My wife and I had a wonderful dinner at The Macaroni Grill in Boca Raton, last evening. The food was excellent. In addition we met Alberto Melendez, the manager who was very cordial, friendly and helpful...he made our evening a fabulous experience. We love going there and look forward to our next visit. Dolores and Joe C
(5)
John F.
This place has gone so incredibly downhill it's really sad. I ordered a pasta dish with chicken, and what I was served left a lot to be desired. The chicken was gray and far from fresh. Clearly pre-cooked and processed. I asked for a new serving of chicken, and they returned with over cooked chicken pieces pan fried and not much better. Shame to see the franchise cutting corners when 3-5 years ago it was worth every dollar.
(2)
Toni E.
We went to the Macaroni Grill not knowing that the name was changed to Romano's Macaroni Grill. We didn't have a problem with it being a different name. Nothing changed as far as the look of the restaurant. All the same as the past one so we thought why not. We should have left one I smelled a musty odor. We sat down ordered our meals. The waitress was very attentive and nice. While waiting for our meals I went to use the restroom. I have to tell you that they were disgusting and it was only 5:30 pm. I walked out to tell the hostess but needed to wait until her conversation was finished with another staff employee. Not sure what or where the restaurant manager was but I am here to tell you that we will never go back. Too bad :( Don't these places get it?? There are so many other restaurants that we can go to so why not give the best customer service and make that specific restaurant one that one would not want to go elsewhere. Shame on the Management.
(1)
Mike A.
Place was shut down in august by state due to poor kitchen condition . Yak.
(1)
Salomon D.
The good: Service Ambiance Bread & olive oil The average: Chicken Marsala was 6/10 The bad: Table was small, seating got uncomfortable at times Food took a while
(3)
Loretta B.
So disappointing! Took my brother in law and his family to dinner on a Wednesday night. Pulled up and the place was empty so I knew it would be a great place for our young kids for a fast and affordable dinner. Sat down minutes before 7pm and got our meals at 8:20pm. The apps took an hour before they came out and the kids food came out around 5 minutes later. Our kids were finished eating way before our meals came and were bouncing off the walls. I'm not sure what was going on but I couldn't believe it for a dead Wednesday night. The worst part is when our food came (I was already full from bread and eating my kids meal) it was not hot. Won't be coming back :(
(2)
Harry S.
Just back from Romano's Macaroni Grill and it was excellent. Great food and wonderful service from our server Emily. For our starter my wife and I had the calamari nice and crispy without making them rubbery which is not an easy thing to get right. My wife had the shrimp Alfredo and it had nice sized fresh tasting shrimp. I had my favorite the chicken scallopini which was perfect. For those of you who have gone to Olive Garden and have never been here its a whole different world your going to be in for a pleasant surprise.
(5)
Michael G.
I've been to this Macaroni Grill many times over the years. The food was never exciting, but it was fun, friendly and like an old friend. This last time was a real - and wonderful - surprise. The menu was way slimmed down a la Graham Kerr, and it's made a huge difference. My mother's veal chop was rich and tender with wonderful roasted potatoes, and my pork shank was simply delicious. New manager Michael Porreca, whom I asked to talk to, has made a huge turn around. What was a fun simple place now serves sophisticated and excellent food.
(5)
Joshua M.
Years ago I used to like it here, but remember when is the lowest form of conversation and the past is in the past. In terms of Italian chain restaurants, this one has to be on the lower end of the spectrum. The food quality has dropped, prices are up, portion size is down, and the service is lackadaisical. Starting with the food, the create your own pasta, which used to be one of my favorite things has severely shrunken in size in every way. The amount of choices you can add to your dish went from the teens to the low single digits and some of their best items like sun-dried tomatoes and caramelized onions, as well as removing some good sauces. Portion size is also down, but that is the way it is with many dishes. An item here I still enjoy is the Carmela's Chicken, which quality and quantity has gone down in years, but it still maintains a top place here. All their dishes feel very one note as well, they need to add more sides to their dishes and other add ons. Sure you can add a soup or salad with your meal, but of course their is an up charge, like everything else here. The water gets served from a bottle to make it look fancy, but the water is just luke warm tap water. Also, doesn't make it any better that they don't serve your drink with ice. The atmosphere here is nice, very modern, rustic. The table tops are covered with paper for your waitress to write on as well as you, however, beware of the paper on the table, it can and will cause paper cuts. The lighting is dim, and the location certainly is relaxing. Service I'm sure at most places is hit or miss, but every time I come here, it seems like the waitress never comes over to the table. On one particular evening our waitress was also running the bar, even though we were seated at a regular booth in the main dining area. She constantly had to run back there, neglecting us and the other customers she was waiting on. Italian food is probably my favorite type of cuisine, and with so many other options for it, Macaroni Grill will need to step up its game if it wants my business in this market. Food (B-), Pricing (C-), Atmosphere (B), Service (C+)
(2)
Allison F.
Ew. Just ew. All the pasta is dry nasty watered down cold white-people Italian food. Don't waste your time. Only 2 stars because service was excellent. Too bad the food was horrid
(2)
Ray S.
