My family and I came here after deciding to go for some pasta. Upon arriving we were greeted by a nice smile from a cheerful and welcoming host. We asked for a booth and she quickly accommodated us. We sat down and were asked if we were ready to order. I found this strange being that we just sat down and had not had a chance to look at the menu yet. We asked for some appetizers and a chance to look over the entrees. The appetizers were delicious; goat cheese stuffed peppers and fried macaroni and cheese balls. We then proceeded to ask for the entrees. Everything statues to go down hill after we got our entrees. I will have to say that we never saw our waitress again after we got our meals. Our drinks were never refilled and our food was cold. Our waitress preferred to flirt with another waiter as oppose to attending to her tables. When the time came to have our food boxed, we waited for what felt like half an hour. Did I mention there were bugs flying everywhere? I would have to say this was a HUGE disappointment and I will NOT be returning. They need new managers, Cooks and training for the waiters. In the meantime, I'll get my past fix at the Olive Garden a few blocks down the road.
(1)
Ezgi C.
To be honest I hesitated to go there after reading the reviews but the restaurant is a nice Italian restaurant. The food is good as the other Italian restaurants such as olive garden and service is good as well. We went there for lunch with a group of people. The restaurant owner might have changed but I did not notice anything like in the other reviews.
(3)
Patricia M.
Honestly years ago when this place opened I hated it. Little by little it has improved immensely. Tonight I went just because I worked all week and wanted something good and local. The calamari was cold and the sauce for the mozarella was too spicy. BUT my chicken parm was amazing not overwhelmed with sauce but crisp and tender. The pasta was light but yet so delicious with the chicken. The lasagna was delicious. The pasta with meat sauce for the kids was an A+ and they are so tough to please. Salmon and chicken under the brick were really good. Everything was prefect ! Our waiter was absolutely amazing !!! I guess management has listened to the complaints. The food is much better.
(4)
Gus S.
This place is bomb they have amazing pasta from your regular chicken parm to an amazing lobster ravioli. Although they don't sever regular soda the only soda they have is flat soda. Bummer for us bubble lovers. We also ordered mash potatoes and we're told they didn't serve that either. Oh well its a pasta place so if your in the mood for some amazing pasta. Then this is the place for you.
(5)
Oscar O.
Good food slow service the meet and great girl in the front needs to smile at people when they walk in and the need fumigation in a hurry.
(3)
Jorge C.
There are few times when the service is as good as the food, do try the Lasagna and the tiramisu. It is worth coming back every single time.
(5)
Dewey C.
I have eaten in at least 25 of their restaurants and they seem to go down the hill like Jack. Boring and almost inedible food at this location, but the server was very friendly. We shared mozzrella with glue and prosciutto crudo both of which stuck to the hot plate and when you could scrape a piece off and get it into your mouth alas, NO flavor. Then came my "chicken under a brick" which was not like any dish I've had in Tuscanny of the same name. Not crispy, swimming in grease and again NO flavor. Rosana had dry fish with a bit of fishy flavor or was that gamey flavor. The one nice thing about these joints is that they are always fun to look at. The decor is pretty good and one can still draw on the tablecloth. I said, "I luv YELP", in a heart. Oh, I shouldn't forget to mention the Baileys Biscotti Toddy with no booze and costing six buckaroos. Wadda rip! And then there was the ultimate insult: NO WIFI; a chain this big should have WiFi or are they afraid Yelpers will write their nasy review at table.
(1)
Alan And Thelma I.
my girlfriend and I went here for lunch last week. I used to work for macaroni grill 15 years ago. so I would be hard to impress. my girlfriend has never eaten at a macaroni grill before. we sat down dalia was our waitress she was very nice and very hospitable. I asked her so many questions from what happened to the jugs of wine and why they don't play the italiano music like they used to play, it was more pop music. atmosphere was pleasant. I had chicken scaloppini and my girlfriend had the penne rustica. Everything taste Delicious. The service was prompt. The food came out in a timely manner enough to allow us to enjoy our meal. Dalia was very polite and accommodating. I recommend this place and server.
(4)
R B.
This place is not what it used to be... It is not horrible but, in every possible way, is very far from good.
(2)
Keith P.
Friendly wait staff. My chicken pomodoro was burnt on the sides when I received it. Only waited ten minutes for a table. A-Ok.
(3)
Ricky A.
Dined at the restaurant Sunday night, it wasn't full but we still had to wait to be seated. Service started off good but was non existent towards the end. The food was tasteless, we definitely expected more. I don't think I'll be dining here again unless I'm forced to.
(3)
Carlos R.
Best restaurant I've eaten in in a long time. Excellent service and ambiance. There is a very long wait time for each order, but not a big deal since it's worth it. Not very pricey if you just order water (or a sangria at most). Nice place for both special occasions or just for your lunch break. Not exactly a genuinely Italian cuisine, but nothing to cry about either.
(4)
Monica R.
Worst food ever, the soup was cold, the food was reheated we ordered appetizer and they brought appetizer and entree together the taste was horrible super disappointed I will never come back again to this restaurant chain .....
(1)
Karen K.
I loved macaroni grill when they first started sprouting up across SOFL, so it was with great excitement when a friend took me here for lunch. I had not been in years since they closed the one closed to me, and others. I ordered the chicken florentine salad and of course had the rosemary bread. The quality of food has really taken a turn for the worse. The chicken was clearly left over pieces from various chicken dishes, the lettuce was wilted, and the orzo pasta was in clumps. The bread has lost it taste as well. I should have known when I walked in the place was empty, where at one time you had to wait to get in. This place needs to close like the others. It prime real estate give it up for something the residence and workers in doral will enjoy.
(2)
Alexandre H.
Decided to try this Macaroni after a few years of avoidance, to see if the negative reviews produced some positive effects. To my surprise they did! Service improved, and so did the "logistics" of the food (that means that serving undercooked and/or half-frozen dishes has stopped). There's still room for improvement (our waiter was MIA frequently), but dishes were tasty and prices are very reasonable. Congrats on the changes!
(4)
Ana M.
Took forever to get a table... Took forever to get the food ordered the food was good tough the service terrible
(1)
Julio C.
I was happily surprised at the food and service given some nasty past reviews of this place. Macaroni Grill is a chain. And it should be reviewed as such. Let's not dwell on describing the premises as they are all the same, I mean exactly the same except for the men's bathroom at this location, where the ambiance music is replaced by some Italian girl teaching one Italian phrases for one to show off once back at the table. Men are not accustomed to pee while women are talking to them, I'll leave it at that. Now, let's talk about service. It was fast and prompt, although our waiter, and the majority of the waiters at this location, seemed to have just taken their FCAT, our grasshopper was still efficient. Yes, he could have brought the right glasses for prosecco or given us a description of the menu items. But well, given the fact that his last serving position was probably at a fast food chain, he did well. We had the zucchini "fritti" and mozzarella "fondutta" (e.i. fried zucchini and melted cheese). While the zucchini was a little greasy, the melted mozzarella was good (stingy on the prosciutto). The Chicken Parmesan Meatball was spicy, good spicy and the pasta was al dente, firm to the bite. In general, we had a good time, the restaurant is a good destination for a family gathering,
(3)
Robert F.
Walked in to be seated for 2 this past Friday night at 10pm and waited at the host station for about 5 minutes before we were even greeted. Then waited about 10 minutes to be seated with several tables available. Once seated waited about 15 minutes for someone to actually come and present themselves as our server. Really bad service. To top it off it has been a long time since I've been here and the food was terrible. We ordered a flatbread that was actually pizza and the dough was raw! Very disappointed. Won't be going back anytime soon.
(2)
Rachelle L.
Food is great but they need to clean those air vents. Don't look up. Months have passed and I was hoping they would take notice but so far no luck.
(4)
Melanie C.
First of all, the service was the best I have had in the Doral area ever for lunch. I went with my coworkers her to celebrate one of their birthday's. It was a big group of 15 people during lunch. This usually presents a problem during our lunch hour because we can never finish on time with such a large group. Due to past lessons learned, I called and made a reservation for 10. When we arrive it became a table for 15 and the staff moved quickly to accommodate us all. I also made sure to have everyone's order pre arranged and written on a sheet of paper which I just handed over to the waiter. Talk about organization, huh? Our waiter was amazing! Like I had said before, best I've had in a while. He moved quickly, never lost patience and was very attentive. He didn't even seem to skip a beat with his other tables either. We were in and out in exactly 55 minutes. Since we were a big group tip was already included in our individual bill, but I made sure that most of us included some extra tip because we were all thoroughly impressed. The food was typical of Macaroni Grill. I had the "Pick 2" for lunch with the Turkey sandwich and Carmela's chicken for only, roughly, $9.00. The sandwich was not very good at all. It just tasted old and it was cold. Carmela's chicken was pretty good and was rich with sauce and mushroom flavor. When you order the pick 2 or pick 3 the portions are much smaller, so keep that in mind.
(3)
Jasmin M.
I haven't been to a Macaroni Grill for a long time. I would dare to say over a year. My reasons for avoiding this place were mostly because the food was just boring with a lot of salt. Some dishes even tasted borderline like frozen food. I reluctantly went tonight for dinner as my mom really wanted to go. I was amazed at how great service was. This was honestly the type of service you would expect to get at a high end restaurant. I was very impressed. They made our dinner so pleasurable. My entire family loved the food. They have definitely improved and applaud them for all the positive changes.
(4)
Vanessa B.
This place is disgusting and should get shut down honestly I dine everywhere and rather just go to red lobster or chilies across the street I went to give a second chance and we will never again be going there we waited almost an hour for a piece of chicken with mushrooms on Top that gave me diarrhea excuse my language dessert was a joke a piece of dry cake chefs suck ass the waiter was ok but management needs work ! Yuck don't come here save your money and go to the other restaurants near by ! Not happy won't ever be coming here again ! 60 dollors down the drain !
