After reading some luke warm reviews I decided to give this place a try plus I had a free lunch coupon so it could be bad but at least it was free! The place is very nice inside! As I was using the bathroom, I could hear thru the speakers a lady teaching you italian words to say when you return back to your guest. I thought that was nice touch oppose to listening to random music in the bathroom. My server was very sweet and attentive. She got my order right and even let me try some wine. I ended up buying a nice glass of Daughters Moscato wine! Loved it! My food was good I am trying to decide if I really like the bread that they offer.I am not sure it has one of those weird taste. Oh you can draw on the table here! Kids would love it! Will be back to try other food options!
(4)
Joyce M.
It's good for a food chain. The bread they provide at the table is great with the olive oil and salt and pepper dip. We had two. I had a craving for lasagna and this hit the spot. The mushroom ravioli was good too. Both had good portions. Their happy hour starts at 5pm at the bar (at least that's what it said on the chalk board), but when we asked the bartender he said 4pm. I got a glass of wine for $3. The craft beers I believe were $2.50.
(3)
Lena W.
Went here for date night, and it left a lot to be desired. The location is conveniently located. It's only a few minutes away from I-95 and its shopping center has a lot of great shops. The downside is that it's not well-lit. We drove right past it because it looks like it's shut down. The food left a lot to be desired. We ordered the calamari as an appetizer, but it was bland. The saving grace was the dipping sauce and lemon wedge. I ordered the Penne Rustica and was displeased overall. The pasta was much too firm and the shrimp was tough. The chicken was moist and the pancetta was good, thankfully. I also loved the bread. Even without the olive oil, it was flavorful. Our server could have checked our drinks more often, but she was otherwise attentive and pleasant.
(3)
Mondona M.
The food is slightly less than decent. The waitstaff was rude and cold. It was really empty on a Friday night, and I can honestly see why!
(2)
Jones J.
"I love the service here. The servers are friendly and attentive. They make good suggestions and are accomodating. The menu is nicely varied and has lots of tasty tapas. And unlike many places the selection is not dominated by fried food. We are regulars and have not ever been disappointed by Macaroni Grill.
(5)
Nicholas C.
I was expecting much more. Everything was just average. Place was empty and I was still waiting to be waited on as staff was huddled on the floor having their own conversation. I did have a new waiter so I will cut a little slack. JUST OK
(3)
Mary M.
Currently running a 'taste' special which offers 4 courses for $15 at lunch- it was a great deal, although I did not enjoy the skewered meat portion. The bread is amazing and Trish, our server, was awesome!
(3)
Lisa W.
The food was great but the service was horrible. First we couldn't get a server to wait on us. Had to go back to the hostess to get someone to wait on us. So then one of our appetizers showed up but not the other. While still waiting on the 2nd app, the waiter brings 3 of the 4 entrees. The fourth entree shows up about 5 minutes later along with the missing appetizer. and to top it off they never served me the salad that I ordered (but they did bill us for it!). Absolute worst service. Only saving grace was that the food was delicious.
(3)
Risa H.
I was surprised to be so disappointed with my dining experience. I have eaten at other locations and have been pleased. But the Columbia Crossing location's food was pretty bad in comparison. My Pasta Milano had a watery sauce that did not cling to the ingredients. I only ate it because I was really hungry. One friend had Eggplant Parmesan and said that it was incredibly bland. Why did we not mention this to the server? Well, our server was just a few steps away from incompetent. Although very nice, she talked too much, blamed our late-arriving appetizer on another server taking it. Who needs that when wanting to have a nice meal with friends? Further, if the cooks did not care about taste the first time, I certainly don't want to risk a second attempt! I will not be returning.
(2)
Tim H.
When it comes to pasta, I love a good plate or bowl filled with seafood and a good sauce. Often times I prefer a red spicy sauce but this time I opted to try the seafood linguine the way it normally comes. The lemon butter sauce with the clams, shrimp and scallops was great. I loved everything about it. The flavor of seafood over pasta is something that needs to be tasted since I cannot really convey the flavor in words. I love my pasta spicy so I naturally added some red pepper flakes. The heat plus the seafood made this a wonderful dish. I will be returning there again sometime soon to have another great meal.
(4)
Meg B.
I've been to this Macaroni Grill location many times before without any problems, but had a ridiculously bad experience on 12/20/14. My husband and I came in around 5:00 or 5:30 in the evening. The shopping center was packed since it was the last Saturday before Christmas but the restaurant was only about 1/4 to 1/3 full. The other restaurants looked a bit busier. We should have taken that as a sign that the restaurant had gone downhill. We got seated right away, but literally were never even looked at again. There were about 5 or 6 servers I saw on duty, in addition to two hostesses, and there didn't seem to be a whole lot of organization. A large party had clearly ended some time ago and one server was just breaking down the long table and clearing it. The other servers had tables, but were not sticking to individual sections like normal. The server who I thought would be in charge of our table passed by us quite a few times: gave the check to our neighbor, cleared their plates, wandered away for awhile and then came back and did the same for another neighboring table. Every time I thought he'd turn to us as soon as he was done and every time he didn't. We finally got up and left after 30 minutes of not a single word from any server on the floor. My husband told the hostess why we were leaving on the way out and the only response was, "Oh! Okay." No apology, no nothing. We're definitely not going back to that location. Truth be told, Maggiano's down the road at Columbia Mall is way better anyway.
