Marco’s Italian Bistro
10855 N Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd,Ste 100, Scottsdale, AZ, 85259
Marco’s Italian Bistro Menu
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Address :
10855 N Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd,Ste 100
Scottsdale, AZ, 85259 - Phone (480) 767-3933
- Website https://www.marcosbistro.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
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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William K.
Great place and super friendly staff! Had spaghetti carbonara, cedar plank salmon and Rib Eye all cooked to perfection and beautifully presented. Would highly recommend this place!
(5)Betty M.
My husband and I had dinner here last night and it was absolutely delicious. The service was great and the ambiance was truly italian. The piano man added a delightful touch of the type and genre of music we enjoy. We will definitely return to this "taste of Italy."
(5)Dale S.
Had dinner there last night about 5:00 after a recommendation from a friend. We will definitely return! The hot oil and garlic with the bread was a nice surprise and a pleasant change from the usual oil and balsamic. the flat bread ( garlic and mozzarella} came with an excellent sauce. The spring mix salad had a variety of greens and just the right amount of vinegarette. My wife loved the choice of the quinoa pasta and my shrimp diavola was wonderfully spicy. Wayne was attentive and friendly. The portions are generous and the food excellent. A very pleasant experience. Dale and Mare
(5)Michael Z.
Nice restaurant inside and excellent staff. Prices are reasonable and the food is very tasty! not sure why its not busier inside...kind of a tucked away location. The chef/owner is super nice and takes the time to make his rounds to visit his guests. Class act.
(5)Michael B.
Absolutely terrible experience. We sat down on a Saturday night after calling ahead to make sure there was a table for four available. The restaurant was busy, but not full. Our bottle of wine took about 7 minutes to arrive to our table. After we ordered, we waited waited and waited. 50 minutes after we ordered our food, we asked the waiter to bring our check, as we were running short on time. Our server informed us that the chef hadn't even started our food yet. He then handed us our tab for our bottle of wine and our table bread. They couldn't even comp the bread and wine? We waited for nearly one hour! As we were leaving, there were about 5 other table available in an otherwise small restaurant. There was no reason it should have taken so long. Extremely disappointed.
(1)Isol M.
Great service and fantastic food! The meals are always wonderful. The staff is extremely friendly. I'm from New York and I'm very picky about my Italian food, this is one of the best!
(5)Mary P.
The owner replied below. Here is my reply. I HAVE had eggplant parmesan at your restaurant before and it was fine, as can be expected, it fitted the common expectation and standard description of the dish. Whatever i had w that alfredo sauce was not that, it was haphazardly thrown together, barely eatable and by no standard of any italian cooking can it be called an eggplant parm ( a dish i usually LOVE), for one there was no parmesan cheese in it. The dish was just eggplant, not well cooked, not good, covered in sauce with random chunks of mozz & ricotta cheese. I'll change my stars from 1 to 3 because i feel bad letting my bad experience affect your business, my issue is more w the waiter who Claimed he saw breadcrumbs. But to keep telling me that what i was served was not a mistake, that is some version of the dish, is ridiculous. I really want to like this place, it's cute, but when the attitude is so hoity you better come correct..and it just dont. Tonight's dinner was a travesty. I ordered an eggplant parmesan w Alfredo sauce instead of marinara. It came looking odd. I questioned it but was assured by waiter that it was normal. It wasn't, all this was, was a stack of dry thick eggplant with chunks of ricotta, mozz & alfredo thrown on too. It was not at all an eggplant paRm, i decided to make the best of it, cus they act at this restaurant like complaining or questioning is strictly forbidden. Before leaving I reported to the waiter, just as an Fyi, that mine was really not an eggplant parm, and he started arguing w me. I said "i've had it many times, it's supposed to be thin sliced eggplant fried in breadcrumbs and parmesan etc". he said : "i saw breadcrumbs" what?! Where?! I think i know what was in it, i ate it and am telling you what was on my plate in front of me for 20 min. I didnt send it back out of courtesy, hated that ineatable slop, paid for it, tipped well, and they can't even give me the courtesy of taking my notes at face value? I understand mistakes can be made, but when they look you in the face and deny the glaring obvious issues like you're lying or irrational, then i get lit. Additionally their homemade fettuccini breaks into small peaces right in the bowl, thats a no no for italian anywhere. Get it together.
