Slap-Yo-Mama good Italian food for rock-bottom prices. No, let me take that back. Snap-Yo-Mama's-Shin good Italian food for rock bottom prices. This place takes the Olive Garden and shoves it up Tony Soprano's blow hole. Mind you, no lubrication. The beat down is THAT serious. The food is consistently delicious, and the variety of menu items is also refreshing. My two personal favorites are the Pepperoni Chicken and the Spaghetti Feast. Both are portioned to where you will most likely need a take home box (Unless you have the appetite of a malnourished, swine-flu stricken hyena, and of course that's okay too) The appetisers are also very delicious. I personally like the spinach dip & stuffed mushrooms. If you are an Olive Garden regular, please give this place a shot. You will not be disappointed.
(4)
Masha K.
Uhhh, boyfriend's order was not complete. My pasta sauce was wrong. Just dissapointed - previous visits were good. I can understand misundertanding me and putting red sauce on my pasta instead of spicy alfREDo. But not making sure a salad had artichokes is another issue. Does anybody care to deliver A service?!
(1)
Charles M.
Asked for artichokes added to my salad, salad had no artichokes. The manager decided to have staff sweep floors while we ate. Highly suggest going 2 blocks away to Olive Garden.
(1)
Tim D.
I went to Zio's for the first time last night and let me say, I was not impressed. Perhaps I just got them on a bad night but there was one disappointment after another. First, the bar was closed because they "forgot" to renew their liquor license. Then, when our food came, the waiter thoughtfully offered freshly grated Parmesan cheese for our food. Good right? Right up until he began to grate it right into my lap. The food was decent and the atmosphere was nice, but the service left something to be desired.
(3)
Aaron G.
I can't believe no one has written a review on this restaurant. I feel it is a privilege to be the first. This is an excellent italian food restaurant. I personally like it better than Garozzos and Olive Garden. There is never a huge wait and the staff is friendly and fast. I remember one time, they got the order wrong and before we could say anything they caught it, corrected it and gave us free dessert. I was very impressed. This is one of those places that is good for both small and large groups. I would like to make one recommendation if you like spicy chicken and pasta with red sauce. They do not have a Spicy chicken fetuccini w/red sauce on the menu, but here is what I do: I ask for the Spicy Chicken Fetuccini Alfredo and I ask them to make it with a red sauce. They also do it with no problems and it is absolutely incredible. Goes down with a good cabernet. The Chicken Parmigian is very good too and if you don't like spicy then I would go with that. This place is also very inexpensive and families will definitely find this in the green for their budget. If you don't have time to eat there or would prefer eating in the comfort of your own home then they have curbside service where you can call ahead and you can pick it up there. It's also convenient because you can go straight to the theater for a flick. Enjoy the eats!!!
(5)
Nick L.
"Oh how the mighty have fallen" Zio's was a mainstay of my high school years. I was there probably weekly, if not more often, and I was always pleasantly surprised by the quality of food I was getting for under $10. My high school years were 1999 - 2001. In 2001 I left for college and did not return to Zio's until I went with my mother and my girlfriend for a meal a few months ago. I was absolutely shocked at how this place had fallen off in terms of quality. Granted, my taste is a lot more refined nearing 30 as it was at 17...but even back then I knew good food and bad food. The once nicely-laminated menus now appears to be printed on construction paper. While polite, our server was mostly interested in hanging out with his 20 closest friends (all of whom were scheduled on a random weeknight - payroll at this location must be sucking up all the excess money) - and when me, an Italian, says there's too many people around you know we have a problem. The food was incredibly sub-par, even for being cheap. My mother's chicken picatta was drowning in capers and oil, and Kathleen and I can't even remember what we ordered. It wasn't good. Even the dessert that i used to love so much, the Italian Wedding Cake, had been loaded down with cheap ingredients. The cake I remember being moist and delicate with vanilla flavoring was now an oily mess. It's obvious that tough economic times have taken a hard toll on Zio's. Unfortunately, instead of trying to work on cutting costs and growing business, they've decided the easier option is to slash the quality of their product across the board. Avoid avoid avoid.
(1)
Charles R.
Went for early dinner on a weekday, apparently that's not a good time. "Caesar Salad" was obviously left over from lunch. Slimy lettuce in an icy bowl that looked like it had been handled several times. We were seated near the bar so at first the bartender was waiting our table. He was nice enough about replacing the salad. As other servers arrived for their shift, they began delivering the food in between visiting with each other, so another person brought the entrees. She offered the freshly grated Parm and went to get it but never came back. The "California Pizza" was lukewarm and the "Spaghetti Feast" had that film over the top that food gets when it's been sitting under a heat lamp. Sort of maddening when there are so few other people in the place. I would have liked more olive oil on the little plate of herbs they bring with the bread, but the bottle at the table was empty. I had eaten at this Zio's another time and although it wasn't memorable it was better than this experience. If someone wants chain Italian I am going to recommend somewhere else next time. Minor problems are always more irritating when a group of employees is chatting around the hostess station instead of checking people at the tables.
(2)
Michelle S.
Waaaay to salty! Everything else was ok, but the food was pretty much inedible from saltiness (out of 5 of us, only 1 meal wasn't too salty to eat).
(1)
Nancy H.
The only good thing here is the Italian Nachos - the entrees suck. The salad dressing had to be the WORST ever. Watching the cooks work in the open kitchen was unappetizing as they were throwing food around nothing looked clean. WILL and NEVER RETURN.
(1)
EM M.