(1)
Anna B.
Food was lackluster and service was rather slow considering we were one of maybe 4 tables total this evening. Drinks were surprisingly strong so bonus points for that!
(2)
Alonzo J.
The hostess threw our menus on the table. We waited 20 minutes for bread that came with some very bitter olive oil. You can tell that the very bland sauce that came with the zucchini fritti was out of a can. Very watery too! Also heard several other couples complaining about the food. It used to be a very nice place.
(1)
Ed B.
On a Sunday evening, with plenty of open tables, We had to wait to be seated. The waitress got our order wrong, brought out the main dish with appetizers, and forgot our salad. I ordered the bass and it lacked all flavor. Never again.
(1)
Ma-e M.
Another excellent dining experience as food was superb. Ah, the Sea Bass, beans, and arugula at $19 is worth every penny! Bested Bone Fish and McCormick & Schmidt in my damn best opinion in RMG's selected seafood menu. I'm realizing that RMG is one of my best chain list of Italian restaurants. I'm proud to say, I will be a regular for now on.
(4)
Daniel C.
Our server was great. She was attentive and not only made sure we knew it was half-price wine bottle night, but that we were able to bring the unused portion home. We did wind up getting a nice pinot grigio. We started with the calamari which was cooked very well and included some spicy peppers mixed in. It came with a marinara sauce which was tasty but almost too thick. The only real problem was that the calamari was served in a bowl with so much paper sticking out that reaching the dipping sauce was awkward. Instead of entrees, we opted to try some selections off the tapas menu. I did notice that there was absolutely no description of the dishes anywhere, and that most seemed very basic and uninspired judging by the names. We ordered the Pesto Shrimp and Avocado Crostini and Crispy Artichoke Potato Cakes. I suppose the first flag was raised when a different server came by with two orders in his hands and asked "You folks waiting for some appetizers?" Confused at first, we did respond that we were, but before we could check the menu and let him know the name of what we ordered, he disappeared with the items back to the kitchen. I suppose he was new, but if there is truly no delineation between their tapas and appetizers then why are they labeled as such? Our server returned immediately with the same dishes which were indeed ours. The Pesto Shrimp and Avocado Crostini was two slices of bread with a mixture of shrimp, white beans, and tomato with a small dollop of pesto. Given the name, we assumed pesto would have played a much larger role instead of as a garnish. The bread slices were so think that eating them proved difficult, so I just took my knife and fork to mine. It was tasty enough, except the shrimp were cold. It did not occur to me to ask if they were supposed to be that way, but since they were obviously cooked I finished mine, it was just very off-putting. The Crispy Artichoke Potato Cakes were tasty, but far too deep-fried. They broke into pieces when jabbed with a fork, making them difficult too each. They came with a sauce that was tasty enough on its own, but did not mesh well with the potato cakes themselves. When we told our server how disappointed we were with their tapas, she immediately offered to remove them from the bill and bring us something else. We told her not to bother, as we did not feel it was the restaurant's fault for a poor corporate recipe. We did ask for the check quickly afterward, though.
(2)
Sean W.
Just like all the other reviews - horrible service. Just kept waiting. Food wasn't great and then another 20 min. to get the check. Listen to the reviews. GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!
(1)
Stephanie P.
Received a gift card to this restaurant, and decided to use it for take out on a weeknight. We specified a pick-up time online. When we arrived to pick up the order, our food was ready (sitting on the bar), but it took more than 20 minutes for the hostess, bar tender, and several others to figure out how to ring up the order. This resulted in our pizza being completely cold before we even left the restaurant. To top it off, we got home and realized that no salad dressings had been included in our order (2 salads), despite the fact that the online menu specifically states that dressings are served on the side. We have an additional $20 left on our gift card that will now likely go to waste due to this experience with poor service.
(1)
Sallie H.
This used to be one of our favorite places to eat at but not any more. The main course was alright, my husband ordered the Pork Chop and it was very good but then it went down hill. When the coffee finally came out (Waited over 10 minutes) the bowl that they brought the creamers in had crusted food all on the inside. Couldn't find our waitress and had to flag a busboy down to show him the bowl. He took the bowl then asked us if we still wanted to keep the creamers. Really! They were in this dirty bowl. Did he really think I wanted to use them! Well we waited and waited and he finally came around and said our waitress would have to bring us more creamer. Needless to say it was at least another 5 minutes before that happened and our coffee was cold. We had also ordered a desert of "warm" (Emphasis on warm) chocolate cake. Well by the time that got to our table (minus spoons to eat it with which took another 4-5 mins to get from a hostess) it was luke cold and if you have ever had this type of desert then you know that when it get cold it turns into a pasty bunch of chocolate batter. It was really terrible. Also during this time the table that was seated next to us and had waited for a long time just to get drinks and bread was very upset and it took two hostesses to finally get them settled in and get their drinks. Waitress was no where to be found. Manager was told that we were unhappy and he did take the desert off of our bill but didn't seem to really care that the service was terrible. So much for going there again.
