I went here last night with my boyfriend.....horrible experience. First of all, they sat us right by the front door when almost the whole restaurant was empty. I guess they wanted to give the bartender something to do as she was the one who waited on us, if you want to call it that. It took her over ten minutes to take our drink order. After finally getting our drinks, she took our order and that was the last we saw of her until she brought the check. Our salads were brought out by another server and we got them about two minutes before a different server brought our entrees. The food was bland and disgusting. We will never go to this restaurant again. Save your money and go buy a dollar can of Spaghettios. They are about the same quality.
(1)
Paige s.
Not sure why but I expected Spaghetti and meatballs to be on the lunch menu and it wasn't, well not that I saw but it was on the kids so I asked for it and the Nice waiter said that was fine. The bread was OK my sons pizza was OK, but a little burnt. when I finally got my spaghetti I wanted to dump the water out of the bottom of the bowl but refrained. I twirled it around and smiled with a nod when asked how our food was. Then I paid the $30 for a bowl of water and noodles and a small kids pizza. NEVER Again!
(1)
Mark S.
Went Saturday night, and surprised at how slow it was. Not sure if that is a result of Obama's economy or the restaurant's performance. Our food was good. It did come out a little slow especially given that there were not so many customers. Also, our server made a couple minor mistakes. I was a little disturbed by all the clean up and table setting going on around us like they were trying to get out of there. All-in-all solid.
(4)
nasim n.
Clean, good food and nice staff. We looked everywhere, and agreed on this place and we weren't dissapointed. Hard to compare to the restaurants in San Francisco, but if you're in the area...I recommend!
(4)
Jeremy S.
My second time at this location. The food was great both times.
(4)
James H.
I've always been a bigger fan of Macaroni Grill than the other big chain Italian restaurants. This location is no different - always sizable portions, great taste, good service, and not quite as expensive as other chains.
(4)
Andrew B.
Our server was very attentive, aside from his failure to warn us that the bruschetta had no flavor, it was just grilled ciabatta bread with chopped onions. The bread was subpar as well. We ordered a bottle of wine that was said to have been half off, but when we got the check it was full price. The server took care of it, but only after we pointed it out to him. The dish that my wife ordered was something she had a few weeks prior, but this time it was not as creamy as she remembered. We also found it odd that the restaurant was not busy during the dinner rush, when the Chili's and Longhorns parking lots were both full.
(2)
Raj H.
After reading the reviews on this Romano's location, I'm kind of surprised. I guess there is new management or something, which actually could be the case because the manager told me that they changed the GM recently when I chatted with him on the way out. Any ways, my wife, mother and I went there two weeks ago. We had never eaten at a Romano's Macaroni Grill, because with my wife and I being foodies and always cooking and learning more about food, we just figured it would be another franchise Italian experience like Olive Garden which though usually a nice ambiance, doesn't really carry any really traditional Italian. From the time we stepped in the front door, we felt welcome and enjoyed the very calm and inviting environment. We were seated immediately and our waiter was already at our table before we could get seated completed to take our drink orders. The menu though obviously a little doctored to appeal to more of an Americanized Italian palette, was still very good and had some really great traditional dishes. The waiter helped us pick what he believed to be the best on the menu and he made suggestions against things he knew weren't the best items and it mattered not that those items were the more expensive ones. He seemed to want us to have a genuinely good experience. The food came out fast and was awesome. My wife had Shrimp Portofino and that is the first time I've ever seen her clean her pasta bowl. My mom had the Chicken Cacciatore and she said it was amazing and I can attest to it because I finished what was left over of it in our doggy bag two days later at home. I had the Classic Italian Bake which included homemade meatballs, italian sausage, rustic tomato sauce, rigatoni, roasted tomatoes, creamy ricotta, basil. It was amazing. I left most of the stuff to eat at home because we filled myself up on the Bruschetta which was great and their complimentary bread which was unlike any kind of complimentary bread I've had at a franchise restaurant. It was a unique and very tasty recipe and we asked to take two home and they were very obliging. My Italian bake tasted great a day later at home and should be the case as decent Italian food always taste better the next day. We even ordered a Chicken/Arugala Pizza to take home and they make it on a flat bread with the sliced mozzarella the way you would get at a deli in Rome. It might have been tweaked for American tastes, but it was totally unique to any other pizza I've had in a franchise restaurant. It was pretty good and I would pizza from there again and they were all around $12.50 and that is a deal compared to a pizza from Jets or Dominos. The manager came by while we were eating to check up on us and he was very pleasant and offered us a free appetizer on our next visit. All-in-all, it was a great experience. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because we've had some amazing experiences at other restaurants and as great as this experience was, it just didn't fire on every single cylinder like some of our other experiences. I still HIGHLY recommend this restaurant and I can only hope that you have the same experience our family had and not an undesirable experience like some of the other reviewers. I can only talk of what we experienced and for us, it was amazing.
(4)
Wendy J.
I usually dine in here and it is decent. I m vegan and they have more options than most places and the staff is knowledgeable and friendly. I got curbside service about a month ago and I really wish I remembered the girl's name who took care of us because she was awesome!! She thought of everything a person could possibly need.
(4)
Jessica B.