There was no line, no waiting on a Friday night. When we got our food, I realized why. The pasta was cold and meatballs tasted canned. The cheese cake dessert was a bit frozen and the strawberry glaze watery. Not impressed
(2)
Andi M.
Just never seems to get it together and never seems to do it for me. It feels like they are always short on staff, have plenty of empty tables, and can't serve you quick enough. After you finally sit down, It feels like you wait forever before your server acknowledges you and then you wait again just for your drinks to come. Food seems to be hit or miss, sometimes over cooked or you only get two pieces of shrimp in your pasta. However, they do have good salads and I like the meatballs. It seems more like a place that everyone goes to when Houston's is too crowded next door.
(2)
Kaitlin M.
Loved the bruschetta to start and had the lobster ravioli as an entree! Service was great
(5)
Keith H.
Went on a friday and waited quite a while for a seat. Finally got a table right by the entrance to the bathrooms(note to MG-a dividing wall would be a great addition). Our server took forever to get the drink order; we got the cola after a little bit then my room temp. water arrived minutes later. It was Friday around 7 so I can't fault them too much, but after reading the other posts maybe it IS a constant issue. Onto the food-the pizza was pretty good, nice thin crust, fresh mozz. and basil. Pepperoni was very good as well. At ten bucks it is on the pricy side for how much food you get. The entrees were also very good, but at 18 bucks, the 5 ravioli I received for my lobster ravioli dish left me wondering where the rest of my meal went. My gf got some kind of seafood with red sauce and pasts, also on the small side and for 18 bucks. I think this is the first Italian place I have visited and left hungry; you just don't open an Italian restaurant and have tiny portions, it's like a Mexican place not serving chips and salsa with the meal. Rapup-great food, tiny portions, poor service. I recommend passing; we had a groupon and got one entree free, paying full price is crazy. Try Stresa farther North if you want really good Itailian.
(2)
Gary C.
Last Saturday night, we were going to a Pizza place we never tried before that got good reviews on Yelp, but found out it was take-out only when we arrived. So we decided to try this place after not being here for many years. as we were just passing by. I know it's a chain, but I said, lets just sit at the bar and get a Pizza. The restaurant was crowded (7:00 PM), but we got seats right away. We got the menu and saw no Pizza on it. The waitress said they took it off the menu about four years ago. They have flat breads, but call them "Fat" breads. We ordered one of them, some minestrone soup and the mushroom appetizer. They still bring out bread with olive oil for you to nosh on, which is fair at best. The Fat Bread was "fat", that's for sure. It was like a oval sized mound of 1/2 cooked rubbery dough with some soupy cheese and veggies in the middle. It came with a side of dipping marinara that tasted like it came out of a can and was very acidic. Not to go on and on, but it was just awful. The soup was also horrible, it had maybe 5 white beans and 3 pieces of spinach in it, and was loaded with salt. It was just not good at all. The mushrooms appetizers were OK. I used to come here for lunch years ago and it was OK for that, or a Pizza at the bar. The menu has changed a lot since we were here last. I hate to write such a negative review, but the food was horrible. I will say the restaurant was clean, and the all of the bar staff was friendly. However, we will not be coming back.
(2)
Karl D.
Romano's is a pretty good restaurant overall, however it misses on many points. I had not gone to Romano's for some time and went recently for a birthday party. Our server, Gary, who was just doing his job, needed to say 'no' to our requests and questions -- not because of him, however because of the restaurant. They seemed to be lacking of many things an Italian restaurant would have. It is also not a place for vegans because, according to Gary, all their pasta contains dairy; so you'll have to suffice with a salad. It's probably an 'OK' place, and the price was reasonable, however it was lacking in what I look for in an Italian restaurant, so it is unlikely I will be back anytime soon.
(3)
Jacquelyn M.
I came here during lunch time and sat at the bar. There were seats immediately available and the bartender greeted me instantly. I ordered the mac & cheese truffle tapas. OMG that was fantastic. We will not think about the calories I consumed, but this was an excellent appetizer. My time here was very quick in and out, which is perfect for a work lunch. The staff was very friendly, and I would definitely come back again!
(5)
Steve B.
I really can't say many bad things about this place. Its not supposed to be any good, but it has some decent food. I do not like their bread and oil thing. Too bitter. However, a few of their apps are good and create your own pasta is pretty decent too. You get to pick exactly what you want, so it should be what you like. It's not the best Italian by far, but it isn't the worst either.
(3)
Franz K.
I hate to give this place a 2, but the service just wasn't good. Probably was the waiter . . . but these restaurants need to know their staff and know what is causing them "ratings" issues going forward. So I must say, I'm glad I made a reservation here. We had an 8:35 movie at the Cinemark Palace and I figured 7:15 was a good time to be seated. Walked in 5 minutes early, checked in, went to the bathroom, came back, my table was ready. There was a 30 to 45 minute wait looking line, so it was good to skip everybody and be seated. So I admit, we had some trouble figuring out what to order . . . so the guy checked up on us twice and we weren't ready, sue me, we put in our order . . . and honestly, that was the last time I saw the guy until it was time to go. Someone else brought out the salad, the entrees . . . I mean damn this is pasta, there was no spoon to go with the fork. We wanted to order a glass of wine, no waiter to be found. Then when the food is just about finished he rolls by (had to be atleast 20 minutes or more) and asks how was everything . . . didn't answer that question, just asked him for some Charonney which he promptly put in a water glass and served to us? Really? Not a wine glass? WTF is the matter with you? After he brought that out, I promptly asked him for the check as I know he is slow as hell and I had a movie to catch. I'm usually a great tipper . . . 20% . . . but I don't even think I left him 10% . . . dude was terrible. The food was good and so were the crayons on the table LOL, which is why they got the 2nd star . . . . but hire waiters that can actually focus on more than one table and ones that actually pay attention to those tables. I won't be coming back here . . . too many other places in Boca to be treated like that.