(1)
Andrew R.
I met someone here for a business lunch. It took a little longer than what I expected for a waitress to come over, but to her credit, she said some folks had called out. It never got busy when we were there, but the service did lag. I ordered the mushroom soup special. It was cold. I mean refrigerator cold. I also got the warm spinach salad with shrimp and scallops (which was actually pretty good, although two of the shrimp had cold spots as well). They give you huge glasses for your drinks. All in all, with so many other places to eat nearby, I won't be back.
(2)
Emily V.
After paying my way through college waiting tables and bartending, I understand when restaurants perform poorly from being unexpectedly busy however that didn't seem to be the case here. It was NYE but we arrived at 630, hoping to beat the crowds. When we walked in there were at least 6 empty tables so I was optimistic we'd be sat momentarily. We were advised by the seemingly preoccupied waitress that it would be 15 mins; an hour later we were sat at one of the tables which had remained empty since we walked in the door. $70 later, with no alcohol, we ate bland & rubbery lobster mashed potatoes, a steak that was somehow simultaneously burnt and under cooked and an under seasoned, forgettable pasta dish. A lot of the aforementioned things could be overlooked with superb service but our glasses sat empty and one drink was forgotten. Finally, I received the check 15 minutes after I asked for it and had to ask for a box 3 times. Finally, the thing that probably made the experience the worse was the arguments between the hostess and "manager" and the salad prepper and server.
(1)
Rick S.
My wife really likes this place. I don't. Went tonight for the first time in months. Last time we were there I observed a waitress stand her pepper grinder on the floor as she attended to a table. Swore I'd never return. Had the sole tonight. They ran out of the Italian meatloaf I ordered (@ 7:40PM? Must have been a popular item.) The sole was difficult to find inside the breading. I guess there was some sole in there. The breading was very good. Not sure about the sole. The waiter asked for our desert order halfway through the meal. Had our check at the table before the meal was finished. Must have had some better customers waiting. The house red wine is pretty good. $5.5/glass. The bread is very good. The goat cheese peppers appetizer is very good. Anyone want a $5 survey coupon?
(2)
Colleen B.
I went there for the first time to meet my sister and some of her friends. We got there at 5ish on a Friday night. A party of 12 was seated next to us. There wasn't enough room so every time one of them had to get up and use the restroom, I had to move. The waiter was fine and the food came fast.. I had a roasted eggplant dish which was delicious. I'm still waiting for a refill on my Diet Coke.
(3)
Pascal P.
I wouldn't choose to go here on my own since there are better options in the area, but for chain faux-Italian food it's actually alright. Definitely a step up from a place like the Olive Garden and if you need somewhere to go with coworkers for lunch you could do a lot worse. Like I said, I'd prefer to go someplace more exciting but you can get an ok meal for a reasonable price and find something that will appeal to everyone.
(3)
Russell R.
Food is OK as is the wine selection. Like the bread they serve with olive oil. Used to go for the "make your own pasta" because the combinations are good but it's fairly random that you get exactly what you ordered, but usually good in any case. Can't say I'm found of the pizza all that great. Still not a bad place to grab some Italian. Frequently we end up eating at the bar area because the sit-down part fills up pretty quickly. A good place to grab lunch with the work crowd.
(3)
Scott M.
Pretty standard Romano's flavor.
(3)
Steve H.
Terrible experience. Stay far away. Service is extremely slow and the entire restaurant is poorly managed. We actually got up after they brought the meatball appetizer (which was terrible). Not worth the time or effort.
(1)
Dean H.
Was quoted a 30 min wait time. After waiting in the bar for 40 mins, I checked to see how long it would be, only to be told that our names were already called. We were sitting at the bar no more than 20 feet from the hostess and never heard our names called. I was then told that our names would go back to the bottom of the list for another 30 minute wait. As I was leaving, I called the manager and gave her an earful, for which he apologized for. At no time did she offered to compensate us for our inconvenience.
(2)
Rebeca F.
Went early, there weren't many people at all, however it still took a long time to get our meals. I wish they had more vegetarian options, but the mushroom ravioli was actually really tasty. The manager stopped by and gave us coupons for our next visit, but it's so expensive that I don't think we will return soon.
(3)
Jane A.
Was here on Father's Day and surprisingly it wasn't busy. The waitress was just okay. She wasn't around enough and there was clear miscommunication about who was covering what tables. I had the lobster ravioli and it was absolutely nothing to write home about. Came out luke warm, the lobster was dry and there were very few ravioli squares. I ended up filling up on bread instead. The 'italian' blood orange soda was strawberry syrup in seltzer. Don't bother. Really the icing on the cake though was the dropping of plates and other utensils in the dining room and then add people yelling at each other in the kitchen. The entire dining room could hear this screaming match about who knows what. Sounded personal. Company was great. Food needs work.
