This establishment used to be a haven for people diagnosed with severe food allergies or diseases such as Celiacs. Now they are just the bottom of an infinite list of places that people troubled with such diagnoses can no longer visit. When asked for reasoning behind such an imperitive change they responed with a short "we no longer offer gluten-free pasta." Very disappointing.
(1)
Reenie M.
Generally I love Macaroni Grill, and this one was also a winner. I have tried RMG in multiple states, and am seldom disappointed. If I need a pasta fix or something else, I always enjoy this restaurant. Food - good Service - good Many people hate "chains" but the reason we love them is knowing that what we get will be tasty and affordable no matter where we are!
(5)
Chris M.
I know it's a "chain", but this Romano's consistently delivers. As of late I'm a sucker for the Bibb & Blue salad. Simple, easy on the dressing but oh so flavorful! With a red wine = spot on.
(5)
Glenn C.
Been here twice. Flatbread pizza with sausage and veal is great. Not worth 2 bucks for 3 added pepperoni. Veal shank and Chicken parmesan was a disappointment. Pile of spaghetti added nothing. Sauce had little flavor. Service was very good. Caesar side salad good. Reasonably priced. I prefer Carrabas.
(3)
David D.
Ordered the lasagna and their sausage had what looked like a ventricle from a heart, it was small and grey and the last time I saw this in a dish was ironically in lasagna from a restaurant in Saugutuck. I was hungry so I braved the next bite and was greeted with even more gristle, never going back.
(1)
Katie D.
Not a gluten-free heaven after-all. My husband, mother-in-law and I went here specifically to get gluten-free pasta but were sorely disappointed to find out they no longer serve it. As someone with celiac, there aren't many options to eat pasta out and we were craving their fettuccine Alfredo (which we had there maybe a month before?). I had also checked out their website earlier that day which had no indication that they no longer serve gluten free pasta. According to our waiter, it was a decision by corporate to no longer carry gluten free pasta. Without gluten free pasta, there isn't much else on the menu that is gluten free. However, our waiter did point out that the 1 lb pork shank was gluten free (umm no thanks). He also had to ask what had gluten in it, so I knew I had to be extra careful about my order. So I ordered a caprese salad, to which the waiter joked "with extra breadcrumbs" (not amused buddy). My husband and mother-in-law got make their own pastas as they are not gluten intolerant. Their food came out quickly; however they forget my husbands meatballs and my salad altogether. Eventually they brought my food and offered sorbet on the house, which was a nice gesture but didn't make up for one of the most disappointing and unsatisfying dining experiences I've ever had. Needless to say, we won't be back.
(1)
GR G.
Was given a gift card, so stopped in for lunch. When we drove up, thought it was closed. We were one of the first tables in for lunch around noon. We were seated in the bar area and the bartender was very friendly and service was excellent. Tried the smashed meatball pizza. Wasn't a long wait, taste was ok. Was lacking veggies on the pie, but at $12.99 could have had a supreme elsewhere. Their spicy dipping sauce was a nice complement. My go to dish here is the penne rustica with a meatball added. This is my favorite dish here. Would have rated higher but the value just isn't there for the quality of food.
(3)
Vicky T.
Yikes! What happened to Macaroni Grill?! Its been a year or so since I've been there and there was a noticeable decline in the quality. We use to love the food there but its simply not the same anymore. I ordered a favorite bib lettuce salad with blue cheese, walnuts that USE to be served with an excellent, wonderful tasting, AGED balsamic vinaigrette but its not even remotely the same (its NOT quality aged balsamic like they useto serve) nor was the salad good anymore which is now offered with ranch dressing (I asked for the vinaigrette) and has some tasteless cold shoe string onion rings on top. WHAT THE HECK?? I ordered it with shrimp and despite the fact that there were only 3 other seated tables when we were there, and not busy, my shrimp was not fresh off the grill. It was cold and tasted like it had been sitting around all afternoon. My son's pasta trio was bland and tasteless. NEVER AGAIN! This is what happens when businesses try to cut corners. Stupid!
(1)
Paul C.
