would probably try something else. I have always loved the lemon cookies here, and they are quite plentiful with them :D. A plus to their all you can eat family style is, they don't waste their food. Whatever you have left over they pack up for you. A minus star, because even though it's all you can eat, the service is slow in bringing out when you request more. We had 2 plates of each item because our table was so large, so after dispersing a little per person the dish was done relatively quickly and when we asked for another, it would be another 15/20 minutes before it came out, so there was a lot of waiting time rather than eating time. Another negative was we brought our own cake and they offered to store it in the fridge for us which was great, but they handed out the check and forgot that we had even brought something until we reminded them, and then the server had to come back and ask for a description of what we brought. Overall it's decent for a big party, it makes splitting the check at the end super easy as well because everyone pays the same price and you get a 3 course meal. I'll have to come back and just order from the regular menu to give it a more thorough try.
(4)
Carl E.
Good food. Good Service. Ample quantities. Nice location. Have I left anything out? I was there for the first time with my work group for a holiday lunch. All that we had, was outstanding. The linguine and clams, and mussels, and Rigatoni "D" and the Salmon, and the spinach/artichoke appetizers, and the tiramisu for dessert.
(4)
Melanie I.
The first minus is when you enter there is no desk for the greeters, nor a sign pointing you to walk all the way through the crowded bar until you find it. Speaking of, I am more than a little baffled at how packed this place usually is. We had reservations for 5 and were seated at a table so sandwiched in that middle mosh pit between the aisle, another table and a column that the woman at the table next to us had to move her shopping bag just so I could move my chair out. We were greeted by a friendly waitress who got our drinks and bread to us before I even knew it. She brought bread w/ oil and then poured balsamic vinegar once we requested it (but somehow wouldn't leave it so we did have to request more again, and again she was very helpful). She patiently waiting while my children ordered for themselves and mother-in-law made her usual 5 minute order with 55 modifications and I whispered to my husband to make sure we tip her well. When our food arrived it all went downhill. This stuff had hardly any flavor. Now I never salt my food and rarely add that powdered sprinkle cheese (minus another point for not having freshly grated at an Italian restaurant), but I added it twice to my bowtie aglio dish, and saw my husband coat his alfredo with salt AND pepper. My mother-in-law had ordered a side of angel hair pasta with pesto. It arrived looking like angel hair with oil and a sprinkling of dried basil. There was no sauce. We waited for the obligatory "'is everything okay" from our previously-attentive waitress and finally had to flag her down as she passed by, she wasn't even going to stop. She took the Angel hair dish back to the kitchen and returned it with what looked like a gallon of pesto sauce on it this time. It was like the cook said, "They want pesto? I will give them PESTO!" Since we'd ordered the Ravioli w/ Pesto as our "take home" pasta we tried to inquire if my MIL's dish was as typical for a Pesto dish so we would know if we should request extra on the side. That's when we lost all faith in her. She really didn't seem to even understand what we were asking (yes, we are native English-speakers and she seemed to be as well), it was like we were speaking two different languages. We finally gave up and figured i can put my own sauce on it at home. The best we can figure is there is something different between the words "with Pesto" and "with Pesto SAUCE" at this restaurant. And then the dessert, since it came with our "dinner for two" meal. It was the Apple Crostini. It was like something you'd get in the freezer section, warmed up. It was super crunchy, with hot apple filling and vanilla ice cream. Mostly all hard crunchy crust. Disappointing. To their credit, they did bring complimentary cookies for my MIL and then comp us the Angel Hair...though we only found it on the check and the waitress never apologized or mentioned the price reduction. The search continues for a semi-authentic Italian restaurant, but in the meantime next time we'll choose Pomodoro or Tomato Thyme.
(2)
Isa T.
I've been here a few times on different occasions and the food experiences as well as service ranges from bad to good. The good: tiramisu and some pasta dishes. The bad: I tried their Beef Tenderloin Medallions once. I ordered medium-rare and out of the 3 medallions, the first was well done, the second done and the last one much to rare for my taste :( 2 stars, because of the inconsistency in food and service.
(2)
Carrie Z.
40 minutes waiting for the table, 40 minutes for the food. Now really dont have appetite at all.
(2)
Jennifer D.
Many years ago I had a delicioso experience with Maggiano's. Having realized late last year that I'm extremely gluten sensitive I pretty much had given up on having tasty italian ever again (at least tasty American italian). I was told recently that they have a whole gluten-free experience and that I should try it out. While my food choices do play a role in my ranking of this restaurant, I do believe the overall restaurant here has lost it's distinctive flavor. First, there wasn't a wait for a table. There was a wait for service. Everything takes a long long time, so be patient even when it looks like there isn't really many people in the restaurant. When you state your gluten sensitivities they do get the chef to come out and talk to you about what they can do. I know gluten free pastas for the most part suck, and I'm looking for a good experience. He recommended the "Our Famous Rigatoni 'D' and the Taylor Street Baked Ziti. There was also a "Make a WIsh" special going on so I went ahead and ordered some passion fruit lemonade as well, and a chopped salad. Brian ordered the shrimp scampi gluten free style which is apparently more of a stretch to do and not as tasty, and the creamy chicken potato soup which has gluten in it. The bread sadly is not gluten free. So I watched Brian chow down through 2 small loaves of bread. It smelled heavenly. Then his soup arrived. I watched him go through his glutenous chow down and feeling especially hungry. My salad arrived! It's huge, and very heavy on the dressing. I got it without the bleu cheese. It had a decent portion of avocado and the prosciutto is definitely more like crispy bacon. Pretty tasty, but I'd have gone with 1/3 of the total dressing. The HUGE (enough food for 4 people!) main dishes arrived and it was obvious that they had been sitting out a bit as they were luke warm. The Rigatoni 'D' is very heavy on the sauce. The pasta doesn't get in the way of the tasty combination of flavors of mushroom, chicken, and sauce. It was pretty bland, and I could have done with more seasonings. This is where I felt like I noticed a big difference in the quality of food now versus my original experience years ago. The flavor is simply missing. It's tasty but bland, and heavy. The shrimp scampi overall wasn't great, but the shrimp alone was pretty good. Again it could have used more lemony garlic buttery goodness. It didn't have that crisp fresh shrimp flavor. The tomatoes in the dish were very sweet and tart. The pasta in the shrimp scampi was pretty dreadful as a combo. At the beginning of the meal in the "Make a Wish" menu selections it had mentioned a chocolate flourless gluten free cake dessert selection that supported the kids Make a Wish desire. I had put most of my entree to the side and saved room for what I thought was going to be a slice of heaven. I recently had a beautiful chocolately moist gluten free flourless cake made for me for my birthday, so I know it's entirely possible to have a beautiful cake. This cake like dessert is served in a big portion with a side of blueberries, strawberries, mint, and blackberries. There is also a thin wafer of chocolate topping it like a hat. The first thing I noticed as I sliced the fork through the cake, is that it was dry and crumbly. Very dry and crumbly. There is a small dollop of whipped cream on the top of the cake and it helps to save the cake some but the immense dryness of the cake is not salvagable. Slide the fork into the mouth, and yep, it's dry. So dry that your mouth gets that puckered kind of feeling and you crave a big glass of milk. It leaves a bit of an aftertaste and I couldn't figure out of it was just some kind of veggie flavor or just burnt cake. I tried squishing some of the blueberries, but they appear to be the tart blueberries that are available in the big bunches at Safeways currently, very tangy and bitter. I take one of the strawberry slices and notice it's brown on an end so cut that off, and take a bite and foul. Foul. Foul. I actually wash the flavor away with another bike of dry cocoa cake and lemonade. I'm so fascinated by the flavor that I end up eating about a third of this cake before deciding that really it's totally not worth it and I'm left feeling disappointed that this gluten-free experience of care free dining at a tasty restaurant has not lived up to the expectations. Had a great time with my boyfriend talking about the food, and the overall vibe was excellent in terms of not too busy and great music. I'd come back for that and just order less. Oh! They also have redridge beer which I tried for the first time tonight. It's a gluten free beer that has a mild flavor with a very empty after taste. It doesn't really have the satisfying flavor of beer so I'll just skip it
(2)
Jack T.
Not a very fair deal in my book.
(3)
Vik S.
What a joke... Maggiano's will give you the same B.S. story every time you try to make a reservation... "We are booked solid" ...you can come in at 2:45pm or 9:30pm... Who the fuck eats dinner at 2:45? I don't appreciate the attitude on the phone, when I am attempting to be a paying customer - hope you clowns shut down. Oh, I forgot...there are plenty of Silicon Valley sheep that will continue to flock to this shit-shack just because it's located in Santana Row.
(1)
Emily C.
If you are the sort of person who likes masses of American-Italian food gurgling in your stomach for hours upon hours, then you may have met your match. Not for those who like uniquely flavored dishes or FDA-approved portions. In other words, Maggiano's offers quantity over quality. I, for one, am not interested, and I can sometimes even get angry when a restaurant thinks it can placate me by giving me food that could feed a Vietnamese village for a week. My Italian half is ashamed. (The other half is drinking pearl tea and is too happy to care.)
(2)
Christine C.
The food might not be unique, but all the dishes I've had here are filling and tasty! I've mostly had pasta dishes and some appetizers. I would especially recommend the Rigatoni D and the stuffed mushrooms. The stuffed mushrooms just seemed to melt in my mouth once I bit into them. Not sure how their other non-pasta dishes are, but the classics are all solid too. If you want to get more for the money you pay, go for the classics and make sure you request a take-home pasta! The dishes are pretty big anyway that they could potentially serve as another meal or half-meal.
(4)
VC m.
The food is always delicious here with a wide selection of dishes. However, their takeout menu is a confusing mess and must be streamlined. There are two menus to start with various packages that only confuse you even more. The cashier was courteous as was the manager but they were also perplexed as to what it all meant and wasted much of their valuable time helping us sort through it. On top of that, it took forever to get our order. Once we brought it home we had an excellent meal but way too much work and time to think about Maggiano's as a go to place for takeout.
(3)
celina m.
yum yum, but pricey and SUPER busy on weekends
(4)
Rachol W.
AMAZING SERVICE!!! Food was even better. Came here for my boyfriends birthday and they treated us so well and made it extremely special.
(5)
Ohad R.
Make reservations the waiting list get long pretty fast I didn't liked the fact that the setup for parents with an infant canot bring a stroller inside the table area that's make it very inconvenient Food was very good i got the shrimp scampi and it was delicious .for dessert we order the tiramisu I had higher expectations because of the fact this is an Italian restaurant Parents with a 2 years and below get a babysitter
(4)
Mely M.
This place is great. It can be a little loud and busy but that is because of it's location. The food is good, well priced, and portions are large. Parking can be tricky but there is a lit across the street This place is great for families and large groups.
(4)
Jill G.
Been there a few times as a individuals and as a group. The food and service is always good. And the selection is great, I always have a tough time deciding, but that just means I have to come back again soon for the other dishes.
(5)
joel d.
Whenever I want good Italian food, this place and Buca come to mind. Great atmosphere and great food. I almost always get their classic pastas. They taste great, are fairly cheap, and come with a whole other batch just to take home and eat for next time. Also if you can't make up your mind between two classic pastas, you can get one for the restaurant and the other to go!
Came here for lunch and sat outside since it was a nice day out. Defin a nice place to enjoy some good italian food. I ordered the 4 cheese raviolis and it was to die for! It was in a pesto Alfredo sauce and was very good. Size portions are good and lunch prices arent bad compare to other restaurants. Service was fast and on point. Defin would return again!
(4)
Shanna B.
Awful experience. We came here to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday. We were a party of 8 and we had a 6:30 reservation. Seems simple enough, right?! Ugh. Our alcoholic drinks were quick (thank goodness) but the others were forgotten (we had to ask repeatedly for them and then never got refilled). We ordered and then waited one full hour for our food. Then, one meal arrived and we waited another 10 minutes before anyone else's food came out. The kids' food came last (seriously?!!). There was no apology offered only excuses (kitchen backed up). It was a shame because we wanted this to be a special night to celebrate my MIL and it ended up being very stressful and frustrating instead. I gave the 2/5 stars because the food is so very good and the portions are huge but the service was definitely a major disappointment.
(2)
Gino S.
awesome !!!!
(5)
David Z.
The food and atmosphere was good, especially the dinner option for 2; they give you 2 free entrees afterwards! we had a bag full of leftovers and didn't break our wallets, so it was very worth it. The only thing that brought the stars down is the wait time; even though we had reservations, they found us a table 30 minutes late, but I guess its expected on a busy friday night. Overall the food is cooked very well, I love their spaghetti sauce, and I recommend their lasagna! Will visit again!
(4)
Immie P.
Very disappointing. This is a review for the food. Our waiter Chuck was great! We had the calamari, it was soft rather than crispy, we sent it back. I had the lobster carbonara and my husband had some kind of sausage pasta, both were very mediocre. I also had a maggianos side salad, the bacon was so hard I thought I had a piece of plastic in my food. I wouldn't go again.
(1)
Heather O.
I've been here a ton of times but since I hadn't been again until recently I decided it wouldn't be fair to write a review just yet. We celebrated my friend's birthday here last night and I was honestly more impressed than I had been in the past. Our server, David was beyond friendly and helpful. I really appreciate good service even more than good food (almost) so I'm glad we got stuck with such a sweet guy! The bread they give you is yummy and dangerous (beware)! We got calamari to start and it was yummy and to my surprised it was seasoned.. which I rarely find. I wanted the gnocchi really bad but they ended up being out of it so I got the lobster carbonara which was pretty good! The portions were giant and there was a lot of lobster in it too! I'm not a big cream sauce person so it wasn't my favorite but if you love cream.. this is for you! My boyfriend got the Marsala and DAMN was it good! The sauce was the perfect consistency an the portion was also giant. For dessert he brought out a giant dessert sampler with 5 large desserts and a beautiful "Happy Birthday" plate which I was really happy with. I think that was the best "Happy Birthday" presentation I've ever seen at a restaurant! Since we were outside the candles just would not stay lit but David got a busser from close by to help block the wind for us which was lovely. I think next time I go back I would specifically ask for David to serve us.
(4)
Michael C.
Group dinner was ok.
(3)
Sofia P.
Place was a little bit kitschy but it provided some sort of atmosphere. Food was on the mediocre side. It tasted like it was frozen, even if it was made fresh. Anyways all was well and when we left my friends heard the hostess/manager make a remark about my appearances and if I was a boy or a girl. (I have a pixie cut) Laughed it off and left with the complimentary dish they offer if you order a selective dish. Service was pretty slow but it might depend on customer. Overall the food was meh and staff was friendly. (other than gender remark)
(3)
Peter M.
I dine there all the time. The food is amazing, and the service staff is the most considerate and attentive I've seen. It is really great to see the teamwork they portray, not many restaurants help eat other.
(5)
Kat M.
Generous portions and good food. Service is very good. Most people like Maggiano's for the food, but me, I like the bar.......much better martinis than anywhere else in Santana Row, and there's usually a martini special.....last time we were there, the special was a pineapple martini, and it was fabulous! Hubby and I like to go there after a film, usually late so a little less crowded.....sometimes we just order drinks and sometimes we get food as well....the full menu is available in the bar and you don't need a reservation.
(4)
Racquel E.
My hubby and I ate here a couple of times, and we came back once with family. The restaurant is always crowded, so you need to make a reservation. I've tried the linguine di mare, linguine & clams with white sauce, and spaghetti with meatball. The food was delicious and service was good.
(4)
Gil L.