(1)
Elle Z.
Somehow all my life I'd never been to one of these. I wasn't missing anything. I'm a pizza afficianodo and was very dissapointed. Undercooked. My child got mac and cheese - not bad. Service was pleasant, but the food is just so-so. Too many other choices available to bother coming back. They give a little bit of pizza dough in tin foil to kids when seating them. Intercept it if you don't want flour all over the place. Atmosphere is casual. They have a large seperate room good for parties.
(2)
Raghu J.
Greasy Italian food and terrible service ! Most of the time the restaurant is empty. There seems to be a communication gap between the chefs and the service. You order something and you get something else. Just too much of grease on the food.
(1)
R G.
Leyla was an outstanding server. Our meal was quick and tasted good. Soda water was good and loved the rosemary bread. We received large portions of the Pasta Milano and spaghetti with Italian sausage, so we walked away full with take out bags. Would recommend.
(4)
Kaila P.
Terrible service but friendly? I know that seems contradictory, but that's my experience. I went once with my 11 month old and the service was SOOOOO slow, even though the waiter was peppy and friendly. And we parents know too much time can mean death with a baby/toddler in tow. That night baby was pretty well behaved but started to go crazy at the end. I ate two bites of lasagne and had to pack up. I saw tables who came in after us served faster and before us. This time around we (baby, husband, myself) ended up walking out. We were seated near the window but waited 20+ MINUTES to be served, no bread, no water, no kind hellos, no has anyone helped yous. But again, we watched many other tables promptly tended to. As we left we mentioned this to the manager who didn't seem to care and certainly didn't try to do anything to make us stay. The ok food doesn't overcome bad service.
(1)
Chintan D.
I love their flat breads. But that's about it. As a vegetarian they do try to substitute their meats with veggies so that's nice. I'm not a big fan of their bread and olive oil starter though.
(4)
Abu B.
Horrible experience for lunch on 8/24. Table service was great, but the food took a very long time (~18mins) to arrive after ordering. I can get over having to wait for food if it tastes good, but the Shrimp Portofino was incredibly bland. It was tasteless. It was as if they forgot to put the lemon butter in the dish. I might go back again, but it will be a very long time. There are lots of other good Italian options. Carrabbas is a way better choice.
(1)
Judi S.
Good grief, what happened to Macaroni Grill? I had been hungry for spaghetti, so I decided to stop in for lunch. They have a sign on the building advertising their new $7 special for lunches. The woman who met me at the front wouldn't show me to a table. She kept trying to get me to buy the $7 lunch so I said that I just wanted spaghetti. I hadn't been able to look at the menu and didn't know what other options were available anyway. She showed me that it was on the lunch special and then had me follow her and stand at a cash register in the Galley while she tried to figure out how to put in my order. Five minutes later, she finished and I gave her $20. She didn't have the key to the register and had to call over a manager to give me some change! She started to walk away and leave me standing there, so I asked if I should just go sit down. "Oh! Yes, let me give you this number and you can sit anywhere in this little area." (Indicating the side of the restaurant nearest the kitchen.) she brought me my salad and soda very quickly. I had taken one bite of salad and was lifting my fork for a second bite when she stuck a bowl of spaghetti in between my fork and my face! I put my fork down and moved my salad so she could set it down. So, yes, it was quick, as advertised. The spaghetti sauce tasted so much like red wine that I could barely eat it. I didn't even finish half of the bowl but didn't take it home. Partially because I was never offered a take-home container, but also because I decided I didn't want it. My Caesar salad was Romain lettuce, Parmesan cheese, and croutons. I never could find any salad dressing. So all in all, I think giving this two stars is pretty generous. I'm not a complainer normally, but this one deserves it. It's pretty obvious why there were only two other cars in the parking lot at 12:30 in the afternoon.
(2)
Jeanie L.
Went because we had a gift card... Dreadful service and overly salted food. We won't be returning.
(1)
Julie A.
Visiting after a meeting with friends...a group of 12 which included 2 kids. So let's begin. The kids meals of fried chicken strips came out first with fries and broccolini. The sides were great, but the chicken strips were fried hard (shown in picture). We later were told that the fryer was possibly broken. (That would've been nice to know beforehand). Several of us ordered the 'Create Your Own Pasta'. They were very good. Overall, the food was acceptable, our server was good, and the wait staff was accommodating, but not very excited for the business we were bringing. (They explained to us that proms, Preakness, and other parties had made reservations and couldn't understand why we hadn't.) Traveling from out of town, we'll find another restaurant or come here as a last resort.
(2)
Rhiannon A.
Love this place! I ordered the Penne Rustica, and it was amazing. Creamy Alfredo sauce, penne noodles with rosemary, chicken, shrimp, and prosucitto. I also loved the complimentary bread. It came with olive oil and herbs for dipping, which was awesome. For my appetizers (antipastis) I ordered the Mac and Cheese bites, and Breaded Mozzarella. Yum! Can't wait to go back! Ps: Get the homemade Chocolate Cake- am-aaaa-zing!