I've been to this location numerous times and it's never really impressed me. From mediocre food to a ridiculous wait on one visit, it was a spot I usually avoided if possible. This review is for my most recent visit while attending a baby shower for a coworker. The restaurant was pretty slow for a Sunday night but service was attentive. Our server was great at suggesting items since many of us hadn't seen the recent menu changes. He kept us supplied on bread before the meal, as well as water canisters. The food arrived in a decent amount of time and everything was well received. I had the Penne Rustica and I really enjoyed it, although I'm not usually a seafood fan. The sauce was really good and got me to enjoy shrimp. Ha. Overall the dinner went well. I may come again to see what else has changed on the menu and to check out the wine specials they have.
(3)
K B.
Most disgusting place to eat it's so sad... Fazolis is better and way cheaper than this expensive gross place. Pasta sauce shouldn't be watered down I'm sorry. They don't even have macaroni and its literally called macaroni grill ?
(1)
Sam B.
We visited the evening of 8/3 for a family birthday dinner. The little brunette hostess acted like someone had upset her apple cart since she was lacking in her social graces. She actually froze in place with arms in mid swing like a freakin' performance artist asking stupid questions, "are y'all here for a party?" and "why are you here?" Really? Why are we here? Anyway we were seated and the visit seemed to improve. The waitress took our orders and our food arrived in a timely manner. No kids menu? Really? The food was good. We all enjoyed our meals. When it came to dessert time the waitress failed to tell our 9 year old that the chocolate cake he ordered was blazing hot out of the oven and he burned his hand on the crock it arrived in. So if you are wanting an evening with a pretentious, stuck up host and a waitress that doesn't know how to serve children then this is the place for you. UPDATE: I just confirmed they do have a children's menu. So the hostess lied to us. Nice! Another update: The manager finally called me back to offer a free meal if we would come back. Lol! I don't think so. I've paid a lot less at nicer restaurants and treated better!
(1)
R H.
The worst restaurant in Murfreesboro. Service is awful. Better to just buy a macaroni grill frozen dinner at Publix and heat it up at home.
(1)
Melissa M.
This is the worst Macaroni Grill I have ever eaten are, and I've tried a few. I nearly passed out when the bartender told me he'd been tending bar for 3 years. Don't order a martini if you want it shaken. His version of shaken is to pour ingredients directly into an ice filled shaker one at a time while reading each ingredient out of a recipe book then swirling it around when it is already watered down. I ended up with red wine. Calamari was rubbery. Cesar salad was wilted and over dressed. Just not good at all.
(1)
Alison T.
Super WACK. I came in and sat at the bar. The female bartender ignored me for a few minutes until finally the hostess brought me a menu. I sat waiting about ten min to give my order. Another couple who got here after me got bread then I was told they were out. I have never ordered spaghetti and meatballs from a restaurant but it sounded like good comfort food-IT WAS NOT! The sauce that was supposed to be bolognaise was too watery to recognize, it wouldn't even hold the pasta together! The bread that I finally did receive was super salty and all of the food was barely room temperature. Luckily I am only in town to visit so I won't be coming back anyway :-)
(2)
Anna M.
I usually don't eat at chain restaurants, but in Murfreesboro, TN you have no other choice. The waitress was an airhead. Why give me a make your own pasta card when you're ready to take my order? No, NOW I'm not ready to order because you just added this new variable! The food was ready very quickly, but not in a good way. Obviously nothing was fresh. My pasta was cold. The "chicken" dishes are just pieces of chicken in tasteless sauces over pasta. The restaurant was filthy. Yuck! Overall, is was completely unsatisfactory.
(1)
Emily D.
I want to start out by saying I am a huge macaroni grill fan. I was traveling from Illinois to Georgia and had stopped for the night in Murfreesboro. Since I couldn't be with my loved ones on NYE, I decided a dinner at one of my favorite restaurants would be the perfect end to a long night of driving. I was horribly wrong. After being sat, I waited over 10 minutes before a server finally acknowledged me. A couple seated behind me arrived 5 minutes after me, yet had their drinks and bread long before I did. When the server finally came over, she explained immediately that she was new, almost as if to warn me that my experience was going to be sub par. I ordered the create your own pasta bowl, and selected the option for the Bibb n bleu salad; my entree arrived 45 minutes later, and I never received my salad. Finally, the food itself was not up to the standards I normally expect from a macaroni grill . The roasted garlic in my pasta was less roasted, more burned to a crisp so that it disintegrated in your mouth when you bit into it. The Italian sausage was undercooked, and the Alfredo sauce was watery and sad. After a long day of driving, I was hoping for a special dinner. Sadly I was treated to anything but.
(1)
Melissa B.