Summary: 3.5 IF you can get passed the host station, it's great. Host: 0 Horrible. For anyone who doesn't understand that 2 tables of four can seat eight (or even 9 when you have two small children, which we did), is clearly not trained well enough to deal in customer service. Watching our less than interested host (who's name I unfortunately missed) sat over a half dozen parties before us was all but infuriating, especially after driving 2 days to town to visit my sister & her family. I've seen dust rags with my personality & interest than this stunad. Finally after our 25 minute wait turned in 45, we were ushered to the back of the restaurant, passing no less than 15 empty tables [four-tops]... to the air-conditioned section; apparently a must-try for anyone traveling to Kansas in December. Waiter & staff: 5 Once seated, we waited for less than five minutes for our waiter Chris to greet us. He was not only very pleasant but was happy to find a table ready to order drinks AND dinner. He very attentive to fulfilling our drink orders and our food was out in 15 minutes. Food: 4.5 It was by no means authentic Italian, but it's pretty good food. The flavor & variety exceeded expectations; there were a range of options for adults & children and all were tasty. In fact, we passed around our dishes to one-another to try & even had enough to take home due to the generous portions. I took the opportunity to speak with the shift manager before we left to let him know our waiter & the food was fantastic but that his host was crippling his business. It almost seemed out of culture to approach him for some feedback, based on his body language & blushed stammering response but I felt it necessary. I wasn't rude or flippant, nor looking for nothing in return as we had already paid our check, I just felt like I owed to my family & his restaurant to clear the air.
(3)
Melissa R.
My husband and I used to frequent Zio's back when our 13 year old was very small. We loved that she could write on the tables and stay entertained. Fast forward 10 years and we found ourselves in that neck of the woods (now with 3 kids 13, 10, & 8). We remembered the place so fondly that we were blindsided by the disappointment! There was no wait, the waiter was great, drinks were refilled multiple times without asking, the bread/olive oil was great, the calamari was pretty good....then the entrees came. Yuck-O. And yes, that is the most educated, articulate word that I can come up with for the nastiness they served there. My family goes out to eat. A lot. We enjoy it, we enjoy trying new things. Unfortunately, sometimes it bites you in the ...you know. Summary: Alfredo sauce- from a jar and gross. Lasagne- ungodly awful flavor Meatballs- frozen from the grocery store We are a family that always finishes our meals. This time, there was almost as much food left as we received. And NO one was interested in taking it home. I'm sad, but we will NOT be going back there!
(1)
Amy B.
This used to be my FAVORITE restaurant when it opened oh 15 years ago. Went back recently to try my old favorite and what a huge disappointment. I had the lemon chicken and actually had to send it back. Chicken was gray.. (Not kidding)., swimming in a runny sauce. Yuck!! My waiter reluctantly took it back for a second go.. Which was slightly better, but still inedible. I'm so disappointed that I doubt I will ever be back. :(. Sigh.
(1)
Mike B.
3.5 very good reasonable priced Italian. My kids love this place as well.
(3)
Cindi W.
Gordon Ramsay where are you???? This place needs to be on Kitchen Nightmares. The food was not fresh and tasted bad. The salad and bread were o.k but the Chicken Alfredo was no better than a TV dinner. Alfredo sauce out of a jar, processed, previously frozen chicken. The chicken was scarce which really was a blessing because I had to spit out a mouthful of gristle on the second bite. The meatballs were no better. They reminded me of the ones you can buy in walmart's freezer section; all rubbery. The waiter was nice and gave us good service but the food was of such poor quality, I will never be going back.
(1)
Bryan V.
Always consistent and good. I really like the Southwest Chicken Pasta...it's not on the menu any longer but is the best!
(5)
Charles N.
Feel bad for the staff. Restaurant is going down hill fast. Good service crappy food. No more Zio's for us.
(1)
Karen H.
We went there mid afternoon, so the place wasn't busy. Didn't have to wait. I ordered the tilapia and my boyfriend ordered their a calzone. They were both ok. Not a lot of flavor, but didn't taste bad. If I had cooked these items I would have put some seasonings on them.
(2)
Jarrod V.
This Zio's is in need of some updates/personnel changes for it to be really good. My wife and I made plans to meet my cousin and her boyfriend at this Zio's on a Friday night. We shot for 6:30. Granted, this was is a prime spot on a prime day during prime time, so it was incredibly busy. Update suggestion #1: get those little light-up buzzer/signaling devices for people waiting to be seated. This Zio's does not have those devices, so what you get is a small waiting area full of people and crying children all struggling to listen for their names to be called. With the signal device, people could at least wait outside in nice weather or even in the entryway. Here, everyone was crammed into a small space that was very loud with crying/screaming children waiting patiently (and sometimes impatiently) for their name to be called. Update suggestion #2: train your hostesses to be louder in situations like this or just better training for them in general. There were several times another person, be it a chef or the manager, had to come up and call names because the hostesses, and there were 3 of them, could not get it together, call names, and get people seated quickly. FINALLY, we get seated. Our waiter was very nice and apologetic for our wait. My wife and I missed my cousin's birthday 2 months ago so we brought her the card we bought then. The waiter noticed this, wished her a happy belated birthday and, after the meal, brought her a free brownie and ice cream. Nice guy! I had the 5 cheese fettuccine alfredo. Very good and filling. My wife had the alfredo lasagna. She prefers it without the onions. The waiter was accommodating. My cousin and her boyfriend also seemed to enjoy their meals. After we finished, the restaurant was clearing out and slowing down, so we stayed around and chatted. We were not rushed out. It was a good end to a night with a frustrating beginning. Would have been 4 stars, but I knocked off the one for the poor hostessing and lack of signal devices. Still a solid place.