(2)
Tom S.
Stopped in for dinner as Houston had an hour plus wait. The food was good, but they changed the bread or it was a little stale (harder, not the soft stuff). Tried to order a drink, but they removed my favorite frozen one. Tried having them make the regular drink as frozen, will not make that mistake again! They are running a $25 dinner for two special, so if the items you like are on there it can be a good deal. Someone said Macaroni Grill is just one step above Olive Garden and I agree. It was much better when it first opened.
(3)
Lauren H.
Came here with the family on a Friday night, they sat us near the back (good thing for the rest of the patrons). I had the cioppino appetizer and the crab stuffed mushroom appetizer, both were okay but nothing worth making me return for. Everyone else at the table had pasta and seemed to enjoy it, but nothing looked spectacular to me, just average italian restaurant food. They had a singing waiter who was very nice, who, after singing his italian songs amused my family by succumbing to their request for Hava Nagila (he thought it was in honor of Passover I suppose, but it was really my family being smart alecs).
(3)
Timothy S.
Bread was very good, tapas was very good, service was ok, main courses 2 out of the three ordered came out ice cold. Sent back for what was promised fresh plates but was obviously just reheated, wife's was hot and good the second time, mine was still lukewarm and dry. Restaurant was about half filled. But no manager was in sight. Usually the food at other Macaroni Grilles is very good, but not tonight.
(2)
Brian R.
It's been a while since my last foray into the Grill. The host who was taking a personal call and kept us waiting with no one on the place for lunch lost a star. I ask for crushed red pepper for the olive oil. She never came back. Star two. Their food still is high cal enough to make Burger King and it's famed Whopper look like Weight Watchers one pointers. They have four items under 600 calories. Wooo hoo. Portion control and some rethinking of their love affair with high fats like cream everything would be nice. In all, not much has changed. Catch me in another seven years.
(3)
Tirath C.
We there for a lunch to honor a dear colleague who will be leaving our company. From the first view, it's a nice big place with a good amount of seating available. That's always a good sign because we don't have wait too long. I found it little dark and totally cut off from outside like restaurants like Cheesecake factory is. The ambience is great if you like to totally forget about going back to work. Just have a good time while you are there and get lazy when when you have to go back to work. Like the name suggests, there is plenty of Pasta and Macaroni on their menu. But I decided to have their Onion and Mushroom Flatbread with Goat Cheese. We were a table of 10 people and for what I thought would be a long wait to get the food, actually turned out to be quick service. The waiting staff was super friendly and helpful. Full marks to them. All the food that arrived at the table was good looking. The Flatbread that I ordered, was decent. The crust was little too thin for me. The taste was good but a flavor was lacking. I still ended up eating the entire Flat bread by myself. Yes I was really hungry. I forgot to mention that their complementary bread and olive oil were good. The bread was too thick though. Lot of my colleagues had a hard time getting a piece out of it without completely disfiguring it. On the whole, a good dining experience. The food was average. The service and staff were great. The ambience was enjoyable. May not go there out of choice but if some occasion one up that leads to this restaurant.
(3)
Jennifer S.
I come here a lot for lunch because I work so close and they have great lunch deals. Service is getting better but a little slow at times. Food has always been good and they give you large portions.
(3)
Jamie C.
A solid 2 star restaurant. The extra star was for the decor and the free bread which was the best part about the place. The service was ridiculously slow and the waiter was no where to be found most of the time. If the food was good, I would have overlooked the poor service but the carbonara was one of the worst I've had. The pasta trio looked real good on the picture as did the carbonara but I've made better pasta at home. The bruschetta was decent, tiramisu was ok and the Bibb and blue side salad was pretty good.
(2)
Kristen O.
My husband and I had a night off from bring parents and decided to treat ourselves to a nice dinner. We haven't been to your restaurant in quite some time, so thought we would give it a shot. We arrived at around 8:15 PM and were seated promptly. Our server was very nice and attentive throughout the evening. Our food came out quickly and was really quite delicious. Only two major complaints about our experience that would have made it a perfect one: 1.) we were seated just on the other side of the wall where servers had to constantly go back-and-forth to the computer. Glad they were enjoying their job so much, but it was very disruptive and ongoing throughout our entire meal making it anything but peaceful. 2.) by closer to 9:00 PM, there were four servers less than one table away from us then eventually at the tables right beside us cleaning and sweeping. We really feel like they should have waited for us to leave considering we were almost done with our meals. It made me not want to finish mine which was very disappointing because it was really yummy. Each one of these is what took away a star.