(5)
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Address :6181 Columbia Crossing Circle
Columbia, MD, 21045
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No 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 : 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.
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(3)Danyelle J.
After reading some luke warm reviews I decided to give this place a try plus I had a free lunch coupon so it could be bad but at least it was free! The place is very nice inside! As I was using the bathroom, I could hear thru the speakers a lady teaching you italian words to say when you return back to your guest. I thought that was nice touch oppose to listening to random music in the bathroom. My server was very sweet and attentive. She got my order right and even let me try some wine. I ended up buying a nice glass of Daughters Moscato wine! Loved it! My food was good I am trying to decide if I really like the bread that they offer.I am not sure it has one of those weird taste. Oh you can draw on the table here! Kids would love it! Will be back to try other food options!
(4)Joyce M.
It's good for a food chain. The bread they provide at the table is great with the olive oil and salt and pepper dip. We had two. I had a craving for lasagna and this hit the spot. The mushroom ravioli was good too. Both had good portions. Their happy hour starts at 5pm at the bar (at least that's what it said on the chalk board), but when we asked the bartender he said 4pm. I got a glass of wine for $3. The craft beers I believe were $2.50.
(3)Lena W.
Went here for date night, and it left a lot to be desired. The location is conveniently located. It's only a few minutes away from I-95 and its shopping center has a lot of great shops. The downside is that it's not well-lit. We drove right past it because it looks like it's shut down. The food left a lot to be desired. We ordered the calamari as an appetizer, but it was bland. The saving grace was the dipping sauce and lemon wedge. I ordered the Penne Rustica and was displeased overall. The pasta was much too firm and the shrimp was tough. The chicken was moist and the pancetta was good, thankfully. I also loved the bread. Even without the olive oil, it was flavorful. Our server could have checked our drinks more often, but she was otherwise attentive and pleasant.
(3)Mondona M.
The food is slightly less than decent. The waitstaff was rude and cold. It was really empty on a Friday night, and I can honestly see why!
(2)Jones J.
"I love the service here. The servers are friendly and attentive. They make good suggestions and are accomodating. The menu is nicely varied and has lots of tasty tapas. And unlike many places the selection is not dominated by fried food. We are regulars and have not ever been disappointed by Macaroni Grill.
(5)Nicholas C.
I was expecting much more. Everything was just average. Place was empty and I was still waiting to be waited on as staff was huddled on the floor having their own conversation. I did have a new waiter so I will cut a little slack. JUST OK
(3)Mary M.
Currently running a 'taste' special which offers 4 courses for $15 at lunch- it was a great deal, although I did not enjoy the skewered meat portion. The bread is amazing and Trish, our server, was awesome!
(3)Lisa W.
The food was great but the service was horrible. First we couldn't get a server to wait on us. Had to go back to the hostess to get someone to wait on us. So then one of our appetizers showed up but not the other. While still waiting on the 2nd app, the waiter brings 3 of the 4 entrees. The fourth entree shows up about 5 minutes later along with the missing appetizer. and to top it off they never served me the salad that I ordered (but they did bill us for it!). Absolute worst service. Only saving grace was that the food was delicious.
(3)Risa H.
I was surprised to be so disappointed with my dining experience. I have eaten at other locations and have been pleased. But the Columbia Crossing location's food was pretty bad in comparison. My Pasta Milano had a watery sauce that did not cling to the ingredients. I only ate it because I was really hungry. One friend had Eggplant Parmesan and said that it was incredibly bland. Why did we not mention this to the server? Well, our server was just a few steps away from incompetent. Although very nice, she talked too much, blamed our late-arriving appetizer on another server taking it. Who needs that when wanting to have a nice meal with friends? Further, if the cooks did not care about taste the first time, I certainly don't want to risk a second attempt! I will not be returning.
(2)Tim H.
When it comes to pasta, I love a good plate or bowl filled with seafood and a good sauce. Often times I prefer a red spicy sauce but this time I opted to try the seafood linguine the way it normally comes. The lemon butter sauce with the clams, shrimp and scallops was great. I loved everything about it. The flavor of seafood over pasta is something that needs to be tasted since I cannot really convey the flavor in words. I love my pasta spicy so I naturally added some red pepper flakes. The heat plus the seafood made this a wonderful dish. I will be returning there again sometime soon to have another great meal.
(4)Meg B.
I've been to this Macaroni Grill location many times before without any problems, but had a ridiculously bad experience on 12/20/14. My husband and I came in around 5:00 or 5:30 in the evening. The shopping center was packed since it was the last Saturday before Christmas but the restaurant was only about 1/4 to 1/3 full. The other restaurants looked a bit busier. We should have taken that as a sign that the restaurant had gone downhill. We got seated right away, but literally were never even looked at again. There were about 5 or 6 servers I saw on duty, in addition to two hostesses, and there didn't seem to be a whole lot of organization. A large party had clearly ended some time ago and one server was just breaking down the long table and clearing it. The other servers had tables, but were not sticking to individual sections like normal. The server who I thought would be in charge of our table passed by us quite a few times: gave the check to our neighbor, cleared their plates, wandered away for awhile and then came back and did the same for another neighboring table. Every time I thought he'd turn to us as soon as he was done and every time he didn't. We finally got up and left after 30 minutes of not a single word from any server on the floor. My husband told the hostess why we were leaving on the way out and the only response was, "Oh! Okay." No apology, no nothing. We're definitely not going back to that location. Truth be told, Maggiano's down the road at Columbia Mall is way better anyway.