I got off work and Tony and I was going to go down to Murfreesboro from Nashville to take a walk in the Stone River National Battlefield but it was already closed. We were both hungry so we thought about going to one of our favorites in Murfreesboro, "Old Chicago"..but we saw "Romano's Macaroni Grill". We had never eaten there before and I always like to try new places. So we pulled in, not sure what to expect or what to order.... The restaurant was lovely.. Dark clean wood, white table clothes and a roaring fireplace and beautiful lighting. It was a gorgeous setting and immediately I was in love with the decor. The colors were so inviting and warm. They greeted us immediately. We were seated against the back wall. Our host was very friendly and we told him it was our first visit. He was quick to assure us we would be very pleased with any item on the menu but he recommended the "Penne Rustica" Pasta. The plate had a great description in the menu. Our waitress, KASEY came up almost immediately. Wrote her name on the white paper (wax) covering the top of the white linen table cloth with bright red crayon...cute!!! We ordered our drinks..me the usual..Unsweetened tea with Lime/Lemon and Tony got his usual...Budweiser..I was tempted to get a glass of wine..but I was driving. We studied the menu..and made our selection. Tony opted to choose the Flatbread Pepperoni Pizza (8 slices ) larger than a normal dinner plate..I would say about 14" easy..and I ordered "Mama Trio" dinner plate with Chicken/Mushroom Canneloni, a helping of the beef/sausage Lasagna and Chicken Parmesan with spaghetti noodles and a great basilly sweet marinara sauce. They brought us some delicious Herbed Hot bread with some Extra Virgin Olive oil and herbs for dipping of the GREAT bread... Our meal came out quickly. I am so glad I didn't order any salads or appetizers. The plate serving was huge..Check out our pictures. Tony and I split everything. We tasted everything and we feel in love with the fresh made pastas and the sauce and Neither of us are a real flatbread pizza lover but it was really good. I would highly recommend to everyone and we can't wait to go again....I have to take my daughter and son when they come to visit again!!! I am going to eat here again!!!! SOON!!!!!
(4)
April H.
I have been to several Macaroni Grilles in various states and have always loved it. This location however if awful. Several years ago we stopped coming due to lower quality food and high prices. Recently we decided to come back, maybe a year ago. Ok experience, nothing memorable good or bad. Went back tonight for the last time! Arrived around 6pm, on a Friday. Understandably a busy time. We had a party of 5, two adults, 2 kids, and a senior citizen. The hostess seemed yo have a really hard time understanding the number 5. My husband even had to prompt her to write our party down. Eventually we were handed a pager and waited. A couple was seated...we waited. A party of 3 was seated...we waited. I went to use the restroom and the hostess verified two more times how many were in our party. (5)! After three more groups of less than 5 were seated ahead of us, I went to the hostess station. She said they didn't have a table for 5. I asked why they couldn't put 2 tables together, a few words were exchanged and she offered to get the manager. About 5-10 more mins went by and I again asked how long it would be. The hostess said they were pushing 2 tables together now, I still hadn't talked to a manager. Another few mins go by and we are greeted by a seater guy who grunts out, "how many kids minus?" When I reply 2 he grabs the menus and just walks toward the table. No 'follow me', 'this way', etc. He looks annoyed when I had to go get the rest of my family in the sitting area. When we get to the table, he still doesn't say anything to us and I told him I was still waiting to speak to a manager, he just snorts. Our waitress comes over and she is wonderful. Kalyn,was the highlight of our evening and Macaroni Grilles saving grace. Finally the manager comes over, she looks young and inexperienced and although I was polite, I was stern about my concerns. I honestly felt bad for her because she obviously had NO conflict resolution skills, and I even asked if she was really the manager and she said she was the shift manager. All she responded with was "WoW, that's really a lot...not sure what to say...I'm gonna get someone above me to help with this." Really?! I hadn't made any demands, no threats (other than this yelp post) and she had no clue how to respond appropriately. Dinner took very long to come out and although it tasted great, the temperature was not hot, not really even warm, maybe just above room temp. The manager came back over to see how things were, I was honest and said the flavor was excellent but it was kind of cool and although she offered to warm it we were all too hungry to wait. (Everyone's food was cool, not just mine) Later the manager came back again and offered to give us dessert on the house. The rest of the evening was uneventful except Kalyn was amazing and I will be enjoying some tiramisu later. But I would've been happy with an acknowledgement and apology and a true sense of leadership & professionalism in a nice restaurant. They charge an average of $15 per plate but I've received better service at a $5 plate restaurant. Save your money & time and go to Demo's or Gondolier for your pasta fix!
(1)
Jacob L.
This restaurant is overall great. I have read all of the negative reviews posted here, and quite frankly after reading their other reviews, I believe they just do not meet the clientele of a nicer, upscale, Italian restaurant. Although the restaurant is a little slower during the week, I never fail to get quick friendly service. They have a great, quick lunch deal that is only $10. They also offer half priced bottles of wine on Thursdays. If you come out to celebrate on the weekends, you may even get lucky enough to see their accordion player sing some Italian music during your meal. The atmosphere is unbeatable. The food is average to other chain restaurants, but the service, and management make this place an outstanding choice for your occasion. We have even used them for things such as to go orders, and large catering orders. It is always a big hit for everyone. One other great thing.. they actually take reservations. This is hard to come by these days. Call weeks ahead of time( we did this for a large birthday party), or the night of, and they go above and beyond to make accommodations for you. If you don't believe me, go check this out for yourselves. I do understand that they have recently undergone new management. They have a new General Manager that I have had the pleasure of meeting a few times. When we have had any issues, they are prompt at fixing anything we bring to them.
(5)
Robert S.
Happy Birthday to Me! My good friends took me out to lunch for my special day, and it was fairly crowded this day. We were invited to wait in the small bar area until our table was ready. The service was friendly, the food hearty and good! It was my birthday, so I received a brownie cooked in a ramekin and the waiter that brought it sang the Italian version of Happy Birthday, in Italian! He had an awesome voice and sounded like an opera singer. Would return here with a group.
(3)
Michael J.