(1)
Peter V.
Waiting for our food for more than 1 hour . Food came out cold , tasteless and only 3 small pieces of chicken. Horrible service .
(2)
Hector G.
Food is bland with no seaoning. we had to be moved because our table was lopsided. Cups still had lipstick on it. Staff was nice but i wont be coming back. Quality and experience was poor.
(1)
David G.
Hands down every time I come to Macaroni Grill it never fails! Great service!! Food comes out fast, the waiters are spectacular, very friendly and attentive. My favorite dish is Pasta Di Madre with one glass of red sangria and it gets your night started. I definitely recommend this restaurant over Cheesecake and Olive Gardens. :)
(5)
Tibi E.
the noise level in the kitchen is too high. we had to move to another table. We could not even hear the music because there were two employees yelling in the kitchen constantly at each other. tone it down!
(1)
Raul B.
So its been Two Weeks and the bar bug infestation continues. When you go take a look at the lights above the bar and wonder what's in your drinks. I bet they have something in those liquor bottles behind the bar. Manager has not acted as promised.
(2)
Alex V.
The food is simply amazing. I have tried the Doral location as well as the Kendall one and jt is just the same. Great service. Delicious food. Family friendly, kids can draw on table cloth since its paper (just as if you were in Italy) and the prices are wallet friendly I am italian and honestly the food here is the closest to Rome cuisine I have had in the US. This is must go place.
(5)
Cesar L.
I don't know what happened to this place in the past year, but the quality of food and service is so low now that I'm officially taking them off the my list of places to spend my hard earned money. Let's begin with the arrogance in which they greeted us at the restaurant, which is very surprising considering this is a young crew working here. We ordered the clam chowder and tomato soups along with stuffed mushrooms. The clam chowder was full of clams, but simply tasted like milk. The tomato soup was a bowl of tomato sauce they use for the pizza and no taste whatsoever. The stuffed mushrooms were not bad at all. We also ordered kids spaghetti with meat sauce for our 3 year old and lobster ravioli for us. The kids spaghetti sauce tasted like rubber and barely had any sauce, so that was a bust too. My lobster ravioli was super cold and the lobster so chewy that it was like chewing gum instead of eating a tasty lobster. The entire dinner was horrible. My pregnant wife didn't even order dinner because of the horrible food in front of us. When you work so hard and finally have time to gather the family for a dinner at the end of the week, you expect to enjoy a nice meal and conversation in a good restaurant like this one. Unfortunately that was not the case here and I'm very disappointed because I have been a customer at this location for a long time. I know they can do better. Last piece; ambience was adequate, the music kept at a nice comfortable level and the service by Jose was somehow good despite the horrible food. We are never going to return to this location.
(1)
Jose S.
Lunch with a friend between work. Perfect place to spoil yourself with mouth-watering pastas dishes. The menu has a good amount of selections but the best part is that you may alter any dish however you like. Change the sauce, add this, remove that. Made fresh and very good. Place is nicely decorated and the ambient is very very nice. Service was friendly, but not perfect. after the main dish it almost seems like they forget you. Between the main dish served and the check, took us about 20 minutes to eat and another 20 asking for the check.... We were over our 1 hour lunch break by that time so guess my mood... The tables is the fun part. Ask for crayons and draw your stress away. LOL ... seriously. I'll go back.
(3)
Cindy S.
Will never go back to this location all thanks to waiter Edison.Went out the to eat with the family, at the end our family provided the majority of the tip, greater than 18% while my husband and I did less than 15%, overall it evened out and was a generous tip. Waiter returned and demanded us to give him the 15%. Super upset and will never be back, very rude waiter. His name was Edison, two piercing on both his ears.
(1)
Ivette R.
I wish there was a zero option because I would give this location 0 stars in a heartbeat.First off me and my friend were on a lunch break so we decided to go to the Macaroni Grill by my work which was a terrible mistake.Second the place gets packed on lunch breaks on Wednesdays it sucks.Third waited almost 1 hour to get a freaking table.Fourth we were seated and got a Snooty Waitress.Fifth it was The last straw I complained to the staff on how raw my pizza was and my friends Spaghetti and Meatballs were I found 3 boogers in my pizza ewwwwww sad face:(I spoke to the manager and he didn't care and I also saw a dead roach in the kitchen barf.OK first off this location is so terrible that it should be on Kitchen Nightmares.Maybe one day Chef Gordon Ramsay will visit terrible restaurants in Miami and hopefully he'll go to this Macaroni Grill location and will finally wake up the staff.They need to clean up the place or exterminate it because it's completely dirty me and my friend left unsatisfied and so we just went to Hooters don't go to this location unless u like completely bland food
(1)
Megan G.
I've been to this place 3-5 times, and the last time I went was amazing. They took a while to find a waitress, but once one was with us, my friend and I had an awesome time! The food was delishhhhh, and the wine half off! :) can't wait to go again!
(5)
Chelle B.
If I could I would give this place no ratings I ordered a peach ice tea it tastes like peach dish soap I then ordered a dr pepper it tasted nasty so I just drank my water I ordered wheat pasta with Alfredo sauce garlic olive oil and shrimp the pasta was gummy and way under cooked omg never again! Eew chefs can't cook
(1)
Alex D.
What an amazing time tonight on the Doral location, something has change for the best! Food was hot and delicious , the new chicken Milanese much better than the one they had in the past. My wife and I also tried the new menu tasting which was perfect, good size and everything was great specially the chicken scaloppine . Nidia the manager stopped by and recognizes from the past , an overall great night!
(5)
Celestino C.
Great place and value but not all meals are winners. Have dined at this location since they opened a few years ago. Have had uniformly positive experiences regarding meals. Never an issue with service or atmosphere. The rosemary bread provided as gratuity is and always has been excellent and sets the mood for the remainder of the experience. Have tried a few appetizers, some of which are no longer offered, and find they are tasty but expensive and rather small food quantity for the price. I realize they are appetizers but one would expect either lesser price for the quantity or more quantity for the price. Example being the calamari rings are wonderfully presented but half the amount a local restaurant services for less cost. The main course meals tend to be excellent with a few exceptions. I ordered a dish which included italian bacon-pancetta and found the bacon far too salty for my palate. It was almost inedible. Also some of the newer trendy dishes tend to have smaller portions than one would presume from the listed price. On the other hand, have also ordered basic dishes such as Mama's Spaghetti and Meatballs(breaking my rule never to order meatballs in a restaurant) and the amount provided was enough for two people plus it did have a genuine mom made taste. The key with Macaroni Grill is to research the menu in advance and know what is offered in terms of portion size and ingredients. Also one should sign up for the various email offers as I have eaten here more often at reduced cost-free dessert, free entree, free appetizer than any other restaurant. I should mention something regarding their desserts. They frequently change them but they do round off the meal. A bit pricey if adding in a coffee but it is a nice experience and one does not begrudge the extra money knowing most of the main course will suffice for an additional take home meal and if one is nice, a complimentary rosemary bread provided by the server. Recommend as a solid meal where the food is freshly prepared unlike the other well known Italian food chain.
(4)
Ashley M.
As Carla L says, once you've been to one, you've been to them all. This is the second and last time I'll ever go to a Macaroni Grill. There is always a wait of at least 30 minutes, even on a weeknight. The food is less than mediocre, edible at best. This last time we actually had to wait over an hour from ordering to receive our food - and we weren't the only table. Our server was extremely stressed, forgot most of the things we asked of him and just generally turned the night into a big mess. I think I'll stay away from this chain.
(2)
Tania G.
a chain is a chain is a chain. the mac and cheese bites, although good, came cold. twice! the carmela's chicken entree was pretty good and the caramelized onions added a nice twist to the plate. service was good. women's bathroom was gross. ultimately, i sway more to the side of food when rating a restaurant. and since the food was not all that memorable, they get 3 stars.
(3)
Katherine M.
While my review will say one check in here I have been here multiple times before I wrote this review. I usually have a lovely night here with my parents, lovely food, lots of live from family and food that we all love. I am usually really satisfied with our experience and that is why we go back. Last night when I can however, probably the most upsetting time I have ever spent here. The wait was normally long, and I can deal with waiting, except for when pizza is brought out to sample for everyone waiting in the chairs for waiting and those waiting on the ramp because it is so packed get shafted even though we had basically all been waiting the exact same time. Then when we finally get seated, yes, we are brought that delicious bread that Is probably my favorite part of coming I to Macaroni grill but then our waiter (David E. ) sucked soooo much. He would barely pay attention to our table and when he did he was barely paying attention to what we were saying to him. I was NOT pleased. Thank God out food was as delicious as j remember or I would have walked out in the 25 minutes it took to get our check after having asked for it twice. Hopefully another location will be better but I am just amazed at how a place has gotten so bad in just a year.
(2)
Silvia A.
Have been here more times than I wish to remember... The biggest issue with this chain restaurant (regardless of which one you go to) is COLD food!!! WHY? Time and time again, regardless of day of week or meal time, 95% of the dishes served, are delivered cold. Is there no one checking the food before it leaves the kitchen? The service is always friendly, but the food is ghastly. Last night, my group's party of 8 ordered four soups - all cold. One lasagna dish smelled rancid, and a pasta dish seemed to have curdled Alfredo sauce. (disgusting!!). In the serving staffs' haste to bring out hot soups, they made a second attempt to heat them up (and fortunately, they were warmer), but then immediately followed the soup with entrees... giving us no time to eat the luke-warm soups (Talk about no coordination with the kitchen and serving staff). If Gordon Ramsay were to visit this chain, he would shut it down. We will never go back again... it's like taking your money and burning it.
(1)
Michelle L.