Italian restraurants are like white on rice here in Silicon Valley. I decided to try Maggiano's after a recommendation. The ambiance was very nice, with a dark wood "bar" kind of feel. The place gets very very loud at 7pm on a Friday night, enough so that I found it annoying to try and have a normal conversation. The food was okay,but nothing really stood out for me. My signature dish for evaluating Italina places is Linguini and Clams. I ordered this here. It took almost 40 minutes for my order to come. When it did I was so dissappointed... The linguini was past al dente - sort of chewy and gummy. The dish itself was very very watery, like they spilled a glass of water in my dish on the way to my table. I sent it back because it was so watery, but by the time it came back, I had all but lost interest. If an Intaliana restaurant can't get a basic dish right, what else can you look for..? Unfortunately my other table mates did not have any better of an experience. Literally the worst Italian experience I have ever had.
(2)
Pallavi M.
One of the most delicious Italian I have had. We ordered the chicken and roasted pepper flatbread and one of the speciality pastas with chicken sausage. I also had their special Sangria which was really good. The service is great. This would definitely be my choice of Italian food if and when we go next!
(5)
Alece L.
First time being there my experience was good besides having to wait an extra 20 mins when we had reservations but it's Saturday evening so it was packed!! I suggest reservations!! The waiter (Gary) was really nice & always made sure we were good. The food was good I enjoyed it :) We'll be coming back!
(4)
Justin C.
This is the first review I've written since I'm usually a lurker on yelp, but I felt so compelled after my dinner tonight that I decided to write a review. Went with a party of 6 tonight and ordered the "classic" family deal. The food I would give 3.5 stars. Good food that I wouldn't say is mind-blowing but still delicious and satisfying. I don't think it would be all that helpful for me to provide details on how the food tasted and what to order. Let's just say the food met my expected standard and leave it at that. The service though...The service deserves no less than 10 stars and pretty much made a typical dinner into a great dinner and an average night into a spectacular one. The "classic" deal IS supposed to be endless, but Maggiano's was basically the Oprah of all restaurants tonight. I think the amount that we actually ate only amounted to 1/4 of the total food given to us. We took home 17 leftover boxes among six people. 8 entrees, 5 appetizers, and 4 desserts. A good 12 of these weren't even leftovers. Our waiter got new orders and boxed the food on the spot for us to take home. It got to the point where WE actually felt embarrassed because of all the food we were getting...you know, that feeling when a friendly grandma is trying to stuff you full of food and then give you even more so that you're good for the next few days. In the end, a party of six went home tonight feeling very content. More leftovers means less cooking too! I would say tonight was definitely a success.
(5)
Kiranbir S.
This is one of the only places where I enjoy pasta. The service is awesome and so is the environment. I recommend making reservations as the place can get packed.
(4)
Stefany M.
One of the best Italian restaurants around the bay area excellent service, Excellent food, Excellent everything. Definitely recommended. :-)
(4)
Janice C.
I had a birthday party last week and I couldn't have made a far more better decision to have Maggiano's cater it. I knew I was gonna be busy that day prepping for the party. So I opt for their delivery service. The delivery time was on point and the awesome part was the person who delivered also set up all the food on my table and all utensils, extra condiments, and even table cloth were all included. I mean, who doesn't love a FULL service?!?!?! I was so happy with the service and you really get what you pay for. Oh and it doesn't hurt that their food is GREAT! I will definitely use them again for my next party! :))
(5)
Rosemary W.
This is not a good dining experience at any time on a Saturday evening, unless you want to feel you have been thrown into a daycare center.....I love Maggianos over the years and hearing the music but those days are gone for me and in future I shall save my money and just recall the memories.
(1)
Lovely L.
I dined at Maggiano's with family for the first time about a month ago. The service was great and our waiter was extremely patient! The food was exactly what I expected and I will definitely go back soon
(5)
Nasru L.
Excellent pasta and eggplant pasta. Good service
(4)
Maya P.
Food takes FOREVER to cook, and it tastes okay (for the price). I have had better Italian food. I wouldn't mind coming back here for parties and stuff, but would not bring my family or friends here for dinner. Much better places in Santana Row.
(3)
Courtney M.
Amazing food!
(5)
Laura M.
So went out to Maggianos for dinner for 2. We each had the classic pasta special for couples . Which gives you the same meal, to take home . Excellent plan, we also ordered the "beef medallions in a Marsala cream sauce" shut up !!!!!! The medallions were so tender and juicy. Finished the night out with the chocolate zucatto cake. Take it home, to enjoy. On another note, it was ridiculously crowded we had reservations but we still waited 30 min.. Which Maggianos did reward us for waiting by giving us extra food to take home. All in all excellent meal with my husband
(4)
Charlene M.
The McKinzie family was given the honor of a paid for dinner at Maggiano's in Santana Row by my lovely cousin. I love you Jeff for the thought. Let me preface by saying that I drove here expecting sooo much more than what I got. Would I come back...ummmmm no. Santana Row is the somewhat equivalent of Union Square of San Francisco, except guess what, it's NOT! It's supposed to be upscale, happening and for the trendy and chic of Silicon Valley. Say it with me slowly peeps, RIGHT! The restaurant was busy on a Sunday evening. The hostess was sweet to Matthew but failed to bring us the child seat, so Michael held a squirming Matthew bear for about 10 minutes. Ok strike one. I had to flag down a really nice waiter (who was not our waiter) named Enrique. He quickly brought us a child seat and Mike was especially grateful. Olive Oil was poured on a plate....where was the balsamic vinegar....okay...... 2 tiny precut loaves of bread were delivered to the table. The bread...hmmmm what can I say. How long was this crap sitting out? It tasted like day old bread. I didn't what Matthew to eat that, so we waited and waited and waited for our waitress. Poor gal, she must've been overworked because of the massive people. We ordered Sausage and pepper flatbread, crabcakes for starters Lobster Carbonara for moi and I asked them to add caramelized onions Chicken Francese for Michael who also wanted a side caesar and a cup of chicken potato soup. For drinks...Matthew had pineapple juice, I had non sweetened iced tea and the hubs had the same as myself. The sausage and pepper flatbread was good. Thin crust flatbread with sausage, peppers and a sliced tomato here and there. Matthew and Michael both liked this dish. The crabcakes arrived with a side of Arugala and grape tomatoes. The crab cake dipping sauce was and appeared to be thousand island dressing...hmmm...ooooook. Michael liked the crabcakes and i thought they were ok. Nothing to write home about. Michael loved his Chicken Francese, and stated it tasted like the parmesan bread at Sizzlers surrounding a tender chicken breast with lemon sauce...OOOOkey. Hmmm, to me that didn't sound appetizing. But the chicken was tender and Matthew and Michael both liked it. Maggiano's has a menu of SPECIALTY pastas. From that list, I opted for the Lobster Carbonara. The lobster carbonara arrived with fettucine like i asked for. The sauce on the fettucine was soupy, watery, and tasted like cream straight from the carton, oooh and with garlic. The snap peas didn't fair well with this dish. The "lobster" was overcooked, and there was barely any lobster in the dish. The pasta was al dente. It needed salt, nutmeg and parmesan. I sighed and ate three small bites. The dish was pathetic and then i noticed there was no caramelized onions. I flagged down any waiter and then the soupy caramelized onions were brought out 10 minutes later. After experiencing Il Fornaio in it's glory I gave this place a large F. I won't let you know what that stands for, but obviously it's not pleasant. I gave this place two starts because the negative stars plus the stars for the sausage flatbread gave this place a 2 star review. Will i come back, absolutely not. My favorite italian place in the S Valley, you guessed it, IL Fornaio. The watery lobster carbonara is still in the fridge as we speak. I may have to mix some prawns in it and give it to Michael for lunch tomorrow with added spices like salt. I wasted my time and money here.
(2)
Jessica L.
MAGGIANOS is awesome. All my family festivities are held here: graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, etc etc. You have the feeling of fine dining without the fine dining prices. The food is all phenomenal and they are very flexible with changing around pasta types, etc etc. I would recommend trying out the family style dining because you get unlimited food for a fixed price. Once you finish, they will keep it coming. If you don't get the family style dining, the food portions are really generous anyway. All in all Maggianos is a must try. If you don't like to wait, definitely make a reservation. Their best items are: fried zucchini and the rigatoni d. YUMYUMYUM.
(5)
Michael F.
Dined here for a friend's birthday, and my god was it amazing. You get friendly and hot waitresses combined with great food, and it all adds up to a perfect dining experience. We had two types of salads, calamari for an appetizer, bread, two types of pasta for the dinner, and tiramisu and cheesecake for dessert. It's too bad because I could barely eat any dessert since I went crazy with the entrees. Yes, some items can be expensive. But you get your money's worth. I would definitely put this at the top of my favorite restaurants at Santana Row. Parking is a real b!#ch so get there early! Also, although the dress code here is casual, lots of people who dine here dress up a lot nicer than that. I definitely looked out of place with my shorts and giants cap. 5 stars all the way
(5)
Dora C.
The location's pretty good since Santana Row is a nice place. But the food was alright, maybe not worth its price! The four cheese ravioli is a must get! We also ordered the salmon, chicken, spaghetti, spinach dip/ bread, ceasar salad, and maggiano's salad. The rest of the dishes were just okay, didn't really stand out...but it was still good! The restaurant's setting is kind of weird. At the front of the restaurant there's tables to sit at while you wait. Then, the tables in the back are extremely close together. I'm a [relatively] skinny person, but it was even hard for me to get in and out of my seat ._. I felt like I had no privacy.
(3)
Stephen C.
TLDR Assessment: Better than Olive Garden, worse than a non-chain real Italian place, about the same as Bucca di Beppo's. The Santana Row location is crowded and service is spotty, but Santana Row is one of the best hang-out areas in Santa Clara. Food: Wide variety, quality is decent for a chain. We like both the house and spinach salad, the friend zucchina appetizer and the pastas are solid. Add to that they run some pretty solid deals and coupons and you can get quite a bit of good food for very reasonable prices. We always end up being able to stretch 2-3 meals out of one trip. Ambience: The decor is nice but given that on the weekends the place is flooded with people, its a bit of a madhouse. If you sit outdoors, prepare on the weekends to listen to the live bands that play in the open space adjoining the restaurant. I've not enjoyed my service there -- I'm sympathetic because I'm sure like the server staff feel like the space marines in the movie version of starship troopers when the bugs attack -- but the service there is horrendous. Kid-friendiness: High chairs. Kids menus, Kids ups. Crayons. Plus the kids can run around in the green space (is that astro-turf? i guess who cares) next to it while you are waiting or to burn off steam afterwards. Parking: Santana Row parking can be a hassle but there are multiple parking lots and then walking around Santana Row is easy enough. Busyness: This place is super busy. Be prepared to wait if you don't have a reservation.
(3)
Janet D.
Totally overated. The food is meh. i had the lasagne and it had more pasta then sauce or meat. Lame. The little meatballs were pretty good and filling. I could tell they added tons of breadcrumbs. Filler for sure. I do enjoy the calamari appetizer. The drinks are pretty solid, and the place is always hopping so they must be doing something right.
(2)
Joel E.
Came to Maggiano's for a family dinner on a Saturday evening. Tried to book a reservation in advance through Yelp's online reservation system through OpenTable, however, on this Saturday evening Maggiano's was nearly fully booked and could only offer us 4pm or 9pm reservations, and nothing in the middle. As I had a $50 gift certificate, we decided to go ahead and try to score a table by walking in around 5pm with the hope of landing a table by 6pm or so. Upon arrival our name was taken and we were told to come back in about 1 hour and they would then give us one of those "flashing-vibrator-type" pagers to let us know when our table was ready. After wandering around the Santana Row shops for our 60 minute wait; in about 10 more minutes we were "vibrated". So, while hoping for 60 minutes, we landed a table in about 70 minutes. This place was indeed packed at this hour on a Saturday evening. Maggiano's is located in Santana Row, and on this evening just walking the sidewalks outside the restaurant involved quite a bit of dodging the pedestrian "cattle call". Not exactly a relaxing environment, but we made the best of it. Once we got to our table . . . which was the biggest challenge . . . we understood why the place is so popular. Let me list the ways . . . (1) very nice variety of choices of Italian dishes on the menu, (2) above average wine list, (3) very satisfactory table service, particularly for as busy as they were on this evening, (4) nice stylish interior and Italian ambiance to the restaurant (particularly liked the wall art), and (5) most importantly, each of the 4 of us really enjoyed our Italian meals. Portions were sizable . . . No skimping here, and potentially too large for some folks (but then you can always take home what's left). Absolutely loved the "buy one and get a second to take home" pasta dishes, which 3 of the 4 of us chose . . . which we then could continue to enjoy the Maggiano meals over the coming days. Prices for the 2 for 1 options were no higher than you would expect to pay for a single serving, so this is quite a customer-friendly option!!
(4)
Klaudia U.
food is delicious, best when order for large partys that way you can get a taste of different dishes....
(3)
Diane V.
Food is okay not worth it cheesecake factory is by far the best to me . maybe i came in on a bad day or something . wait is one hour the service waiter i got was shit . i just wanted to look at apetizers for one minute literally not even a minute yet shes asking me to give us a minute and i told her no its fine i can order right now because im quick . she KEPT rushing me . seriously stop that i wanted crab cakes and they dropped my order so now i dont have any f ing crab cakes . this is seriously ticking me off i dont want to complain because imma have spit on my food . i hope you all get cancer #dontpissmeoffonmyperiod
(1)
Kathleen P.
I ordered Marco's Meal for 2 (which is probably a meal for 3) and everything was delicious. I have them 2 stars bc all the servers looked mean and our server left without telling our table so when we realized we never got one of our take home pastas, we tried asking another waiter. I waved at him, smiled, made eye contact and he walked the other way!! We left the restaurant without the other pasta bc we were in a rush to see Aziz (can't miss that) Food overwhelmingly good, service ehhhh
(2)
Derek L.
Ws okay the food could of been better was a little overrated
(3)
Daniel B.
Went here for my birthday on Monday the 12th, great waiter great food, but that night I was in pain from my Chicken Francese, I thought it was nothing at first and then yesterday the 13th I ate my leftovers and I woke up 7 times throughout the night with a bad stomach ache
(2)
Sean B.
Walked by this place a bunch of times, assuming it to be expensive. When a friend chose it for dinner the other night, however, I was willing to give it a go. Their dinner-for-two special was unbelievably inexpensive. Two pastas, two appetizers, a dessert, and two pastas to go for $40. Ended up getting three meals out of it. Very reasonable for a nice night out. By Santana Row standards, in particular, that's very inexpensive. The pasta was good but standard. The apple pie dessert was off the map... loved it!
(4)
Jeanny H.
We've been to Maggiano's so many time. And its always been excellent. But, today, the quality's going DoWN. Order the specialty no 3. And also Marco dinner for 2. Our Marco meal come ok. But then our specialty NOT OK at all. The mussels smells like ' POO', so I asked the waiters to tell the chef inside. And soon after, the chef comes out n said that's nothing wrong with the food. So...., be aware ppl.... 'POO' smell is normal for them. I give 2 stars because the waiters very attentive n take care of us..., even though she forget our bread, and also a little bit rude (we were still eating, n she ask if we want our food to go)
(2)
A B.
I'm generally not a fan of Italian food at all(I know, crazy). But Maggiano's was really great. I didn't have a single dish that I didn't like when I came to eat here. I'm a huge fan of lemon desserts, and the lemon cookies that they had here were really, really good!
(5)
cathy f.