I ate here with several coworkers while attending a conference at MTSU. It was my first time eating at a macaroni grill. The bread was good and so was the salad but neither were outstanding. I had the spaghetti an meatballs dish and was underwhelmed by it. The best part of the meal was the wine I had with the spaghetti.
(2)
Erin J.
Very disappointing experience. A friend of mine works for Chili's and said that we should eat here as she also gets 1/2 off here. Sounds great! I got there first, was seated at a small table behind a wall, and waited. And waited. I saw at least 5 servers walking around the table but no one stopped to ask if I needed something to drink. Then my friend walked in, sat down, and we waited some more. It took so long for someone to finally come over, at least 15 minutes from the time I sat down. Totally ridiculous. So anyway, we ordered a couple of glasses of wine, some pasta, and some salads. I had the Pasta Milano - not good. It was about 95% pasta, with tiny little specks of the sundrieds, chicken, and mushrooms. It was also very dry, and really needed a little more sauce. My friend liked her dish fine so at least that was good. Then when the bill came, she said she'd pick up the tab. She gave the server her discount card, along with the money for the bill. About 10 minutes later the server came back to the table with a manager looking guy, who announced that they cannot get the discount card to work. He said "you're like the 5th or 6th Chili's person who's tried to use their card here", as if she shouldn't have? I was confused. So then she asked if they could give the discount anyway, as that's the only reason we came there, and he said no. We ended up splitting the bill and settling, but I thought it was a bit rude. After this experience with slow service & crappy food, not to mention the ridiculousness with the discount card, I don't plan on returning.
(1)
Steven S.
This particular Macaroni Grill used to be my favorite place to take my dear (now wife) for a nice lunch or dinner. We decided to stop in today to reminisce about those days and got a totally different experience. Up front, we found it odd that the restaurant was not at all busy for lunch hour. The time was approximately 12:30pm and only a few tables had diners. Despite the emptiness of the restaurant and the abundance of servers, it took much longer than it should have to get a drink and appetizer order placed. Our party of four ordered two lunch specials (salad and soup; salad and sandwich) which were mixed up. The fettuccine alfredo was mostly grease and low on the creamy alfredo we used to get here. Probably the biggest disappointment was the lasagna - it used to be a thick, heavy, massive slice, but now it's a flattened scattered mess with virtually no sauce and even less meat. The service was s l o w, with the waiter only checking on us once after taking our order, and that was to drop off the bill. We waited an excessively long time for our simple orders (the restaurant was nearly empty, mind you) and our drinks were refilled only once for the entire hour plus we were there. This is not the Macaroni Grill of old. The food has changed, the service is awful, the atmosphere is different (for the worse), but the prices are as high as ever. I don't think we'll be back.
(2)
Victoria B.
I've been here 3 times, and was extremely disappointed every time. I was a frequent visitor of the location in Opry Mills, but since the flood have tried this one as a replacement. The workers at this location have been great, but the food is sub-par. The bread has been terrible every time. I thought the first time that it was just a bad batch or something, but it's been the same after that as well. It's almost too tough to even chew, and doesn't get the flaky crust that I've had at Opry Mills. My family and I used to get second and sometimes third loaves while we were eating, but in Murfreesboro we don't even finish half of one. The food I've tried has been lacking in flavor. The breading they use on different things adds a grainy texture and doesn't adhere well to the foods. With all the restaurants that are popping up in Murfreesboro I'd definitely suggest trying one of those instead of stopping at Romano's Macaroni Grill.
(2)
Brian B.
Racheal was our waitress. And even during the busy dinner seating she took the time to be personable and humorous. Rachael's knowledge of the menu items preparation and portion size helped in our decision making. The rest of the staff helped out in keeping the meal arriving at the table hot from the kitchen. The prices are varied as are the menu choices for both food and drink (non-alcoholic & alcohol). The fourth and fifth star were not given due to the hostess stand had personnel who lacked training. Most notably their seating process was not important enough for management to address. We were told it would be 5-10 minutes before we could be seated due to there were reservations made. I watched as more families arrived and were told the wait is 5-10 minutes without a reservation. After five minutes I asked the host why we were waiting for a table. I could see that there were at least three tables ready for my family. He said that they had reservations ahead of us. It was 6:05PM, and there was no one at the hostess stand but the three parties waiting for 5-10 minutes to expire. I asked how much longer until we decide the reservation holders are not on time? He then went through the restaurant questioning each section's wait staff on availability before seating us at the tables that had been cleaned and empty since our arrival .
(3)
Dirk H.
Use to really enjoy Macaroni Grill. It's changed for the worst. This was our second trip back since our last disappointing meal. It wasn't any better. First off was the service. The restaurant was nearly empty which should have been a clue. Plus, I overhead a waiter who ended up waiting on us complaining about his lack of tips. I could see why. He never came back and checked on us. One thing that hasn't changed is the bread. Still tastes great. But, we only got one loaf because our waiter never came back. My son's Fettuccine Alfredo was nothing more than noodles with butter maybe. No taste whatsoever. Yuch. I had the lasagna which was just ok. Not much flavor. My son tried the Penne Rustica. That had been my favorite dish. But after our last trip I decided the recipe has been changed and the portion size decreased. My son said the same. Very disappointing. We won't be back.