Ohh you've lost your magic Italian touch! I used to look forward to the nights where someone would suggest Macaroni Grill for our dinner outing. As my Cuban-English speaking mom calls you, macaronis and grill. One star for the fast service on a Sunday night. We were walked to our table immediately. No crayons at our table! We didn't ask because we didn't want to seem childish but, don't we all look forward to coming to this place to draw on tables? or is it just me? Either way, we proceeded to order our food. Brushetta, was not very impressive. just diced tomatos really. My pasta was undercooked and my bf's meal looked like it came from a healthy choice frozen food entree. Wasn't really impressed with the whole experience. Thumbs up to our attentive waiter, which poor thing, mixed up our tabs at the end of the night. Ohhh.... and an extra star for the Italian language learning course in the bathrooms. I hung out an extra 3 minutes to freshen up my Italian words and phrases!
(2)
Cristina G.
This is our neighborhood MG. We use to go here often. Then one day, they totally burned my chicken parm and tried to cover it with cheese. Our waiter was a really nice older guy, and he got me a brand new one. Ok, no biggie, it happens. The following time we went, they changed the menu. We now find ourselves asking for extra sauce and cheese on our food because they have gotten extremely cheap on it. Like Kristen down below, our waiter asked us if we wanted olives like this: "Would you like some olives with your bread?". I love Olived and said SURE, thinking it was included like Olive Gardens and their salad. Well its not, they just don't tell you its not included with the bread. The chicken parm is nothing like it used to be. Now its much smaller, flavorless, dry, not enough sauce or cheese. The service is ok depending on who you get. Our last waiter came once and we had to ask for another one. The bathrooms were atrocious and unacceptable. I don't like walking in and stepping on other peoples urine. I normally don't venture into any public bathroom, but with a 3 year old, you have to make exceptions. At least the bread is good and I get to color.
(2)
William P.
We had an amazing server. Bernie I think his name was I'm not sure. Man with long hair and great attitude. He made me and my girlfriend feel very relaxed and welcomed. The food was great and my woman and I had a great time. Thanks again guys and my compliments to the chef for making my garlic alfredo pasta taste amazing. I will be coming back some day soon!
(5)
Yulia K.
Horrible service!!! I used to be a regular but about a year ego it started to decay. i decided to give it another chance only to discover that it went even worst. Tasteless food!!! We had to beg for the bread and the only moment we got the waiter's attention was when i was signing the tip and he was literally behind me looking and waiting. Never more!
(1)
Sabrina L.
visited this restaurant yesterday with a friend. We came here for lunch and although it was pretty full; we were seated promptly. I decided to try the tomato soup and the warm spinach salad...both were great choices!!, that tomato soup was rich and so tasty. The food didn't take long, Oh! and for dessert my friend ordered the chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream...soooo yummy! I was really pleased with the overall quality of the food and service.
(4)
Erudito C.
Again I don't know what the problem is but all the Doral restaurants in 87th ave have a service problem. This place has been........ The most horrible dining experience ever ,bad service,cold food,terrible soup,attitude from the staff,must I go on? I will never return even if food is free.
(1)
Corey B.
Lunch was not impressive. Carmelas Chicken was bland and lacking chicken. The salad was dry and just iceberg lettuce. Go to Carinos down the street. I won't go back to a Mac Grill again.
(2)
Patty G.
Is there anything better than pasta and cheese? How about wine served on the Honor System? Sure it's a chain, sure it's been commercialized, but it's Italian! And it's good! The best thing about Macaroni Grill is that you can go to any of their restaurants anywhere in the country and you know exactly what you are getting yourself into. Prices are decent. Food is good. Oh yeah, that warm little piece of bread heaven that gets placed in front of you with some olive oil and fresh ground black peper right before the meal starts is amazing. Dessert is awesome. What more can you ask for?
(4)
Gustavo A. L.
As I sit and ponder what to write about this place, my sense is that I like this place. I am regularly satisfied, have brought several clients here and have some fond memories of closing deals here - There is always something appealing in the menu and the portions are quite satisfying. Service can be spotty at times but it is usually OK. Nothing really makes this place stand out either way, but my thoughts on it are quite positive. So there ....
(4)
Wendy S.
I used to love this place, and was so sad when it closed in Coral Springs. Being in Doral, I was excited to go and drink wine and draw. I was with someone that had never been there and I was describing why it was fun.(yes, we all love the crayons and wine experience!) It was about 6:45 pm on Sat and we werre seated immediatelyy- way in the back next to a table 4 children and family. Ok, but there were numerous other tables elsewhere that would have been better than the corner for a couple. I asked and was told brusquely that that we were seated based on servers. Hey ok, just asking. There were no crayons on the table, and when the server arrived, he told me they were all out...but he could probably find a white one. Since the paper was white ..... I said, well, we passed tables that had 3-4 crayons, and he just laughed. He came back about 15 mins later with our drinks (lukewarm white wine-house) and bread, and took our order. Yes the menu has changed. The spinach artichoke dish used to have shrimp in it- no more. The lobster ravioli used to have shrimp and fresh tomatoes with a light sauce over it, and now it had lobster sauce. Seemed like a better recipe. The seafood linguine picture looked fresh and good, so we ordered that and the lobster ravioli. Seafood linguine was pasta, thin broth, very unappetizing looking. Pasta bland, 2 clams, 3 shrimp, no flavor at all. Literally pasta, some broth poured over, and seafood thrown on top. $15.99. Blech. Even freshly gated chees didn't help. OK. I was more excited about the lobster ravioli. Less ravioli, not enough sauce on top, some small claw pieces of lobster meat on top. Dry- sauce thick and glopped on top. Added fresh cheese- didn't help. Why did they change it? It was light and good before. Service sporadic- never asked if we wanted more water (yes, I did and asked 3 times) and never offered another drink. Very loud, poor server had tables all over the huge restaurant- not in an area. As I watched the family next to me get their entress and when they asked where their calamari was, the server said, I can bring it over after you finish. The guy said no, it was the appetizer- forget it and the server got upset. As I sat there, I remebered why we quit going to the one in CS's and why it closed. Loud, poor service (management- not servers fault), food quality went straight downhill. Strong selling on olives ($2.00 more with your bread) , wine, salad/soups/desserts. All ok if you get it on time and the wine is chilled and the food is good. When we left, there were 25 people/families in line, all waiting. And waiting. People were complaining as we left that there were empty tables and no servers. Again, why we quit going. So I guess my memories will have to remain positive and I will just forget what there is now. They need to decide if they want to be good or not, and frankly, Outback has the same prices but better food (same category) and better service. $25 pp for dinner/1 drink- make it good enough to come back.
(2)
Marcial R.
I dont get the attraction to this place. I am a single diner and I am always sent to the bar! The service was not good at best. The guys pants were down past his waist and he jsut seemed not to care about anythihng. and to make matters worse they add the tip automatically . NOT! I scratched out the 18% and wrote in the 10 % I fealt it was worth. He may have felt that I was not a good tipper and he would be wrong I am a great tipper and he was not a good server!
(2)
Julio C.
Exelent service, Angel is the best.
(5)
Khaleesi T.
I decided to give this location one last chance and they blew it. I won't be returning to this location even if I get a lifetime free certificate. Our waiter for the night was "Manny" and I am apprehensive to rate his service; do I rate it below mediocre because it was? or do I throw in the towel and accept the fact Miami and Customer Service will simply never coexist? Manny took our order and disappeared. No checking of refills, no checking of accuracy of our order...hell, he didn't even check if I needed more crayons. Maybe the food could save the night, but no, their food has continuously lost its quality. I ordered the Chicken Cannelloni: where has the food gone to? have they switched everything to kids portions? Two almost nonexistent, bland flavored cannelloni layed on my tiny plate upon a bigger plate. It was an optical illusion, one that masks the smaller portions at the old price of $12. Ahh...I remember the good ol' days where I had to ask for a box to take some chicken cannelloni home. Manny then returned from Narnia when I signaled him to get the check. There was only one thing Manny did not forget to do; and it was to remind me that "gratuity was not included" So I left, hungry, frustrated, and $18 poorer. Save yourselves and don't bother.
(1)
Vince W.
Convenient for lunches during work week. Server was actually very attentive. Ordered the calamari, house fresh greens and grilled halibut. The calamari wasn't too bad. Crunchy not soggy at all. Not just rings but tentacles as well. Salad is decent and great with calamari. Halibut on the less salty side which fits me. A tad dry. Would have tried Salmon next time.
(3)
Carlos A.
This place is great. Good food and don't have to wait an hour.
(5)
Arleen C.
Being a fan of this place (like previously mentioned) I chose it today for my office birthday celebration lunch. We were seated immediately and our server was EDDY...he was GREAT, AWESOME, ATTENTIVE, SWEET, making sure everyone was happy and we had everything we needed. He brought us our nice and tasty bread with a side of olives...mmmm...then we had soups which were very tasty as well and they warmed us all over because it was very cold. Our food was brought and we were all happy and enjoying every little bite. Since it was my birthday, one of the girls wrote Happy Birthday on the paper that covers the table and I guess Eddy saw it and, at the end of our wonderful meal he brought me a CAKE!!! with candle and all and another lady to help him sing to me in italian...OH SO CUTE!!! it was a wonderful lunch, OUTSTANDING SERVICE BY EDDY, great food and a sweet surprise.
(4)
eglys h.