Overall, I gave this 3 stars, but I had to average it out, would rather give it 2 separate ratings. The 3 of us who had more "exotic" dishes, (Rustic Penne, Mushroom Ravioli, and Chicken under a brick) would have all given our meals a 5, but the 3 with the more "basic" meals were rated as a 1. Mom had spaghetti with red sauce that tasted like they poured a can of stewed tomatoes on it and called it sauce. Neither of my kids would eat their meals off the kid menu. The chicken was bland and overcooked with the same bland red sauce on the noodles, and the mac and cheese was dry with a very weak, watered down cheese flavor. My son actually spit it out. The waitress agreed it wasn't very good, but didn't offer to do anything about it. A warning when he ordered it would have been nice, instead of letting us waste our money and having to share our food with him. Overall, I'd say this is a nice place for a date night, but if you have the kids, stay away.
(3)
Matt G.
This is a decent Italian style restaurant. It is like Olive Garden before they tried to cut corners. I had a creative sausage "solotina"(?) that was sausage, shell pasta, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes. I did not want an over cheesy dish and this was perfect. Our server, Mercedes, was charming and prompt.
(3)
Brandon S.
For a chain, the food is very good. They have several unique items and the service is great. They serve rosemary bread rather than plain like most. All in all this beats an olive garden anyday. It's not the same as eating in Italy, but If you want good Americanized Italian food, this will do nicely.
(4)
Janna R.
wow what a great place. My fiance and I go there - its a gluten-free heaven. The waitors are great - and the food is delicious. Great atmosphere. Love this place. Not sure about the other reviews .. maybe they have "upped" there game? Either way, I love it and it is my favorite place in Grand Rapids.
(5)
Phil Z.
Arrived at 5:15 left at 7:30. Horrible. Pasta was a heap of tasteless mush. Chicken pieces tasted spoiled. The wait was unbearable. Next time we're near the airport, we'll skip this place!
(1)
Suzanne S.
My family decided to go to dinner here recently. We were seated and had a nice server. We wanted to try out the new "fatbreads" that we saw on TV and that's what brought us in. After we placed our order, it seemed like a long time and we asked about the status of our food after the server said it would be a few minutes. My father asked for the manager to come over and express our frustration. My mother added it had been a long time for food like this. The manager said that she just got here and will go and check on our food. She came back with our food later and explained that the oven for the fatbreads is too small and doesn't cook well. We were disappointed with taste and appearance of the fatbreads, being that it was supposed to be "fat". My mother's dish was a chicken one and the chicken had no flavor and was overcooked. The manager apologized and gave us a small discount. My family and I won't come back.
(2)
Bob L.
Waited a long time for a table of 6...groups of 4 or less we're being seated immediately. Service was ok. The food was terrible...like it had been sitting under a heat lamp forever. Very mediocre. Will never go back to this location.
(1)
Libby M.
Food was disgusting. Save some money and just eat garbage out of a dumpster. First the potatoes on my husbands meal were cold. The meat tasted like their grill needed to be cleaned and he had terrible stomach trouble until what he did eat of the meal was expelled. I ordered the mushroom ravioli. I sent it back. I took one bite and it tasted only like grease. Then I examined my plate a little closer. There must have been at least 1/8 of a cup of grease on my plate. Fresh...the only fresh thing about the evening, is the memory. Manager simply didn't care. Did not review the returned plate so I had to show her a picture! Honestly...the food court at Costco is much better.
(1)
Todd L.
Lowsy service, they couldn't serve us most of what we originally ordered, they left our table loaded with plates and empty glasses. I food we ended up getting was delicious, however not exactly what we ordered. We would have sent back but our server disappeared for 20 min.
(2)
Tina D.
I've eaten at several Macaroni Grills, they are ok chain Italian food.This one was not as good as any of the others.
(2)
Mark V.
We've returned (a few times) to find an improvement in most of the areas in the prior review. The service is still pretty bad. We eat here quite often and always find that the servers are disengaged. The food is good.
(3)
Ali M.
My husband and I have been here several times over the years and we've never had a bad meal from here. Everything is good. However I'm only giving it 3 stars because we were fans of the "Make your own pasta" but today they had raised the prices for this dish and gotten rid of some of our favorite additions like the buffalo mozzarella and sauted onions. We ended up getting the Mediterranean Lunch and both had salads and the prosciutto sandwiches which were excellent but for sandwich and salad it took a really long time to be served our food.
(3)
Tim L.
My wife and I eat here all the time. The service is great, and so is the food!
(5)
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Address :5525 28th Street S.E.