(3)
Debbie E.
Three stars is a stretch but I so like MacGrill. This time it was a miss staring with the waitress and ending with a mediocre dessert that was suppose to be warm but came out cold. Will give it another shot.
(3)
Jesse W.
Just had another amazing experience here food was excellent and Ashley did a fantastic job waiting on us!!
(5)
thomas C.
I have tried macaroni grills in many locations over the years. This one is tired and can use some TLC as we saw areas that needed repairs. We dined at 5:00 before the dinner rush and observed the manager behind the counter in the kitchen. Service matched the food. Mediocre and bland. We tried 4 different entree's without much taste. I tried a new item for me. The Bibb and blue salad and it had the most awl full taste. I think some one used ceasar dressing as it tasted like my sons ceasar salad. I am a fan of the normal ingredients but I had to stop eating. Scalapinni de pollo which is my favorite had no flavor and was slapped on the plate. Bread and olive appetizer were good as usual. Server offered no pepper with salads and no cheese with entree. I would not visit the site again. I can't imagine what goes on when it is busy.
(1)
Greshka P.
New year's day, party of 8. Restaurants near the mall where impossible to get in to, having a wait time of about an hour. I suggested this place and here we stayed. No lines, no waiting, we were seated right away. Josh was our sever. He was great. Friendly and quick. Made sure to stop by our table, from time to time, to make sure we were all doing alright and didn't need anything else and, as we were leaving he made sure to thanks for coming in a very sincere way. To start we had their sampler appetizer. The fried calamari was good, so was the fried mozzarella, but the bruschetta was a bit soggy. We also had the assorted olives, can't really mess that up. I ordered the Penne Rustica. Penne pasta with shrimp, chicken, sun dried tomatoes, prosciutto. Portion is enough for two, plus you'll feel full soon because of the sauce, it's too heavy for my taste. Overall food was good but I've had better Italian food.
(3)
Tough C.
Was surprised to find a gluten free menu here. Didn't go for the GF pasta, though. Had a very nice salad caprese.
(3)
Paul L.
Great sole dish and kids meals made some happy kids. Got the curbside service but they missed out badly. Forgot the kid drinks and the dessert ordered.
(3)
Whitney F.
For a franchise restaurant, I was surprised it was not better. I don't come here often since the food has never made a good impression, but I came here recently with my family and probably will not go back. Food was okay- not delicious or great, just okay. Nothing great to want to go back. In addition to that, the food was not hot- maybe even just warm on the verge of being cold. We ordered the chicken marsala which was not bad, other pastas (one with a red tomato sauce), a sampler, and a flat bread. Couldn't enjoy the flat bread because it was cold and the sampler was allright. Environment is nice, but food needs to be better if they want to even compete with Olive Garden, Red Lobsters, Carabbas, or even CheeseCake Factory. Definitely not up to par with other Italian restaurants- no competition.
(2)
Donna H.
My son and I had dinner here last week. The service was good but the food was terrible. My eggplant Parmesan was overlooked and rubbery...tasteless and either previously frozen or cooked the day before. Certainly pricey for the quality. I'll never go back.
(1)
Andrea R.
When Macaroni Grill first opened I was a fan probably because give you crayons to draw on their tables. Eating and doodling- my 2 favorite things. These days Macaroni Grill, in my opinion, is just one step above Olive Garden. You can still write on the tables, but it's just not as fun when you're served mediocre food. I've been trying to eat healthier these days and Macaroni Grill probably isn't the ideal place for this, but their "simple salmon" dish served with vegetables seemed like a good option. Like it's description it tasted pretty simple- like something I (a novice in the kitchen) could whip up. My mom's chicken marsala was a bit tastier, as were the mashed potatoes that came with my stepdad's steak (although he wasn't a fan of the actual steak). Probably a good spot to bring the kiddos (they can doodle on the tables to keep themselves entertained), but grownups can find good Italian food elsewhere.
(3)
Maya W.
I went there again last week and just wanted to point out that Emily E. was a wonderful waitress - very cheery and friendly. I love this place!
(5)
Raul C.
It's a nice place, we went for a co-worker's birthday and i had the opportunity to try a little bit of everything... The service was normal but I think they took a little much time bringing the food. The bread wasn't ready so we had to wait every time we asked for it; I tried the sausage pizza (which was good) the salmon was tasteless (and I'm not a salty nor spicy food lover) and the Penne rustica (good taste but too much of a serving after the bread). I also tried the sangria which is ok and a nice thing to share in a lunch for 4 or +. Cool thing to do is drawing while you wait for food! It's a nice place to go every once in a while.
(3)
Steve S.
Almost tasteless
(2)
Mike V.
Food is pretty good, not the best Italian food in Boca but alright for a franchise. Macaroni Grill seems soo tired to me. My service was average for a busy night but slow on a calm afternoon, which is when i went. I really do think their food is good though. I had an excellent stuffed mushroom dish that my boss ordered. I ate it only because i didnt want to be rude even though i hate mushrooms...i actually ended up liking the appetizer.
(3)
Jordan R.
Cheap italian. unfortunately, this restaurant is rated the worst chain to go to --- not healthy!