4 stars is mostly for the service our waiter Alvaro gave us. he was super amazing. we were the happy recipients of a gift card so off we went. did have a little bit of a wait even thou it was almost 9pm! i was surprised to see the place so full so late. upon getting to our table, we were greeted by a very nice and polite young man named Alvaro. he quickly took our drinks order and off to get them. upon his return, we were still reading over menu and had a couple of questions. (we have not been here in a very long time). we asked ref the special of 2 appetizers for $9.00 - we were not sure which to go for - and then Alvaro suggested his favorite one being the stuffed peppers. these were very small peppers (sorry forgot what kind) filled with a delicious mouth watering goat cheese mixture. it was a warm and gooey delight! the bit spice from the pepper gently smothered by the warm melted goat cheese was amazing!! the order came with 6 pcs - we should of ordered 2 of these! but we went for the other appetizer with the bruschetta - this was ok - 2 pcs per serving - bread had the tomato on it for a bit too long making it kinda of soggy... for our entree we pretty much had these picked out on our own. hubby went with a fish dish - Grilled King Salmon - served with a sun-dried tomato rice - hubby said it was good - did eat all the fish but did not finish the rice - cost $18 i had the lobster ravioli - it was as you can guess ravioli stuffed with lobster surrounded by a chardonnay cream sauce (of which i wish it would of had much more!) it was good - i did finish my dish (and even shared 1 with hubby) gotta say thou i did get bread and wiped all the sauce off the plate!!! cost $18 then once again we found ourselves torn on dessert. it was at first an obvious chose for us go with the known one - Cannoli - but then our waiter Alvaro came over to get our order and saw we were on the fence with our choice and he recommended the Lemon Citrus Cake, so feeling adventurous and having had a great delicious experience with his appetizer recommendation, we went with his choice!!! gotta say we are so happy we did so! this is a light delicious moist lemon cake (feels like you are having a "tres leche" but of lemon) drenched in an amazing creamy sauce. topped with a lite frosting which ties all of it together! it was nice size to share, but i could of had it all by myself!!! a must try - cost $4 (not bad at all) we were glad to have had the opportunity to eat here. glad we had a server like Alvaro (which we made the manager aware of). it was a nice evening out.
(4)
Danny S.
I had a good meal here. Nice servings. Service was good.
Haven't been to Macaroni Grill in years. Came here for a luncheon. Place still elegant, well staff and trained and awesome foods. I had the shrimp pizza! Fantastic! This time it won't take me years to come back to Macaroni Grill.
(4)
Carla L.
Really, once you have been to one, you have pretty much been to them all. The food is pretty good for a chain, I usually have the calamari for an appetizer and then the seafood linguine. Before anything they give you some pretty yummy bread so its easy to fill up, so be careful It is incredibly abundant so sharing a main dish isn't a bad idea. At this location service is always hit or miss.. usually miss though. Rushed and obviously stressed the wait staff and food servers never look real happy to serve you no matter how they try to pretend to do so. There is usually a wait. Be prepared.
(3)
Kristen C.
Wow. This place sucks. Went here for lunch yesterday and had the worst experience. Yes, it was packed. Fine. The waiter was a jerk. He was inattentive and hustled us into getting olives with bread, and then charged us for them. Of course, I refused to pay for them. The food took forever to get to the table. I had a soup and sandwich. The tomato soup was horrendous. It tasted like heated tomato sauce. My chicken arugula sandwich was freezing, and probably undercooked -- which most likely explains the stomachache and headache I endured for the rest of the day. My friend's entree was also cold. I will NEVER go back here again.
Good God almighty how the heck do u mess up bullshit generic american italiano? this place makes it possible. our server was very polite and on point. thats the highlight. the fruta di mare had like 4 pieces of seafood on it with lukewarm pasta, minimal sauce, zero flavor. however the tomato soup was tasty. the little tapas of (cold ) meatballs and procuitto were a ok but again, lukewarm and half assed to say the least. only came here bc pops was staying close by. can say with confidence, I wont be back here eva eva
(2)
Cary G.
Service is good and speedy, especially take out. Everything on the menu is pretty good..I recommend the Pasta Milano. I recently had a problem being overcharged for a dish, due to miscommunication with a waitress, but manager handled problem accordingly. I will definitely be back..and recommend it to others as well.
(4)
Karina A.
lot of business lunches done here... the service here sucks... i've gotten cold soups before... waited an hour of 1/2 a sandwich and cold soup when the place was empty, etc.. i try not to come here unless i'm being forced to buy a group of coworkers.
(1)
David M.
What a disaster of en evening!!!! My family and I went to dinner here on Friday, March 16, 2012, and I wish we would have gone somewhere else to eat. We have gone to the one on Kendall a few times, because we have place in our hearts for this restuarant _ we had our bridal party here years ago. Plus, their food is great, and the quality is consistent. But this just shows you how customer service in the restaurant industry is just as important - or more at times - as the food being served. The Macaroni Grill at this location was incredibly busy. We had to wait to be seated, but we were taken to our table in 20 minutes. Not bad. But after the kind of service we got from our server that night, I wish we would have waited in the front a little more. Maybe we would have had a different server. The server's name was "Miriam," and I am amazed she even works there. Her intro was very short and getting our was just a mess. Not sure if she was stressed out or in the "weeds," but it seemed like we were rushed to quickly place our order. Also, when we would tell her what we wanted to eat, we noticed that she was looking around and not paying any attention to what we were saying. I was getting scared that she would not get our order right. We were never offered the house wine, which I later noticed other servers doing that at their tables, and she never even brought us water. The bread that was placed in the corner of our table as suppose to the center of it. And there was never a word from her after she took our order. She didn't even come by our table to give us the check, someone else did. After taking our order, we did not see her for a while. Someone else brought our food, which was fine, but then another server came by, asked how we were doing and then offered us coffee and dessert when he collected our empty plates. We spotted Miriam buzzing around taking care of other tables, but not coming near us. I kept looking around the room and saw other customers enjoying their dinner, with their servers coming to their tables every so often. I mean, they looked just as busy as Miriam, but they just did a better job at it. If I'm ever in the area, I think I would go back to that Macaroni Grill, but I would definitely request another server if I saw that Miriam would be working our table.
(1)
Joel C.
Very fortunate that I didn't sign up on Yelp a few months ago, or this review would have been pulled for profanity in 5 minutes. This Macaroni grill is the perfect example of good things never last. 3-4 years ago this place was a favorite of me and my now wife. Back then this place would have been 5 stars and more. Great bar, plenty of parking, and huge portions of amazing food. Prices were a little high, but they gave you so much food and its so good who cares. Also, their bread is amazing and thank God that has stayed the same. The only complaint I had back then was the crazy wait for a table even on weekdays, but hey that means the place was good. About a year or so ago my mother, father, younger brother, and I went to celebrate my acceptance into medical school. Now remember the great things I said before? Now throw that out of the window along with dirty diapers. I do not know what happened, whether a change in management or something, but what the F*** happened to one of my favorite restaurants? First, the bar has gone to crap, the bartender was never around and very rude. Then the giant portions have shrunk to almost half in size and the prices went up. Now if the food was still good, then I would not have been as upset, but the food was awful, no flavor and tasted like it was out of a can. So why the 3 stars? well I went last week for a cousins birthday and the portions are still small, but they are at least bigger than last time and their new menu is very good and fairly priced. Though my wife is bummed that they took out the Tuscan Rib eye. The bar is now better than ever and their happy hour is great ($3 all drafts and house wine). The service was so-so, but we were a very big group. So I give this place 3 stars, because it has rebounded from the disaster it was a year ago, but not to what it used to be. So I would give it another shot, because the food is good and it is a nice experience. Enjoy!!
(3)
Elizabeth D.
Chain-tastic! I came here with my family last night and they insisted I Yelp about it. If Macaroni Grill rethinks their prices and focuses on customer service they'd do all right. The food was beyond mediocre and the service is always terrible. There is no such thing as service with a smile here. Even when they sing "happy birthday" they sound depressed. Come on, the economy sucks right now. I think Italian restaurant especially need to worry. It's too easy for your customers to buy a 99 cent box of pasta and cook at home. Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Although I really do enjoy drawing on the table with those crayons.... extra star for that! ;-)
(2)
Suzy V.
Our waiter started out bad... Took forever to bring our drinks ( lemonade and tea). I usually try to avoid chain restaurants but being in the doral area at 9 pm on a Thursday didn't leave me much options. Anyway he tried to hustle us into some slimy black olives with our bread. Btw since when does macaroni ask you if you want bread?? I guess it's the bad economy ... So he takes 1000 years to get back with the bread and there's no silverware so the busboy gets us some.... Finally our mcdonalds style 'calamari' arrive...and we order a penne rustics to follow... The only reason I cone here is for the bread and the penne pasta... And the penne was nasty tasted like a huge basil leaf... But hey check was 28$ and I've had worse lol
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes 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.
Yani G.
My family and I came here after deciding to go for some pasta. Upon arriving we were greeted by a nice smile from a cheerful and welcoming host. We asked for a booth and she quickly accommodated us. We sat down and were asked if we were ready to order. I found this strange being that we just sat down and had not had a chance to look at the menu yet. We asked for some appetizers and a chance to look over the entrees. The appetizers were delicious; goat cheese stuffed peppers and fried macaroni and cheese balls. We then proceeded to ask for the entrees. Everything statues to go down hill after we got our entrees. I will have to say that we never saw our waitress again after we got our meals. Our drinks were never refilled and our food was cold. Our waitress preferred to flirt with another waiter as oppose to attending to her tables. When the time came to have our food boxed, we waited for what felt like half an hour. Did I mention there were bugs flying everywhere? I would have to say this was a HUGE disappointment and I will NOT be returning. They need new managers, Cooks and training for the waiters. In the meantime, I'll get my past fix at the Olive Garden a few blocks down the road.
(1)Ezgi C.
To be honest I hesitated to go there after reading the reviews but the restaurant is a nice Italian restaurant. The food is good as the other Italian restaurants such as olive garden and service is good as well. We went there for lunch with a group of people. The restaurant owner might have changed but I did not notice anything like in the other reviews.
(3)Patricia M.