(3)
Laurel C.
We wanted to go to Texas Roadhouse but it had a wait of over 30 minutes and we wanted to make it to a movie so we walked over and found Zio's. It was a bad sign that they had so many open tables when their neighbor was packed. We waited just over 10 minutes before our waiter finally came over to take our drink order. He said he was really busy because 3 tables arrived at once. Really, 3 tables frazzled him!? It was probably because he was a talker but I am not. We learned that he is from Tulsa so we added that it is home of the QuikTrips. He added that it is also home of the Mazzios and we learned from him that Mazzios is actually the parent of Zio's. I do like trivia like that. I really like Mazzios so I thought Zio's food should be good. It wasn't. My Alfredo was so thick and stringy. It was so bland. I added lots of salt and pepper and it didn't help. I finished off more bread and butter instead. Jeremy said his chicken parmesan was very bland too. I doubt we will go back to a Zio's. I was not impressed at all.
(2)
D Q.
After walking out of a terrible restaurant across the parking lot (see my previous review) I came here. Great food, great service, clean establishment. Glad I made the change, I work hard for my money and throwing it away isn't first on my list.
(5)
Jack E.
We usually go to the one in Independence, MO. We went to the one in Olathe,KS because we were close by. The service was fast. The food is good. The amount of food is worth the price. The spaghetti with meatballs was $9.99 and the bowl was big and full. The server was very friendly. The atmosphere is very nice. I really enjoyed the rat pack era music. I would recommend this restaurant to everyone.
(5)
Rachel R.
I have been a fan of Zio's for years. In June, we had our rehearsal dinner here for our wedding. The staff was so courteous and polite and made the experience beyond wonderful. I love the artichoke chicken pasta and the spicy chicken alfredo. The chicken cannelloni is also mouthwatering. Basically, there is nothing bad on the menu. The atmosphere is diverse. You can come as you are and feel comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt, or you can have a romantic evening out. I would highly recommend Zio's!
(5)
Patty Anne J.
So the last time we went to Zios we called ahead for a reservation. When we arrived - with a two year old no less - they put our name at the bottom of the wait list because "there hadn't been a wait list when we called" I just don't follow that reasoning. The manager refused to make it right. So after calling ahead, we had to wait as though we hadn't called ahead. Honestly, I'd give them one star... But dang they have delicious food.
(4)
Thomas P.
The three cheese fettuccine was bland my son liked the kids mac and cheese, and wife had spaghetti marinara she liked it.
(3)
Laura R.
This Zio's has really gone downhill. We were there on a Tuesday evening and it was not busy. Our food was very, very late coming out of the kitchen, and the manager's reasoning was that his computer printer jammed. Funny...orders taken just prior to ours and just after ours came out in a timely manner. I guess the printer jammed exactly on Just Our Order. Lucky us! The worst part, though, had to be the awkward silence following his printer lament. He looked at us...we looked at him. Finally, and in a way that suggested it was up there with "root canal" on the pain scale, he said, "So, is there anything I can do for you?" Nope. We suggested a couple of desserts to go. I will say our waiter, JJ, was very good and had many tables. Perhaps he'll find a better place for his talents.
(2)
Raine C.
My kids love coloring on the table, The service is usually very prompt, food is always hot & delicious. Never have had any issues, been going there for many years. Chicken cannelloni is awesome, kids mac n cheese is homemade, not cheap boxed made my son loves it.
(5)
Joel C.
Visited Zio's recently with a group for my girlfriend's birthday. I ordered the Spaghetti feast, with a Boulevard wheat. Service wasn't great, though. Our waiter seemed disinterested, and never asked if we wanted soup or salad with our meals, we had to request them. We also never received the aforementioned salads - luckily there was no issue in getting a couple bucks off the bill for that. Since we were a group, gratuity was already included on the bill - that's my guess why our waiter just didn't care. I generally tip extra even with a gratuity, but not this time. Positives: -Spaghetti feast was great and very filling -Reservations were easy to secure for a group of 8 on a Friday night Negatives: -Our waiter was not very helpful and seemed disinterested the entire time. The hostess, and other employees that brought food out were very nice though. Maybe just a bad trip? The food was still good, we'll be back to try it again another time.
(3)
Andy H.
The best chicken parm I have ever had in my life. The food was so delicious. I had fried calamari to begin, chicken parm and a delicious cheesecake for dessert with a local beer on tap. Great dinner with excellent service.
(5)
Sarah H.
Pitts in the kalamata olives, and my chicken dish had no chicken. Waitress was really good.
(2)
Jennifer P.
I've never been unsatisfied with my experience. I always seem to order the Spicy Chicken Alfredo and it hits the spot. Went last night for a family celebration and all family members enjoyed their meal. Only comment that I can say that would be negative is the bathroom had a sewer type smell that wasn't pleasant.
(3)
Mike P.
Olive Garden + Romano's Macaroni Grill = Zio's Italian Kitchen ___+ The PROS +___ The starter bread comes with a plate of herbs that's similar to Herbes de Provence, only better! My appetizer of breaded calamari was tender with a good mix of tubes and legs. There are restaurants on the West coast that don't prepare calamari this well. The marina sauce could have used more heat. Parmigiano-Reggiano. The real DOP grated on your entree by a chef who delivers your food. If you know cheese, you know that most restaurants don't spend the money for this "real" parmesan. Huge portions. Not that I've ever been to a pasta place with small portions. Gluten-Free menu available. Nutritional information available at Zio's website ( zios.com ). ___- The CONS -___ It's a bit generic. Zio's knows they're located among a sea of chains in a suburb. I know Zio's is located among a sea of chains in a suburb. You're not fooling me into thinking I'm being transported to Italy. A local touch would be nice. The food is loaded with salt: c0540352.cdn.cloudfiles.… Polystyrene foam (styrofoam) take-out containers. These containers will take over 500 years to dissolve.