We went to Maggiano's to celebrate my sisters birthday!! They were able to seat us prior to our reservation. Our waiter gave us excellent service he was friendly, fast and knowledgeable of menu. Menu had a great selection of pasta, sandwiches, salads and seafood. I ordered the chicken Picatta and it was perfect, the only issue i had was they served the noodles in a separate bowl. I would serve them on the same dish. Great place for birthday celebration or groups. I was pleasantly surprised.
(4)
Ben F.
Place was busy - make reservations especially on a Friday. Food was ok nothing special, however food sizes are enormous. Try family menu on back page $20 each, lots of food, and you WILL have leftovers. Would go back, service was good.
(3)
Sophia C.
i came here with two other girls for my friend's 19th birthday. When they heard it was her first time here, they sent out a complimentary appetizer, which I thought was really sweet. We ordered calamari as an appetizer, and received fried ravioli for free ^___^ then we each ordered our own dishes. everything came out slowly, but everything was really good and worth it. I got a pepperoni and arugula flatbread, as well as a cup of creamy potato chicken soup. honestly, by the time the food came out, I was already pretty full, and the flatbread was HUGE haha. At the end, we got the dessert sampler, and our waitress brought it to us with birthday candles :D the dessert sampler is a must. it's beautiful, with five bite sized desserts. the creme brulee is to DIE for. I definitely will be returning! Our waitress was ridiculously sweet and patient, and she made the dining experience even better ^^
(4)
Daniella S.
Full disclosure: I have not eaten at Maggiano's in about 2 years because after I do, I can only wear my fat clothes for like a month. Worth it? Oh yeah. With that old New York vibe, Sinatra & Ella playing in the background, exceptionally great service and ginormous family-sized portions of amazing, classic Italian cuisine, what's not to love. It's carb-nirvana but I've gone Paleo these days, so unlikely I'll be back unless I lose my noodle. (Oooh...that was really, really bad....like greasy-hair slicked back, one-eyed wink while shooting a gun at ya bad).
(5)
Cheryl H.
The food was delicious again. Came here to celebrate my daughters birthday. Ordered Family Style. It's a lot of food, but is great for trying different dishes and having some to take home. The Burrata Ravioli was amazing. It's a special - so not sure how long it will be in the menu, but I would definitely recommend it.
(4)
Nandini B.
The four of us ordered from the Family Style Menu. Appetizer: Crispy Zucchini Fritte, Spinach & Artichoke al Forno Main: Four Cheese Ravioli, Chicken Tortelloni, Eggplant Parmesan. Dessert: Vera's Lemon Cookies. We ordered light, as we were really full by this time. And of course there was a bottle of Red. They have a very nice wine list as well. The food was all really well made and different form the usual Italian fare. The service was friendly and the ambience was warm and festive. We dint want to leave. PS: The restrooms were real classy too :)
(4)
L. C.
went there again... had the lobster carbonara and the chicken marsala and the rustic chicken and shrimp pasta. All paid for on a free $50 gift card! still think it's over-priced... enjoyed the chicken marsala and the lobster carbonara dishes the most.
(3)
A S.
Great food. The chefs pasta special is great because you get to bring a second portion home. We went there in a hurry one night and they did an amazing job of keeping things quick. We go here a few times per year and love it every single time. Keep up the good work!!!
(5)
Love E.
The eggplant parmigiana was not cooked at all...it was clearly pre made and heated...not fresh...the bread was decent and the service was very bad...for the two freebies you get home I still wouldn't go there...veggie options are way less...macaroni grill is far better!!!
(1)
Jennie D.
We had catering done from Maggiano's and it was very well received. Everyone loved it! Especially their stuffed mushrooms, green beans w/ bacon, and veal, they were a huge hit. I'd definitely use them again. :)
(4)
Karyn L.
Loooove this place!!!! Anything at Santana Row means crazy parking, big crowds and long waits. Make reservations! Love their stuffed mushrooms, chicken parm, baked ziti, calamari and even salmon. Not a bad place to bring your kids since the place is so loud anyways. Been here a few times since Santana Row opened and this place has never disappointed. Would come here more for dinner if it didn't take an hour plus to get seated.
(4)
Jaimie M.
I've been here for dinner on a busy weekend before and had reservations. We were seated promptly and had a decent meal. I've also been here on a weekday during the day for lunch and we were seated promptly and had a great meal. I've also come here on a friday/saturday night just for drinks and apps to sit at the bar. Its always a hit and miss to get a seat there but its worth the wait. Drinks are strong and the servers and bartenders are nice. Its not authentic Italian food but its pretty good.
(4)
David J.
Pretty good Tuscany Italian family style dinners. Very nice atmosphere. Comfortable. Full bar. Pretty good Italian food. Nice portions. Just a little bit salty. Good service. A good place to revisit. Great for couples and or families.
(4)
Laura S.
Food is amazing and the atmosphere is always top notch! I recommend their chicken parmigiana!!!!
(5)
Henry S.
3.5 stars Ok so out of all the chain Italian joints I would have to say Maggiano's would be my favorite. Here's how I would break it down if you were comparing it to the Gap family of stores: Maggiano's = Banana Republic Macaroni Grill = Gap Olive Garden = Old Navy I would say that Maggioanos is the flag ship of chain Italian food restaurants but this location is centrally located in Santana Row. Reasonable pricing for pretty good food. My favorite appetizer here are the fried zucchini. Its a hearty portion and they are breaded and friend to a golden brown. Squeez esome lemon juice on it with a dab of ranch dressing and its the perfect appetizer! I usually order the chicken, spinach and cheese manicotti. So rich and heavy but so delicious. Services is just ok (hence the 3.5 stars). It just doesn't seem like they go the extra mile for you here. They do the bare minimum to get by for service.
(3)
Pamela I.
This place was AWESOME!!! From the atmosphere, service, and decor.. all of it was just wonderful! I highly recommend making reservations. I came here with a friend and we got the meal for two (really good deal) you get an appetizer or two salads, an entree (one of the classic pastas they have), and a dessert AND you can pick one of the pastas to take home!!! All for a great price! I definitely will be back there again!
(5)
Ramesh B.
Love this place. Has great atmosphere and great food. Their bread combined with stuffed mushroom appetizer is great. Chicken Saltambico dish is fantastic. Their $12.95 deal where you eat one dish at the restaurant and take another serving "to go" is a great deal. I have tried most of the items on their menu and not been disappointed with any dish. Family style meals can be great - especially with hungry adults. Most people walk away with doggie bags because their portions are generous. Always a warm feeling (lighting, etc ..)
(5)
Sunny S.
That place is great . What ever I ordered was delicious . And if you have a lower budget you can order the pasta specials which is the delicious pasta I have ever tasted . And plus you get one for free to take home. You just have to go and try it !!! I think the chef is real italian!!
(5)
Jenny M.
I loved this place! I came here to treat my family to dinner before I went off to college for senior year and I definitely think it was worth it. We got the Light Family Style meal which was $21 a person and gave us the option of 3 appetizers (unlimited refills) and 2 pastas (unlimited refills) and lemon cookies for dessert. The three appetizers we chose were steamed mussels (SO DELICOUS! It comes in a huge bowl and there's probably 40 mini mussels in it. We got it refilled and finished the second bowl too!), calamari (huge portions! We also got a refill and finished the second plate of this), and stuffed mushrooms (good if you have vegetarians at the table but didn't seem as worth the money as our other appetizers). For the pasta, we ordered the 4 cheese ravioli (delicious when steaming hot and even more flavorful when you heat it up as a leftover! We got a refill of this) and a huge plate of eggplant parmasean (we couldn't even finish the one plate we got). I think everyone was pretty satisfied with their meal. My next step is to take my boyfriend here for the 2 person meal for $40! I really loved the service and ambiance here as well, and it is in a great location.
(5)
Adrian A.
Really? Its a chain restaurant for christ sake! over priced for MEH food. You will spend at least 40$ on said MEH food....the clams are pretty good :D free refills so i am happy, pretty out door seating, waitresses are SUPER nice to me. but in all reality, you can put perfume on a turd and in the end it is still a turd. I just wish someone would buy the place, and start making REAL food, because i LOVE the location, the seating..the intimacy inside some parts, and the party feel in others, and the bar is nice too.. but, I review food AND the experience, and if the food is bad, my experience is bad. It is a package. nothing can be sold separately. Food will either come cold, or come with something wrong, or it will take 3/4s of a decade. veal is also meh, and fairly flavorless. :) Just saying. /rant.
(2)
Liz Z.
a solid 3.5 for our last dinner here. i would've given a solid 4 but the front-end personnel could have been better at their job. here's the breakdown: hostess service=2. i understand that you had to keep people waiting on a busy sunday evening, but don't keep lying to the customers who made reservations that their table would be ready "in a minute." she didn't tell me this but i overheard her tell one of the other patrons such a thing. we ourselves had a reservation for 2. didn't get seated until well after 30 minutes after our reservations...and this was with a few times i came up to the hostess counter. WORD TO MANAGEMENT: if you're that behind on seating people (even with reservations), don't post openings on opentable.com that you actually HAVE openings for those times. it's forgivable to wait for a table if you've walked-in; but definitely not a 1/2 hr. after your scheduled reservation. they should've given us a free appetizer or something. our waiter (asland or something)=solid 4. he took our orders straight away and even refilled our drinks + bread basket w/o even asking. he served our meals with a genuine smile and courteously packaged our take-away boxes for us. now THIS is what you call wait service. food=a delicious 4. i had the classic pasta dish, fettuccine alfredo to eat at the restaurant + the eggplant parmesan for home. both dishes for only $12.95. the hubby got served the biggest meatball i've ever seen on top of his spaghetti + gravy. we both couldn't finish our dinner entrees, so asland had those packed away with our take-home entrees. we love leftovers, so the dishes tasted even better the next day for work lunch. the place was hopping + quite busy (expected for a centrally located restaurant + great food) on a weekend night. i suggest maggiano's not fire their chef or else i wouldn't even bother coming back here.
(4)
Ari V.
I love the food here. Its easily one of my favorite chain restaurants. The wait is usually very long, and I can't speak for its authenticity in the Italian food world, but if you like good tasting food for a decent price in Santana row, this is the place to go
(4)
Mr. O.
OK
(1)
Jenny K.
We have been to an out of state Maggiano's many times and it is always delicious. Here the gnocchi was severely overcooked and my medium well meat was incinerated. The service is awful as is most Santana Row restaurants. The creme brulee is the only reason I give it 2 stars. The server was nice but awful, he didn't bring us bread, silverware and cashed us out before dessert. Skip it and if you find a good Italian restaurant in SJ please let me know!
(2)
Svetlana M.
We came here to celebrate a sweet 16 and they had a nice family style service. We chose the light style which included 3 appetizers/salads and 2 pastas for $20 a person. The salad came out pretty quickly but the calamari and fried mozzarella took forever. All were very good but we grew tired waiting for the appetizers. Also some of the party did not get their forks and knives so we had to ask and that took extra time. Now for the pasta: The rigatoni and ravioli were delicious. I loved the creamy pesto sauce on the four cheese ravioli. The lemon cookies were yummy too. So good food but ehh service.
(3)
Jen O.
Decided to go here for my birthday despite living close to the Little Italy of San Jose. I looked into Paesano, but the portions seemed small. Now I realize that the quality of the food probably trumps that of Maggiano's, but, hey, it's my party and I can stuff my face if I want to (and I wanted to). This place reminded me A LOT of Carmine's in NYC - huge dining room, cozy booths, huge honkin' plates of food. We started with the stuffed mushrooms because my boyfriend "remembered them being good" (the last time he went to Maggiano's was at the original location in Chicago during high school). They were indeed good, he remembered well. Since I had to have long noodles for my birthday (for long life!), I went with the Linguine di Mare. It came out in what I can only liken to a vat and teemed with clams, mussels, lobster, shrimp in a tasty, slightly spicy lobster broth. The Eggplant Parm and Spaghetti with meat sauce were also great. There were two other birthday celebrations around us, so the atmosphere was warm with the Happy Birthday songs on repeat. The little lemon meringue cookies topped with a candle that were presented to me at the end of our meal were a nice touch. I had a fantastic birthday dinner here. Maggiano's would be an ideal place to take the fam or any large group.
(5)
K K.
Went for a casual lunch on a weekend. If you do not mind about the noisy atmosphere you wouldn't mind this place. I have a kid myself so I know how it is eating out with them. Food was ok. But the seating was way to crunched.
(3)
Bill R.
The food was very good, and the ambiance was pretty good. It was a bit loud and industrial feeling inside, because there are so many people coming in and out. Still the booths are good and I recommend this place for an Italian meal. The seafood linguine was excellent.
(4)
Hom A.
I went this place one time, I don't really like the taste and smell. Too many cheese and bread is hard, and super expensive.
(1)
Susan C.
OK- let me start by saying that this is not usual for me to give a bad review. My husband was away for 3 weeks and came home and he loves this place. Since he was away for Father's Day, we thought this would be a great place to go to have lunch and celebrate a belated Father's Day. I made reservations and we got seated about 10 minutes later. Waiter came by to give us the menu and we proceeded to order. Bread was ample and we were pretty good. We ordered our meals and food was delivered about 30 minutes later. My son noticed that people who were seated after us were already eating. Not the end of the world until the food finally came out. Let me just say only two dishes came out. We had another table behind us and they were a much larger party. I totally understand that you are busy. My son proceeded to eat his lunch while my husband wanted to wait for my meal to come. I had to flag another waitress and ask where my meal was. She went to check and came back to tell me that my order was never prepared and the kitchen was preparing it now. Needless to say, my husband was extremely annoyed. Our waiter finally came to check on us and I informed him that my meal never came. My husband was not happy that no one came to check on us and I had to find another person to go check on the status of my meal. The manager delivered my meal and apologized and delivered a new dish for my husband considering his was cold. The whole experience turned my husband off and he clearly wasn't happy. Packed up the rest of my meal and asked for the check. My meal wasn't taken off the check as a courtesy. My waiter realized this and asked the manager to adjust the bill and took the cost of my lunch off. We've been there before and have never experienced anything like this. I am pretty sure my husband will not return for another meal.
(1)
Greg L.
Have been here a few times, food is ok, but not like a good Italian place in San Francisco. It can get horrendously crowded here and twice have had to wait a lonnngg time to get to our table even with reservations. Not my go to place for Italian in the South Bay. Recommend instead miovicino-santaclara.com
(3)
jennifer p.
Expensive. Lobster carbonara had no carbonara :). Most portions large. But Broccolini $6 for 6 pieces. A dollar a stem is a bit much. Ordered from grub Hub and it was an hour late, so cold, which didn't help. I would give it another try when and if I could save enough money
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Garage Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy 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.
Duet B.
Pleasant dinning with nice ambience, friendly staffs. Their stuffed mushroom, flat bread & rigatoni pasta are my fav, the rest tasted pretty similar to Olive garden food with higher price. Over all it was pretty good.
(4)Vickie C.
This is a wonderful place for an office party or a big family gathering. Especially love their Spumoni Ice Cream for dessert. Yummy!
(4)Will A.
The service was excellent. The food was awesome. It was very packed for 8:30pm!! Great deals on food. We definitely will go back
(5)Heather M.