Honestly years ago when this place opened I hated it. Little by little it has improved immensely. Tonight I went just because I worked all week and wanted something good and local. The calamari was cold and the sauce for the mozarella was too spicy. BUT my chicken parm was amazing not overwhelmed with sauce but crisp and tender. The pasta was light but yet so delicious with the chicken. The lasagna was delicious. The pasta with meat sauce for the kids was an A+ and they are so tough to please. Salmon and chicken under the brick were really good. Everything was prefect ! Our waiter was absolutely amazing !!! I guess management has listened to the complaints. The food is much better.
(4)Gus S.
This place is bomb they have amazing pasta from your regular chicken parm to an amazing lobster ravioli. Although they don't sever regular soda the only soda they have is flat soda. Bummer for us bubble lovers. We also ordered mash potatoes and we're told they didn't serve that either. Oh well its a pasta place so if your in the mood for some amazing pasta. Then this is the place for you.
(5)Oscar O.
Good food slow service the meet and great girl in the front needs to smile at people when they walk in and the need fumigation in a hurry.
(3)Jorge C.
There are few times when the service is as good as the food, do try the Lasagna and the tiramisu. It is worth coming back every single time.
(5)Dewey C.
I have eaten in at least 25 of their restaurants and they seem to go down the hill like Jack. Boring and almost inedible food at this location, but the server was very friendly. We shared mozzrella with glue and prosciutto crudo both of which stuck to the hot plate and when you could scrape a piece off and get it into your mouth alas, NO flavor. Then came my "chicken under a brick" which was not like any dish I've had in Tuscanny of the same name. Not crispy, swimming in grease and again NO flavor. Rosana had dry fish with a bit of fishy flavor or was that gamey flavor. The one nice thing about these joints is that they are always fun to look at. The decor is pretty good and one can still draw on the tablecloth. I said, "I luv YELP", in a heart. Oh, I shouldn't forget to mention the Baileys Biscotti Toddy with no booze and costing six buckaroos. Wadda rip! And then there was the ultimate insult: NO WIFI; a chain this big should have WiFi or are they afraid Yelpers will write their nasy review at table.
(1)Alan And Thelma I.
my girlfriend and I went here for lunch last week. I used to work for macaroni grill 15 years ago. so I would be hard to impress. my girlfriend has never eaten at a macaroni grill before. we sat down dalia was our waitress she was very nice and very hospitable. I asked her so many questions from what happened to the jugs of wine and why they don't play the italiano music like they used to play, it was more pop music. atmosphere was pleasant. I had chicken scaloppini and my girlfriend had the penne rustica. Everything taste Delicious. The service was prompt. The food came out in a timely manner enough to allow us to enjoy our meal. Dalia was very polite and accommodating. I recommend this place and server.
(4)R B.
This place is not what it used to be... It is not horrible but, in every possible way, is very far from good.
(2)Keith P.
Friendly wait staff. My chicken pomodoro was burnt on the sides when I received it. Only waited ten minutes for a table. A-Ok.
(3)Ricky A.
Dined at the restaurant Sunday night, it wasn't full but we still had to wait to be seated. Service started off good but was non existent towards the end. The food was tasteless, we definitely expected more. I don't think I'll be dining here again unless I'm forced to.
(3)Carlos R.
Best restaurant I've eaten in in a long time. Excellent service and ambiance. There is a very long wait time for each order, but not a big deal since it's worth it. Not very pricey if you just order water (or a sangria at most). Nice place for both special occasions or just for your lunch break. Not exactly a genuinely Italian cuisine, but nothing to cry about either.
(4)Monica R.
Worst food ever, the soup was cold, the food was reheated we ordered appetizer and they brought appetizer and entree together the taste was horrible super disappointed I will never come back again to this restaurant chain .....
(1)Karen K.
I loved macaroni grill when they first started sprouting up across SOFL, so it was with great excitement when a friend took me here for lunch. I had not been in years since they closed the one closed to me, and others. I ordered the chicken florentine salad and of course had the rosemary bread. The quality of food has really taken a turn for the worse. The chicken was clearly left over pieces from various chicken dishes, the lettuce was wilted, and the orzo pasta was in clumps. The bread has lost it taste as well. I should have known when I walked in the place was empty, where at one time you had to wait to get in. This place needs to close like the others. It prime real estate give it up for something the residence and workers in doral will enjoy.
(2)Alexandre H.
Decided to try this Macaroni after a few years of avoidance, to see if the negative reviews produced some positive effects. To my surprise they did! Service improved, and so did the "logistics" of the food (that means that serving undercooked and/or half-frozen dishes has stopped). There's still room for improvement (our waiter was MIA frequently), but dishes were tasty and prices are very reasonable. Congrats on the changes!
(4)Ana M.
Took forever to get a table... Took forever to get the food ordered the food was good tough the service terrible
(1)Julio C.
I was happily surprised at the food and service given some nasty past reviews of this place. Macaroni Grill is a chain. And it should be reviewed as such. Let's not dwell on describing the premises as they are all the same, I mean exactly the same except for the men's bathroom at this location, where the ambiance music is replaced by some Italian girl teaching one Italian phrases for one to show off once back at the table. Men are not accustomed to pee while women are talking to them, I'll leave it at that. Now, let's talk about service. It was fast and prompt, although our waiter, and the majority of the waiters at this location, seemed to have just taken their FCAT, our grasshopper was still efficient. Yes, he could have brought the right glasses for prosecco or given us a description of the menu items. But well, given the fact that his last serving position was probably at a fast food chain, he did well. We had the zucchini "fritti" and mozzarella "fondutta" (e.i. fried zucchini and melted cheese). While the zucchini was a little greasy, the melted mozzarella was good (stingy on the prosciutto). The Chicken Parmesan Meatball was spicy, good spicy and the pasta was al dente, firm to the bite. In general, we had a good time, the restaurant is a good destination for a family gathering,
(3)Robert F.
Walked in to be seated for 2 this past Friday night at 10pm and waited at the host station for about 5 minutes before we were even greeted. Then waited about 10 minutes to be seated with several tables available. Once seated waited about 15 minutes for someone to actually come and present themselves as our server. Really bad service. To top it off it has been a long time since I've been here and the food was terrible. We ordered a flatbread that was actually pizza and the dough was raw! Very disappointed. Won't be going back anytime soon.
(2)Rachelle L.
Food is great but they need to clean those air vents. Don't look up. Months have passed and I was hoping they would take notice but so far no luck.
(4)Melanie C.
First of all, the service was the best I have had in the Doral area ever for lunch. I went with my coworkers her to celebrate one of their birthday's. It was a big group of 15 people during lunch. This usually presents a problem during our lunch hour because we can never finish on time with such a large group. Due to past lessons learned, I called and made a reservation for 10. When we arrive it became a table for 15 and the staff moved quickly to accommodate us all. I also made sure to have everyone's order pre arranged and written on a sheet of paper which I just handed over to the waiter. Talk about organization, huh? Our waiter was amazing! Like I had said before, best I've had in a while. He moved quickly, never lost patience and was very attentive. He didn't even seem to skip a beat with his other tables either. We were in and out in exactly 55 minutes. Since we were a big group tip was already included in our individual bill, but I made sure that most of us included some extra tip because we were all thoroughly impressed. The food was typical of Macaroni Grill. I had the "Pick 2" for lunch with the Turkey sandwich and Carmela's chicken for only, roughly, $9.00. The sandwich was not very good at all. It just tasted old and it was cold. Carmela's chicken was pretty good and was rich with sauce and mushroom flavor. When you order the pick 2 or pick 3 the portions are much smaller, so keep that in mind.
(3)Jasmin M.
I haven't been to a Macaroni Grill for a long time. I would dare to say over a year. My reasons for avoiding this place were mostly because the food was just boring with a lot of salt. Some dishes even tasted borderline like frozen food. I reluctantly went tonight for dinner as my mom really wanted to go. I was amazed at how great service was. This was honestly the type of service you would expect to get at a high end restaurant. I was very impressed. They made our dinner so pleasurable. My entire family loved the food. They have definitely improved and applaud them for all the positive changes.
(4)Vanessa B.
This place is disgusting and should get shut down honestly I dine everywhere and rather just go to red lobster or chilies across the street I went to give a second chance and we will never again be going there we waited almost an hour for a piece of chicken with mushrooms on Top that gave me diarrhea excuse my language dessert was a joke a piece of dry cake chefs suck ass the waiter was ok but management needs work ! Yuck don't come here save your money and go to the other restaurants near by ! Not happy won't ever be coming here again ! 60 dollors down the drain !
(1)Peter V.
Waiting for our food for more than 1 hour . Food came out cold , tasteless and only 3 small pieces of chicken. Horrible service .
(2)Hector G.
Food is bland with no seaoning. we had to be moved because our table was lopsided. Cups still had lipstick on it. Staff was nice but i wont be coming back. Quality and experience was poor.
(1)David G.
Hands down every time I come to Macaroni Grill it never fails! Great service!! Food comes out fast, the waiters are spectacular, very friendly and attentive. My favorite dish is Pasta Di Madre with one glass of red sangria and it gets your night started. I definitely recommend this restaurant over Cheesecake and Olive Gardens. :)
(5)Tibi E.
the noise level in the kitchen is too high. we had to move to another table. We could not even hear the music because there were two employees yelling in the kitchen constantly at each other. tone it down!
(1)Raul B.
So its been Two Weeks and the bar bug infestation continues. When you go take a look at the lights above the bar and wonder what's in your drinks. I bet they have something in those liquor bottles behind the bar. Manager has not acted as promised.
(2)Alex V.
The food is simply amazing. I have tried the Doral location as well as the Kendall one and jt is just the same. Great service. Delicious food. Family friendly, kids can draw on table cloth since its paper (just as if you were in Italy) and the prices are wallet friendly I am italian and honestly the food here is the closest to Rome cuisine I have had in the US. This is must go place.