(4)
Sharon M.
I'm surprised at the negative reviews, as I love Zios! My girlfriend and I go out to eat regularly to catch up, and we do like to go different places, but a lot of the time, we wind up at Zios. Just ate there this last Friday night. Great service. Love the food! I'm not a huge marinara sauce fan, or really alfredo either, maybe that's why I love this place so much. There are other options! I have tried many of their dishes, this last Friday, Tilapia with lemon sauce, and fresh veggies on angel hair pasta was delish, and as mentioned in other reviews, their portions are generous, so lunch the next day is a 'give'. :-) The service is good and the atmosphere is comfy, and relaxed. I've never had bad service there. Good wine, good food, good atmosphere. Also worthy of mentioning, their prices are reasonable. I would recommend Zios, and would take guests there.
(5)
Veronica H.
I am really shocked at all the poor reviews. Maybe my fiance and I got really lucky? No clue, but our visit was awesome. For what it's worth, we went around 12:30 on a Saturday, and we were the beginning of the lunch rush judging by the influx after we were seating. Our waiter Allie was very friendly as well as attentive and not overbearing. The hostess was friendly as well. I thought the food was excellent. I was not sure I would like the Italian Nachos, but they were fantastic! I would definitely recommend them! For my entree I had the Five Cheese Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken.The chicken could have been a bit more flavorful, but the sauce and cheese was an excellent combo. Definitely worth the upcharge from the plain Alfredo. I also had a side Caesar Salad that was pretty average. The bathroom was clean and was really well decorated--I love that in a restaurant. Sometimes I feel so backwards. Garozzo's is so hyped up and my experience there was downright awful. Zio's has a bunch of poor reviews and I loved it. Oh well.
(5)
Chris A.
This particular location is so hit and miss. From the wait staff to the food. Frustrating indeed. Overall OK. Not a signature Italian restaurant. Olive Gardenish. House salad dressing is good, however, apparently no one looks at what its going on. I've found a few "not so fresh" pieces of lettuce in my salad.
(3)
sri n.
Meh...is the best way to describe Zio's with respect to food. However, the place was clean, service was friendly but slow. (e.g., no silverware on table but they got our bread on the table already). I got the caprese salad and grilled veggie lasagna. The salad was pretty good. I was really excited and waiting for my grilled veggie lasagna....but, i was really disappointed with the way it tasted. I think the tomato sauce was "off" or something. Veggies in the lasagna were mainly mushrooms and onions.....I saw one piece of squash. Interestingly, I dont care for either mushrooms or onions. So, I ended up eating whatever was left of the lasagna.....which meant a lot of ricotta... Tiramisu was decent. My friends had the tilapia (was apparently ok) and chicken-pepperoni with penne pasta (was apparently not good at all). At the end of the meal, they gave out all sorts of coupons and stuff to invite us to come back......dont know if my friends will go here again.... i wont be coming anytime soon! (it helps that I dont live in KS either!)
(2)
Makaio A.
I love their calzones. Everything else is ok I've had and prices are fair but not cheap.
(3)
Erin Lynn C.
We love Zio's! Fresh, delicious, reasonably priced, and great atmosphere! Better than Olive Garden in quality and quantity. You should really try their calamari!
(5)
Lisa S.
This is absolutely hands down my favorite Italian restaurant. The prices are reasonable and the food is totally wonderful. If you want an outstanding appetizer, try the Italian nachos. All I can say is Oh My Gosh. I've probably ordered every alfredo dish they have and they are wonderful, especially the chicken tortellini alfredo and the chicken alfredo lasagna. My daughter loves the spaghetti and meatballs. She is not even a meat fan, but loves the meatballs. Their homemade ranch dressing on the salad is great too. They have call ahead seating which is nice on a weekend. The staff is friendly, telling you hi and bye as you leave. IF they ever get an order incorrect, they go out of their way to correct it. I like Olive Garden, but if you want food that is just as good if not better for a more reasonable price, take the family to Zios.
(5)
Jenna S.
This place has been open for ages. I used to love it as a kid, coming and coloring on the table paper, and ordering some fun kids food like italian chicken fingers. Fast forward 18 years later, mmeehhhh...not so great. I ordered a few simple changes on a pasta dish...which the server seemed to comprehend while taking the order. When the food arrived, it was clear they made a mistake in the kitchen and attempted to "cover it up" and deliver the food anyway. How the kitchen staff, prep counter, and waiter all "passed the buck" on this blows my mind. The service was slow, slow enough that you might have thought they had gone back to fix an error so the food was done right. Wrong. My boyfriend ordered a supposed healthier option, which was grilled chicken, and came so covered in olive oil it was unedible. They finally did correct his meal, however, it was much after the rest of our table had finished. I guess with this place, you get what you pay for...if you want a real italian dinner, stick with some place nicer.
(2)
Dan M.
Here's a tip. When you go to Zio's, grab the crayons on the paper table covering and write your name. Then when your waitress arrives point to it and say, "Hi, we're the Scimeca family and we're here to be served by you."