(3)Lois R.
Food is very good...if you are a vegan, ask your wait staff for their special menu.
(3)Robert M.
Disclaimer: The owner, Marco, is sort of a friend of some friends whom I had never met in person before this visit. But I intend to give a very fair and honest review of my dining experience at this restaurant. We arrived on the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving a little after 6 PM. My wife called ahead to confirm they were open and the hostess warned us that they were busier than usual and that we may have to wait a bit to get a table. The restaurant is quite small and they appeared to be short-handed with staff that night as a couple of the staff members were sharing hosting, waiting, busing, and even bar duties. Having some first-hand experience in the food service business, I can appreciate the challenges that a small operation is faced with regarding staff. Even being one person short on a busy day can significantly impact your ability to provide good service. It took 20-25 minutes to get seated and the waits to have our orders taken, for the appetizers to arrive, and for our main courses to arrive were all longer than what we would normally expect when dining out. But, we were a party of six which included my wife's sister and husband who were visiting us from the Bay Area, so we weren't in any hurry and didn't much mind hanging out during the extended waits. Now on to the food. We ordered several appetizers: bread rolls and garlic mozzarella flatbread, both of which were quite good; calamari (I didn't try, but sis-in-law enjoyed it); rapini (a bit on the bitter and spicy side for my taste, but the other adults at the table liked it). All of the entrees ordered were big hits. My wife absolutely loved her shrimp scampi; her sister ordered the clams and mussels and loved it; her husband was very satisfied with the chicken marsala; I ordered one of the evening specials, grilled swordfish in lemon butter sauce with homemade fettucini in olive oil and garlic on the side. I don't often encounter swordfish on the menu when I dine out, but it's my favorite fish and this one was simply delicious. Our 12-year old daughter chose her standard favorite dish, fettuccini alfredo with grilled chicken. She's not big eater, but she stuffed herself the best she could while I gladly cleaned up the remainder. She swore it was the best she'd ever eaten and was still talking about it on the drive back to our hotel and even the next day! Finally our 5-year old daughter ate what she could of the margherita pizza that was shared by several of the adults and had no complaints. Marco stopped at our table a couple of times during our visit to make sure we were satisfied with our food and thank us for coming in that evening. It was readily apparent that he's passionate about his use of top quality ingredients and providing good value for the customer's dollar. Obviously, the overall dining experience wasn't perfect, but I felt like the service shortcomings were acceptable given the circumstances and the fact the staff remained courteous while busting their butts to do what had to be done. If Yelp would allow it, I'd give them 4.5 stars. So give Marco's a try next time you're in the mood for some tasty Italian food at a fair price.
(4)Nicole H.
I was introduced to Marco's a few years back and ever since then I have been hooked. The food is amazing and the staff is extremely attentive and nice. My recommendation, order either of the two pink sauce pasta dishes, yum! If you're looking for more than good food please keep reading... If you ever get the opportunity to have a discussion with the owner Marco, please do. On the first of three occasions (I've been there way more than that), a friend and I stopped in for dinner as we were extremely hungry after a long day. My friend ended up scarfing down his meal and when the owner, Marco, noticed how hungry he was, offered to make him more pasta at no charge. I mean, seriously, you don't find service like that in many places. On the second occasion, I was there with my boyfriend and we were having a nice lunch, Marco again stopped by to talk with us and saw that we were drinking the wine that his employees had suggested would go great with our meal, at no cost he had them refill our glasses. Lastly, I was there with my grandmother who was wheelchair bound. After our meal, Marco stopped by to ask us our opinion of the food. My grandmother and he had a great conversation about Italy and how the pink sauce originated (Marco also remembered me and a conversation we had from a visit the month prior). On our way out the door to my car, Marco decided to help me wheel my grandmother to the car, assist her inside the car, and then proceeded to pack up the wheelchair and put it in the trunk of my car. Wow, just wow!!! I mean, you can't find first class people like this just anywhere. That last act spoke volumes! I am and will be a fan of this establishment for life. So if you are a looking for great food, good service, a nice environment, and admirable individuals, look no further. Marco's Italian Bistro is one of the best, if not the best Italian restaurant in town!