(2)
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Address :2535 Medical Center Pkwy
Murfreesboro, TN, 37129
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : 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.
Amy P.
I went here last night with my boyfriend.....horrible experience. First of all, they sat us right by the front door when almost the whole restaurant was empty. I guess they wanted to give the bartender something to do as she was the one who waited on us, if you want to call it that. It took her over ten minutes to take our drink order. After finally getting our drinks, she took our order and that was the last we saw of her until she brought the check. Our salads were brought out by another server and we got them about two minutes before a different server brought our entrees. The food was bland and disgusting. We will never go to this restaurant again. Save your money and go buy a dollar can of Spaghettios. They are about the same quality.
(1)Paige s.
Not sure why but I expected Spaghetti and meatballs to be on the lunch menu and it wasn't, well not that I saw but it was on the kids so I asked for it and the Nice waiter said that was fine. The bread was OK my sons pizza was OK, but a little burnt. when I finally got my spaghetti I wanted to dump the water out of the bottom of the bowl but refrained. I twirled it around and smiled with a nod when asked how our food was. Then I paid the $30 for a bowl of water and noodles and a small kids pizza. NEVER Again!
(1)Mark S.
Went Saturday night, and surprised at how slow it was. Not sure if that is a result of Obama's economy or the restaurant's performance. Our food was good. It did come out a little slow especially given that there were not so many customers. Also, our server made a couple minor mistakes. I was a little disturbed by all the clean up and table setting going on around us like they were trying to get out of there. All-in-all solid.
(4)nasim n.
Clean, good food and nice staff. We looked everywhere, and agreed on this place and we weren't dissapointed. Hard to compare to the restaurants in San Francisco, but if you're in the area...I recommend!
(4)Jeremy S.
My second time at this location. The food was great both times.
(4)James H.
I've always been a bigger fan of Macaroni Grill than the other big chain Italian restaurants. This location is no different - always sizable portions, great taste, good service, and not quite as expensive as other chains.
(4)Andrew B.
Our server was very attentive, aside from his failure to warn us that the bruschetta had no flavor, it was just grilled ciabatta bread with chopped onions. The bread was subpar as well. We ordered a bottle of wine that was said to have been half off, but when we got the check it was full price. The server took care of it, but only after we pointed it out to him. The dish that my wife ordered was something she had a few weeks prior, but this time it was not as creamy as she remembered. We also found it odd that the restaurant was not busy during the dinner rush, when the Chili's and Longhorns parking lots were both full.
(2)Raj H.
After reading the reviews on this Romano's location, I'm kind of surprised. I guess there is new management or something, which actually could be the case because the manager told me that they changed the GM recently when I chatted with him on the way out. Any ways, my wife, mother and I went there two weeks ago. We had never eaten at a Romano's Macaroni Grill, because with my wife and I being foodies and always cooking and learning more about food, we just figured it would be another franchise Italian experience like Olive Garden which though usually a nice ambiance, doesn't really carry any really traditional Italian. From the time we stepped in the front door, we felt welcome and enjoyed the very calm and inviting environment. We were seated immediately and our waiter was already at our table before we could get seated completed to take our drink orders. The menu though obviously a little doctored to appeal to more of an Americanized Italian palette, was still very good and had some really great traditional dishes. The waiter helped us pick what he believed to be the best on the menu and he made suggestions against things he knew weren't the best items and it mattered not that those items were the more expensive ones. He seemed to want us to have a genuinely good experience. The food came out fast and was awesome. My wife had Shrimp Portofino and that is the first time I've ever seen her clean her pasta bowl. My mom had the Chicken Cacciatore and she said it was amazing and I can attest to it because I finished what was left over of it in our doggy bag two days later at home. I had the Classic Italian Bake which included homemade meatballs, italian sausage, rustic tomato sauce, rigatoni, roasted tomatoes, creamy ricotta, basil. It was amazing. I left most of the stuff to eat at home because we filled myself up on the Bruschetta which was great and their complimentary bread which was unlike any kind of complimentary bread I've had at a franchise restaurant. It was a unique and very tasty recipe and we asked to take two home and they were very obliging. My Italian bake tasted great a day later at home and should be the case as decent Italian food always taste better the next day. We even ordered a Chicken/Arugala Pizza to take home and they make it on a flat bread with the sliced mozzarella the way you would get at a deli in Rome. It might have been tweaked for American tastes, but it was totally unique to any other pizza I've had in a franchise restaurant. It was pretty good and I would pizza from there again and they were all around $12.50 and that is a deal compared to a pizza from Jets or Dominos. The manager came by while we were eating to check up on us and he was very pleasant and offered us a free appetizer on our next visit. All-in-all, it was a great experience. The only reason I didn't give it five stars is because we've had some amazing experiences at other restaurants and as great as this experience was, it just didn't fire on every single cylinder like some of our other experiences. I still HIGHLY recommend this restaurant and I can only hope that you have the same experience our family had and not an undesirable experience like some of the other reviewers. I can only talk of what we experienced and for us, it was amazing.
(4)Wendy J.
I usually dine in here and it is decent. I m vegan and they have more options than most places and the staff is knowledgeable and friendly. I got curbside service about a month ago and I really wish I remembered the girl's name who took care of us because she was awesome!! She thought of everything a person could possibly need.
(4)Jessica B.