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Specialities
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 : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
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.
Pizza
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Kev L.
Slap-Yo-Mama good Italian food for rock-bottom prices. No, let me take that back. Snap-Yo-Mama's-Shin good Italian food for rock bottom prices. This place takes the Olive Garden and shoves it up Tony Soprano's blow hole. Mind you, no lubrication. The beat down is THAT serious. The food is consistently delicious, and the variety of menu items is also refreshing. My two personal favorites are the Pepperoni Chicken and the Spaghetti Feast. Both are portioned to where you will most likely need a take home box (Unless you have the appetite of a malnourished, swine-flu stricken hyena, and of course that's okay too) The appetisers are also very delicious. I personally like the spinach dip & stuffed mushrooms. If you are an Olive Garden regular, please give this place a shot. You will not be disappointed.
(4)Masha K.
Uhhh, boyfriend's order was not complete. My pasta sauce was wrong. Just dissapointed - previous visits were good. I can understand misundertanding me and putting red sauce on my pasta instead of spicy alfREDo. But not making sure a salad had artichokes is another issue. Does anybody care to deliver A service?!
(1)Charles M.
Asked for artichokes added to my salad, salad had no artichokes. The manager decided to have staff sweep floors while we ate. Highly suggest going 2 blocks away to Olive Garden.
(1)Tim D.
I went to Zio's for the first time last night and let me say, I was not impressed. Perhaps I just got them on a bad night but there was one disappointment after another. First, the bar was closed because they "forgot" to renew their liquor license. Then, when our food came, the waiter thoughtfully offered freshly grated Parmesan cheese for our food. Good right? Right up until he began to grate it right into my lap. The food was decent and the atmosphere was nice, but the service left something to be desired.
(3)Aaron G.
I can't believe no one has written a review on this restaurant. I feel it is a privilege to be the first. This is an excellent italian food restaurant. I personally like it better than Garozzos and Olive Garden. There is never a huge wait and the staff is friendly and fast. I remember one time, they got the order wrong and before we could say anything they caught it, corrected it and gave us free dessert. I was very impressed. This is one of those places that is good for both small and large groups. I would like to make one recommendation if you like spicy chicken and pasta with red sauce. They do not have a Spicy chicken fetuccini w/red sauce on the menu, but here is what I do: I ask for the Spicy Chicken Fetuccini Alfredo and I ask them to make it with a red sauce. They also do it with no problems and it is absolutely incredible. Goes down with a good cabernet. The Chicken Parmigian is very good too and if you don't like spicy then I would go with that. This place is also very inexpensive and families will definitely find this in the green for their budget. If you don't have time to eat there or would prefer eating in the comfort of your own home then they have curbside service where you can call ahead and you can pick it up there. It's also convenient because you can go straight to the theater for a flick. Enjoy the eats!!!
(5)Nick L.
"Oh how the mighty have fallen" Zio's was a mainstay of my high school years. I was there probably weekly, if not more often, and I was always pleasantly surprised by the quality of food I was getting for under $10. My high school years were 1999 - 2001. In 2001 I left for college and did not return to Zio's until I went with my mother and my girlfriend for a meal a few months ago. I was absolutely shocked at how this place had fallen off in terms of quality. Granted, my taste is a lot more refined nearing 30 as it was at 17...but even back then I knew good food and bad food. The once nicely-laminated menus now appears to be printed on construction paper. While polite, our server was mostly interested in hanging out with his 20 closest friends (all of whom were scheduled on a random weeknight - payroll at this location must be sucking up all the excess money) - and when me, an Italian, says there's too many people around you know we have a problem. The food was incredibly sub-par, even for being cheap. My mother's chicken picatta was drowning in capers and oil, and Kathleen and I can't even remember what we ordered. It wasn't good. Even the dessert that i used to love so much, the Italian Wedding Cake, had been loaded down with cheap ingredients. The cake I remember being moist and delicate with vanilla flavoring was now an oily mess. It's obvious that tough economic times have taken a hard toll on Zio's. Unfortunately, instead of trying to work on cutting costs and growing business, they've decided the easier option is to slash the quality of their product across the board. Avoid avoid avoid.
(1)Charles R.
Went for early dinner on a weekday, apparently that's not a good time. "Caesar Salad" was obviously left over from lunch. Slimy lettuce in an icy bowl that looked like it had been handled several times. We were seated near the bar so at first the bartender was waiting our table. He was nice enough about replacing the salad. As other servers arrived for their shift, they began delivering the food in between visiting with each other, so another person brought the entrees. She offered the freshly grated Parm and went to get it but never came back. The "California Pizza" was lukewarm and the "Spaghetti Feast" had that film over the top that food gets when it's been sitting under a heat lamp. Sort of maddening when there are so few other people in the place. I would have liked more olive oil on the little plate of herbs they bring with the bread, but the bottle at the table was empty. I had eaten at this Zio's another time and although it wasn't memorable it was better than this experience. If someone wants chain Italian I am going to recommend somewhere else next time. Minor problems are always more irritating when a group of employees is chatting around the hostess station instead of checking people at the tables.
(2)Michelle S.
Waaaay to salty! Everything else was ok, but the food was pretty much inedible from saltiness (out of 5 of us, only 1 meal wasn't too salty to eat).
(1)Nancy H.
The only good thing here is the Italian Nachos - the entrees suck. The salad dressing had to be the WORST ever. Watching the cooks work in the open kitchen was unappetizing as they were throwing food around nothing looked clean. WILL and NEVER RETURN.