(3)
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Address :2004 NW Executive Center Dr
Boca Raton, FL, 33432
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No 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.
Joseph C.
My wife and I had a wonderful dinner at The Macaroni Grill in Boca Raton, last evening. The food was excellent. In addition we met Alberto Melendez, the manager who was very cordial, friendly and helpful...he made our evening a fabulous experience. We love going there and look forward to our next visit. Dolores and Joe C
(5)John F.
This place has gone so incredibly downhill it's really sad. I ordered a pasta dish with chicken, and what I was served left a lot to be desired. The chicken was gray and far from fresh. Clearly pre-cooked and processed. I asked for a new serving of chicken, and they returned with over cooked chicken pieces pan fried and not much better. Shame to see the franchise cutting corners when 3-5 years ago it was worth every dollar.
(2)Toni E.
We went to the Macaroni Grill not knowing that the name was changed to Romano's Macaroni Grill. We didn't have a problem with it being a different name. Nothing changed as far as the look of the restaurant. All the same as the past one so we thought why not. We should have left one I smelled a musty odor. We sat down ordered our meals. The waitress was very attentive and nice. While waiting for our meals I went to use the restroom. I have to tell you that they were disgusting and it was only 5:30 pm. I walked out to tell the hostess but needed to wait until her conversation was finished with another staff employee. Not sure what or where the restaurant manager was but I am here to tell you that we will never go back. Too bad :( Don't these places get it?? There are so many other restaurants that we can go to so why not give the best customer service and make that specific restaurant one that one would not want to go elsewhere. Shame on the Management.
(1)Mike A.
Place was shut down in august by state due to poor kitchen condition . Yak.
(1)Salomon D.
The good: Service Ambiance Bread & olive oil The average: Chicken Marsala was 6/10 The bad: Table was small, seating got uncomfortable at times Food took a while
(3)Loretta B.
So disappointing! Took my brother in law and his family to dinner on a Wednesday night. Pulled up and the place was empty so I knew it would be a great place for our young kids for a fast and affordable dinner. Sat down minutes before 7pm and got our meals at 8:20pm. The apps took an hour before they came out and the kids food came out around 5 minutes later. Our kids were finished eating way before our meals came and were bouncing off the walls. I'm not sure what was going on but I couldn't believe it for a dead Wednesday night. The worst part is when our food came (I was already full from bread and eating my kids meal) it was not hot. Won't be coming back :(
(2)Harry S.
Just back from Romano's Macaroni Grill and it was excellent. Great food and wonderful service from our server Emily. For our starter my wife and I had the calamari nice and crispy without making them rubbery which is not an easy thing to get right. My wife had the shrimp Alfredo and it had nice sized fresh tasting shrimp. I had my favorite the chicken scallopini which was perfect. For those of you who have gone to Olive Garden and have never been here its a whole different world your going to be in for a pleasant surprise.
(5)Michael G.
I've been to this Macaroni Grill many times over the years. The food was never exciting, but it was fun, friendly and like an old friend. This last time was a real - and wonderful - surprise. The menu was way slimmed down a la Graham Kerr, and it's made a huge difference. My mother's veal chop was rich and tender with wonderful roasted potatoes, and my pork shank was simply delicious. New manager Michael Porreca, whom I asked to talk to, has made a huge turn around. What was a fun simple place now serves sophisticated and excellent food.
(5)Joshua M.
Years ago I used to like it here, but remember when is the lowest form of conversation and the past is in the past. In terms of Italian chain restaurants, this one has to be on the lower end of the spectrum. The food quality has dropped, prices are up, portion size is down, and the service is lackadaisical. Starting with the food, the create your own pasta, which used to be one of my favorite things has severely shrunken in size in every way. The amount of choices you can add to your dish went from the teens to the low single digits and some of their best items like sun-dried tomatoes and caramelized onions, as well as removing some good sauces. Portion size is also down, but that is the way it is with many dishes. An item here I still enjoy is the Carmela's Chicken, which quality and quantity has gone down in years, but it still maintains a top place here. All their dishes feel very one note as well, they need to add more sides to their dishes and other add ons. Sure you can add a soup or salad with your meal, but of course their is an up charge, like everything else here. The water gets served from a bottle to make it look fancy, but the water is just luke warm tap water. Also, doesn't make it any better that they don't serve your drink with ice. The atmosphere here is nice, very modern, rustic. The table tops are covered with paper for your waitress to write on as well as you, however, beware of the paper on the table, it can and will cause paper cuts. The lighting is dim, and the location certainly is relaxing. Service I'm sure at most places is hit or miss, but every time I come here, it seems like the waitress never comes over to the table. On one particular evening our waitress was also running the bar, even though we were seated at a regular booth in the main dining area. She constantly had to run back there, neglecting us and the other customers she was waiting on. Italian food is probably my favorite type of cuisine, and with so many other options for it, Macaroni Grill will need to step up its game if it wants my business in this market. Food (B-), Pricing (C-), Atmosphere (B), Service (C+)
(2)Allison F.
Ew. Just ew. All the pasta is dry nasty watered down cold white-people Italian food. Don't waste your time. Only 2 stars because service was excellent. Too bad the food was horrid
(2)Ray S.