(5)Cesar L.
I don't know what happened to this place in the past year, but the quality of food and service is so low now that I'm officially taking them off the my list of places to spend my hard earned money. Let's begin with the arrogance in which they greeted us at the restaurant, which is very surprising considering this is a young crew working here. We ordered the clam chowder and tomato soups along with stuffed mushrooms. The clam chowder was full of clams, but simply tasted like milk. The tomato soup was a bowl of tomato sauce they use for the pizza and no taste whatsoever. The stuffed mushrooms were not bad at all. We also ordered kids spaghetti with meat sauce for our 3 year old and lobster ravioli for us. The kids spaghetti sauce tasted like rubber and barely had any sauce, so that was a bust too. My lobster ravioli was super cold and the lobster so chewy that it was like chewing gum instead of eating a tasty lobster. The entire dinner was horrible. My pregnant wife didn't even order dinner because of the horrible food in front of us. When you work so hard and finally have time to gather the family for a dinner at the end of the week, you expect to enjoy a nice meal and conversation in a good restaurant like this one. Unfortunately that was not the case here and I'm very disappointed because I have been a customer at this location for a long time. I know they can do better. Last piece; ambience was adequate, the music kept at a nice comfortable level and the service by Jose was somehow good despite the horrible food. We are never going to return to this location.
(1)Jose S.
Lunch with a friend between work. Perfect place to spoil yourself with mouth-watering pastas dishes. The menu has a good amount of selections but the best part is that you may alter any dish however you like. Change the sauce, add this, remove that. Made fresh and very good. Place is nicely decorated and the ambient is very very nice. Service was friendly, but not perfect. after the main dish it almost seems like they forget you. Between the main dish served and the check, took us about 20 minutes to eat and another 20 asking for the check.... We were over our 1 hour lunch break by that time so guess my mood... The tables is the fun part. Ask for crayons and draw your stress away. LOL ... seriously. I'll go back.
(3)Cindy S.
Will never go back to this location all thanks to waiter Edison.Went out the to eat with the family, at the end our family provided the majority of the tip, greater than 18% while my husband and I did less than 15%, overall it evened out and was a generous tip. Waiter returned and demanded us to give him the 15%. Super upset and will never be back, very rude waiter. His name was Edison, two piercing on both his ears.
(1)Ivette R.
I wish there was a zero option because I would give this location 0 stars in a heartbeat.First off me and my friend were on a lunch break so we decided to go to the Macaroni Grill by my work which was a terrible mistake.Second the place gets packed on lunch breaks on Wednesdays it sucks.Third waited almost 1 hour to get a freaking table.Fourth we were seated and got a Snooty Waitress.Fifth it was The last straw I complained to the staff on how raw my pizza was and my friends Spaghetti and Meatballs were I found 3 boogers in my pizza ewwwwww sad face:(I spoke to the manager and he didn't care and I also saw a dead roach in the kitchen barf.OK first off this location is so terrible that it should be on Kitchen Nightmares.Maybe one day Chef Gordon Ramsay will visit terrible restaurants in Miami and hopefully he'll go to this Macaroni Grill location and will finally wake up the staff.They need to clean up the place or exterminate it because it's completely dirty me and my friend left unsatisfied and so we just went to Hooters don't go to this location unless u like completely bland food
(1)Megan G.
I've been to this place 3-5 times, and the last time I went was amazing. They took a while to find a waitress, but once one was with us, my friend and I had an awesome time! The food was delishhhhh, and the wine half off! :) can't wait to go again!
(5)Chelle B.
If I could I would give this place no ratings I ordered a peach ice tea it tastes like peach dish soap I then ordered a dr pepper it tasted nasty so I just drank my water I ordered wheat pasta with Alfredo sauce garlic olive oil and shrimp the pasta was gummy and way under cooked omg never again! Eew chefs can't cook
(1)Alex D.
What an amazing time tonight on the Doral location, something has change for the best! Food was hot and delicious , the new chicken Milanese much better than the one they had in the past. My wife and I also tried the new menu tasting which was perfect, good size and everything was great specially the chicken scaloppine . Nidia the manager stopped by and recognizes from the past , an overall great night!
(5)Celestino C.
Great place and value but not all meals are winners. Have dined at this location since they opened a few years ago. Have had uniformly positive experiences regarding meals. Never an issue with service or atmosphere. The rosemary bread provided as gratuity is and always has been excellent and sets the mood for the remainder of the experience. Have tried a few appetizers, some of which are no longer offered, and find they are tasty but expensive and rather small food quantity for the price. I realize they are appetizers but one would expect either lesser price for the quantity or more quantity for the price. Example being the calamari rings are wonderfully presented but half the amount a local restaurant services for less cost. The main course meals tend to be excellent with a few exceptions. I ordered a dish which included italian bacon-pancetta and found the bacon far too salty for my palate. It was almost inedible. Also some of the newer trendy dishes tend to have smaller portions than one would presume from the listed price. On the other hand, have also ordered basic dishes such as Mama's Spaghetti and Meatballs(breaking my rule never to order meatballs in a restaurant) and the amount provided was enough for two people plus it did have a genuine mom made taste. The key with Macaroni Grill is to research the menu in advance and know what is offered in terms of portion size and ingredients. Also one should sign up for the various email offers as I have eaten here more often at reduced cost-free dessert, free entree, free appetizer than any other restaurant. I should mention something regarding their desserts. They frequently change them but they do round off the meal. A bit pricey if adding in a coffee but it is a nice experience and one does not begrudge the extra money knowing most of the main course will suffice for an additional take home meal and if one is nice, a complimentary rosemary bread provided by the server. Recommend as a solid meal where the food is freshly prepared unlike the other well known Italian food chain.
(4)Ashley M.
As Carla L says, once you've been to one, you've been to them all. This is the second and last time I'll ever go to a Macaroni Grill. There is always a wait of at least 30 minutes, even on a weeknight. The food is less than mediocre, edible at best. This last time we actually had to wait over an hour from ordering to receive our food - and we weren't the only table. Our server was extremely stressed, forgot most of the things we asked of him and just generally turned the night into a big mess. I think I'll stay away from this chain.
(2)Tania G.
a chain is a chain is a chain. the mac and cheese bites, although good, came cold. twice! the carmela's chicken entree was pretty good and the caramelized onions added a nice twist to the plate. service was good. women's bathroom was gross. ultimately, i sway more to the side of food when rating a restaurant. and since the food was not all that memorable, they get 3 stars.
(3)Katherine M.
While my review will say one check in here I have been here multiple times before I wrote this review. I usually have a lovely night here with my parents, lovely food, lots of live from family and food that we all love. I am usually really satisfied with our experience and that is why we go back. Last night when I can however, probably the most upsetting time I have ever spent here. The wait was normally long, and I can deal with waiting, except for when pizza is brought out to sample for everyone waiting in the chairs for waiting and those waiting on the ramp because it is so packed get shafted even though we had basically all been waiting the exact same time. Then when we finally get seated, yes, we are brought that delicious bread that Is probably my favorite part of coming I to Macaroni grill but then our waiter (David E. ) sucked soooo much. He would barely pay attention to our table and when he did he was barely paying attention to what we were saying to him. I was NOT pleased. Thank God out food was as delicious as j remember or I would have walked out in the 25 minutes it took to get our check after having asked for it twice. Hopefully another location will be better but I am just amazed at how a place has gotten so bad in just a year.
(2)Silvia A.
Have been here more times than I wish to remember... The biggest issue with this chain restaurant (regardless of which one you go to) is COLD food!!! WHY? Time and time again, regardless of day of week or meal time, 95% of the dishes served, are delivered cold. Is there no one checking the food before it leaves the kitchen? The service is always friendly, but the food is ghastly. Last night, my group's party of 8 ordered four soups - all cold. One lasagna dish smelled rancid, and a pasta dish seemed to have curdled Alfredo sauce. (disgusting!!). In the serving staffs' haste to bring out hot soups, they made a second attempt to heat them up (and fortunately, they were warmer), but then immediately followed the soup with entrees... giving us no time to eat the luke-warm soups (Talk about no coordination with the kitchen and serving staff). If Gordon Ramsay were to visit this chain, he would shut it down. We will never go back again... it's like taking your money and burning it.
(1)Michelle L.
Ohh you've lost your magic Italian touch! I used to look forward to the nights where someone would suggest Macaroni Grill for our dinner outing. As my Cuban-English speaking mom calls you, macaronis and grill. One star for the fast service on a Sunday night. We were walked to our table immediately. No crayons at our table! We didn't ask because we didn't want to seem childish but, don't we all look forward to coming to this place to draw on tables? or is it just me? Either way, we proceeded to order our food. Brushetta, was not very impressive. just diced tomatos really. My pasta was undercooked and my bf's meal looked like it came from a healthy choice frozen food entree. Wasn't really impressed with the whole experience. Thumbs up to our attentive waiter, which poor thing, mixed up our tabs at the end of the night. Ohhh.... and an extra star for the Italian language learning course in the bathrooms. I hung out an extra 3 minutes to freshen up my Italian words and phrases!
(2)Cristina G.
This is our neighborhood MG. We use to go here often. Then one day, they totally burned my chicken parm and tried to cover it with cheese. Our waiter was a really nice older guy, and he got me a brand new one. Ok, no biggie, it happens. The following time we went, they changed the menu. We now find ourselves asking for extra sauce and cheese on our food because they have gotten extremely cheap on it. Like Kristen down below, our waiter asked us if we wanted olives like this: "Would you like some olives with your bread?". I love Olived and said SURE, thinking it was included like Olive Gardens and their salad. Well its not, they just don't tell you its not included with the bread. The chicken parm is nothing like it used to be. Now its much smaller, flavorless, dry, not enough sauce or cheese. The service is ok depending on who you get. Our last waiter came once and we had to ask for another one. The bathrooms were atrocious and unacceptable. I don't like walking in and stepping on other peoples urine. I normally don't venture into any public bathroom, but with a 3 year old, you have to make exceptions. At least the bread is good and I get to color.