(1)Anna B.
Food was lackluster and service was rather slow considering we were one of maybe 4 tables total this evening. Drinks were surprisingly strong so bonus points for that!
(2)Alonzo J.
The hostess threw our menus on the table. We waited 20 minutes for bread that came with some very bitter olive oil. You can tell that the very bland sauce that came with the zucchini fritti was out of a can. Very watery too! Also heard several other couples complaining about the food. It used to be a very nice place.
(1)Ed B.
On a Sunday evening, with plenty of open tables, We had to wait to be seated. The waitress got our order wrong, brought out the main dish with appetizers, and forgot our salad. I ordered the bass and it lacked all flavor. Never again.
(1)Ma-e M.
Another excellent dining experience as food was superb. Ah, the Sea Bass, beans, and arugula at $19 is worth every penny! Bested Bone Fish and McCormick & Schmidt in my damn best opinion in RMG's selected seafood menu. I'm realizing that RMG is one of my best chain list of Italian restaurants. I'm proud to say, I will be a regular for now on.
(4)Daniel C.
Our server was great. She was attentive and not only made sure we knew it was half-price wine bottle night, but that we were able to bring the unused portion home. We did wind up getting a nice pinot grigio. We started with the calamari which was cooked very well and included some spicy peppers mixed in. It came with a marinara sauce which was tasty but almost too thick. The only real problem was that the calamari was served in a bowl with so much paper sticking out that reaching the dipping sauce was awkward. Instead of entrees, we opted to try some selections off the tapas menu. I did notice that there was absolutely no description of the dishes anywhere, and that most seemed very basic and uninspired judging by the names. We ordered the Pesto Shrimp and Avocado Crostini and Crispy Artichoke Potato Cakes. I suppose the first flag was raised when a different server came by with two orders in his hands and asked "You folks waiting for some appetizers?" Confused at first, we did respond that we were, but before we could check the menu and let him know the name of what we ordered, he disappeared with the items back to the kitchen. I suppose he was new, but if there is truly no delineation between their tapas and appetizers then why are they labeled as such? Our server returned immediately with the same dishes which were indeed ours. The Pesto Shrimp and Avocado Crostini was two slices of bread with a mixture of shrimp, white beans, and tomato with a small dollop of pesto. Given the name, we assumed pesto would have played a much larger role instead of as a garnish. The bread slices were so think that eating them proved difficult, so I just took my knife and fork to mine. It was tasty enough, except the shrimp were cold. It did not occur to me to ask if they were supposed to be that way, but since they were obviously cooked I finished mine, it was just very off-putting. The Crispy Artichoke Potato Cakes were tasty, but far too deep-fried. They broke into pieces when jabbed with a fork, making them difficult too each. They came with a sauce that was tasty enough on its own, but did not mesh well with the potato cakes themselves. When we told our server how disappointed we were with their tapas, she immediately offered to remove them from the bill and bring us something else. We told her not to bother, as we did not feel it was the restaurant's fault for a poor corporate recipe. We did ask for the check quickly afterward, though.
(2)Sean W.
Just like all the other reviews - horrible service. Just kept waiting. Food wasn't great and then another 20 min. to get the check. Listen to the reviews. GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!
(1)Stephanie P.
Received a gift card to this restaurant, and decided to use it for take out on a weeknight. We specified a pick-up time online. When we arrived to pick up the order, our food was ready (sitting on the bar), but it took more than 20 minutes for the hostess, bar tender, and several others to figure out how to ring up the order. This resulted in our pizza being completely cold before we even left the restaurant. To top it off, we got home and realized that no salad dressings had been included in our order (2 salads), despite the fact that the online menu specifically states that dressings are served on the side. We have an additional $20 left on our gift card that will now likely go to waste due to this experience with poor service.
(1)Sallie H.
This used to be one of our favorite places to eat at but not any more. The main course was alright, my husband ordered the Pork Chop and it was very good but then it went down hill. When the coffee finally came out (Waited over 10 minutes) the bowl that they brought the creamers in had crusted food all on the inside. Couldn't find our waitress and had to flag a busboy down to show him the bowl. He took the bowl then asked us if we still wanted to keep the creamers. Really! They were in this dirty bowl. Did he really think I wanted to use them! Well we waited and waited and he finally came around and said our waitress would have to bring us more creamer. Needless to say it was at least another 5 minutes before that happened and our coffee was cold. We had also ordered a desert of "warm" (Emphasis on warm) chocolate cake. Well by the time that got to our table (minus spoons to eat it with which took another 4-5 mins to get from a hostess) it was luke cold and if you have ever had this type of desert then you know that when it get cold it turns into a pasty bunch of chocolate batter. It was really terrible. Also during this time the table that was seated next to us and had waited for a long time just to get drinks and bread was very upset and it took two hostesses to finally get them settled in and get their drinks. Waitress was no where to be found. Manager was told that we were unhappy and he did take the desert off of our bill but didn't seem to really care that the service was terrible. So much for going there again.