(1)EM M.
Summary: 3.5 IF you can get passed the host station, it's great. Host: 0 Horrible. For anyone who doesn't understand that 2 tables of four can seat eight (or even 9 when you have two small children, which we did), is clearly not trained well enough to deal in customer service. Watching our less than interested host (who's name I unfortunately missed) sat over a half dozen parties before us was all but infuriating, especially after driving 2 days to town to visit my sister & her family. I've seen dust rags with my personality & interest than this stunad. Finally after our 25 minute wait turned in 45, we were ushered to the back of the restaurant, passing no less than 15 empty tables [four-tops]... to the air-conditioned section; apparently a must-try for anyone traveling to Kansas in December. Waiter & staff: 5 Once seated, we waited for less than five minutes for our waiter Chris to greet us. He was not only very pleasant but was happy to find a table ready to order drinks AND dinner. He very attentive to fulfilling our drink orders and our food was out in 15 minutes. Food: 4.5 It was by no means authentic Italian, but it's pretty good food. The flavor & variety exceeded expectations; there were a range of options for adults & children and all were tasty. In fact, we passed around our dishes to one-another to try & even had enough to take home due to the generous portions. I took the opportunity to speak with the shift manager before we left to let him know our waiter & the food was fantastic but that his host was crippling his business. It almost seemed out of culture to approach him for some feedback, based on his body language & blushed stammering response but I felt it necessary. I wasn't rude or flippant, nor looking for nothing in return as we had already paid our check, I just felt like I owed to my family & his restaurant to clear the air.
(3)Melissa R.
My husband and I used to frequent Zio's back when our 13 year old was very small. We loved that she could write on the tables and stay entertained. Fast forward 10 years and we found ourselves in that neck of the woods (now with 3 kids 13, 10, & 8). We remembered the place so fondly that we were blindsided by the disappointment! There was no wait, the waiter was great, drinks were refilled multiple times without asking, the bread/olive oil was great, the calamari was pretty good....then the entrees came. Yuck-O. And yes, that is the most educated, articulate word that I can come up with for the nastiness they served there. My family goes out to eat. A lot. We enjoy it, we enjoy trying new things. Unfortunately, sometimes it bites you in the ...you know. Summary: Alfredo sauce- from a jar and gross. Lasagne- ungodly awful flavor Meatballs- frozen from the grocery store We are a family that always finishes our meals. This time, there was almost as much food left as we received. And NO one was interested in taking it home. I'm sad, but we will NOT be going back there!
(1)Amy B.
This used to be my FAVORITE restaurant when it opened oh 15 years ago. Went back recently to try my old favorite and what a huge disappointment. I had the lemon chicken and actually had to send it back. Chicken was gray.. (Not kidding)., swimming in a runny sauce. Yuck!! My waiter reluctantly took it back for a second go.. Which was slightly better, but still inedible. I'm so disappointed that I doubt I will ever be back. :(. Sigh.
(1)Mike B.
3.5 very good reasonable priced Italian. My kids love this place as well.
(3)Cindi W.
Gordon Ramsay where are you???? This place needs to be on Kitchen Nightmares. The food was not fresh and tasted bad. The salad and bread were o.k but the Chicken Alfredo was no better than a TV dinner. Alfredo sauce out of a jar, processed, previously frozen chicken. The chicken was scarce which really was a blessing because I had to spit out a mouthful of gristle on the second bite. The meatballs were no better. They reminded me of the ones you can buy in walmart's freezer section; all rubbery. The waiter was nice and gave us good service but the food was of such poor quality, I will never be going back.
(1)Bryan V.
Always consistent and good. I really like the Southwest Chicken Pasta...it's not on the menu any longer but is the best!
(5)Charles N.
Feel bad for the staff. Restaurant is going down hill fast. Good service crappy food. No more Zio's for us.
(1)Karen H.
We went there mid afternoon, so the place wasn't busy. Didn't have to wait. I ordered the tilapia and my boyfriend ordered their a calzone. They were both ok. Not a lot of flavor, but didn't taste bad. If I had cooked these items I would have put some seasonings on them.
(2)Jarrod V.
This Zio's is in need of some updates/personnel changes for it to be really good. My wife and I made plans to meet my cousin and her boyfriend at this Zio's on a Friday night. We shot for 6:30. Granted, this was is a prime spot on a prime day during prime time, so it was incredibly busy. Update suggestion #1: get those little light-up buzzer/signaling devices for people waiting to be seated. This Zio's does not have those devices, so what you get is a small waiting area full of people and crying children all struggling to listen for their names to be called. With the signal device, people could at least wait outside in nice weather or even in the entryway. Here, everyone was crammed into a small space that was very loud with crying/screaming children waiting patiently (and sometimes impatiently) for their name to be called. Update suggestion #2: train your hostesses to be louder in situations like this or just better training for them in general. There were several times another person, be it a chef or the manager, had to come up and call names because the hostesses, and there were 3 of them, could not get it together, call names, and get people seated quickly. FINALLY, we get seated. Our waiter was very nice and apologetic for our wait. My wife and I missed my cousin's birthday 2 months ago so we brought her the card we bought then. The waiter noticed this, wished her a happy belated birthday and, after the meal, brought her a free brownie and ice cream. Nice guy! I had the 5 cheese fettuccine alfredo. Very good and filling. My wife had the alfredo lasagna. She prefers it without the onions. The waiter was accommodating. My cousin and her boyfriend also seemed to enjoy their meals. After we finished, the restaurant was clearing out and slowing down, so we stayed around and chatted. We were not rushed out. It was a good end to a night with a frustrating beginning. Would have been 4 stars, but I knocked off the one for the poor hostessing and lack of signal devices. Still a solid place.