The reviews really are mixed on this place - I had no idea what to expect. I hesitated because we weren't dressed up and reviews said you needed to be dressed up a bit to get good service. So we scoped the place out and many folks there tonight weren't dressy so I was like what the heck lets just try it. My first time here of course. Well, crowded inside and awkward. I had a baby stroller and I felt in the way and I'm sure I was and I was trying not to be. Tables are crammed in like sardines. Very uncomfortable. Booths looked better. We were sat at a table because of the baby and needed a hi-chair. It seemed liked we got bumped every 2-seconds from other guests to employees scurrying around. Annoying but couldn't be helped because there is no room. You get the drift. So looked at menu and not really diggin it or gettin it. We ordered a "classic" pasta where you get a plate of it now and get a "free" take-home portion as well. The pasta plate we ordered I was not blown away with so I don't even know the name of it. All I know was that it was a bow-tie pasta with spinach and broccoli and sun-dried tomatoes accompanied with a light oil based sauce. The sauce left much to be desired. Just bland. We asked the waitress for another richer sauce to add to it for more flavor....got 3 sauces to try a pesto, Alfredo, and some other white sauce. All were ok...our fav was Alfredo and it was it's usual heavy Alfredo self. There was hardly any broccoli or spinach included. Really scarce. don't understand why they have to skimp on 2 items that are so cheap? I counted 4 mini broccoli florets and about 5 crappy stems. Really people? I could get more dumpster diving! I guess I should have steamed my own and brought it in a zip-lock to add to my meal. Has it come to that now a days? The dish is $13 bucks. I deserve more and the dish has NO MEAT! Where is the money going? It's all cheap pasta! Rip off! I'm in the wrong line of business I swear! Annoying. The bread they give at beginning of meal for "free" was garbage. Hard as a rock. Service was lackluster. Nice girl but she never got us our lemonade she just simply "forgot", decide to charge us at the end for the extra sauces for the pasta without informing us beforehand there'd be a charge so it was a *surprise*! when the bill came and see a $6 charge for sauces and a $2.95 charge for a pretend lemonade we never got. All I ask is inform the customer and let me decide if I want to pay extra for something I ask for if that happens to be the case because maybe I'd just say forget it I'll just keep the sauce I have and not pay a rip-off of $6 dollars extra for freakin sauce! Outrageous. Ughhh. FML So yah just not a good first impression at all. So end result for us is that we were not blown away by the food. Prices are a little high for the value. Don't think I'll be back but glad I at least tried.
(1)Todd P.
This is the place to go if you want good food, great service, and a pleasant atmosphere. We celebrated my wife's birthday and sat in the banquet area as a party of 10. We ordered the family style option for 28$ per person and got way more than we bargained for. Fresh seafood, fresh pasta, cooked to perfection ! And plenty of it! The service was prompt and continuous. Hats off the the servers, chefs, and all the crew! Maggliano's is a first choice for me!
(5)Prisma P.
I came to maggianos on 6/21/13 with my family for my moms birthday... Our waiter was a very nice young man.... We had reservations it was 7 of us and they crammed us into a booth which was very uncomfortable and nothing would barely fit on the table... Also my uncle sat down on one of there chairs at the both and almost fell the seat was completely unglued... The good was really good... It wasn't bland at all... I also left my atm card at the restaurant and didn't notice until the next day 6/22/13 I called them and a young lady said she would have the manager call me to see if they found it or anything I haven't heard from them at all...
(3)Danny T.
Great place for big parties. The atmosphere is very relaxed and lots of family/friends gatherings. The food is not bad, and if you order pasta dishes, you get a complimentary one to go. Make sure you come early or make a reservation though!
(4)David N.
I have been to a few Maggiano's locations... the most common ones I've dealt with in the past have been the San Jose/Santana Row location and one near South Coast Plaza in Southern California. I have created a short pros and cons list of these places as it appears all their locations are very consistent. Pros 1. Large parties are accommodated 2. Decent food selection 3. Decor and friendly staff 4. Full Bar 5. Beef Medallions 6. Side dishes are great Cons 1. Super busy/crowded (get that reservation) 2. Price (kinda expensive but you aren't really paying for the food as much as you are the accommodations) 3. Fish Plates (quite lack luster) All in all Maggiano's is a great place to go if you have a big group or just looking for a decent place to eat with a friend or a spouse. It offers a wide variety of food options and the staff, in my experience, has always been friendly. One of the downsides to the Santana Row Location is the waiting area. You have to share a lot of personal space with the rest of the big groups waiting to be seated as well as the bar goers. The space is fairly large, but with the size of the parties this location normally caters to, it become crowded very very quickly. I mainly come here for the Beef Medallions and nothing more. They are quite good and as I'm not a huge fan of a lot of other dishes, this one is definitely worth making a reservation for. Which brings me to my next point... Don't try to come here on a whim just because you are close by and u feel like eating some spaghetti. This place gets packed even on the most random nights and times of the year. There aren't many places that can truly house large parties in this general area, this place is easily one of the more popular spots for groups. The reservation can save you a lot of time and even more headache. All in all this place is a solid 3 stars... not the best but definitely not the worst in this area. If I could sum up this business in one word I would say "consistency." They deliver consistent service and food... and your expectations of this place will more than likely remain consistent if you decide to frequent this place more than once.
(3)Kam S.
Good food . A little pricey and portions are small. Somewhat worth the wait after getting there at 9:30 and getting seated at 10:30.
(3)Formicas F.
proposed to my wife here. Great food, good atmosphere, good service.
(4)Crystal S.
I went here for my birthday and had the best service. My husband and I had an entree that is no longer offered but was delicious. We had some drinks and I gave the bartender my ID. He then saw it was my birthday and without saying a word, brought me lemon cookies with candles in them. That was so sweet! The restaurant was clean and well lit. It was busy but we had no problem getting bar seating. What can you expect for a Saturday night In Las Vegas?
(5)yvette a.
My food was delicious but my waiter was not very talkative and she was slow. I think the buster was more fun and enegetic, he should have been our waiter and our experience here would have been 5 stars.
(2)Roy T.
So interesting the reviews seem to be all over the place with this restaurant. Unfortunately for us, our experience is one of the bad ones. We made reservations ahead of time so our wait was about 15 minutes after checking in and we were seated - great! Thats when things started going downhill. After waiting for 15 minutes, we were greeted by our server. We were handed our menus and she said she'd be back shortly. She drops off some bread and olive oil. About 15-20 minutes later, she finally comes back to take our drinks. To avoid more delays we also give her our food order. My wife's drink - iced tea - came right away. About 20 min later, our salads arrived. Both were wilted and soggy - yum! Based on this, they must make their salads in bulk ahead of time. If you're lucky, your salad could be served right after they make it fresh. Unfortunately, ours were not yet they seem fine on serving it like this. BTW, still waiting for my drink. While we start to eat our salads, our entrees arrive. Perfect timing! I ordered the seafood linguine and should of received a discard bowl (like the other tables) but nothing was provided so I ended up using our salad plates and bread bowl. We abandon our salads so our entrees don't get cold. BTW, my drink - iced tea with lemonade -finally get's dropped off - 30 mins wait? Our server is MIA and never stopped by to check in on us. At this point, we're just ready to pay and leave. After finishing our entree, we sat waiting for refills on our waters. Our server finally returns and asks if we want dessert. Yeah, right. No thanks. We did enjoy our entrees and thought they were pretty good. Avoid the side salads and save your money. As far as the service? BAD! The tables next to us had a different server who seems to have his act together so I guess we just got stuck with a server who wasn't up to par or just couldn't handle the load. Too bad after spending $80 for dinner. Never again and telling our friends to go elsewhere...
(2)Benoit H.
Great location on santana row..but this place is very busy and noisy.. staff is good, professional.. The food is not great..mainly pasta and pizza. This is mainly for family who like large order, big plates..quantity more than quality.. Pasta are just average, more industrial sauce than a gourmet dish.. Last time I had a grilled salmon but the salmon was over-cooked. The side of Mashed potatoes was cold within 3 min of serving (but the potatoes were good) A good thing for people who do not like to cook at home: order some of the pasta dish and you can bring back home another serving... Food selection is not great either. So unless you are looking for a big meal at a reasonable price, I would not recommend them.. I live on the row, so I have compared with many other places around...
(2)Raymond M.
Haven't stepped nor ate inside, but my thoughtful and caring family ordered too much food, took most of it to go, then brought it home for me to finish it. So basically I tried like 3/4 of their pastas and all were delicious. I know all my random fellow yelpers are going to hate and disagree with me but ya'll can go kick rocks.
(5)Lorenzo B.
One bad experience lasts a lifetime on the Internet. MAGGIANOS - NO THANKS!!! Easy order for me and my two kids. We all ordered off the regular menu. (1) Mom's Lasagne, (1) Egg Plant Parmesan without marinara sauce ., (1) Linguine with Alfredo sauce. 10-20-30-40 minutes later my son gets his linguine. We were all starving. He's 10 and gobbled up the clams (Yum). 10-20 minutes later my daughter and I still have no entrees. Finally I asked the server to go ahead and give me the check and package the food to go. Talked to the manager and told him about the 1 hour wait. Other tables with larger parties that were seated after us were already finishing their meals. My daughter is DONE and wants to leave. I said 5 more minutes and then were walking. I would have still paid for the undelivered meals just to send a message. Finally the Eggplant arrives. Would have been fine but it had marinara sauce on it. My daughter won't eat it. Finally I just ask the server for the check right now and put the meals in containers. A few minutes later she comes with a bag. I asked her what's in there to make sure. Well, none of Mom's Lasagne. I asked why and she started telling me how we were supposed to share the pasta. Made no sense. Paid and took the bag to the hotel we were staying at. Special treat for the kids. I open the container and we got mushroom raviolis. I didn't care and hungrily take a bite. Surprise surprise surprise. It was COLD. Not the kind of cold where they left it out too long. It was the kind of cold that chills your teeth. Seriously. The raviolis were refrigerator cold. Ok it's so ridiculous now kind of funny. One last chance. At least well have the eggplant to dine on. Open the container and BOOM! Marinara Sauce!!!! Holy Smokes are you kidding me. We finally ordered off the menu at The Hotel Valencia. In no time at all we got our meals and it was very tasty not to mention hot. Yes I know I did mention it even though I said not to mention. Did I tip? 20% to Maggiano's even though the dead fish phony smiled server remained unflanberghasted. Uncaring but unflanberghasted. She didn't get me riled up which was good. Will I come back? Heck ya! When I have lots of time on my hands and aren't very hungry.
(1)Caesar G.
Simple place sucks,if you don't come in in a suite and tie they will treat you like your low class, come on lady your a server at a food chain yea your all that and a bag of chips. Save your money plus the lasagna I had was colder then the snow mans. I wish I woulda just went to mcds at least I woulda saved money
(1)Cindy L.
Literally best Italian food I have ever had. And Italian is my absolute favorite . Family style is the best cause you get a taste of everyone's dinner.
(5)Jenn P.
Good food but overrated. This is a great place for groups. Nothing is totally out of this world here and for the price I think it should be.
(3)Joe C.
Excellent place! Great food..A good place to take your significant other =)
(5)Melelopa F.
love...love...love!
(5)Amy L.
This place is very cute and romantic for dates or for a simple luncheon with friends. If you are on a budget and would like to try it out, there is section of the menu that offer great pastas for a reasonable price and a chefs complimentary pasta. In other words you are getting a two for one deal! The food always tastes fresh and offer a variety of dish combinations. Be sure to make reservations for weekends to avoid the hassle of waiting.
(3)Sharanya A.
Their buy one pasta and take one home free offer is amazing. Great ambiance and service!
(5)Max L.
Just ok. a bit over rated !
(2)J l.
I had no issue with the food and service was great.
(3)Del M.
Believe it or not this was my first time eating here; needless to say, I was pleasantly surprise. The place has a good vibe and even though we were late for our reservation, they managed to accomodate us pretty quickly. The staff was friendly and willing to go the extra mile to make sure our food was gluten-free and the kitchen staff aware of it all. The place seems to be a meca for birthdays; at least 4 were going on at the same time. It is not the quietest of places, but if you don't mind that then you should stop by and visit.
(4)Bill O.
Excellent ambiance, but just like most of Santana Row, it's mostly show and very little substance & over priced. Great place to take a date (as long as she's never had authentic east coast Italian food before). Otherwise there's better tasting food for less and of course shorter lines.
(3)Raffi S.
Typical Americanized-Italian food.
(3)Syed Ali Hasan ..
a perennial favourite. I relish most of the items on their menu, especially the crab cakes and shrimp scampi. the service is friendly and they make everyone feel at home. case in point - in 12, i had invited an agrarian couple and their toddlers new to the dining out concept. the village they came from in pakistan, they were wheat farmers but surprisingly, the lady was found to have a gluten allergy upon arrival in california. she summoned the maitre d' and asked him if the salmon was gluten free who in turn called the chef over, to which he politely replied in the affirmative. five stars all the way for serving delicious food, sizeable portions, delicious desserts, fantastic service and making guests feel comfortable.
(5)Igor S.
I love their lasagna. Buy it and take one home! Great deal! My girlfriend and I visited them again tonight for a romantic date!
(4)Angela T.
Been here around three times now, it's a pretty fancy restaurant with a nice atmosphere, so it is a little bit on the pricier side. The waiters are really friendly and it's a nice place to catch up with old friends. The food was great, especially the appetizers (calamari is DELICIOUS), but the ravioli/pasta/main dishes are a little too rich and creamy for me (hence the 4 stars). But their desserts are delicious and adorable (get the sample size of all five if you want to be ambitious) My favorites are the creme brulee and tiramisu! I would definitely go here more often!
(4)Reece D.
Reservation at 6:45pm on a Wednesday night. Place is packed, had to wait for about 20minutes. I wanted to try their steak, ordered Prime NY steak, 16oz. For a $50 meat, it came with 3 small potato. Just that. It was cooked a little more than asked, medium-well, for just medium. Tiramisu and Coffee for dessert. Tiramisu was a little too sweet. For the steak, I prefer Outback steakhouse.
(3)Hector G.
I came here on a date with my girl and had no reservation so we had to wait more than a hour. But it was worth it. Great service our waiter was friendly and nice guy. Good food. love the wine bottle we got (Prisoner) recommend it.
(4)Kate S.
delicious eggplant parmesan! the food was heavy but that's how italian food in america is. we were seated quickly because we made reservations. the waiter was very attentive, almost too attentive, but it's better than being ignored. good ambience.
(4)Nidhi J.
Appetizer after wait of 1.5 hrs, main course after wait for more than 2 hrs.... Manager brought the wrong dish. I started eating and guess what, there was hair in the food. We left the place right away, without eating the food. And the worst part is....air conditioner is not working so sweating crazy...
(1)Thomas N.
Went here for a luncheon in the banquet room. I haven't been here in over 5 years. And back then, I remembered the chicken Alfredo had a watery sauce. And still today it is the same consistency. I did have some chicken marsala and that was very well prepared. I'm glad that they offer banquet rooms for parties such as this. But sometimes the food is not up to par with what my expectations of this fine restaurant.
(2)Allen M.
This is one of those places that you want to like. Great location and great ambiance. The food just keeps getting worse. I really think its difficult to mess up the type of Italian food they have but they some how do that. I just avoid it. If I want to do family style, I'll just go to buca.
(2)Esther S.
Came here for a business lunch around the holidays and it was decorated beautifully. Loved the high ceilings and warm ambiance. Service was great and food was very tasty. Very popular place for larger parties and business meetings as it was quiet busy when we went. I think it would be a great place for a romantic date for dinner as well!
(4)Esther Y.