I've been to this location numerous times and it's never really impressed me. From mediocre food to a ridiculous wait on one visit, it was a spot I usually avoided if possible. This review is for my most recent visit while attending a baby shower for a coworker. The restaurant was pretty slow for a Sunday night but service was attentive. Our server was great at suggesting items since many of us hadn't seen the recent menu changes. He kept us supplied on bread before the meal, as well as water canisters. The food arrived in a decent amount of time and everything was well received. I had the Penne Rustica and I really enjoyed it, although I'm not usually a seafood fan. The sauce was really good and got me to enjoy shrimp. Ha. Overall the dinner went well. I may come again to see what else has changed on the menu and to check out the wine specials they have.
(3)K B.
Most disgusting place to eat it's so sad... Fazolis is better and way cheaper than this expensive gross place. Pasta sauce shouldn't be watered down I'm sorry. They don't even have macaroni and its literally called macaroni grill ?
(1)Sam B.
We visited the evening of 8/3 for a family birthday dinner. The little brunette hostess acted like someone had upset her apple cart since she was lacking in her social graces. She actually froze in place with arms in mid swing like a freakin' performance artist asking stupid questions, "are y'all here for a party?" and "why are you here?" Really? Why are we here? Anyway we were seated and the visit seemed to improve. The waitress took our orders and our food arrived in a timely manner. No kids menu? Really? The food was good. We all enjoyed our meals. When it came to dessert time the waitress failed to tell our 9 year old that the chocolate cake he ordered was blazing hot out of the oven and he burned his hand on the crock it arrived in. So if you are wanting an evening with a pretentious, stuck up host and a waitress that doesn't know how to serve children then this is the place for you. UPDATE: I just confirmed they do have a children's menu. So the hostess lied to us. Nice! Another update: The manager finally called me back to offer a free meal if we would come back. Lol! I don't think so. I've paid a lot less at nicer restaurants and treated better!
(1)R H.
The worst restaurant in Murfreesboro. Service is awful. Better to just buy a macaroni grill frozen dinner at Publix and heat it up at home.
(1)Melissa M.
This is the worst Macaroni Grill I have ever eaten are, and I've tried a few. I nearly passed out when the bartender told me he'd been tending bar for 3 years. Don't order a martini if you want it shaken. His version of shaken is to pour ingredients directly into an ice filled shaker one at a time while reading each ingredient out of a recipe book then swirling it around when it is already watered down. I ended up with red wine. Calamari was rubbery. Cesar salad was wilted and over dressed. Just not good at all.
(1)Alison T.
Super WACK. I came in and sat at the bar. The female bartender ignored me for a few minutes until finally the hostess brought me a menu. I sat waiting about ten min to give my order. Another couple who got here after me got bread then I was told they were out. I have never ordered spaghetti and meatballs from a restaurant but it sounded like good comfort food-IT WAS NOT! The sauce that was supposed to be bolognaise was too watery to recognize, it wouldn't even hold the pasta together! The bread that I finally did receive was super salty and all of the food was barely room temperature. Luckily I am only in town to visit so I won't be coming back anyway :-)
(2)Anna M.
I usually don't eat at chain restaurants, but in Murfreesboro, TN you have no other choice. The waitress was an airhead. Why give me a make your own pasta card when you're ready to take my order? No, NOW I'm not ready to order because you just added this new variable! The food was ready very quickly, but not in a good way. Obviously nothing was fresh. My pasta was cold. The "chicken" dishes are just pieces of chicken in tasteless sauces over pasta. The restaurant was filthy. Yuck! Overall, is was completely unsatisfactory.
(1)Emily D.
I want to start out by saying I am a huge macaroni grill fan. I was traveling from Illinois to Georgia and had stopped for the night in Murfreesboro. Since I couldn't be with my loved ones on NYE, I decided a dinner at one of my favorite restaurants would be the perfect end to a long night of driving. I was horribly wrong. After being sat, I waited over 10 minutes before a server finally acknowledged me. A couple seated behind me arrived 5 minutes after me, yet had their drinks and bread long before I did. When the server finally came over, she explained immediately that she was new, almost as if to warn me that my experience was going to be sub par. I ordered the create your own pasta bowl, and selected the option for the Bibb n bleu salad; my entree arrived 45 minutes later, and I never received my salad. Finally, the food itself was not up to the standards I normally expect from a macaroni grill . The roasted garlic in my pasta was less roasted, more burned to a crisp so that it disintegrated in your mouth when you bit into it. The Italian sausage was undercooked, and the Alfredo sauce was watery and sad. After a long day of driving, I was hoping for a special dinner. Sadly I was treated to anything but.
(1)Melissa B.