(3)Laurel C.
We wanted to go to Texas Roadhouse but it had a wait of over 30 minutes and we wanted to make it to a movie so we walked over and found Zio's. It was a bad sign that they had so many open tables when their neighbor was packed. We waited just over 10 minutes before our waiter finally came over to take our drink order. He said he was really busy because 3 tables arrived at once. Really, 3 tables frazzled him!? It was probably because he was a talker but I am not. We learned that he is from Tulsa so we added that it is home of the QuikTrips. He added that it is also home of the Mazzios and we learned from him that Mazzios is actually the parent of Zio's. I do like trivia like that. I really like Mazzios so I thought Zio's food should be good. It wasn't. My Alfredo was so thick and stringy. It was so bland. I added lots of salt and pepper and it didn't help. I finished off more bread and butter instead. Jeremy said his chicken parmesan was very bland too. I doubt we will go back to a Zio's. I was not impressed at all.
(2)D Q.
After walking out of a terrible restaurant across the parking lot (see my previous review) I came here. Great food, great service, clean establishment. Glad I made the change, I work hard for my money and throwing it away isn't first on my list.
(5)Jack E.
We usually go to the one in Independence, MO. We went to the one in Olathe,KS because we were close by. The service was fast. The food is good. The amount of food is worth the price. The spaghetti with meatballs was $9.99 and the bowl was big and full. The server was very friendly. The atmosphere is very nice. I really enjoyed the rat pack era music. I would recommend this restaurant to everyone.
(5)Rachel R.
I have been a fan of Zio's for years. In June, we had our rehearsal dinner here for our wedding. The staff was so courteous and polite and made the experience beyond wonderful. I love the artichoke chicken pasta and the spicy chicken alfredo. The chicken cannelloni is also mouthwatering. Basically, there is nothing bad on the menu. The atmosphere is diverse. You can come as you are and feel comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt, or you can have a romantic evening out. I would highly recommend Zio's!
(5)Patty Anne J.
So the last time we went to Zios we called ahead for a reservation. When we arrived - with a two year old no less - they put our name at the bottom of the wait list because "there hadn't been a wait list when we called" I just don't follow that reasoning. The manager refused to make it right. So after calling ahead, we had to wait as though we hadn't called ahead. Honestly, I'd give them one star... But dang they have delicious food.
(4)Thomas P.
The three cheese fettuccine was bland my son liked the kids mac and cheese, and wife had spaghetti marinara she liked it.
(3)Laura R.
This Zio's has really gone downhill. We were there on a Tuesday evening and it was not busy. Our food was very, very late coming out of the kitchen, and the manager's reasoning was that his computer printer jammed. Funny...orders taken just prior to ours and just after ours came out in a timely manner. I guess the printer jammed exactly on Just Our Order. Lucky us! The worst part, though, had to be the awkward silence following his printer lament. He looked at us...we looked at him. Finally, and in a way that suggested it was up there with "root canal" on the pain scale, he said, "So, is there anything I can do for you?" Nope. We suggested a couple of desserts to go. I will say our waiter, JJ, was very good and had many tables. Perhaps he'll find a better place for his talents.
(2)Raine C.
My kids love coloring on the table, The service is usually very prompt, food is always hot & delicious. Never have had any issues, been going there for many years. Chicken cannelloni is awesome, kids mac n cheese is homemade, not cheap boxed made my son loves it.
(5)Joel C.
Visited Zio's recently with a group for my girlfriend's birthday. I ordered the Spaghetti feast, with a Boulevard wheat. Service wasn't great, though. Our waiter seemed disinterested, and never asked if we wanted soup or salad with our meals, we had to request them. We also never received the aforementioned salads - luckily there was no issue in getting a couple bucks off the bill for that. Since we were a group, gratuity was already included on the bill - that's my guess why our waiter just didn't care. I generally tip extra even with a gratuity, but not this time. Positives: -Spaghetti feast was great and very filling -Reservations were easy to secure for a group of 8 on a Friday night Negatives: -Our waiter was not very helpful and seemed disinterested the entire time. The hostess, and other employees that brought food out were very nice though. Maybe just a bad trip? The food was still good, we'll be back to try it again another time.
(3)Andy H.
The best chicken parm I have ever had in my life. The food was so delicious. I had fried calamari to begin, chicken parm and a delicious cheesecake for dessert with a local beer on tap. Great dinner with excellent service.
(5)Sarah H.
Pitts in the kalamata olives, and my chicken dish had no chicken. Waitress was really good.
(2)Jennifer P.
I've never been unsatisfied with my experience. I always seem to order the Spicy Chicken Alfredo and it hits the spot. Went last night for a family celebration and all family members enjoyed their meal. Only comment that I can say that would be negative is the bathroom had a sewer type smell that wasn't pleasant.
(3)Mike P.
Olive Garden + Romano's Macaroni Grill = Zio's Italian Kitchen ___+ The PROS +___ The starter bread comes with a plate of herbs that's similar to Herbes de Provence, only better! My appetizer of breaded calamari was tender with a good mix of tubes and legs. There are restaurants on the West coast that don't prepare calamari this well. The marina sauce could have used more heat. Parmigiano-Reggiano. The real DOP grated on your entree by a chef who delivers your food. If you know cheese, you know that most restaurants don't spend the money for this "real" parmesan. Huge portions. Not that I've ever been to a pasta place with small portions. Gluten-Free menu available. Nutritional information available at Zio's website ( zios.com ). ___- The CONS -___ It's a bit generic. Zio's knows they're located among a sea of chains in a suburb. I know Zio's is located among a sea of chains in a suburb. You're not fooling me into thinking I'm being transported to Italy. A local touch would be nice. The food is loaded with salt: c0540352.cdn.cloudfiles.… Polystyrene foam (styrofoam) take-out containers. These containers will take over 500 years to dissolve.