(5)Helen T.
This food is so amazing Marco put so much effort into his preparation I have never had a bad meal have been going there for over 2 Years Amazing Pl.
(5)Richard B.
Just went to happy hour at Marco's Bistro. Food was very good to excellent but the service was average to poor. Very little attention in checking back to see if more appetizers were to be ordered, had to flag down staff to order. Last appetizer ordered never came and had to flag down a staff person again to request the order and was told our order had been put behind a large family order so never was filled. When we canceled the tardy appetizer the original waitress came up to say we couldn't expect our small order to be put in front of a large family order and we had to stop her excuses to get our bill so we could leave. We will come back because food was very good but hope that we don't encounter the same level of incompetence in the wait and kitchen staff.
(3)Roswell M.
My girlfriend and I really love your restaurant that we just found. Your attention to detail, the flavors and textures you bring out are fantastic , not to mention that you have gluten free dishes as well as you cook Organically. Your a personal tour of your kitchen as we we're leaving at closing time was great! I was very impressed with the cleanliness after a long day. In regards to your response to Michael B, that further shows me how on top of everything you are in satisfing your customers. You're on it! Keep up the great work...
(5)Tara Z.
This is our favorite Italian restaurant in the area! We've been to all the others, Vito's, Nicks, and this is hands down the best!! Chef Marco and his staff are not only friendly but very efficient! Now to go onto the food! The portions are extremely generous! If you have ever been to Italy, you know that meat is never served with pasta noodles on the same dish. It's almost sacreligious! Chef Marco knows what he is doing. Ever feel like you never get enough sauce... Not here... Each dish is served with the sauce and an extra carafe of sauce on the side! He makes his own fettuccine noodles as well!! We've tried just about everything and have never been disappointed! Def try the chicken balsamic for something out of this world for mushroom lovers! A lot of thought and love goes into all the dishes!! Just like it should be!
(5)Kristin L.
Marco is an amazing chef, everything is from scratch, and the white table clothes and small but quaint atmosphere is very nice. The seafood risotto was melting in my mouth! My mother and I love to go to Marco's!
(5)Vonda P.
Really good place. I liked the fact that customers can choose the level of spice. It is a small place but is really, really good.
(4)Amanda L.
SMall place tucked in the back of a shopping center. The people that work there are WEIRD. The food is GREAT!
(3)Toni K.
The food was good but they nickel and dime you. $2 for the bread, $1 for this $2 for that, so it adds up at the end. The service was slow, waiter was nice but didn't come around often enough.
(3)Chris B.
We come here often. The place is sporatically busy then not. I don't get it as the food is super. The home made fettucini is wow, as it the Bolognese sauce. Garlic shrimp over pasta, yum. Chicken dishes are good as well. I have sampled most of them and the chicken is moist and well prepared. My cousin had a veal dish last night and loved it as well (veal parm). This place needs more customers! Try it!
(4)Jordan M.
First time ordering food from Marco's. We decided to do take out to test it out. Ordered the margarita pizza and baked ziti with meat sauce. The pizza dough was soggy and was not cooked all the way through. I tasted fine, but was difficult to eat with out falling apart because you could not pick it up. This was the only pizza I've ever had that the crust and dough were not cooked enough to pickup. Of course when I make pizza at home on a pita this happens, but I paid Marco $13 for this so called pizza. The baked ziti was very soupy like in consistency. Tasted fine, but didn't look very appealing to eat. The meat sauce in side looked strange as their were bits of hard cut up meat pieces that at first I couldn't figure out what it was. The problem is Marco's is that there are no less than 3 very italian restaurants within 2 miles (Vito's 3 blocks away, Nicks about 2 miles away, and Spinatos about 3 block across the street) so if you want customers to come back, the food must be better. Unfortunately, the food is much worse and is probably why when I walked in the place to pick up my takeout it was pretty emply at 7pm. If you go into any of the other places I mention at 7pm, you have to wait about 10-20 to get in. Perhaps it is time to call "Restaurant Impossible" to this place out before it goes out of business. Seems like they could make it work, but Marco thinks he's a much better chef that he really is and may be the only one who loves his own cooking! Even if I had a Groupon I wouldn't come back!