(1)Andrew R.
I met someone here for a business lunch. It took a little longer than what I expected for a waitress to come over, but to her credit, she said some folks had called out. It never got busy when we were there, but the service did lag. I ordered the mushroom soup special. It was cold. I mean refrigerator cold. I also got the warm spinach salad with shrimp and scallops (which was actually pretty good, although two of the shrimp had cold spots as well). They give you huge glasses for your drinks. All in all, with so many other places to eat nearby, I won't be back.
(2)Emily V.
After paying my way through college waiting tables and bartending, I understand when restaurants perform poorly from being unexpectedly busy however that didn't seem to be the case here. It was NYE but we arrived at 630, hoping to beat the crowds. When we walked in there were at least 6 empty tables so I was optimistic we'd be sat momentarily. We were advised by the seemingly preoccupied waitress that it would be 15 mins; an hour later we were sat at one of the tables which had remained empty since we walked in the door. $70 later, with no alcohol, we ate bland & rubbery lobster mashed potatoes, a steak that was somehow simultaneously burnt and under cooked and an under seasoned, forgettable pasta dish. A lot of the aforementioned things could be overlooked with superb service but our glasses sat empty and one drink was forgotten. Finally, I received the check 15 minutes after I asked for it and had to ask for a box 3 times. Finally, the thing that probably made the experience the worse was the arguments between the hostess and "manager" and the salad prepper and server.
(1)Rick S.
My wife really likes this place. I don't. Went tonight for the first time in months. Last time we were there I observed a waitress stand her pepper grinder on the floor as she attended to a table. Swore I'd never return. Had the sole tonight. They ran out of the Italian meatloaf I ordered (@ 7:40PM? Must have been a popular item.) The sole was difficult to find inside the breading. I guess there was some sole in there. The breading was very good. Not sure about the sole. The waiter asked for our desert order halfway through the meal. Had our check at the table before the meal was finished. Must have had some better customers waiting. The house red wine is pretty good. $5.5/glass. The bread is very good. The goat cheese peppers appetizer is very good. Anyone want a $5 survey coupon?
(2)Colleen B.
I went there for the first time to meet my sister and some of her friends. We got there at 5ish on a Friday night. A party of 12 was seated next to us. There wasn't enough room so every time one of them had to get up and use the restroom, I had to move. The waiter was fine and the food came fast.. I had a roasted eggplant dish which was delicious. I'm still waiting for a refill on my Diet Coke.
(3)Pascal P.
I wouldn't choose to go here on my own since there are better options in the area, but for chain faux-Italian food it's actually alright. Definitely a step up from a place like the Olive Garden and if you need somewhere to go with coworkers for lunch you could do a lot worse. Like I said, I'd prefer to go someplace more exciting but you can get an ok meal for a reasonable price and find something that will appeal to everyone.
(3)Russell R.
Food is OK as is the wine selection. Like the bread they serve with olive oil. Used to go for the "make your own pasta" because the combinations are good but it's fairly random that you get exactly what you ordered, but usually good in any case. Can't say I'm found of the pizza all that great. Still not a bad place to grab some Italian. Frequently we end up eating at the bar area because the sit-down part fills up pretty quickly. A good place to grab lunch with the work crowd.
(3)Scott M.
Pretty standard Romano's flavor.
(3)Steve H.
Terrible experience. Stay far away. Service is extremely slow and the entire restaurant is poorly managed. We actually got up after they brought the meatball appetizer (which was terrible). Not worth the time or effort.
(1)Dean H.
Was quoted a 30 min wait time. After waiting in the bar for 40 mins, I checked to see how long it would be, only to be told that our names were already called. We were sitting at the bar no more than 20 feet from the hostess and never heard our names called. I was then told that our names would go back to the bottom of the list for another 30 minute wait. As I was leaving, I called the manager and gave her an earful, for which he apologized for. At no time did she offered to compensate us for our inconvenience.
(2)Rebeca F.
Went early, there weren't many people at all, however it still took a long time to get our meals. I wish they had more vegetarian options, but the mushroom ravioli was actually really tasty. The manager stopped by and gave us coupons for our next visit, but it's so expensive that I don't think we will return soon.
(3)Jane A.
Was here on Father's Day and surprisingly it wasn't busy. The waitress was just okay. She wasn't around enough and there was clear miscommunication about who was covering what tables. I had the lobster ravioli and it was absolutely nothing to write home about. Came out luke warm, the lobster was dry and there were very few ravioli squares. I ended up filling up on bread instead. The 'italian' blood orange soda was strawberry syrup in seltzer. Don't bother. Really the icing on the cake though was the dropping of plates and other utensils in the dining room and then add people yelling at each other in the kitchen. The entire dining room could hear this screaming match about who knows what. Sounded personal. Company was great. Food needs work.