(4)Sharon M.
I'm surprised at the negative reviews, as I love Zios! My girlfriend and I go out to eat regularly to catch up, and we do like to go different places, but a lot of the time, we wind up at Zios. Just ate there this last Friday night. Great service. Love the food! I'm not a huge marinara sauce fan, or really alfredo either, maybe that's why I love this place so much. There are other options! I have tried many of their dishes, this last Friday, Tilapia with lemon sauce, and fresh veggies on angel hair pasta was delish, and as mentioned in other reviews, their portions are generous, so lunch the next day is a 'give'. :-) The service is good and the atmosphere is comfy, and relaxed. I've never had bad service there. Good wine, good food, good atmosphere. Also worthy of mentioning, their prices are reasonable. I would recommend Zios, and would take guests there.
(5)Veronica H.
I am really shocked at all the poor reviews. Maybe my fiance and I got really lucky? No clue, but our visit was awesome. For what it's worth, we went around 12:30 on a Saturday, and we were the beginning of the lunch rush judging by the influx after we were seating. Our waiter Allie was very friendly as well as attentive and not overbearing. The hostess was friendly as well. I thought the food was excellent. I was not sure I would like the Italian Nachos, but they were fantastic! I would definitely recommend them! For my entree I had the Five Cheese Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken.The chicken could have been a bit more flavorful, but the sauce and cheese was an excellent combo. Definitely worth the upcharge from the plain Alfredo. I also had a side Caesar Salad that was pretty average. The bathroom was clean and was really well decorated--I love that in a restaurant. Sometimes I feel so backwards. Garozzo's is so hyped up and my experience there was downright awful. Zio's has a bunch of poor reviews and I loved it. Oh well.
(5)Chris A.
This particular location is so hit and miss. From the wait staff to the food. Frustrating indeed. Overall OK. Not a signature Italian restaurant. Olive Gardenish. House salad dressing is good, however, apparently no one looks at what its going on. I've found a few "not so fresh" pieces of lettuce in my salad.
(3)sri n.
Meh...is the best way to describe Zio's with respect to food. However, the place was clean, service was friendly but slow. (e.g., no silverware on table but they got our bread on the table already). I got the caprese salad and grilled veggie lasagna. The salad was pretty good. I was really excited and waiting for my grilled veggie lasagna....but, i was really disappointed with the way it tasted. I think the tomato sauce was "off" or something. Veggies in the lasagna were mainly mushrooms and onions.....I saw one piece of squash. Interestingly, I dont care for either mushrooms or onions. So, I ended up eating whatever was left of the lasagna.....which meant a lot of ricotta... Tiramisu was decent. My friends had the tilapia (was apparently ok) and chicken-pepperoni with penne pasta (was apparently not good at all). At the end of the meal, they gave out all sorts of coupons and stuff to invite us to come back......dont know if my friends will go here again.... i wont be coming anytime soon! (it helps that I dont live in KS either!)
(2)Makaio A.
I love their calzones. Everything else is ok I've had and prices are fair but not cheap.
(3)Erin Lynn C.
We love Zio's! Fresh, delicious, reasonably priced, and great atmosphere! Better than Olive Garden in quality and quantity. You should really try their calamari!
(5)Lisa S.
This is absolutely hands down my favorite Italian restaurant. The prices are reasonable and the food is totally wonderful. If you want an outstanding appetizer, try the Italian nachos. All I can say is Oh My Gosh. I've probably ordered every alfredo dish they have and they are wonderful, especially the chicken tortellini alfredo and the chicken alfredo lasagna. My daughter loves the spaghetti and meatballs. She is not even a meat fan, but loves the meatballs. Their homemade ranch dressing on the salad is great too. They have call ahead seating which is nice on a weekend. The staff is friendly, telling you hi and bye as you leave. IF they ever get an order incorrect, they go out of their way to correct it. I like Olive Garden, but if you want food that is just as good if not better for a more reasonable price, take the family to Zios.
(5)Jenna S.
This place has been open for ages. I used to love it as a kid, coming and coloring on the table paper, and ordering some fun kids food like italian chicken fingers. Fast forward 18 years later, mmeehhhh...not so great. I ordered a few simple changes on a pasta dish...which the server seemed to comprehend while taking the order. When the food arrived, it was clear they made a mistake in the kitchen and attempted to "cover it up" and deliver the food anyway. How the kitchen staff, prep counter, and waiter all "passed the buck" on this blows my mind. The service was slow, slow enough that you might have thought they had gone back to fix an error so the food was done right. Wrong. My boyfriend ordered a supposed healthier option, which was grilled chicken, and came so covered in olive oil it was unedible. They finally did correct his meal, however, it was much after the rest of our table had finished. I guess with this place, you get what you pay for...if you want a real italian dinner, stick with some place nicer.
(2)Dan M.
Here's a tip. When you go to Zio's, grab the crayons on the paper table covering and write your name. Then when your waitress arrives point to it and say, "Hi, we're the Scimeca family and we're here to be served by you."
(3)