(2)Mark D.
Food is very good. The staff is family and Marco the chef. The service is poor. Marco should hire a staff that could keep guests comming back. When all the local Italian restraunts are full we go to Marcos. It is empty for a reason, high prices and poor seating, service, house wine. The 60s live music (1 man on a ele. piano) works only for Marco's Mom. Sorry I will make a reservation elsewhere.
(2)Marsha L.
Best calamari in the valley! We have eaten here about 6 times...Never had a bad meal! Marinara sauce is awesome! Service is a bit quirky... But we've never waited long for anything.
(4)Dan A.
Great food and nice atmosphere, Quality Italian dining!
(5)Roger N.
Came in after some highly touted recommendations. Stood at the front for approx. 4-5 mins before anyone acknowledged us (other than the pianist who was a little too loud). We were seated then another 10 mins passed at which point I waved down a waiter so we didn't need to continue our wait. We promptly ordered, 2 salads, 3 entrees. Salads came out in about 10-15 mins. I started with a spinach salad (w/pecans, cranberries& feta). It was very good, even though they were out of the requested raspberry vinaigrette dressing...balsamic vinaigrette was used instead. Wife said Caesar salad was also good. After finishing salads, it was 10-15 mins before salad plates were cleared. Then another 15-20 before entrees were served. Still no one stopped by table to check on anything. Interestingly, the tray holder was put down by our table 15 mins before the food came out. The entrees of Chicken Parmesan, Balsamic Chicken & Shrimp scampi were (finally) delivered. My dish ( the Chx Parmesan ) was fair ( 5 on a 1-10 scale) and the pasta served on the same plate was watery and mixed w/ the chicken. Other diners with me rated the Balsamic Chicken as a 7 and the Shrimp Scampi as a 6. Meal was fair, service poor.
(2)Jennifer T.
I cannot believe I almost forgot to review this place! Thank you yelp for your lovely check-in reminders;-) I had an interesting experience here. I ordered take-out and loaded up 2 young kids to go pick it up. I ordered raviolis for the little ones and a salad for myself. Once I got home I noticed that my salad dressing was not in the bag. Really??? Grrr was all I had to say. I was not about to load up the hungry kids and drive back out for salad dressing. So I fed them and used the lovely kraft italian dressing I had in the fridge. Yum, I know. But I thought I'd give the restaurant a call and let them know of the mistake. I informed the woman who answered the phone. She said I could come back and get it and I refused. Well, not 30 seconds later Marco himself called me and offered to drive the salad dressing to me himself, personally. I know! I told him everyone makes mistakes and I understand. Of course I didn't make him drive it out to me. But what that phone call did was make me a repeat customer for life. All business owners should learn this lesson and make every customer happy! It will pay in the long run.
(5)Michael R.
I stopped back in to Marco's Italian Bistro again recently. We were welcomed & seated immediately & the waitress was right there taking our drink orders & describing the night's specials. I was really looking forward to having another one of their incredible Veal Dishes, but after hearing the specials, I decided to try something different. I ordered up the Linguini Frutti di Mare special which is Over 1 pound of Shrimp, Mussels, Clams, & Calamari prepared in a red or a white sauce. You can choose your spice level: 0 - 4. I chose Red Sauce & a 2 spice level. We also ordered up the Alfredo pasta with Chicken. The meal was incredible & the spice level was perfect for us. Two of us shared this plate as there was so much food on it. Everything was cooked to perfection. The Waitress never let our drinks go dry which is very important to me & the service & food were just amazing. We really enjoy the ambiance of this Restaurant and look forward to going back again soon to try more of their great menu.
(5)Costa D.
The food is fresh, high quality and always delicious. Upscale atmosphere. Great place for a date or a celebration
(3)Albert S.