Grand Rapids, MI, 49512
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes 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 : 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.
Coleman B.
This establishment used to be a haven for people diagnosed with severe food allergies or diseases such as Celiacs. Now they are just the bottom of an infinite list of places that people troubled with such diagnoses can no longer visit. When asked for reasoning behind such an imperitive change they responed with a short "we no longer offer gluten-free pasta." Very disappointing.
(1)Reenie M.
Generally I love Macaroni Grill, and this one was also a winner. I have tried RMG in multiple states, and am seldom disappointed. If I need a pasta fix or something else, I always enjoy this restaurant. Food - good Service - good Many people hate "chains" but the reason we love them is knowing that what we get will be tasty and affordable no matter where we are!
(5)Chris M.
I know it's a "chain", but this Romano's consistently delivers. As of late I'm a sucker for the Bibb & Blue salad. Simple, easy on the dressing but oh so flavorful! With a red wine = spot on.
(5)Glenn C.
Been here twice. Flatbread pizza with sausage and veal is great. Not worth 2 bucks for 3 added pepperoni. Veal shank and Chicken parmesan was a disappointment. Pile of spaghetti added nothing. Sauce had little flavor. Service was very good. Caesar side salad good. Reasonably priced. I prefer Carrabas.
(3)David D.
Ordered the lasagna and their sausage had what looked like a ventricle from a heart, it was small and grey and the last time I saw this in a dish was ironically in lasagna from a restaurant in Saugutuck. I was hungry so I braved the next bite and was greeted with even more gristle, never going back.
(1)Katie D.
Not a gluten-free heaven after-all. My husband, mother-in-law and I went here specifically to get gluten-free pasta but were sorely disappointed to find out they no longer serve it. As someone with celiac, there aren't many options to eat pasta out and we were craving their fettuccine Alfredo (which we had there maybe a month before?). I had also checked out their website earlier that day which had no indication that they no longer serve gluten free pasta. According to our waiter, it was a decision by corporate to no longer carry gluten free pasta. Without gluten free pasta, there isn't much else on the menu that is gluten free. However, our waiter did point out that the 1 lb pork shank was gluten free (umm no thanks). He also had to ask what had gluten in it, so I knew I had to be extra careful about my order. So I ordered a caprese salad, to which the waiter joked "with extra breadcrumbs" (not amused buddy). My husband and mother-in-law got make their own pastas as they are not gluten intolerant. Their food came out quickly; however they forget my husbands meatballs and my salad altogether. Eventually they brought my food and offered sorbet on the house, which was a nice gesture but didn't make up for one of the most disappointing and unsatisfying dining experiences I've ever had. Needless to say, we won't be back.
(1)GR G.
Was given a gift card, so stopped in for lunch. When we drove up, thought it was closed. We were one of the first tables in for lunch around noon. We were seated in the bar area and the bartender was very friendly and service was excellent. Tried the smashed meatball pizza. Wasn't a long wait, taste was ok. Was lacking veggies on the pie, but at $12.99 could have had a supreme elsewhere. Their spicy dipping sauce was a nice complement. My go to dish here is the penne rustica with a meatball added. This is my favorite dish here. Would have rated higher but the value just isn't there for the quality of food.
(3)Vicky T.
Yikes! What happened to Macaroni Grill?! Its been a year or so since I've been there and there was a noticeable decline in the quality. We use to love the food there but its simply not the same anymore. I ordered a favorite bib lettuce salad with blue cheese, walnuts that USE to be served with an excellent, wonderful tasting, AGED balsamic vinaigrette but its not even remotely the same (its NOT quality aged balsamic like they useto serve) nor was the salad good anymore which is now offered with ranch dressing (I asked for the vinaigrette) and has some tasteless cold shoe string onion rings on top. WHAT THE HECK?? I ordered it with shrimp and despite the fact that there were only 3 other seated tables when we were there, and not busy, my shrimp was not fresh off the grill. It was cold and tasted like it had been sitting around all afternoon. My son's pasta trio was bland and tasteless. NEVER AGAIN! This is what happens when businesses try to cut corners. Stupid!
(1)Paul C.