(1)Elle Z.
Somehow all my life I'd never been to one of these. I wasn't missing anything. I'm a pizza afficianodo and was very dissapointed. Undercooked. My child got mac and cheese - not bad. Service was pleasant, but the food is just so-so. Too many other choices available to bother coming back. They give a little bit of pizza dough in tin foil to kids when seating them. Intercept it if you don't want flour all over the place. Atmosphere is casual. They have a large seperate room good for parties.
(2)Raghu J.
Greasy Italian food and terrible service ! Most of the time the restaurant is empty. There seems to be a communication gap between the chefs and the service. You order something and you get something else. Just too much of grease on the food.
(1)R G.
Leyla was an outstanding server. Our meal was quick and tasted good. Soda water was good and loved the rosemary bread. We received large portions of the Pasta Milano and spaghetti with Italian sausage, so we walked away full with take out bags. Would recommend.
(4)Kaila P.
Terrible service but friendly? I know that seems contradictory, but that's my experience. I went once with my 11 month old and the service was SOOOOO slow, even though the waiter was peppy and friendly. And we parents know too much time can mean death with a baby/toddler in tow. That night baby was pretty well behaved but started to go crazy at the end. I ate two bites of lasagne and had to pack up. I saw tables who came in after us served faster and before us. This time around we (baby, husband, myself) ended up walking out. We were seated near the window but waited 20+ MINUTES to be served, no bread, no water, no kind hellos, no has anyone helped yous. But again, we watched many other tables promptly tended to. As we left we mentioned this to the manager who didn't seem to care and certainly didn't try to do anything to make us stay. The ok food doesn't overcome bad service.
(1)Chintan D.
I love their flat breads. But that's about it. As a vegetarian they do try to substitute their meats with veggies so that's nice. I'm not a big fan of their bread and olive oil starter though.
(4)Abu B.
Horrible experience for lunch on 8/24. Table service was great, but the food took a very long time (~18mins) to arrive after ordering. I can get over having to wait for food if it tastes good, but the Shrimp Portofino was incredibly bland. It was tasteless. It was as if they forgot to put the lemon butter in the dish. I might go back again, but it will be a very long time. There are lots of other good Italian options. Carrabbas is a way better choice.
(1)Judi S.
Good grief, what happened to Macaroni Grill? I had been hungry for spaghetti, so I decided to stop in for lunch. They have a sign on the building advertising their new $7 special for lunches. The woman who met me at the front wouldn't show me to a table. She kept trying to get me to buy the $7 lunch so I said that I just wanted spaghetti. I hadn't been able to look at the menu and didn't know what other options were available anyway. She showed me that it was on the lunch special and then had me follow her and stand at a cash register in the Galley while she tried to figure out how to put in my order. Five minutes later, she finished and I gave her $20. She didn't have the key to the register and had to call over a manager to give me some change! She started to walk away and leave me standing there, so I asked if I should just go sit down. "Oh! Yes, let me give you this number and you can sit anywhere in this little area." (Indicating the side of the restaurant nearest the kitchen.) she brought me my salad and soda very quickly. I had taken one bite of salad and was lifting my fork for a second bite when she stuck a bowl of spaghetti in between my fork and my face! I put my fork down and moved my salad so she could set it down. So, yes, it was quick, as advertised. The spaghetti sauce tasted so much like red wine that I could barely eat it. I didn't even finish half of the bowl but didn't take it home. Partially because I was never offered a take-home container, but also because I decided I didn't want it. My Caesar salad was Romain lettuce, Parmesan cheese, and croutons. I never could find any salad dressing. So all in all, I think giving this two stars is pretty generous. I'm not a complainer normally, but this one deserves it. It's pretty obvious why there were only two other cars in the parking lot at 12:30 in the afternoon.
(2)Jeanie L.
Went because we had a gift card... Dreadful service and overly salted food. We won't be returning.
(1)Julie A.
Visiting after a meeting with friends...a group of 12 which included 2 kids. So let's begin. The kids meals of fried chicken strips came out first with fries and broccolini. The sides were great, but the chicken strips were fried hard (shown in picture). We later were told that the fryer was possibly broken. (That would've been nice to know beforehand). Several of us ordered the 'Create Your Own Pasta'. They were very good. Overall, the food was acceptable, our server was good, and the wait staff was accommodating, but not very excited for the business we were bringing. (They explained to us that proms, Preakness, and other parties had made reservations and couldn't understand why we hadn't.) Traveling from out of town, we'll find another restaurant or come here as a last resort.
(2)Rhiannon A.
Love this place! I ordered the Penne Rustica, and it was amazing. Creamy Alfredo sauce, penne noodles with rosemary, chicken, shrimp, and prosucitto. I also loved the complimentary bread. It came with olive oil and herbs for dipping, which was awesome. For my appetizers (antipastis) I ordered the Mac and Cheese bites, and Breaded Mozzarella. Yum! Can't wait to go back! Ps: Get the homemade Chocolate Cake- am-aaaa-zing!
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