(2)William P.
We had an amazing server. Bernie I think his name was I'm not sure. Man with long hair and great attitude. He made me and my girlfriend feel very relaxed and welcomed. The food was great and my woman and I had a great time. Thanks again guys and my compliments to the chef for making my garlic alfredo pasta taste amazing. I will be coming back some day soon!
(5)Yulia K.
Horrible service!!! I used to be a regular but about a year ego it started to decay. i decided to give it another chance only to discover that it went even worst. Tasteless food!!! We had to beg for the bread and the only moment we got the waiter's attention was when i was signing the tip and he was literally behind me looking and waiting. Never more!
(1)Sabrina L.
visited this restaurant yesterday with a friend. We came here for lunch and although it was pretty full; we were seated promptly. I decided to try the tomato soup and the warm spinach salad...both were great choices!!, that tomato soup was rich and so tasty. The food didn't take long, Oh! and for dessert my friend ordered the chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream...soooo yummy! I was really pleased with the overall quality of the food and service.
(4)Erudito C.
Again I don't know what the problem is but all the Doral restaurants in 87th ave have a service problem. This place has been........ The most horrible dining experience ever ,bad service,cold food,terrible soup,attitude from the staff,must I go on? I will never return even if food is free.
(1)Corey B.
Lunch was not impressive. Carmelas Chicken was bland and lacking chicken. The salad was dry and just iceberg lettuce. Go to Carinos down the street. I won't go back to a Mac Grill again.
(2)Patty G.
Is there anything better than pasta and cheese? How about wine served on the Honor System? Sure it's a chain, sure it's been commercialized, but it's Italian! And it's good! The best thing about Macaroni Grill is that you can go to any of their restaurants anywhere in the country and you know exactly what you are getting yourself into. Prices are decent. Food is good. Oh yeah, that warm little piece of bread heaven that gets placed in front of you with some olive oil and fresh ground black peper right before the meal starts is amazing. Dessert is awesome. What more can you ask for?
(4)Gustavo A. L.
As I sit and ponder what to write about this place, my sense is that I like this place. I am regularly satisfied, have brought several clients here and have some fond memories of closing deals here - There is always something appealing in the menu and the portions are quite satisfying. Service can be spotty at times but it is usually OK. Nothing really makes this place stand out either way, but my thoughts on it are quite positive. So there ....
(4)Wendy S.
I used to love this place, and was so sad when it closed in Coral Springs. Being in Doral, I was excited to go and drink wine and draw. I was with someone that had never been there and I was describing why it was fun.(yes, we all love the crayons and wine experience!) It was about 6:45 pm on Sat and we werre seated immediatelyy- way in the back next to a table 4 children and family. Ok, but there were numerous other tables elsewhere that would have been better than the corner for a couple. I asked and was told brusquely that that we were seated based on servers. Hey ok, just asking. There were no crayons on the table, and when the server arrived, he told me they were all out...but he could probably find a white one. Since the paper was white ..... I said, well, we passed tables that had 3-4 crayons, and he just laughed. He came back about 15 mins later with our drinks (lukewarm white wine-house) and bread, and took our order. Yes the menu has changed. The spinach artichoke dish used to have shrimp in it- no more. The lobster ravioli used to have shrimp and fresh tomatoes with a light sauce over it, and now it had lobster sauce. Seemed like a better recipe. The seafood linguine picture looked fresh and good, so we ordered that and the lobster ravioli. Seafood linguine was pasta, thin broth, very unappetizing looking. Pasta bland, 2 clams, 3 shrimp, no flavor at all. Literally pasta, some broth poured over, and seafood thrown on top. $15.99. Blech. Even freshly gated chees didn't help. OK. I was more excited about the lobster ravioli. Less ravioli, not enough sauce on top, some small claw pieces of lobster meat on top. Dry- sauce thick and glopped on top. Added fresh cheese- didn't help. Why did they change it? It was light and good before. Service sporadic- never asked if we wanted more water (yes, I did and asked 3 times) and never offered another drink. Very loud, poor server had tables all over the huge restaurant- not in an area. As I watched the family next to me get their entress and when they asked where their calamari was, the server said, I can bring it over after you finish. The guy said no, it was the appetizer- forget it and the server got upset. As I sat there, I remebered why we quit going to the one in CS's and why it closed. Loud, poor service (management- not servers fault), food quality went straight downhill. Strong selling on olives ($2.00 more with your bread) , wine, salad/soups/desserts. All ok if you get it on time and the wine is chilled and the food is good. When we left, there were 25 people/families in line, all waiting. And waiting. People were complaining as we left that there were empty tables and no servers. Again, why we quit going. So I guess my memories will have to remain positive and I will just forget what there is now. They need to decide if they want to be good or not, and frankly, Outback has the same prices but better food (same category) and better service. $25 pp for dinner/1 drink- make it good enough to come back.
(2)Marcial R.
I dont get the attraction to this place. I am a single diner and I am always sent to the bar! The service was not good at best. The guys pants were down past his waist and he jsut seemed not to care about anythihng. and to make matters worse they add the tip automatically . NOT! I scratched out the 18% and wrote in the 10 % I fealt it was worth. He may have felt that I was not a good tipper and he would be wrong I am a great tipper and he was not a good server!
(2)Julio C.
Exelent service, Angel is the best.
(5)Khaleesi T.
I decided to give this location one last chance and they blew it. I won't be returning to this location even if I get a lifetime free certificate. Our waiter for the night was "Manny" and I am apprehensive to rate his service; do I rate it below mediocre because it was? or do I throw in the towel and accept the fact Miami and Customer Service will simply never coexist? Manny took our order and disappeared. No checking of refills, no checking of accuracy of our order...hell, he didn't even check if I needed more crayons. Maybe the food could save the night, but no, their food has continuously lost its quality. I ordered the Chicken Cannelloni: where has the food gone to? have they switched everything to kids portions? Two almost nonexistent, bland flavored cannelloni layed on my tiny plate upon a bigger plate. It was an optical illusion, one that masks the smaller portions at the old price of $12. Ahh...I remember the good ol' days where I had to ask for a box to take some chicken cannelloni home. Manny then returned from Narnia when I signaled him to get the check. There was only one thing Manny did not forget to do; and it was to remind me that "gratuity was not included" So I left, hungry, frustrated, and $18 poorer. Save yourselves and don't bother.
(1)Vince W.
Convenient for lunches during work week. Server was actually very attentive. Ordered the calamari, house fresh greens and grilled halibut. The calamari wasn't too bad. Crunchy not soggy at all. Not just rings but tentacles as well. Salad is decent and great with calamari. Halibut on the less salty side which fits me. A tad dry. Would have tried Salmon next time.
(3)Carlos A.
This place is great. Good food and don't have to wait an hour.
(5)Arleen C.
Being a fan of this place (like previously mentioned) I chose it today for my office birthday celebration lunch. We were seated immediately and our server was EDDY...he was GREAT, AWESOME, ATTENTIVE, SWEET, making sure everyone was happy and we had everything we needed. He brought us our nice and tasty bread with a side of olives...mmmm...then we had soups which were very tasty as well and they warmed us all over because it was very cold. Our food was brought and we were all happy and enjoying every little bite. Since it was my birthday, one of the girls wrote Happy Birthday on the paper that covers the table and I guess Eddy saw it and, at the end of our wonderful meal he brought me a CAKE!!! with candle and all and another lady to help him sing to me in italian...OH SO CUTE!!! it was a wonderful lunch, OUTSTANDING SERVICE BY EDDY, great food and a sweet surprise.
(4)eglys h.
4 stars is mostly for the service our waiter Alvaro gave us. he was super amazing. we were the happy recipients of a gift card so off we went. did have a little bit of a wait even thou it was almost 9pm! i was surprised to see the place so full so late. upon getting to our table, we were greeted by a very nice and polite young man named Alvaro. he quickly took our drinks order and off to get them. upon his return, we were still reading over menu and had a couple of questions. (we have not been here in a very long time). we asked ref the special of 2 appetizers for $9.00 - we were not sure which to go for - and then Alvaro suggested his favorite one being the stuffed peppers. these were very small peppers (sorry forgot what kind) filled with a delicious mouth watering goat cheese mixture. it was a warm and gooey delight! the bit spice from the pepper gently smothered by the warm melted goat cheese was amazing!! the order came with 6 pcs - we should of ordered 2 of these! but we went for the other appetizer with the bruschetta - this was ok - 2 pcs per serving - bread had the tomato on it for a bit too long making it kinda of soggy... for our entree we pretty much had these picked out on our own. hubby went with a fish dish - Grilled King Salmon - served with a sun-dried tomato rice - hubby said it was good - did eat all the fish but did not finish the rice - cost $18 i had the lobster ravioli - it was as you can guess ravioli stuffed with lobster surrounded by a chardonnay cream sauce (of which i wish it would of had much more!) it was good - i did finish my dish (and even shared 1 with hubby) gotta say thou i did get bread and wiped all the sauce off the plate!!! cost $18 then once again we found ourselves torn on dessert. it was at first an obvious chose for us go with the known one - Cannoli - but then our waiter Alvaro came over to get our order and saw we were on the fence with our choice and he recommended the Lemon Citrus Cake, so feeling adventurous and having had a great delicious experience with his appetizer recommendation, we went with his choice!!! gotta say we are so happy we did so! this is a light delicious moist lemon cake (feels like you are having a "tres leche" but of lemon) drenched in an amazing creamy sauce. topped with a lite frosting which ties all of it together! it was nice size to share, but i could of had it all by myself!!! a must try - cost $4 (not bad at all) we were glad to have had the opportunity to eat here. glad we had a server like Alvaro (which we made the manager aware of). it was a nice evening out.