There was no line, no waiting on a Friday night. When we got our food, I realized why. The pasta was cold and meatballs tasted canned. The cheese cake dessert was a bit frozen and the strawberry glaze watery. Not impressed
(2)Andi M.
Just never seems to get it together and never seems to do it for me. It feels like they are always short on staff, have plenty of empty tables, and can't serve you quick enough. After you finally sit down, It feels like you wait forever before your server acknowledges you and then you wait again just for your drinks to come. Food seems to be hit or miss, sometimes over cooked or you only get two pieces of shrimp in your pasta. However, they do have good salads and I like the meatballs. It seems more like a place that everyone goes to when Houston's is too crowded next door.
(2)Kaitlin M.
Loved the bruschetta to start and had the lobster ravioli as an entree! Service was great
(5)Keith H.
Went on a friday and waited quite a while for a seat. Finally got a table right by the entrance to the bathrooms(note to MG-a dividing wall would be a great addition). Our server took forever to get the drink order; we got the cola after a little bit then my room temp. water arrived minutes later. It was Friday around 7 so I can't fault them too much, but after reading the other posts maybe it IS a constant issue. Onto the food-the pizza was pretty good, nice thin crust, fresh mozz. and basil. Pepperoni was very good as well. At ten bucks it is on the pricy side for how much food you get. The entrees were also very good, but at 18 bucks, the 5 ravioli I received for my lobster ravioli dish left me wondering where the rest of my meal went. My gf got some kind of seafood with red sauce and pasts, also on the small side and for 18 bucks. I think this is the first Italian place I have visited and left hungry; you just don't open an Italian restaurant and have tiny portions, it's like a Mexican place not serving chips and salsa with the meal. Rapup-great food, tiny portions, poor service. I recommend passing; we had a groupon and got one entree free, paying full price is crazy. Try Stresa farther North if you want really good Itailian.
(2)Gary C.
Last Saturday night, we were going to a Pizza place we never tried before that got good reviews on Yelp, but found out it was take-out only when we arrived. So we decided to try this place after not being here for many years. as we were just passing by. I know it's a chain, but I said, lets just sit at the bar and get a Pizza. The restaurant was crowded (7:00 PM), but we got seats right away. We got the menu and saw no Pizza on it. The waitress said they took it off the menu about four years ago. They have flat breads, but call them "Fat" breads. We ordered one of them, some minestrone soup and the mushroom appetizer. They still bring out bread with olive oil for you to nosh on, which is fair at best. The Fat Bread was "fat", that's for sure. It was like a oval sized mound of 1/2 cooked rubbery dough with some soupy cheese and veggies in the middle. It came with a side of dipping marinara that tasted like it came out of a can and was very acidic. Not to go on and on, but it was just awful. The soup was also horrible, it had maybe 5 white beans and 3 pieces of spinach in it, and was loaded with salt. It was just not good at all. The mushrooms appetizers were OK. I used to come here for lunch years ago and it was OK for that, or a Pizza at the bar. The menu has changed a lot since we were here last. I hate to write such a negative review, but the food was horrible. I will say the restaurant was clean, and the all of the bar staff was friendly. However, we will not be coming back.
(2)Karl D.
Romano's is a pretty good restaurant overall, however it misses on many points. I had not gone to Romano's for some time and went recently for a birthday party. Our server, Gary, who was just doing his job, needed to say 'no' to our requests and questions -- not because of him, however because of the restaurant. They seemed to be lacking of many things an Italian restaurant would have. It is also not a place for vegans because, according to Gary, all their pasta contains dairy; so you'll have to suffice with a salad. It's probably an 'OK' place, and the price was reasonable, however it was lacking in what I look for in an Italian restaurant, so it is unlikely I will be back anytime soon.
(3)Jacquelyn M.
I came here during lunch time and sat at the bar. There were seats immediately available and the bartender greeted me instantly. I ordered the mac & cheese truffle tapas. OMG that was fantastic. We will not think about the calories I consumed, but this was an excellent appetizer. My time here was very quick in and out, which is perfect for a work lunch. The staff was very friendly, and I would definitely come back again!
(5)Steve B.
I really can't say many bad things about this place. Its not supposed to be any good, but it has some decent food. I do not like their bread and oil thing. Too bitter. However, a few of their apps are good and create your own pasta is pretty decent too. You get to pick exactly what you want, so it should be what you like. It's not the best Italian by far, but it isn't the worst either.
(3)Franz K.