I'm sorry, I REALLY hate cheese so I can't comment on most of the entrees here. So instead of grading down because of my hate of cheese, I'll just ignore all the cheesy dishes in this review, to be fair. :) Service: very professional, friendly Appetizers: yummy calamari! super tender, delicious red sauce. Entrees: [see other reviews for most entrees since they can be pretty cheesy]...the salmon was delicious! it was very moist and tender and fresh, and I usually don't like cooked salmon because it's so dry when it's not fresh or if it's cooked too long. Dessert: o.m.g. I'm glad I hardly ate any of the entrees, because the desserts are amazing. Way better than the entrees but I might be biased. We had an apple tostada (delicious apple turnover with ice cream) and tiramisu. Due to the face-pinching sweetness of the tiramisu, I think I liked the apple tostada more, which was surprising to me. Parking: fortunately, parking for dinner is fairly simple in one of the two Santana Row parking garages!
(4)Meggie M.
I have eaten at Maggiano's in the past and it has always been good in both service and food. However, recently Maggiano's has stepped up their gluten free game. I called a day before my family was supposed to go to there for lunch for my grandma's 80th birthday. I asked to speak to the manager per usual and I was telling her about my concerns about cross contamination. She said they now have a separate kitchen that they use for banquets and when they have an allergy request. This ensures zero cross contamination because everything is separate. She also said that when we arrive to let the waiter know that I have Celiac and everything should be fine. Talk about full service! When we arrived we were seated in a timely fashion. I alerted our waitress about my Celiac and the chef came out to talk to me. He was very nice and said he could make any of the sauces for me as they were made gluten free anyway. Unfortunately, I had had some bad restaurant experiences recently and played it safe with just pasta. However, after this experience I might just be more adventurous next time! The restaurant was busier than usual so our food took a little longer to arrive. Everything was very good though. The chef made me some calamari with cornstarch and the gluten free pasta was tasty and not undercooked like most places do. Kudos. The end of our meal was the best, we had told the waitress it was Grandma's birthday so they brought out complimentary lemon cookies with candles in them. The cookies looked absolutely delicious and for a moment I wished I didn't have Celiac, which is rare after having lived with it for 7 years. Bonus: I love how Maggiano's is decorated, the bathrooms are so nice and feel cozy, the whole vibe is friendly and family-oriented. Overall, Maggiano's is a great restaurant to begin with, but the fact that they have upgraded their gluten free precautions to accommodate those of us with serious allergies is amazing. Never did I think a chain restaurant would be capable of this kind of hospitality. I will be returning and I am so grateful that Maggiano's has made their kitchen 100% safe. Perhaps there is hope for us Celiacs who are trying to stay safe in the time of the gluten free fad. Maggiano's takes us seriously and that is a huge victory. Bravo!
(4)Kyle T.
Went here the other night with a friend and this place is definitely a winner. We made a reservation for 5:45 and were seated by 5:50, the restaurant was packed so I have no problems with a 5 minute wait. Upon sitting down our waitress was with us immediately taking drink orders, dropping off our bread and providing us with some amazing balsamic for dipping. Seriously, it tasted like apples.. it was pretty amazing We ordered some of the bruschetta for an appetizer, the glaze on it was so awesome that we took the time to eat all the extra tomato pieces after the bread was gone. As for a main course, my friend got the 4 cheese ravioli under the classics menu. The classics menu also carries the perk of coming out with 2 orders, one to eat and one to take home, so nothing short of amazing. Tasted great and left overs..'nuff said I ordered the lobster carbonara which had bacon, lobster and snap peas. The snap peas gave a lot of difference to the dish, nothing that detracted from taste, but very different. After dinner the tiramisu was ordered, and it was good, but I had never had it with that strong of a coffee flavor. All in all wonderful evening. Although, beware if you come... These are the things food comas are made out of
(5)Zhou L.
Good foods and services.
(4)M F.
Usually I love it here. But this time I was highly disappointed. We were told about a 20-30 minute wait and to come back in about 15. We came back in about 10 just in case. I kept waiting for our table and was right next to the hostess since it was packed. People kept putting their name in (not reservations). Eventually I realized like, "hey that person put their name down after us, so did that person, and that person and so on". She kept saying, oh our table will be ready soon. That was complete bull*sh*t. Larger parties went before us, I remember this guy trying to kiss ass to the hostess to see if they could get a table sooner (we had already been there over 30 minutes). He ended up getting a table before us. Eventually we were finally seated about 1 hour later, twice as long as we were told and as we watched numerous people sit before us that did not have reservations. We finally sat down. We were served stale tasting bread. Our waitress took our order and said she would be out with butter and vinegar for the bread after she put our order in. We eventually got butter, but no vinegar. I had to ask about 5 minutes later. The side salad was very bland (chopped salad). Prosciutto tasted just like extra burnt bacon. Our pasta dishes were pretty good. One was spaghetti and meatball the other was the ziti. The waitress kept forgetting refills and was friendly when she said if we need anything just ask. When we did ask she would always forget tho! ? ugh. We ordered pasta to go and asked for a separate bag because we were going to different cities. She did that and we put our leftovers in the bag. She was coming out with out pastas to go and handed us each which one we got. When I got home she switched the 2 meals!!! How do you hand a meatball in a little container with eggplant in the other to one person, then just hand plain spaghetti to the other persons bag. I was pretty upset because I don't go to Maggiano's for some dang spaghetti. The only good thing about that night was that the slice of cake we got was rather large, large enough to take a lot home. There was nothing special of this $50+ meal for two. People were not as attentive as they could have been. We were frustrated to begin with for waiting that long and seeing so many people go before us (worst part of the night). I have come here multiple times before, all of them better than this. But one overall thing I have noticed, as well as my family, the quality has definitely gone down, including food quality/taste. I honestly used to love Maggiano's. I do not know if I will come back tho. :(
(1)Norman P.
Great for large groups. We had a going away dinner for our VP here. 80 people. Reservation was made less than a week before we needed it. We got a room in the back that comfortably held us all. Open bar for an hour before dinner. There were some appetizers too, though I didn't partake. I heard it was around $70 per person. Seemed totally reasonable as we had 2 kinds of salads, 4 entrees, and 2 desserts plus drinks. The service was really great. Very friendly and helpful! Just a great experience. Will have to come here with a smaller group sometime.
(4)Mandie J.
me and my boyfriend went on a date here over the weekend, since we'd never been and its so close to home. our reservation: was supposed to be 8..8:10 rolls around, and we hear them 4 parties in a row for two people..despite my hunger, i sat tight...8:30 rolls around and just as im about to say something, our name is called without appology or explanation. this was extremely frustrating-if i wanted to eat at 830, thats when i wouldve made the reservation. our server: she was eh. i just dont like when people are super cheesey with the fake smile.. as soon as we sat we were served water by a busser and some bread.. our server came by 5 mins later to greet us and was asking if we wanted anything to drink-we didnt even look yet, so she said shed come back- im pretty sure that meant coming back from her 20 minute break...by the time she came back my wAter had already been refilled, and we were ready to order up drinks, an appetizer, and dinner.. not being able to sit down and order in a timely matter was a little frustrating-i was already starving from having to wait for a table. everything else though, was good after that. the food: the food was good! mmmm it melted in my mouth. authentic,it was. we got a calamari appetizer which was enough to feed about 5 and was perfectly fried. for dinner we had cantelonni and manicotti-both had amazing cheesy sauce and were piping hot. if we werent so full from dinner, we probably wouldve gotten dessert. obviously i dont feel this place deserves 5 stars since they require reservation and im not the only one that had to wait... but they deserve more than one, thats for sure...the reason im knocking an extra star, is because it was SO hot where we were sitting ,as soon as we sat down, we literally started taking our clothes off...we both found this bizarre since most restaurants try to freeze you out of there! when our extremely hot dinner plates came, we were sweating! i might try this place again, but i do NOT recommend coming here on a friday or saturday
(3)Denise L.
Came back here again with the fam less than 2 weeks after my first visit! Even at 5 PM on a Sunday, this place was packed! Thank goodness for Opentable reservations! We were seated right next to the waiter station and doors to the kitchen. It was a tad annoying to have people constantly shuffling by, and you're pretty close to the tables next to you, but we still enjoyed our dining experience regardless. I was afraid the parents wouldn't like how the place was so dimly lit (darker than I remembered) but your eyes slowly adjust, so it was fine. I wish I remembered our waiter's name, but he was really attentive and friendly. We started off with some wine and bread, but made sure not to get refills on the bread since we wanted to save our appetite for the family dinner. Although I really wanted my shrimp scampi again, the family wanted to opt for the classic dinner option. Although we're not huge eaters, we probably could have done with the light option too. We ordered calamari, stuffed mushrooms, and the chopped salad to start with. The calamari was tasty, and I'm glad I read someone's review on asking for aoli with it, as I'm not a fan of the marinara sauce. The stuffed mushrooms were pretty darn big and super tasty as well! We definitley got seconds of that. The chopped salad, they gave us quite a bit for 4 people, and with all the proscuitto, blue cheese, and avocado, it was all a very nice combination. The dressing was not overwhelming either. For our main courses, we went with the linguine with clams in red sauce, gnocchi with italian sausage, chicken parmesean, and the parmesean crusted tilapia. Since there were 4 of us, we each chose an entree, and mine was the gnocchi since a coworker raved about them. Fail. I like the light fluffy gnocchi, these were a bit gummy for my taste. The whole family agreed that my choice was the worst. :( The linguine with clams was the hit, as the pasta was cooked perfectly, and lots of clams, and no sand! The chicken parmesean was great too, and the tilapia was cooked and seasoned nicely. A great touch of spinach and orzo pasta as well. For dessert, I had to get the cheesecake again, and the family liked how light it was. The apple crostado was good, but I think it would be better without all the crystalized sugar on top. We had 2 plates of each, and could barely finish off one of each. We had lots of leftovers for sure, and ate the linguine the next day, still very delicious! Also, when our waiter asked if we were there for a special occassion and I had let him know it was the parents' anniversary, he put candles on the dessert, even though they normally don't do it for anniversaries! Very nice touch! Will definitley be back, and may even try their buy one get one free classic pasta deal. :)
(4)Richard M.
I fear this restaurant falls under the regrettable category of "mutton dressed as lamb." On the one hand, the wine and the . It's as if, being unable to decide whether it wanted to be Olive Garden or Scalini Fedeli, the management decided to split the difference. On one side of the menu are 25-40$ veal, steak, and seafood entrees; on the other is the 12.95 value pasta that comes with a free double portion you can take home for lunch the next day. Right. The restaurant was ridiculously overcrowded, with tables squeezed together so closely that they almost certainly violates fire code. There is no maitre d' or hostess at the door; their booth is hidden at the back left corner of the bar, which is so tightly packed you have to squeeze through rows of tables to get there. Ambiance? Not likely. As crowded as it is, the restaurant is very loud, and has poor acoustics. To compensate, they play Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack at high volume. It could be worse, I suppose, but the effect is cheap. All of this would be forgiveable had the food and service been up to scratch. They were not. Our waiter was clearly badly overburdened, but that's still no excuse for the absurd amount of time we waited for our food. After what was already far too long a wait--especially given the fact that the entrees do not come with soup or salad--someone other than our waiter brought my friend A. his food. My other friend and I waited for a solid fifteen to twenty minutes before our waiter finally noticed us, and, apologizing profusely, scurried off to the kitchen. This was despite the fact that the adjacent table, whose party had arrived after ours, was served even before A. By the time we finally got our food, A. had practically finished his. The waiter and the manager offered vague excuses and apologies, but made no offer to comp anything. After what seemed like an interminable wait, my fettucini di mare finally arrived. Unfortunately, far from the spicy, flavorful dish the menu described (and which I have enjoyed in many an Italian restaurant better than this one) it was bland and rubbery. Needless to say, I will not be returning under any circumstances.
(1)Veronica T.
I have better experiences here when I come with more than one person because it's family style Italian dining. A little price-y but hey, after all, it's Santana Row.
(4)Joe W.
good italian food, tuscan mussels and situated in a nice location (santana row)...
(3)Zeenat U.
average food. good profiteroles.
(3)Nicole A.
Don't like this place, it's overpriced, not very good, and cheesy atmosphere. Sorry I'm a hater. It's an okay place to go with family or parents or something like that, but I wouldn't really choose it.
(2)Vee D.
Great food and service! Large portions of food and leftover make for great 2nd meals. A little noisy at times but that depends on the crowd.
(4)amber y.
We have celebrated our anniversary here and have had date night here multiple times. Being one of our favorite restaurants, I decided to have my boyfriends B day here. It was a reservation for a party of 8-10 people in which I made 4 weeks before his special day. Upon arrival , traffic was wild of course it was a Saturday at 6 pm. With that being said , we arrive at 5:50 pm and had to wait until 6:15 pm to be seated. Very disappointed with that service. I made the reservations far in advance , along with calling to confirm two days prior to the event and explained that one of our guests didn't like loud Roaring sounds , so I requested a quiet or near quiet area in the restaurant . I am a strong believer that if a reservation is made . You follow and accommodate that reservation first most and immediately . The customer took the time to reserve the table and service. You aren't prepared? That reflects your business and restaurant . Huge disappointment but with that said , once we were seated , the night began to turn into a humbling experience. Our server was Amazing . He was tentative to our needs even though we were a large party . He was friendly and expressed fabulous customer service. I strongly recommend to be prepared to pay $30 plus per person with a party of 8 or more . You don't get full range of menu because they make everything by scratch in the kitchen . I highly recommend to do your homework and decide if everyone in your party is willing to pay $30/40 per person . Seeing that that can get pricey . At the end of it all , you get what you pay for ! Great , delicious , homemade food! We ordered the stuffed mushrooms, artichoke dip and calamari for appetizers ! Amazing . Entrees were a salmon dish , rigatoni and mushroom raviolis . Absolutely mouth watering and delicious ! Dessert was Creme brule with tiramisu cake. Five star on the food. 3 star on reservation service . 5 star on customer service (waitress).
(4)Carolina M.
Sometimes the food is really good but you never know quite what you're going to get. I've had some excellent dishes but also have had to return a few things to the kitchen. The only thing that seems to always be great is the Mushroom Ravioli al Forno. Service isn't the best but not horrible either. Just a decent mid-level family Italian restaurant. Live music on the weekends is fun.
(3)Rona S.
It's not terrible but not great. Situated and decorated as a higher-end Italian restaurant, though serves family style - quite a mismatch there.
(2)Erik N.
Food tastes like it was frozen. Service is hit and miss. Cocktails last time were undrinkable. On the plus side they have live music on the weekend.
(2)Belinda T.