I got off work and Tony and I was going to go down to Murfreesboro from Nashville to take a walk in the Stone River National Battlefield but it was already closed. We were both hungry so we thought about going to one of our favorites in Murfreesboro, "Old Chicago"..but we saw "Romano's Macaroni Grill". We had never eaten there before and I always like to try new places. So we pulled in, not sure what to expect or what to order.... The restaurant was lovely.. Dark clean wood, white table clothes and a roaring fireplace and beautiful lighting. It was a gorgeous setting and immediately I was in love with the decor. The colors were so inviting and warm. They greeted us immediately. We were seated against the back wall. Our host was very friendly and we told him it was our first visit. He was quick to assure us we would be very pleased with any item on the menu but he recommended the "Penne Rustica" Pasta. The plate had a great description in the menu. Our waitress, KASEY came up almost immediately. Wrote her name on the white paper (wax) covering the top of the white linen table cloth with bright red crayon...cute!!! We ordered our drinks..me the usual..Unsweetened tea with Lime/Lemon and Tony got his usual...Budweiser..I was tempted to get a glass of wine..but I was driving. We studied the menu..and made our selection. Tony opted to choose the Flatbread Pepperoni Pizza (8 slices ) larger than a normal dinner plate..I would say about 14" easy..and I ordered "Mama Trio" dinner plate with Chicken/Mushroom Canneloni, a helping of the beef/sausage Lasagna and Chicken Parmesan with spaghetti noodles and a great basilly sweet marinara sauce. They brought us some delicious Herbed Hot bread with some Extra Virgin Olive oil and herbs for dipping of the GREAT bread... Our meal came out quickly. I am so glad I didn't order any salads or appetizers. The plate serving was huge..Check out our pictures. Tony and I split everything. We tasted everything and we feel in love with the fresh made pastas and the sauce and Neither of us are a real flatbread pizza lover but it was really good. I would highly recommend to everyone and we can't wait to go again....I have to take my daughter and son when they come to visit again!!! I am going to eat here again!!!! SOON!!!!!
(4)April H.
I have been to several Macaroni Grilles in various states and have always loved it. This location however if awful. Several years ago we stopped coming due to lower quality food and high prices. Recently we decided to come back, maybe a year ago. Ok experience, nothing memorable good or bad. Went back tonight for the last time! Arrived around 6pm, on a Friday. Understandably a busy time. We had a party of 5, two adults, 2 kids, and a senior citizen. The hostess seemed yo have a really hard time understanding the number 5. My husband even had to prompt her to write our party down. Eventually we were handed a pager and waited. A couple was seated...we waited. A party of 3 was seated...we waited. I went to use the restroom and the hostess verified two more times how many were in our party. (5)! After three more groups of less than 5 were seated ahead of us, I went to the hostess station. She said they didn't have a table for 5. I asked why they couldn't put 2 tables together, a few words were exchanged and she offered to get the manager. About 5-10 more mins went by and I again asked how long it would be. The hostess said they were pushing 2 tables together now, I still hadn't talked to a manager. Another few mins go by and we are greeted by a seater guy who grunts out, "how many kids minus?" When I reply 2 he grabs the menus and just walks toward the table. No 'follow me', 'this way', etc. He looks annoyed when I had to go get the rest of my family in the sitting area. When we get to the table, he still doesn't say anything to us and I told him I was still waiting to speak to a manager, he just snorts. Our waitress comes over and she is wonderful. Kalyn,was the highlight of our evening and Macaroni Grilles saving grace. Finally the manager comes over, she looks young and inexperienced and although I was polite, I was stern about my concerns. I honestly felt bad for her because she obviously had NO conflict resolution skills, and I even asked if she was really the manager and she said she was the shift manager. All she responded with was "WoW, that's really a lot...not sure what to say...I'm gonna get someone above me to help with this." Really?! I hadn't made any demands, no threats (other than this yelp post) and she had no clue how to respond appropriately. Dinner took very long to come out and although it tasted great, the temperature was not hot, not really even warm, maybe just above room temp. The manager came back over to see how things were, I was honest and said the flavor was excellent but it was kind of cool and although she offered to warm it we were all too hungry to wait. (Everyone's food was cool, not just mine) Later the manager came back again and offered to give us dessert on the house. The rest of the evening was uneventful except Kalyn was amazing and I will be enjoying some tiramisu later. But I would've been happy with an acknowledgement and apology and a true sense of leadership & professionalism in a nice restaurant. They charge an average of $15 per plate but I've received better service at a $5 plate restaurant. Save your money & time and go to Demo's or Gondolier for your pasta fix!
(1)Jacob L.
This restaurant is overall great. I have read all of the negative reviews posted here, and quite frankly after reading their other reviews, I believe they just do not meet the clientele of a nicer, upscale, Italian restaurant. Although the restaurant is a little slower during the week, I never fail to get quick friendly service. They have a great, quick lunch deal that is only $10. They also offer half priced bottles of wine on Thursdays. If you come out to celebrate on the weekends, you may even get lucky enough to see their accordion player sing some Italian music during your meal. The atmosphere is unbeatable. The food is average to other chain restaurants, but the service, and management make this place an outstanding choice for your occasion. We have even used them for things such as to go orders, and large catering orders. It is always a big hit for everyone. One other great thing.. they actually take reservations. This is hard to come by these days. Call weeks ahead of time( we did this for a large birthday party), or the night of, and they go above and beyond to make accommodations for you. If you don't believe me, go check this out for yourselves. I do understand that they have recently undergone new management. They have a new General Manager that I have had the pleasure of meeting a few times. When we have had any issues, they are prompt at fixing anything we bring to them.
(5)Robert S.
Happy Birthday to Me! My good friends took me out to lunch for my special day, and it was fairly crowded this day. We were invited to wait in the small bar area until our table was ready. The service was friendly, the food hearty and good! It was my birthday, so I received a brownie cooked in a ramekin and the waiter that brought it sang the Italian version of Happy Birthday, in Italian! He had an awesome voice and sounded like an opera singer. Would return here with a group.