I hate to give this place a 2, but the service just wasn't good. Probably was the waiter . . . but these restaurants need to know their staff and know what is causing them "ratings" issues going forward. So I must say, I'm glad I made a reservation here. We had an 8:35 movie at the Cinemark Palace and I figured 7:15 was a good time to be seated. Walked in 5 minutes early, checked in, went to the bathroom, came back, my table was ready. There was a 30 to 45 minute wait looking line, so it was good to skip everybody and be seated. So I admit, we had some trouble figuring out what to order . . . so the guy checked up on us twice and we weren't ready, sue me, we put in our order . . . and honestly, that was the last time I saw the guy until it was time to go. Someone else brought out the salad, the entrees . . . I mean damn this is pasta, there was no spoon to go with the fork. We wanted to order a glass of wine, no waiter to be found. Then when the food is just about finished he rolls by (had to be atleast 20 minutes or more) and asks how was everything . . . didn't answer that question, just asked him for some Charonney which he promptly put in a water glass and served to us? Really? Not a wine glass? WTF is the matter with you? After he brought that out, I promptly asked him for the check as I know he is slow as hell and I had a movie to catch. I'm usually a great tipper . . . 20% . . . but I don't even think I left him 10% . . . dude was terrible. The food was good and so were the crayons on the table LOL, which is why they got the 2nd star . . . . but hire waiters that can actually focus on more than one table and ones that actually pay attention to those tables. I won't be coming back here . . . too many other places in Boca to be treated like that.
(2)Tom S.
Stopped in for dinner as Houston had an hour plus wait. The food was good, but they changed the bread or it was a little stale (harder, not the soft stuff). Tried to order a drink, but they removed my favorite frozen one. Tried having them make the regular drink as frozen, will not make that mistake again! They are running a $25 dinner for two special, so if the items you like are on there it can be a good deal. Someone said Macaroni Grill is just one step above Olive Garden and I agree. It was much better when it first opened.
(3)Lauren H.
Came here with the family on a Friday night, they sat us near the back (good thing for the rest of the patrons). I had the cioppino appetizer and the crab stuffed mushroom appetizer, both were okay but nothing worth making me return for. Everyone else at the table had pasta and seemed to enjoy it, but nothing looked spectacular to me, just average italian restaurant food. They had a singing waiter who was very nice, who, after singing his italian songs amused my family by succumbing to their request for Hava Nagila (he thought it was in honor of Passover I suppose, but it was really my family being smart alecs).
(3)Timothy S.
Bread was very good, tapas was very good, service was ok, main courses 2 out of the three ordered came out ice cold. Sent back for what was promised fresh plates but was obviously just reheated, wife's was hot and good the second time, mine was still lukewarm and dry. Restaurant was about half filled. But no manager was in sight. Usually the food at other Macaroni Grilles is very good, but not tonight.
(2)Brian R.
It's been a while since my last foray into the Grill. The host who was taking a personal call and kept us waiting with no one on the place for lunch lost a star. I ask for crushed red pepper for the olive oil. She never came back. Star two. Their food still is high cal enough to make Burger King and it's famed Whopper look like Weight Watchers one pointers. They have four items under 600 calories. Wooo hoo. Portion control and some rethinking of their love affair with high fats like cream everything would be nice. In all, not much has changed. Catch me in another seven years.
(3)Tirath C.
We there for a lunch to honor a dear colleague who will be leaving our company. From the first view, it's a nice big place with a good amount of seating available. That's always a good sign because we don't have wait too long. I found it little dark and totally cut off from outside like restaurants like Cheesecake factory is. The ambience is great if you like to totally forget about going back to work. Just have a good time while you are there and get lazy when when you have to go back to work. Like the name suggests, there is plenty of Pasta and Macaroni on their menu. But I decided to have their Onion and Mushroom Flatbread with Goat Cheese. We were a table of 10 people and for what I thought would be a long wait to get the food, actually turned out to be quick service. The waiting staff was super friendly and helpful. Full marks to them. All the food that arrived at the table was good looking. The Flatbread that I ordered, was decent. The crust was little too thin for me. The taste was good but a flavor was lacking. I still ended up eating the entire Flat bread by myself. Yes I was really hungry. I forgot to mention that their complementary bread and olive oil were good. The bread was too thick though. Lot of my colleagues had a hard time getting a piece out of it without completely disfiguring it. On the whole, a good dining experience. The food was average. The service and staff were great. The ambience was enjoyable. May not go there out of choice but if some occasion one up that leads to this restaurant.
(3)Jennifer S.
I come here a lot for lunch because I work so close and they have great lunch deals. Service is getting better but a little slow at times. Food has always been good and they give you large portions.
(3)Jamie C.
A solid 2 star restaurant. The extra star was for the decor and the free bread which was the best part about the place. The service was ridiculously slow and the waiter was no where to be found most of the time. If the food was good, I would have overlooked the poor service but the carbonara was one of the worst I've had. The pasta trio looked real good on the picture as did the carbonara but I've made better pasta at home. The bruschetta was decent, tiramisu was ok and the Bibb and blue side salad was pretty good.
(2)Kristen O.
My husband and I had a night off from bring parents and decided to treat ourselves to a nice dinner. We haven't been to your restaurant in quite some time, so thought we would give it a shot. We arrived at around 8:15 PM and were seated promptly. Our server was very nice and attentive throughout the evening. Our food came out quickly and was really quite delicious. Only two major complaints about our experience that would have made it a perfect one: 1.) we were seated just on the other side of the wall where servers had to constantly go back-and-forth to the computer. Glad they were enjoying their job so much, but it was very disruptive and ongoing throughout our entire meal making it anything but peaceful. 2.) by closer to 9:00 PM, there were four servers less than one table away from us then eventually at the tables right beside us cleaning and sweeping. We really feel like they should have waited for us to leave considering we were almost done with our meals. It made me not want to finish mine which was very disappointing because it was really yummy. Each one of these is what took away a star.