We came for a dual birthday lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Since we had a group of 12, it was "recommended" that we do the family style. I think they say recommended but they suggest that is all you do, I believe it makes serving easier on them? We did the cheapest one that was $22.95 a person. We got to choose 3 appetizers, 2 entrees, and lemon cookies as desserts. We went with the mussels, calamari, and stuffed mushrooms for the appetizers, clam linguine and Taylor Street baked ziti. The way the table was shaped it was rather difficult reaching for food to serve ourselves, we first noticed when the bread was placed on our table. For a table of 14 they gave us 3 bread baskets and 3 dipping plates of olive oil and vinegar. The bread comes out warm and plentiful, it's hard not to get full off that.. especially if you're going to do the all you can eat. The first batch of mussels we had were fresh and well seasoned, especially when paired with the garlic bread that came in the bowls. However, the second round of mussels, tasted more "fishy" and were chewy. Definitely not up to the par with the first batch and didn't come out as pretty either. The first bowl the garlic bread was lined up and made for great presentation the second one had like 4 pieces of garlic bread thrown in with the mussels. The calamari was a heaping plate and came out crispy and delicious. The stuffed mushrooms were also good. What surprised me was the panko breading in them that was extra crispy without being greasy... but be warned, the mushrooms may not look hot but will definitely burn your mouth if you aren't careful. The clam linguine was good, it came in a liquid "white" sauce, but not like the typical white sauce you see. It was more water based/soup like. The clams were plentiful and there was extra basil that gave it more flavor. The baked ziti, wasn't spectacular, it tasted like any other baked ziti, next time I would probably try something else. I have always loved the lemon cookies here, and they are quite plentiful with them :D. A plus to their all you can eat family style is, they don't waste their food. Whatever you have left over they pack up for you. A minus star, because even though it's all you can eat, the service is slow in bringing out when you request more. We had 2 plates of each item because our table was so large, so after dispersing a little per person the dish was done relatively quickly and when we asked for another, it would be another 15/20 minutes before it came out, so there was a lot of waiting time rather than eating time. Another negative was we brought our own cake and they offered to store it in the fridge for us which was great, but they handed out the check and forgot that we had even brought something until we reminded them, and then the server had to come back and ask for a description of what we brought. Overall it's decent for a big party, it makes splitting the check at the end super easy as well because everyone pays the same price and you get a 3 course meal. I'll have to come back and just order from the regular menu to give it a more thorough try.
(4)Carl E.
Good food. Good Service. Ample quantities. Nice location. Have I left anything out? I was there for the first time with my work group for a holiday lunch. All that we had, was outstanding. The linguine and clams, and mussels, and Rigatoni "D" and the Salmon, and the spinach/artichoke appetizers, and the tiramisu for dessert.
(4)Melanie I.
The first minus is when you enter there is no desk for the greeters, nor a sign pointing you to walk all the way through the crowded bar until you find it. Speaking of, I am more than a little baffled at how packed this place usually is. We had reservations for 5 and were seated at a table so sandwiched in that middle mosh pit between the aisle, another table and a column that the woman at the table next to us had to move her shopping bag just so I could move my chair out. We were greeted by a friendly waitress who got our drinks and bread to us before I even knew it. She brought bread w/ oil and then poured balsamic vinegar once we requested it (but somehow wouldn't leave it so we did have to request more again, and again she was very helpful). She patiently waiting while my children ordered for themselves and mother-in-law made her usual 5 minute order with 55 modifications and I whispered to my husband to make sure we tip her well. When our food arrived it all went downhill. This stuff had hardly any flavor. Now I never salt my food and rarely add that powdered sprinkle cheese (minus another point for not having freshly grated at an Italian restaurant), but I added it twice to my bowtie aglio dish, and saw my husband coat his alfredo with salt AND pepper. My mother-in-law had ordered a side of angel hair pasta with pesto. It arrived looking like angel hair with oil and a sprinkling of dried basil. There was no sauce. We waited for the obligatory "'is everything okay" from our previously-attentive waitress and finally had to flag her down as she passed by, she wasn't even going to stop. She took the Angel hair dish back to the kitchen and returned it with what looked like a gallon of pesto sauce on it this time. It was like the cook said, "They want pesto? I will give them PESTO!" Since we'd ordered the Ravioli w/ Pesto as our "take home" pasta we tried to inquire if my MIL's dish was as typical for a Pesto dish so we would know if we should request extra on the side. That's when we lost all faith in her. She really didn't seem to even understand what we were asking (yes, we are native English-speakers and she seemed to be as well), it was like we were speaking two different languages. We finally gave up and figured i can put my own sauce on it at home. The best we can figure is there is something different between the words "with Pesto" and "with Pesto SAUCE" at this restaurant. And then the dessert, since it came with our "dinner for two" meal. It was the Apple Crostini. It was like something you'd get in the freezer section, warmed up. It was super crunchy, with hot apple filling and vanilla ice cream. Mostly all hard crunchy crust. Disappointing. To their credit, they did bring complimentary cookies for my MIL and then comp us the Angel Hair...though we only found it on the check and the waitress never apologized or mentioned the price reduction. The search continues for a semi-authentic Italian restaurant, but in the meantime next time we'll choose Pomodoro or Tomato Thyme.
(2)Isa T.
I've been here a few times on different occasions and the food experiences as well as service ranges from bad to good. The good: tiramisu and some pasta dishes. The bad: I tried their Beef Tenderloin Medallions once. I ordered medium-rare and out of the 3 medallions, the first was well done, the second done and the last one much to rare for my taste :( 2 stars, because of the inconsistency in food and service.
(2)Carrie Z.
40 minutes waiting for the table, 40 minutes for the food. Now really dont have appetite at all.
(2)Jennifer D.
Many years ago I had a delicioso experience with Maggiano's. Having realized late last year that I'm extremely gluten sensitive I pretty much had given up on having tasty italian ever again (at least tasty American italian). I was told recently that they have a whole gluten-free experience and that I should try it out. While my food choices do play a role in my ranking of this restaurant, I do believe the overall restaurant here has lost it's distinctive flavor. First, there wasn't a wait for a table. There was a wait for service. Everything takes a long long time, so be patient even when it looks like there isn't really many people in the restaurant. When you state your gluten sensitivities they do get the chef to come out and talk to you about what they can do. I know gluten free pastas for the most part suck, and I'm looking for a good experience. He recommended the "Our Famous Rigatoni 'D' and the Taylor Street Baked Ziti. There was also a "Make a WIsh" special going on so I went ahead and ordered some passion fruit lemonade as well, and a chopped salad. Brian ordered the shrimp scampi gluten free style which is apparently more of a stretch to do and not as tasty, and the creamy chicken potato soup which has gluten in it. The bread sadly is not gluten free. So I watched Brian chow down through 2 small loaves of bread. It smelled heavenly. Then his soup arrived. I watched him go through his glutenous chow down and feeling especially hungry. My salad arrived! It's huge, and very heavy on the dressing. I got it without the bleu cheese. It had a decent portion of avocado and the prosciutto is definitely more like crispy bacon. Pretty tasty, but I'd have gone with 1/3 of the total dressing. The HUGE (enough food for 4 people!) main dishes arrived and it was obvious that they had been sitting out a bit as they were luke warm. The Rigatoni 'D' is very heavy on the sauce. The pasta doesn't get in the way of the tasty combination of flavors of mushroom, chicken, and sauce. It was pretty bland, and I could have done with more seasonings. This is where I felt like I noticed a big difference in the quality of food now versus my original experience years ago. The flavor is simply missing. It's tasty but bland, and heavy. The shrimp scampi overall wasn't great, but the shrimp alone was pretty good. Again it could have used more lemony garlic buttery goodness. It didn't have that crisp fresh shrimp flavor. The tomatoes in the dish were very sweet and tart. The pasta in the shrimp scampi was pretty dreadful as a combo. At the beginning of the meal in the "Make a Wish" menu selections it had mentioned a chocolate flourless gluten free cake dessert selection that supported the kids Make a Wish desire. I had put most of my entree to the side and saved room for what I thought was going to be a slice of heaven. I recently had a beautiful chocolately moist gluten free flourless cake made for me for my birthday, so I know it's entirely possible to have a beautiful cake. This cake like dessert is served in a big portion with a side of blueberries, strawberries, mint, and blackberries. There is also a thin wafer of chocolate topping it like a hat. The first thing I noticed as I sliced the fork through the cake, is that it was dry and crumbly. Very dry and crumbly. There is a small dollop of whipped cream on the top of the cake and it helps to save the cake some but the immense dryness of the cake is not salvagable. Slide the fork into the mouth, and yep, it's dry. So dry that your mouth gets that puckered kind of feeling and you crave a big glass of milk. It leaves a bit of an aftertaste and I couldn't figure out of it was just some kind of veggie flavor or just burnt cake. I tried squishing some of the blueberries, but they appear to be the tart blueberries that are available in the big bunches at Safeways currently, very tangy and bitter. I take one of the strawberry slices and notice it's brown on an end so cut that off, and take a bite and foul. Foul. Foul. I actually wash the flavor away with another bike of dry cocoa cake and lemonade. I'm so fascinated by the flavor that I end up eating about a third of this cake before deciding that really it's totally not worth it and I'm left feeling disappointed that this gluten-free experience of care free dining at a tasty restaurant has not lived up to the expectations. Had a great time with my boyfriend talking about the food, and the overall vibe was excellent in terms of not too busy and great music. I'd come back for that and just order less. Oh! They also have redridge beer which I tried for the first time tonight. It's a gluten free beer that has a mild flavor with a very empty after taste. It doesn't really have the satisfying flavor of beer so I'll just skip it
(2)Jack T.
Not a very fair deal in my book.
(3)Vik S.
What a joke... Maggiano's will give you the same B.S. story every time you try to make a reservation... "We are booked solid" ...you can come in at 2:45pm or 9:30pm... Who the fuck eats dinner at 2:45? I don't appreciate the attitude on the phone, when I am attempting to be a paying customer - hope you clowns shut down. Oh, I forgot...there are plenty of Silicon Valley sheep that will continue to flock to this shit-shack just because it's located in Santana Row.
(1)Emily C.
If you are the sort of person who likes masses of American-Italian food gurgling in your stomach for hours upon hours, then you may have met your match. Not for those who like uniquely flavored dishes or FDA-approved portions. In other words, Maggiano's offers quantity over quality. I, for one, am not interested, and I can sometimes even get angry when a restaurant thinks it can placate me by giving me food that could feed a Vietnamese village for a week. My Italian half is ashamed. (The other half is drinking pearl tea and is too happy to care.)
(2)Christine C.
The food might not be unique, but all the dishes I've had here are filling and tasty! I've mostly had pasta dishes and some appetizers. I would especially recommend the Rigatoni D and the stuffed mushrooms. The stuffed mushrooms just seemed to melt in my mouth once I bit into them. Not sure how their other non-pasta dishes are, but the classics are all solid too. If you want to get more for the money you pay, go for the classics and make sure you request a take-home pasta! The dishes are pretty big anyway that they could potentially serve as another meal or half-meal.
(4)VC m.
The food is always delicious here with a wide selection of dishes. However, their takeout menu is a confusing mess and must be streamlined. There are two menus to start with various packages that only confuse you even more. The cashier was courteous as was the manager but they were also perplexed as to what it all meant and wasted much of their valuable time helping us sort through it. On top of that, it took forever to get our order. Once we brought it home we had an excellent meal but way too much work and time to think about Maggiano's as a go to place for takeout.
(3)celina m.
yum yum, but pricey and SUPER busy on weekends
(4)Rachol W.
AMAZING SERVICE!!! Food was even better. Came here for my boyfriends birthday and they treated us so well and made it extremely special.
(5)Ohad R.
Make reservations the waiting list get long pretty fast I didn't liked the fact that the setup for parents with an infant canot bring a stroller inside the table area that's make it very inconvenient Food was very good i got the shrimp scampi and it was delicious .for dessert we order the tiramisu I had higher expectations because of the fact this is an Italian restaurant Parents with a 2 years and below get a babysitter
(4)Mely M.
This place is great. It can be a little loud and busy but that is because of it's location. The food is good, well priced, and portions are large. Parking can be tricky but there is a lit across the street This place is great for families and large groups.
(4)Jill G.
Been there a few times as a individuals and as a group. The food and service is always good. And the selection is great, I always have a tough time deciding, but that just means I have to come back again soon for the other dishes.
(5)joel d.
Whenever I want good Italian food, this place and Buca come to mind. Great atmosphere and great food. I almost always get their classic pastas. They taste great, are fairly cheap, and come with a whole other batch just to take home and eat for next time. Also if you can't make up your mind between two classic pastas, you can get one for the restaurant and the other to go!
(4)Emily L.
Spinach dip a little salty and heavy on te cheese side. Bruschetta was really good with the balsamic vinegar. Nothing was too overpowering. Rigatoni "d" was creamy and rich. Chicken was a little bland but soft and juicy. Linguini was a little salty but a lot f clams. Dessert Sampler. Tiramisu was really moist and light. Creme brûlée was on point. Apple crostada was my favorite dessert because the ice cream made it soft but it wasn't too sweet and the outside was crispy and flakey. The service was really good. We had a private table and the waiter came back often to Chen up on us.
(3)Thuyvi M.
Came here for lunch and sat outside since it was a nice day out. Defin a nice place to enjoy some good italian food. I ordered the 4 cheese raviolis and it was to die for! It was in a pesto Alfredo sauce and was very good. Size portions are good and lunch prices arent bad compare to other restaurants. Service was fast and on point. Defin would return again!
(4)Shanna B.
Awful experience. We came here to celebrate my mother-in-law's birthday. We were a party of 8 and we had a 6:30 reservation. Seems simple enough, right?! Ugh. Our alcoholic drinks were quick (thank goodness) but the others were forgotten (we had to ask repeatedly for them and then never got refilled). We ordered and then waited one full hour for our food. Then, one meal arrived and we waited another 10 minutes before anyone else's food came out. The kids' food came last (seriously?!!). There was no apology offered only excuses (kitchen backed up). It was a shame because we wanted this to be a special night to celebrate my MIL and it ended up being very stressful and frustrating instead. I gave the 2/5 stars because the food is so very good and the portions are huge but the service was definitely a major disappointment.
(2)Gino S.
awesome !!!!
(5)David Z.
The food and atmosphere was good, especially the dinner option for 2; they give you 2 free entrees afterwards! we had a bag full of leftovers and didn't break our wallets, so it was very worth it. The only thing that brought the stars down is the wait time; even though we had reservations, they found us a table 30 minutes late, but I guess its expected on a busy friday night. Overall the food is cooked very well, I love their spaghetti sauce, and I recommend their lasagna! Will visit again!
(4)Immie P.
Very disappointing. This is a review for the food. Our waiter Chuck was great! We had the calamari, it was soft rather than crispy, we sent it back. I had the lobster carbonara and my husband had some kind of sausage pasta, both were very mediocre. I also had a maggianos side salad, the bacon was so hard I thought I had a piece of plastic in my food. I wouldn't go again.
(1)Heather O.
I've been here a ton of times but since I hadn't been again until recently I decided it wouldn't be fair to write a review just yet. We celebrated my friend's birthday here last night and I was honestly more impressed than I had been in the past. Our server, David was beyond friendly and helpful. I really appreciate good service even more than good food (almost) so I'm glad we got stuck with such a sweet guy! The bread they give you is yummy and dangerous (beware)! We got calamari to start and it was yummy and to my surprised it was seasoned.. which I rarely find. I wanted the gnocchi really bad but they ended up being out of it so I got the lobster carbonara which was pretty good! The portions were giant and there was a lot of lobster in it too! I'm not a big cream sauce person so it wasn't my favorite but if you love cream.. this is for you! My boyfriend got the Marsala and DAMN was it good! The sauce was the perfect consistency an the portion was also giant. For dessert he brought out a giant dessert sampler with 5 large desserts and a beautiful "Happy Birthday" plate which I was really happy with. I think that was the best "Happy Birthday" presentation I've ever seen at a restaurant! Since we were outside the candles just would not stay lit but David got a busser from close by to help block the wind for us which was lovely. I think next time I go back I would specifically ask for David to serve us.
(4)Michael C.
Group dinner was ok.
(3)Sofia P.
Place was a little bit kitschy but it provided some sort of atmosphere. Food was on the mediocre side. It tasted like it was frozen, even if it was made fresh. Anyways all was well and when we left my friends heard the hostess/manager make a remark about my appearances and if I was a boy or a girl. (I have a pixie cut) Laughed it off and left with the complimentary dish they offer if you order a selective dish. Service was pretty slow but it might depend on customer. Overall the food was meh and staff was friendly. (other than gender remark)
(3)Peter M.