(3)Michael J.
I ate here with several coworkers while attending a conference at MTSU. It was my first time eating at a macaroni grill. The bread was good and so was the salad but neither were outstanding. I had the spaghetti an meatballs dish and was underwhelmed by it. The best part of the meal was the wine I had with the spaghetti.
(2)Erin J.
Very disappointing experience. A friend of mine works for Chili's and said that we should eat here as she also gets 1/2 off here. Sounds great! I got there first, was seated at a small table behind a wall, and waited. And waited. I saw at least 5 servers walking around the table but no one stopped to ask if I needed something to drink. Then my friend walked in, sat down, and we waited some more. It took so long for someone to finally come over, at least 15 minutes from the time I sat down. Totally ridiculous. So anyway, we ordered a couple of glasses of wine, some pasta, and some salads. I had the Pasta Milano - not good. It was about 95% pasta, with tiny little specks of the sundrieds, chicken, and mushrooms. It was also very dry, and really needed a little more sauce. My friend liked her dish fine so at least that was good. Then when the bill came, she said she'd pick up the tab. She gave the server her discount card, along with the money for the bill. About 10 minutes later the server came back to the table with a manager looking guy, who announced that they cannot get the discount card to work. He said "you're like the 5th or 6th Chili's person who's tried to use their card here", as if she shouldn't have? I was confused. So then she asked if they could give the discount anyway, as that's the only reason we came there, and he said no. We ended up splitting the bill and settling, but I thought it was a bit rude. After this experience with slow service & crappy food, not to mention the ridiculousness with the discount card, I don't plan on returning.
(1)Steven S.
This particular Macaroni Grill used to be my favorite place to take my dear (now wife) for a nice lunch or dinner. We decided to stop in today to reminisce about those days and got a totally different experience. Up front, we found it odd that the restaurant was not at all busy for lunch hour. The time was approximately 12:30pm and only a few tables had diners. Despite the emptiness of the restaurant and the abundance of servers, it took much longer than it should have to get a drink and appetizer order placed. Our party of four ordered two lunch specials (salad and soup; salad and sandwich) which were mixed up. The fettuccine alfredo was mostly grease and low on the creamy alfredo we used to get here. Probably the biggest disappointment was the lasagna - it used to be a thick, heavy, massive slice, but now it's a flattened scattered mess with virtually no sauce and even less meat. The service was s l o w, with the waiter only checking on us once after taking our order, and that was to drop off the bill. We waited an excessively long time for our simple orders (the restaurant was nearly empty, mind you) and our drinks were refilled only once for the entire hour plus we were there. This is not the Macaroni Grill of old. The food has changed, the service is awful, the atmosphere is different (for the worse), but the prices are as high as ever. I don't think we'll be back.
(2)Victoria B.
I've been here 3 times, and was extremely disappointed every time. I was a frequent visitor of the location in Opry Mills, but since the flood have tried this one as a replacement. The workers at this location have been great, but the food is sub-par. The bread has been terrible every time. I thought the first time that it was just a bad batch or something, but it's been the same after that as well. It's almost too tough to even chew, and doesn't get the flaky crust that I've had at Opry Mills. My family and I used to get second and sometimes third loaves while we were eating, but in Murfreesboro we don't even finish half of one. The food I've tried has been lacking in flavor. The breading they use on different things adds a grainy texture and doesn't adhere well to the foods. With all the restaurants that are popping up in Murfreesboro I'd definitely suggest trying one of those instead of stopping at Romano's Macaroni Grill.
(2)Brian B.
Racheal was our waitress. And even during the busy dinner seating she took the time to be personable and humorous. Rachael's knowledge of the menu items preparation and portion size helped in our decision making. The rest of the staff helped out in keeping the meal arriving at the table hot from the kitchen. The prices are varied as are the menu choices for both food and drink (non-alcoholic & alcohol). The fourth and fifth star were not given due to the hostess stand had personnel who lacked training. Most notably their seating process was not important enough for management to address. We were told it would be 5-10 minutes before we could be seated due to there were reservations made. I watched as more families arrived and were told the wait is 5-10 minutes without a reservation. After five minutes I asked the host why we were waiting for a table. I could see that there were at least three tables ready for my family. He said that they had reservations ahead of us. It was 6:05PM, and there was no one at the hostess stand but the three parties waiting for 5-10 minutes to expire. I asked how much longer until we decide the reservation holders are not on time? He then went through the restaurant questioning each section's wait staff on availability before seating us at the tables that had been cleaned and empty since our arrival .
(3)Dirk H.
Use to really enjoy Macaroni Grill. It's changed for the worst. This was our second trip back since our last disappointing meal. It wasn't any better. First off was the service. The restaurant was nearly empty which should have been a clue. Plus, I overhead a waiter who ended up waiting on us complaining about his lack of tips. I could see why. He never came back and checked on us. One thing that hasn't changed is the bread. Still tastes great. But, we only got one loaf because our waiter never came back. My son's Fettuccine Alfredo was nothing more than noodles with butter maybe. No taste whatsoever. Yuch. I had the lasagna which was just ok. Not much flavor. My son tried the Penne Rustica. That had been my favorite dish. But after our last trip I decided the recipe has been changed and the portion size decreased. My son said the same. Very disappointing. We won't be back.
(2)