(3)Debbie E.
Three stars is a stretch but I so like MacGrill. This time it was a miss staring with the waitress and ending with a mediocre dessert that was suppose to be warm but came out cold. Will give it another shot.
(3)Jesse W.
Just had another amazing experience here food was excellent and Ashley did a fantastic job waiting on us!!
(5)thomas C.
I have tried macaroni grills in many locations over the years. This one is tired and can use some TLC as we saw areas that needed repairs. We dined at 5:00 before the dinner rush and observed the manager behind the counter in the kitchen. Service matched the food. Mediocre and bland. We tried 4 different entree's without much taste. I tried a new item for me. The Bibb and blue salad and it had the most awl full taste. I think some one used ceasar dressing as it tasted like my sons ceasar salad. I am a fan of the normal ingredients but I had to stop eating. Scalapinni de pollo which is my favorite had no flavor and was slapped on the plate. Bread and olive appetizer were good as usual. Server offered no pepper with salads and no cheese with entree. I would not visit the site again. I can't imagine what goes on when it is busy.
(1)Greshka P.
New year's day, party of 8. Restaurants near the mall where impossible to get in to, having a wait time of about an hour. I suggested this place and here we stayed. No lines, no waiting, we were seated right away. Josh was our sever. He was great. Friendly and quick. Made sure to stop by our table, from time to time, to make sure we were all doing alright and didn't need anything else and, as we were leaving he made sure to thanks for coming in a very sincere way. To start we had their sampler appetizer. The fried calamari was good, so was the fried mozzarella, but the bruschetta was a bit soggy. We also had the assorted olives, can't really mess that up. I ordered the Penne Rustica. Penne pasta with shrimp, chicken, sun dried tomatoes, prosciutto. Portion is enough for two, plus you'll feel full soon because of the sauce, it's too heavy for my taste. Overall food was good but I've had better Italian food.
(3)Tough C.
Was surprised to find a gluten free menu here. Didn't go for the GF pasta, though. Had a very nice salad caprese.
(3)Paul L.
Great sole dish and kids meals made some happy kids. Got the curbside service but they missed out badly. Forgot the kid drinks and the dessert ordered.
(3)Whitney F.
For a franchise restaurant, I was surprised it was not better. I don't come here often since the food has never made a good impression, but I came here recently with my family and probably will not go back. Food was okay- not delicious or great, just okay. Nothing great to want to go back. In addition to that, the food was not hot- maybe even just warm on the verge of being cold. We ordered the chicken marsala which was not bad, other pastas (one with a red tomato sauce), a sampler, and a flat bread. Couldn't enjoy the flat bread because it was cold and the sampler was allright. Environment is nice, but food needs to be better if they want to even compete with Olive Garden, Red Lobsters, Carabbas, or even CheeseCake Factory. Definitely not up to par with other Italian restaurants- no competition.
(2)Donna H.
My son and I had dinner here last week. The service was good but the food was terrible. My eggplant Parmesan was overlooked and rubbery...tasteless and either previously frozen or cooked the day before. Certainly pricey for the quality. I'll never go back.
(1)Andrea R.
When Macaroni Grill first opened I was a fan probably because give you crayons to draw on their tables. Eating and doodling- my 2 favorite things. These days Macaroni Grill, in my opinion, is just one step above Olive Garden. You can still write on the tables, but it's just not as fun when you're served mediocre food. I've been trying to eat healthier these days and Macaroni Grill probably isn't the ideal place for this, but their "simple salmon" dish served with vegetables seemed like a good option. Like it's description it tasted pretty simple- like something I (a novice in the kitchen) could whip up. My mom's chicken marsala was a bit tastier, as were the mashed potatoes that came with my stepdad's steak (although he wasn't a fan of the actual steak). Probably a good spot to bring the kiddos (they can doodle on the tables to keep themselves entertained), but grownups can find good Italian food elsewhere.
(3)Maya W.
I went there again last week and just wanted to point out that Emily E. was a wonderful waitress - very cheery and friendly. I love this place!
(5)Raul C.
It's a nice place, we went for a co-worker's birthday and i had the opportunity to try a little bit of everything... The service was normal but I think they took a little much time bringing the food. The bread wasn't ready so we had to wait every time we asked for it; I tried the sausage pizza (which was good) the salmon was tasteless (and I'm not a salty nor spicy food lover) and the Penne rustica (good taste but too much of a serving after the bread). I also tried the sangria which is ok and a nice thing to share in a lunch for 4 or +. Cool thing to do is drawing while you wait for food! It's a nice place to go every once in a while.
(3)Steve S.
Almost tasteless
(2)Mike V.
Food is pretty good, not the best Italian food in Boca but alright for a franchise. Macaroni Grill seems soo tired to me. My service was average for a busy night but slow on a calm afternoon, which is when i went. I really do think their food is good though. I had an excellent stuffed mushroom dish that my boss ordered. I ate it only because i didnt want to be rude even though i hate mushrooms...i actually ended up liking the appetizer.
(3)Jordan R.
Cheap italian. unfortunately, this restaurant is rated the worst chain to go to --- not healthy!
(3)