I dine there all the time. The food is amazing, and the service staff is the most considerate and attentive I've seen. It is really great to see the teamwork they portray, not many restaurants help eat other.
(5)Kat M.
Generous portions and good food. Service is very good. Most people like Maggiano's for the food, but me, I like the bar.......much better martinis than anywhere else in Santana Row, and there's usually a martini special.....last time we were there, the special was a pineapple martini, and it was fabulous! Hubby and I like to go there after a film, usually late so a little less crowded.....sometimes we just order drinks and sometimes we get food as well....the full menu is available in the bar and you don't need a reservation.
(4)Racquel E.
My hubby and I ate here a couple of times, and we came back once with family. The restaurant is always crowded, so you need to make a reservation. I've tried the linguine di mare, linguine & clams with white sauce, and spaghetti with meatball. The food was delicious and service was good.
(4)Gil L.
Italian restraurants are like white on rice here in Silicon Valley. I decided to try Maggiano's after a recommendation. The ambiance was very nice, with a dark wood "bar" kind of feel. The place gets very very loud at 7pm on a Friday night, enough so that I found it annoying to try and have a normal conversation. The food was okay,but nothing really stood out for me. My signature dish for evaluating Italina places is Linguini and Clams. I ordered this here. It took almost 40 minutes for my order to come. When it did I was so dissappointed... The linguini was past al dente - sort of chewy and gummy. The dish itself was very very watery, like they spilled a glass of water in my dish on the way to my table. I sent it back because it was so watery, but by the time it came back, I had all but lost interest. If an Intaliana restaurant can't get a basic dish right, what else can you look for..? Unfortunately my other table mates did not have any better of an experience. Literally the worst Italian experience I have ever had.
(2)Pallavi M.
One of the most delicious Italian I have had. We ordered the chicken and roasted pepper flatbread and one of the speciality pastas with chicken sausage. I also had their special Sangria which was really good. The service is great. This would definitely be my choice of Italian food if and when we go next!
(5)Alece L.
First time being there my experience was good besides having to wait an extra 20 mins when we had reservations but it's Saturday evening so it was packed!! I suggest reservations!! The waiter (Gary) was really nice & always made sure we were good. The food was good I enjoyed it :) We'll be coming back!
(4)Justin C.
This is the first review I've written since I'm usually a lurker on yelp, but I felt so compelled after my dinner tonight that I decided to write a review. Went with a party of 6 tonight and ordered the "classic" family deal. The food I would give 3.5 stars. Good food that I wouldn't say is mind-blowing but still delicious and satisfying. I don't think it would be all that helpful for me to provide details on how the food tasted and what to order. Let's just say the food met my expected standard and leave it at that. The service though...The service deserves no less than 10 stars and pretty much made a typical dinner into a great dinner and an average night into a spectacular one. The "classic" deal IS supposed to be endless, but Maggiano's was basically the Oprah of all restaurants tonight. I think the amount that we actually ate only amounted to 1/4 of the total food given to us. We took home 17 leftover boxes among six people. 8 entrees, 5 appetizers, and 4 desserts. A good 12 of these weren't even leftovers. Our waiter got new orders and boxed the food on the spot for us to take home. It got to the point where WE actually felt embarrassed because of all the food we were getting...you know, that feeling when a friendly grandma is trying to stuff you full of food and then give you even more so that you're good for the next few days. In the end, a party of six went home tonight feeling very content. More leftovers means less cooking too! I would say tonight was definitely a success.
(5)Kiranbir S.
This is one of the only places where I enjoy pasta. The service is awesome and so is the environment. I recommend making reservations as the place can get packed.
(4)Stefany M.
One of the best Italian restaurants around the bay area excellent service, Excellent food, Excellent everything. Definitely recommended. :-)
(4)Janice C.
I had a birthday party last week and I couldn't have made a far more better decision to have Maggiano's cater it. I knew I was gonna be busy that day prepping for the party. So I opt for their delivery service. The delivery time was on point and the awesome part was the person who delivered also set up all the food on my table and all utensils, extra condiments, and even table cloth were all included. I mean, who doesn't love a FULL service?!?!?! I was so happy with the service and you really get what you pay for. Oh and it doesn't hurt that their food is GREAT! I will definitely use them again for my next party! :))
(5)Rosemary W.
This is not a good dining experience at any time on a Saturday evening, unless you want to feel you have been thrown into a daycare center.....I love Maggianos over the years and hearing the music but those days are gone for me and in future I shall save my money and just recall the memories.
(1)Lovely L.
I dined at Maggiano's with family for the first time about a month ago. The service was great and our waiter was extremely patient! The food was exactly what I expected and I will definitely go back soon
(5)Nasru L.
Excellent pasta and eggplant pasta. Good service
(4)Maya P.
Food takes FOREVER to cook, and it tastes okay (for the price). I have had better Italian food. I wouldn't mind coming back here for parties and stuff, but would not bring my family or friends here for dinner. Much better places in Santana Row.
(3)Courtney M.
Amazing food!
(5)Laura M.
So went out to Maggianos for dinner for 2. We each had the classic pasta special for couples . Which gives you the same meal, to take home . Excellent plan, we also ordered the "beef medallions in a Marsala cream sauce" shut up !!!!!! The medallions were so tender and juicy. Finished the night out with the chocolate zucatto cake. Take it home, to enjoy. On another note, it was ridiculously crowded we had reservations but we still waited 30 min.. Which Maggianos did reward us for waiting by giving us extra food to take home. All in all excellent meal with my husband
(4)Charlene M.
The McKinzie family was given the honor of a paid for dinner at Maggiano's in Santana Row by my lovely cousin. I love you Jeff for the thought. Let me preface by saying that I drove here expecting sooo much more than what I got. Would I come back...ummmmm no. Santana Row is the somewhat equivalent of Union Square of San Francisco, except guess what, it's NOT! It's supposed to be upscale, happening and for the trendy and chic of Silicon Valley. Say it with me slowly peeps, RIGHT! The restaurant was busy on a Sunday evening. The hostess was sweet to Matthew but failed to bring us the child seat, so Michael held a squirming Matthew bear for about 10 minutes. Ok strike one. I had to flag down a really nice waiter (who was not our waiter) named Enrique. He quickly brought us a child seat and Mike was especially grateful. Olive Oil was poured on a plate....where was the balsamic vinegar....okay...... 2 tiny precut loaves of bread were delivered to the table. The bread...hmmmm what can I say. How long was this crap sitting out? It tasted like day old bread. I didn't what Matthew to eat that, so we waited and waited and waited for our waitress. Poor gal, she must've been overworked because of the massive people. We ordered Sausage and pepper flatbread, crabcakes for starters Lobster Carbonara for moi and I asked them to add caramelized onions Chicken Francese for Michael who also wanted a side caesar and a cup of chicken potato soup. For drinks...Matthew had pineapple juice, I had non sweetened iced tea and the hubs had the same as myself. The sausage and pepper flatbread was good. Thin crust flatbread with sausage, peppers and a sliced tomato here and there. Matthew and Michael both liked this dish. The crabcakes arrived with a side of Arugala and grape tomatoes. The crab cake dipping sauce was and appeared to be thousand island dressing...hmmm...ooooook. Michael liked the crabcakes and i thought they were ok. Nothing to write home about. Michael loved his Chicken Francese, and stated it tasted like the parmesan bread at Sizzlers surrounding a tender chicken breast with lemon sauce...OOOOkey. Hmmm, to me that didn't sound appetizing. But the chicken was tender and Matthew and Michael both liked it. Maggiano's has a menu of SPECIALTY pastas. From that list, I opted for the Lobster Carbonara. The lobster carbonara arrived with fettucine like i asked for. The sauce on the fettucine was soupy, watery, and tasted like cream straight from the carton, oooh and with garlic. The snap peas didn't fair well with this dish. The "lobster" was overcooked, and there was barely any lobster in the dish. The pasta was al dente. It needed salt, nutmeg and parmesan. I sighed and ate three small bites. The dish was pathetic and then i noticed there was no caramelized onions. I flagged down any waiter and then the soupy caramelized onions were brought out 10 minutes later. After experiencing Il Fornaio in it's glory I gave this place a large F. I won't let you know what that stands for, but obviously it's not pleasant. I gave this place two starts because the negative stars plus the stars for the sausage flatbread gave this place a 2 star review. Will i come back, absolutely not. My favorite italian place in the S Valley, you guessed it, IL Fornaio. The watery lobster carbonara is still in the fridge as we speak. I may have to mix some prawns in it and give it to Michael for lunch tomorrow with added spices like salt. I wasted my time and money here.
(2)Jessica L.
MAGGIANOS is awesome. All my family festivities are held here: graduations, birthdays, anniversaries, etc etc. You have the feeling of fine dining without the fine dining prices. The food is all phenomenal and they are very flexible with changing around pasta types, etc etc. I would recommend trying out the family style dining because you get unlimited food for a fixed price. Once you finish, they will keep it coming. If you don't get the family style dining, the food portions are really generous anyway. All in all Maggianos is a must try. If you don't like to wait, definitely make a reservation. Their best items are: fried zucchini and the rigatoni d. YUMYUMYUM.
(5)Michael F.
Dined here for a friend's birthday, and my god was it amazing. You get friendly and hot waitresses combined with great food, and it all adds up to a perfect dining experience. We had two types of salads, calamari for an appetizer, bread, two types of pasta for the dinner, and tiramisu and cheesecake for dessert. It's too bad because I could barely eat any dessert since I went crazy with the entrees. Yes, some items can be expensive. But you get your money's worth. I would definitely put this at the top of my favorite restaurants at Santana Row. Parking is a real b!#ch so get there early! Also, although the dress code here is casual, lots of people who dine here dress up a lot nicer than that. I definitely looked out of place with my shorts and giants cap. 5 stars all the way
(5)Dora C.
The location's pretty good since Santana Row is a nice place. But the food was alright, maybe not worth its price! The four cheese ravioli is a must get! We also ordered the salmon, chicken, spaghetti, spinach dip/ bread, ceasar salad, and maggiano's salad. The rest of the dishes were just okay, didn't really stand out...but it was still good! The restaurant's setting is kind of weird. At the front of the restaurant there's tables to sit at while you wait. Then, the tables in the back are extremely close together. I'm a [relatively] skinny person, but it was even hard for me to get in and out of my seat ._. I felt like I had no privacy.
(3)Stephen C.
TLDR Assessment: Better than Olive Garden, worse than a non-chain real Italian place, about the same as Bucca di Beppo's. The Santana Row location is crowded and service is spotty, but Santana Row is one of the best hang-out areas in Santa Clara. Food: Wide variety, quality is decent for a chain. We like both the house and spinach salad, the friend zucchina appetizer and the pastas are solid. Add to that they run some pretty solid deals and coupons and you can get quite a bit of good food for very reasonable prices. We always end up being able to stretch 2-3 meals out of one trip. Ambience: The decor is nice but given that on the weekends the place is flooded with people, its a bit of a madhouse. If you sit outdoors, prepare on the weekends to listen to the live bands that play in the open space adjoining the restaurant. I've not enjoyed my service there -- I'm sympathetic because I'm sure like the server staff feel like the space marines in the movie version of starship troopers when the bugs attack -- but the service there is horrendous. Kid-friendiness: High chairs. Kids menus, Kids ups. Crayons. Plus the kids can run around in the green space (is that astro-turf? i guess who cares) next to it while you are waiting or to burn off steam afterwards. Parking: Santana Row parking can be a hassle but there are multiple parking lots and then walking around Santana Row is easy enough. Busyness: This place is super busy. Be prepared to wait if you don't have a reservation.
(3)Janet D.
Totally overated. The food is meh. i had the lasagne and it had more pasta then sauce or meat. Lame. The little meatballs were pretty good and filling. I could tell they added tons of breadcrumbs. Filler for sure. I do enjoy the calamari appetizer. The drinks are pretty solid, and the place is always hopping so they must be doing something right.
(2)Joel E.
Came to Maggiano's for a family dinner on a Saturday evening. Tried to book a reservation in advance through Yelp's online reservation system through OpenTable, however, on this Saturday evening Maggiano's was nearly fully booked and could only offer us 4pm or 9pm reservations, and nothing in the middle. As I had a $50 gift certificate, we decided to go ahead and try to score a table by walking in around 5pm with the hope of landing a table by 6pm or so. Upon arrival our name was taken and we were told to come back in about 1 hour and they would then give us one of those "flashing-vibrator-type" pagers to let us know when our table was ready. After wandering around the Santana Row shops for our 60 minute wait; in about 10 more minutes we were "vibrated". So, while hoping for 60 minutes, we landed a table in about 70 minutes. This place was indeed packed at this hour on a Saturday evening. Maggiano's is located in Santana Row, and on this evening just walking the sidewalks outside the restaurant involved quite a bit of dodging the pedestrian "cattle call". Not exactly a relaxing environment, but we made the best of it. Once we got to our table . . . which was the biggest challenge . . . we understood why the place is so popular. Let me list the ways . . . (1) very nice variety of choices of Italian dishes on the menu, (2) above average wine list, (3) very satisfactory table service, particularly for as busy as they were on this evening, (4) nice stylish interior and Italian ambiance to the restaurant (particularly liked the wall art), and (5) most importantly, each of the 4 of us really enjoyed our Italian meals. Portions were sizable . . . No skimping here, and potentially too large for some folks (but then you can always take home what's left). Absolutely loved the "buy one and get a second to take home" pasta dishes, which 3 of the 4 of us chose . . . which we then could continue to enjoy the Maggiano meals over the coming days. Prices for the 2 for 1 options were no higher than you would expect to pay for a single serving, so this is quite a customer-friendly option!!
(4)Klaudia U.
food is delicious, best when order for large partys that way you can get a taste of different dishes....
(3)Diane V.
Food is okay not worth it cheesecake factory is by far the best to me . maybe i came in on a bad day or something . wait is one hour the service waiter i got was shit . i just wanted to look at apetizers for one minute literally not even a minute yet shes asking me to give us a minute and i told her no its fine i can order right now because im quick . she KEPT rushing me . seriously stop that i wanted crab cakes and they dropped my order so now i dont have any f ing crab cakes . this is seriously ticking me off i dont want to complain because imma have spit on my food . i hope you all get cancer #dontpissmeoffonmyperiod
(1)Kathleen P.
I ordered Marco's Meal for 2 (which is probably a meal for 3) and everything was delicious. I have them 2 stars bc all the servers looked mean and our server left without telling our table so when we realized we never got one of our take home pastas, we tried asking another waiter. I waved at him, smiled, made eye contact and he walked the other way!! We left the restaurant without the other pasta bc we were in a rush to see Aziz (can't miss that) Food overwhelmingly good, service ehhhh
(2)Derek L.
Ws okay the food could of been better was a little overrated
(3)Daniel B.
Went here for my birthday on Monday the 12th, great waiter great food, but that night I was in pain from my Chicken Francese, I thought it was nothing at first and then yesterday the 13th I ate my leftovers and I woke up 7 times throughout the night with a bad stomach ache
(2)Sean B.
Walked by this place a bunch of times, assuming it to be expensive. When a friend chose it for dinner the other night, however, I was willing to give it a go. Their dinner-for-two special was unbelievably inexpensive. Two pastas, two appetizers, a dessert, and two pastas to go for $40. Ended up getting three meals out of it. Very reasonable for a nice night out. By Santana Row standards, in particular, that's very inexpensive. The pasta was good but standard. The apple pie dessert was off the map... loved it!