Overall, I gave this 3 stars, but I had to average it out, would rather give it 2 separate ratings. The 3 of us who had more "exotic" dishes, (Rustic Penne, Mushroom Ravioli, and Chicken under a brick) would have all given our meals a 5, but the 3 with the more "basic" meals were rated as a 1. Mom had spaghetti with red sauce that tasted like they poured a can of stewed tomatoes on it and called it sauce. Neither of my kids would eat their meals off the kid menu. The chicken was bland and overcooked with the same bland red sauce on the noodles, and the mac and cheese was dry with a very weak, watered down cheese flavor. My son actually spit it out. The waitress agreed it wasn't very good, but didn't offer to do anything about it. A warning when he ordered it would have been nice, instead of letting us waste our money and having to share our food with him. Overall, I'd say this is a nice place for a date night, but if you have the kids, stay away.
(3)Matt G.
This is a decent Italian style restaurant. It is like Olive Garden before they tried to cut corners. I had a creative sausage "solotina"(?) that was sausage, shell pasta, broccoli, and cherry tomatoes. I did not want an over cheesy dish and this was perfect. Our server, Mercedes, was charming and prompt.
(3)Brandon S.
For a chain, the food is very good. They have several unique items and the service is great. They serve rosemary bread rather than plain like most. All in all this beats an olive garden anyday. It's not the same as eating in Italy, but If you want good Americanized Italian food, this will do nicely.
(4)Janna R.
wow what a great place. My fiance and I go there - its a gluten-free heaven. The waitors are great - and the food is delicious. Great atmosphere. Love this place. Not sure about the other reviews .. maybe they have "upped" there game? Either way, I love it and it is my favorite place in Grand Rapids.
(5)Phil Z.
Arrived at 5:15 left at 7:30. Horrible. Pasta was a heap of tasteless mush. Chicken pieces tasted spoiled. The wait was unbearable. Next time we're near the airport, we'll skip this place!
(1)Suzanne S.
My family decided to go to dinner here recently. We were seated and had a nice server. We wanted to try out the new "fatbreads" that we saw on TV and that's what brought us in. After we placed our order, it seemed like a long time and we asked about the status of our food after the server said it would be a few minutes. My father asked for the manager to come over and express our frustration. My mother added it had been a long time for food like this. The manager said that she just got here and will go and check on our food. She came back with our food later and explained that the oven for the fatbreads is too small and doesn't cook well. We were disappointed with taste and appearance of the fatbreads, being that it was supposed to be "fat". My mother's dish was a chicken one and the chicken had no flavor and was overcooked. The manager apologized and gave us a small discount. My family and I won't come back.
(2)Bob L.
Waited a long time for a table of 6...groups of 4 or less we're being seated immediately. Service was ok. The food was terrible...like it had been sitting under a heat lamp forever. Very mediocre. Will never go back to this location.
(1)Libby M.
Food was disgusting. Save some money and just eat garbage out of a dumpster. First the potatoes on my husbands meal were cold. The meat tasted like their grill needed to be cleaned and he had terrible stomach trouble until what he did eat of the meal was expelled. I ordered the mushroom ravioli. I sent it back. I took one bite and it tasted only like grease. Then I examined my plate a little closer. There must have been at least 1/8 of a cup of grease on my plate. Fresh...the only fresh thing about the evening, is the memory. Manager simply didn't care. Did not review the returned plate so I had to show her a picture! Honestly...the food court at Costco is much better.
(1)Todd L.
Lowsy service, they couldn't serve us most of what we originally ordered, they left our table loaded with plates and empty glasses. I food we ended up getting was delicious, however not exactly what we ordered. We would have sent back but our server disappeared for 20 min.
(2)Tina D.
I've eaten at several Macaroni Grills, they are ok chain Italian food.This one was not as good as any of the others.
(2)Mark V.
We've returned (a few times) to find an improvement in most of the areas in the prior review. The service is still pretty bad. We eat here quite often and always find that the servers are disengaged. The food is good.
(3)Ali M.
My husband and I have been here several times over the years and we've never had a bad meal from here. Everything is good. However I'm only giving it 3 stars because we were fans of the "Make your own pasta" but today they had raised the prices for this dish and gotten rid of some of our favorite additions like the buffalo mozzarella and sauted onions. We ended up getting the Mediterranean Lunch and both had salads and the prosciutto sandwiches which were excellent but for sandwich and salad it took a really long time to be served our food.
(3)Tim L.
My wife and I eat here all the time. The service is great, and so is the food!
(5)