(4)Danny S.
I had a good meal here. Nice servings. Service was good.
(3)Lenette H.
Conveying Love through Food... Last night my family and I went to our local Romano's Macaroni Grill. I have to be honest, I've been there before and I've never really had a 'memorable' meal. I also know there are many of you out there who feel that these franchises skimp on true cooking and betray the culinary blood of Italy itself. However, having said all of that, I am happy to state that last night's meal was incredible...but it didn't start off that way. One thing that this place does perfectly is create a warm atmosphere. With its rustic stone décor and olive oil can accents, you can't feel uptight. Once seated, you immediately feel at home and are bound to enjoy your evening. After a glass of their house Chianti and lovely Crusty Rosemary Bread, I knew I would have to study the menu. I am the type of person who detests ordering the same thing over and over again. Every time I go out, I make it a point to order something new and quite often it's the special of the day. Last night, I ordered the Pan-Roasted Pork Chop with Mushroom and Pea Risotto. In my mind, the dish was not only going to be beautiful, but equally tasty. Sadly, when the plate was placed before me, I was devastated. I know what you are thinking, but there is a method here. I never really enjoy taking food back to the kitchen, but honestly, I was looking forward to a nice risotto and what was on my plate was not it. I quietly asked our server to take the plate back and ask the chef to either remake the side dish or please replace it with something else. She apologized profusely for the food and I apologized profusely for returning the dish. This is where the story really begins. Seconds later, the floor manager came to the table and reassured me that the problem would be corrected. Minutes after that, the restaurant manager came over as well. My intention was never to make a fuss, but instead of being patronized, the staff was incredible and very much like family. It was important for me to communicate to the chef that I knew it was a busy night, I knew the kitchen was pressed for time, and I absolutely didn't want for them to cook my food in anger. After a small while, my plate arrived and it was pristine in all of its culinary perfection. The pork chop was an amazingly thick cut that was propped up by the bone. Resting patiently under the meat was the risotto. By far one of the best mushroom risottos I've had; the Macaroni Grill version was worth waiting for. The fresh ingredients, popping green peas, abundant mushrooms, and creamy texture was exactly what I was hoping to dine on and thanks to one chef's determination and culinary passion, my dinner was perfect. At any given time, a professional kitchen can be complete chaos. With hundreds of orders darting in from all directions, getting ahead of the tickets and producing a dish you can be proud to serve may not always be possible especially for large franchises like Macaroni Grill. However, last night exemplified that you can experience a great meal at a 'trendy' place. Some people may have taken the first dish and gobbled it down without a second thought. I am grateful that I was provided with a truly delectable meal and that the chef who prepared the mushroom risotto was given the opportunity to create a culinary masterpiece he or she was proud to serve. If you haven't been to Romano's Macaroni Grill and were inspired by my story, check it out. I recommend a weekday visit to avoid the weekend crowds. Here's a glimpse of the new menu: macaronigrill.com/menus Happy Eating!
(4)Vin L.
Haven't been to Macaroni Grill in years. Came here for a luncheon. Place still elegant, well staff and trained and awesome foods. I had the shrimp pizza! Fantastic! This time it won't take me years to come back to Macaroni Grill.
(4)Carla L.
Really, once you have been to one, you have pretty much been to them all. The food is pretty good for a chain, I usually have the calamari for an appetizer and then the seafood linguine. Before anything they give you some pretty yummy bread so its easy to fill up, so be careful It is incredibly abundant so sharing a main dish isn't a bad idea. At this location service is always hit or miss.. usually miss though. Rushed and obviously stressed the wait staff and food servers never look real happy to serve you no matter how they try to pretend to do so. There is usually a wait. Be prepared.
(3)Kristen C.
Wow. This place sucks. Went here for lunch yesterday and had the worst experience. Yes, it was packed. Fine. The waiter was a jerk. He was inattentive and hustled us into getting olives with bread, and then charged us for them. Of course, I refused to pay for them. The food took forever to get to the table. I had a soup and sandwich. The tomato soup was horrendous. It tasted like heated tomato sauce. My chicken arugula sandwich was freezing, and probably undercooked -- which most likely explains the stomachache and headache I endured for the rest of the day. My friend's entree was also cold. I will NEVER go back here again.
(1)Tough C.
Nice ambiance, mediocre chain food restaurant food.
(2)Monika K.
Good God almighty how the heck do u mess up bullshit generic american italiano? this place makes it possible. our server was very polite and on point. thats the highlight. the fruta di mare had like 4 pieces of seafood on it with lukewarm pasta, minimal sauce, zero flavor. however the tomato soup was tasty. the little tapas of (cold ) meatballs and procuitto were a ok but again, lukewarm and half assed to say the least. only came here bc pops was staying close by. can say with confidence, I wont be back here eva eva
(2)Cary G.
Service is good and speedy, especially take out. Everything on the menu is pretty good..I recommend the Pasta Milano. I recently had a problem being overcharged for a dish, due to miscommunication with a waitress, but manager handled problem accordingly. I will definitely be back..and recommend it to others as well.
(4)Karina A.
lot of business lunches done here... the service here sucks... i've gotten cold soups before... waited an hour of 1/2 a sandwich and cold soup when the place was empty, etc.. i try not to come here unless i'm being forced to buy a group of coworkers.
(1)David M.
What a disaster of en evening!!!! My family and I went to dinner here on Friday, March 16, 2012, and I wish we would have gone somewhere else to eat. We have gone to the one on Kendall a few times, because we have place in our hearts for this restuarant _ we had our bridal party here years ago. Plus, their food is great, and the quality is consistent. But this just shows you how customer service in the restaurant industry is just as important - or more at times - as the food being served. The Macaroni Grill at this location was incredibly busy. We had to wait to be seated, but we were taken to our table in 20 minutes. Not bad. But after the kind of service we got from our server that night, I wish we would have waited in the front a little more. Maybe we would have had a different server. The server's name was "Miriam," and I am amazed she even works there. Her intro was very short and getting our was just a mess. Not sure if she was stressed out or in the "weeds," but it seemed like we were rushed to quickly place our order. Also, when we would tell her what we wanted to eat, we noticed that she was looking around and not paying any attention to what we were saying. I was getting scared that she would not get our order right. We were never offered the house wine, which I later noticed other servers doing that at their tables, and she never even brought us water. The bread that was placed in the corner of our table as suppose to the center of it. And there was never a word from her after she took our order. She didn't even come by our table to give us the check, someone else did. After taking our order, we did not see her for a while. Someone else brought our food, which was fine, but then another server came by, asked how we were doing and then offered us coffee and dessert when he collected our empty plates. We spotted Miriam buzzing around taking care of other tables, but not coming near us. I kept looking around the room and saw other customers enjoying their dinner, with their servers coming to their tables every so often. I mean, they looked just as busy as Miriam, but they just did a better job at it. If I'm ever in the area, I think I would go back to that Macaroni Grill, but I would definitely request another server if I saw that Miriam would be working our table.
(1)Joel C.
Very fortunate that I didn't sign up on Yelp a few months ago, or this review would have been pulled for profanity in 5 minutes. This Macaroni grill is the perfect example of good things never last. 3-4 years ago this place was a favorite of me and my now wife. Back then this place would have been 5 stars and more. Great bar, plenty of parking, and huge portions of amazing food. Prices were a little high, but they gave you so much food and its so good who cares. Also, their bread is amazing and thank God that has stayed the same. The only complaint I had back then was the crazy wait for a table even on weekdays, but hey that means the place was good. About a year or so ago my mother, father, younger brother, and I went to celebrate my acceptance into medical school. Now remember the great things I said before? Now throw that out of the window along with dirty diapers. I do not know what happened, whether a change in management or something, but what the F*** happened to one of my favorite restaurants? First, the bar has gone to crap, the bartender was never around and very rude. Then the giant portions have shrunk to almost half in size and the prices went up. Now if the food was still good, then I would not have been as upset, but the food was awful, no flavor and tasted like it was out of a can. So why the 3 stars? well I went last week for a cousins birthday and the portions are still small, but they are at least bigger than last time and their new menu is very good and fairly priced. Though my wife is bummed that they took out the Tuscan Rib eye. The bar is now better than ever and their happy hour is great ($3 all drafts and house wine). The service was so-so, but we were a very big group. So I give this place 3 stars, because it has rebounded from the disaster it was a year ago, but not to what it used to be. So I would give it another shot, because the food is good and it is a nice experience. Enjoy!!
(3)Elizabeth D.
Chain-tastic! I came here with my family last night and they insisted I Yelp about it. If Macaroni Grill rethinks their prices and focuses on customer service they'd do all right. The food was beyond mediocre and the service is always terrible. There is no such thing as service with a smile here. Even when they sing "happy birthday" they sound depressed. Come on, the economy sucks right now. I think Italian restaurant especially need to worry. It's too easy for your customers to buy a 99 cent box of pasta and cook at home. Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Although I really do enjoy drawing on the table with those crayons.... extra star for that! ;-)
(2)Suzy V.
Our waiter started out bad... Took forever to bring our drinks ( lemonade and tea). I usually try to avoid chain restaurants but being in the doral area at 9 pm on a Thursday didn't leave me much options. Anyway he tried to hustle us into some slimy black olives with our bread. Btw since when does macaroni ask you if you want bread?? I guess it's the bad economy ... So he takes 1000 years to get back with the bread and there's no silverware so the busboy gets us some.... Finally our mcdonalds style 'calamari' arrive...and we order a penne rustics to follow... The only reason I cone here is for the bread and the penne pasta... And the penne was nasty tasted like a huge basil leaf... But hey check was 28$ and I've had worse lol
(3)