(4)Jeanny H.
We've been to Maggiano's so many time. And its always been excellent. But, today, the quality's going DoWN. Order the specialty no 3. And also Marco dinner for 2. Our Marco meal come ok. But then our specialty NOT OK at all. The mussels smells like ' POO', so I asked the waiters to tell the chef inside. And soon after, the chef comes out n said that's nothing wrong with the food. So...., be aware ppl.... 'POO' smell is normal for them. I give 2 stars because the waiters very attentive n take care of us..., even though she forget our bread, and also a little bit rude (we were still eating, n she ask if we want our food to go)
(2)A B.
I'm generally not a fan of Italian food at all(I know, crazy). But Maggiano's was really great. I didn't have a single dish that I didn't like when I came to eat here. I'm a huge fan of lemon desserts, and the lemon cookies that they had here were really, really good!
(5)cathy f.
We went to Maggiano's to celebrate my sisters birthday!! They were able to seat us prior to our reservation. Our waiter gave us excellent service he was friendly, fast and knowledgeable of menu. Menu had a great selection of pasta, sandwiches, salads and seafood. I ordered the chicken Picatta and it was perfect, the only issue i had was they served the noodles in a separate bowl. I would serve them on the same dish. Great place for birthday celebration or groups. I was pleasantly surprised.
(4)Ben F.
Place was busy - make reservations especially on a Friday. Food was ok nothing special, however food sizes are enormous. Try family menu on back page $20 each, lots of food, and you WILL have leftovers. Would go back, service was good.
(3)Sophia C.
i came here with two other girls for my friend's 19th birthday. When they heard it was her first time here, they sent out a complimentary appetizer, which I thought was really sweet. We ordered calamari as an appetizer, and received fried ravioli for free ^___^ then we each ordered our own dishes. everything came out slowly, but everything was really good and worth it. I got a pepperoni and arugula flatbread, as well as a cup of creamy potato chicken soup. honestly, by the time the food came out, I was already pretty full, and the flatbread was HUGE haha. At the end, we got the dessert sampler, and our waitress brought it to us with birthday candles :D the dessert sampler is a must. it's beautiful, with five bite sized desserts. the creme brulee is to DIE for. I definitely will be returning! Our waitress was ridiculously sweet and patient, and she made the dining experience even better ^^
(4)Daniella S.
Full disclosure: I have not eaten at Maggiano's in about 2 years because after I do, I can only wear my fat clothes for like a month. Worth it? Oh yeah. With that old New York vibe, Sinatra & Ella playing in the background, exceptionally great service and ginormous family-sized portions of amazing, classic Italian cuisine, what's not to love. It's carb-nirvana but I've gone Paleo these days, so unlikely I'll be back unless I lose my noodle. (Oooh...that was really, really bad....like greasy-hair slicked back, one-eyed wink while shooting a gun at ya bad).
(5)Cheryl H.
The food was delicious again. Came here to celebrate my daughters birthday. Ordered Family Style. It's a lot of food, but is great for trying different dishes and having some to take home. The Burrata Ravioli was amazing. It's a special - so not sure how long it will be in the menu, but I would definitely recommend it.
(4)Nandini B.
The four of us ordered from the Family Style Menu. Appetizer: Crispy Zucchini Fritte, Spinach & Artichoke al Forno Main: Four Cheese Ravioli, Chicken Tortelloni, Eggplant Parmesan. Dessert: Vera's Lemon Cookies. We ordered light, as we were really full by this time. And of course there was a bottle of Red. They have a very nice wine list as well. The food was all really well made and different form the usual Italian fare. The service was friendly and the ambience was warm and festive. We dint want to leave. PS: The restrooms were real classy too :)
(4)L. C.
went there again... had the lobster carbonara and the chicken marsala and the rustic chicken and shrimp pasta. All paid for on a free $50 gift card! still think it's over-priced... enjoyed the chicken marsala and the lobster carbonara dishes the most.
(3)A S.
Great food. The chefs pasta special is great because you get to bring a second portion home. We went there in a hurry one night and they did an amazing job of keeping things quick. We go here a few times per year and love it every single time. Keep up the good work!!!
(5)Love E.
The eggplant parmigiana was not cooked at all...it was clearly pre made and heated...not fresh...the bread was decent and the service was very bad...for the two freebies you get home I still wouldn't go there...veggie options are way less...macaroni grill is far better!!!
(1)Jennie D.
We had catering done from Maggiano's and it was very well received. Everyone loved it! Especially their stuffed mushrooms, green beans w/ bacon, and veal, they were a huge hit. I'd definitely use them again. :)
(4)Karyn L.
Loooove this place!!!! Anything at Santana Row means crazy parking, big crowds and long waits. Make reservations! Love their stuffed mushrooms, chicken parm, baked ziti, calamari and even salmon. Not a bad place to bring your kids since the place is so loud anyways. Been here a few times since Santana Row opened and this place has never disappointed. Would come here more for dinner if it didn't take an hour plus to get seated.
(4)Jaimie M.
I've been here for dinner on a busy weekend before and had reservations. We were seated promptly and had a decent meal. I've also been here on a weekday during the day for lunch and we were seated promptly and had a great meal. I've also come here on a friday/saturday night just for drinks and apps to sit at the bar. Its always a hit and miss to get a seat there but its worth the wait. Drinks are strong and the servers and bartenders are nice. Its not authentic Italian food but its pretty good.
(4)David J.
Pretty good Tuscany Italian family style dinners. Very nice atmosphere. Comfortable. Full bar. Pretty good Italian food. Nice portions. Just a little bit salty. Good service. A good place to revisit. Great for couples and or families.
(4)Laura S.
Food is amazing and the atmosphere is always top notch! I recommend their chicken parmigiana!!!!
(5)Henry S.
3.5 stars Ok so out of all the chain Italian joints I would have to say Maggiano's would be my favorite. Here's how I would break it down if you were comparing it to the Gap family of stores: Maggiano's = Banana Republic Macaroni Grill = Gap Olive Garden = Old Navy I would say that Maggioanos is the flag ship of chain Italian food restaurants but this location is centrally located in Santana Row. Reasonable pricing for pretty good food. My favorite appetizer here are the fried zucchini. Its a hearty portion and they are breaded and friend to a golden brown. Squeez esome lemon juice on it with a dab of ranch dressing and its the perfect appetizer! I usually order the chicken, spinach and cheese manicotti. So rich and heavy but so delicious. Services is just ok (hence the 3.5 stars). It just doesn't seem like they go the extra mile for you here. They do the bare minimum to get by for service.
(3)Pamela I.
This place was AWESOME!!! From the atmosphere, service, and decor.. all of it was just wonderful! I highly recommend making reservations. I came here with a friend and we got the meal for two (really good deal) you get an appetizer or two salads, an entree (one of the classic pastas they have), and a dessert AND you can pick one of the pastas to take home!!! All for a great price! I definitely will be back there again!
(5)Ramesh B.
Love this place. Has great atmosphere and great food. Their bread combined with stuffed mushroom appetizer is great. Chicken Saltambico dish is fantastic. Their $12.95 deal where you eat one dish at the restaurant and take another serving "to go" is a great deal. I have tried most of the items on their menu and not been disappointed with any dish. Family style meals can be great - especially with hungry adults. Most people walk away with doggie bags because their portions are generous. Always a warm feeling (lighting, etc ..)
(5)Sunny S.
That place is great . What ever I ordered was delicious . And if you have a lower budget you can order the pasta specials which is the delicious pasta I have ever tasted . And plus you get one for free to take home. You just have to go and try it !!! I think the chef is real italian!!
(5)Jenny M.
I loved this place! I came here to treat my family to dinner before I went off to college for senior year and I definitely think it was worth it. We got the Light Family Style meal which was $21 a person and gave us the option of 3 appetizers (unlimited refills) and 2 pastas (unlimited refills) and lemon cookies for dessert. The three appetizers we chose were steamed mussels (SO DELICOUS! It comes in a huge bowl and there's probably 40 mini mussels in it. We got it refilled and finished the second bowl too!), calamari (huge portions! We also got a refill and finished the second plate of this), and stuffed mushrooms (good if you have vegetarians at the table but didn't seem as worth the money as our other appetizers). For the pasta, we ordered the 4 cheese ravioli (delicious when steaming hot and even more flavorful when you heat it up as a leftover! We got a refill of this) and a huge plate of eggplant parmasean (we couldn't even finish the one plate we got). I think everyone was pretty satisfied with their meal. My next step is to take my boyfriend here for the 2 person meal for $40! I really loved the service and ambiance here as well, and it is in a great location.
(5)Adrian A.
Really? Its a chain restaurant for christ sake! over priced for MEH food. You will spend at least 40$ on said MEH food....the clams are pretty good :D free refills so i am happy, pretty out door seating, waitresses are SUPER nice to me. but in all reality, you can put perfume on a turd and in the end it is still a turd. I just wish someone would buy the place, and start making REAL food, because i LOVE the location, the seating..the intimacy inside some parts, and the party feel in others, and the bar is nice too.. but, I review food AND the experience, and if the food is bad, my experience is bad. It is a package. nothing can be sold separately. Food will either come cold, or come with something wrong, or it will take 3/4s of a decade. veal is also meh, and fairly flavorless. :) Just saying. /rant.
(2)Liz Z.
a solid 3.5 for our last dinner here. i would've given a solid 4 but the front-end personnel could have been better at their job. here's the breakdown: hostess service=2. i understand that you had to keep people waiting on a busy sunday evening, but don't keep lying to the customers who made reservations that their table would be ready "in a minute." she didn't tell me this but i overheard her tell one of the other patrons such a thing. we ourselves had a reservation for 2. didn't get seated until well after 30 minutes after our reservations...and this was with a few times i came up to the hostess counter. WORD TO MANAGEMENT: if you're that behind on seating people (even with reservations), don't post openings on opentable.com that you actually HAVE openings for those times. it's forgivable to wait for a table if you've walked-in; but definitely not a 1/2 hr. after your scheduled reservation. they should've given us a free appetizer or something. our waiter (asland or something)=solid 4. he took our orders straight away and even refilled our drinks + bread basket w/o even asking. he served our meals with a genuine smile and courteously packaged our take-away boxes for us. now THIS is what you call wait service. food=a delicious 4. i had the classic pasta dish, fettuccine alfredo to eat at the restaurant + the eggplant parmesan for home. both dishes for only $12.95. the hubby got served the biggest meatball i've ever seen on top of his spaghetti + gravy. we both couldn't finish our dinner entrees, so asland had those packed away with our take-home entrees. we love leftovers, so the dishes tasted even better the next day for work lunch. the place was hopping + quite busy (expected for a centrally located restaurant + great food) on a weekend night. i suggest maggiano's not fire their chef or else i wouldn't even bother coming back here.
(4)Ari V.
I love the food here. Its easily one of my favorite chain restaurants. The wait is usually very long, and I can't speak for its authenticity in the Italian food world, but if you like good tasting food for a decent price in Santana row, this is the place to go
(4)Mr. O.
OK
(1)Jenny K.
We have been to an out of state Maggiano's many times and it is always delicious. Here the gnocchi was severely overcooked and my medium well meat was incinerated. The service is awful as is most Santana Row restaurants. The creme brulee is the only reason I give it 2 stars. The server was nice but awful, he didn't bring us bread, silverware and cashed us out before dessert. Skip it and if you find a good Italian restaurant in SJ please let me know!
(2)Svetlana M.
We came here to celebrate a sweet 16 and they had a nice family style service. We chose the light style which included 3 appetizers/salads and 2 pastas for $20 a person. The salad came out pretty quickly but the calamari and fried mozzarella took forever. All were very good but we grew tired waiting for the appetizers. Also some of the party did not get their forks and knives so we had to ask and that took extra time. Now for the pasta: The rigatoni and ravioli were delicious. I loved the creamy pesto sauce on the four cheese ravioli. The lemon cookies were yummy too. So good food but ehh service.
(3)Jen O.
Decided to go here for my birthday despite living close to the Little Italy of San Jose. I looked into Paesano, but the portions seemed small. Now I realize that the quality of the food probably trumps that of Maggiano's, but, hey, it's my party and I can stuff my face if I want to (and I wanted to). This place reminded me A LOT of Carmine's in NYC - huge dining room, cozy booths, huge honkin' plates of food. We started with the stuffed mushrooms because my boyfriend "remembered them being good" (the last time he went to Maggiano's was at the original location in Chicago during high school). They were indeed good, he remembered well. Since I had to have long noodles for my birthday (for long life!), I went with the Linguine di Mare. It came out in what I can only liken to a vat and teemed with clams, mussels, lobster, shrimp in a tasty, slightly spicy lobster broth. The Eggplant Parm and Spaghetti with meat sauce were also great. There were two other birthday celebrations around us, so the atmosphere was warm with the Happy Birthday songs on repeat. The little lemon meringue cookies topped with a candle that were presented to me at the end of our meal were a nice touch. I had a fantastic birthday dinner here. Maggiano's would be an ideal place to take the fam or any large group.
(5)K K.
Went for a casual lunch on a weekend. If you do not mind about the noisy atmosphere you wouldn't mind this place. I have a kid myself so I know how it is eating out with them. Food was ok. But the seating was way to crunched.
(3)Bill R.
The food was very good, and the ambiance was pretty good. It was a bit loud and industrial feeling inside, because there are so many people coming in and out. Still the booths are good and I recommend this place for an Italian meal. The seafood linguine was excellent.
(4)Hom A.
I went this place one time, I don't really like the taste and smell. Too many cheese and bread is hard, and super expensive.
(1)Susan C.
OK- let me start by saying that this is not usual for me to give a bad review. My husband was away for 3 weeks and came home and he loves this place. Since he was away for Father's Day, we thought this would be a great place to go to have lunch and celebrate a belated Father's Day. I made reservations and we got seated about 10 minutes later. Waiter came by to give us the menu and we proceeded to order. Bread was ample and we were pretty good. We ordered our meals and food was delivered about 30 minutes later. My son noticed that people who were seated after us were already eating. Not the end of the world until the food finally came out. Let me just say only two dishes came out. We had another table behind us and they were a much larger party. I totally understand that you are busy. My son proceeded to eat his lunch while my husband wanted to wait for my meal to come. I had to flag another waitress and ask where my meal was. She went to check and came back to tell me that my order was never prepared and the kitchen was preparing it now. Needless to say, my husband was extremely annoyed. Our waiter finally came to check on us and I informed him that my meal never came. My husband was not happy that no one came to check on us and I had to find another person to go check on the status of my meal. The manager delivered my meal and apologized and delivered a new dish for my husband considering his was cold. The whole experience turned my husband off and he clearly wasn't happy. Packed up the rest of my meal and asked for the check. My meal wasn't taken off the check as a courtesy. My waiter realized this and asked the manager to adjust the bill and took the cost of my lunch off. We've been there before and have never experienced anything like this. I am pretty sure my husband will not return for another meal.
(1)Greg L.
Have been here a few times, food is ok, but not like a good Italian place in San Francisco. It can get horrendously crowded here and twice have had to wait a lonnngg time to get to our table even with reservations. Not my go to place for Italian in the South Bay. Recommend instead miovicino-santaclara.com
(3)jennifer p.
Expensive. Lobster carbonara had no carbonara :). Most portions large. But Broccolini $6 for 6 pieces. A dollar a stem is a bit much. Ordered from grub Hub and it was an hour late, so cold, which didn't help. I would give it another try when and if I could save enough money
(3)