I'm almost afraid to write this review in fear that too many people will go to this amazing restaurant. However, I am going to take one for the foodie team. This place is tucked away in a strip mall and if you don't look hard enough you'll miss it. My first trip to Marco's we were greeted and sat right away. We ordered the sizzling olive oil... it was served from a skillet table-side. GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY! AMAZING! Frutti de mar was next. The portion size was HUGE and the seafood was unbeatably fresh. You cannot go wrong when you have the owner in the kitchen. Other than the location, I can think of nothing but great things about this restaurant. My wife and I recently went to Italy for vacation and it turns out you don't need to travel across the world for authentic cuisine. Do your belly a favor and go to Marco. He will treat you right. Also, the prices are extremely fair so you can have a nice dinner and not break the bank.
(5)Thao T.
This was a place we found through yelp that is within walking distance from my house, so another plus! I never would have seen this place from the street, since it's tucked in the corner of the strip mall across the street from fresh n easy. The service was exceptional and the food was delicious. Everything is organic, and it tasted really light and healthy, not too much oil used in the cooking. They were having a pre-valentine's day special where if you get a bottle of wine, you get a free appetizer, we got the fried calamari. We got the bottle suggested for my dish, which was the special of the day, linguine frutti di mare. It was sooo good, the pasta tasted freshly made, and the seafood was great (clams, mussels, calamari, and four or five really large jumbo shrimp) in a white sauce. My bf got the chicken parmigiana with a side of linguine and tomato sauce and he really like his dish too. I had a bite of his chicken, which was really moist and nicely done. I highly recommend this place for quality italian food that is reasonably priced. It's a small place, so it's kind of nice to sit next to your sweetie in a booth and share good food, wine and laughs. They were also showing the godfather on tv, so that was kinda fun too =)
(5)Igor M.
Ive been here twice. While the 1st time was a terrible experience I went back again seeing if the service and food had changed. And It had. I was happy. The bread basket was delicious. We ordered two of them. haha. And they bring out olive oil and garlic hot from a pan. I thought it was a nice touch. Definetely tasty. I ordered the prosciutto and mushroom pasta with vodka sauce. It was great. Service has definetely gotten better as well. They seem to have hired better help. I hope this business does well and I will be back.
(4)b k.
They open at 5, I arrived before 5:30. It was empty except for a family of 3 already seated. After a few minutes, I was greeted by a woman who seemed distracted, and didn't offer to seat me. I had to ask her to seat me. She spent a few minutes looking across the empty dining room, then at a piece of, and was very flustered. I asked again to be seated, and she said that she didn't know if they had any tables. I pointed at the empty dining room and asked whether there was a problem. She said that they were all reserved, and she didn't have a place for me. She gave in and gave me a table just inside the door, in the middle of the foot traffic as the disorganized staff ran to and fro. Scottsdale restaurants commonly refuse to seat women dining alone, so they can hold out for large parties that spend more on food and alcohol. That seems to be the case here, because it was still empty when I left over an hour later. Once I was seated, a young lady came from the kitchen, carrying a skillet in one hand and a bread basket in the other. This was very precarious, and I watched her trying to hold the heavy skillet with one hand as she came toward me. She placed the basket on my table, and poured from the skillet into a small bowl on the table. I realized that she was pouring smoking hot olive oil with burned chunks of garlic. The oil was was bubbling, even after she poured it into the bowl. I was horrified that she had carried burning oil through a restaurant, and could have burned herself, employees or customers, or me. The smell of burned garlic in burned olive oil was awful. I opened the breadbasket and found a single roll (recently thawed), and several scraps of pizza dough that had been brushed with olive oil and partially baked, but mostly raw and with no seasoning). I later saw the same young lady pass me with cauldrons of boiling oil for the party seated ahead of me and a party that arrived after me. I think this is their attempt at an interesting tableside presentation, but it is unappetizing and dangerous. I waited perhaps 10 minutes and nobody came to even take my drink order. There was some confusion over a to go order, and the staff gathered at the back dining room to discuss how to sort out the mess. While I waited ... and waited, I overheard the first party try to order, only to be told that they were out of one dish after another. A half hour into dinner service, an empty dining room, and they're out of half the items on the menu? I was in a pasta mood, and checked the menu, hoping it was homemade. No. It's "IMPORTED FROM ITALY!" I can get grocery store pasta "IMPORTED FROM ITALY!" if you advertise "high quality authentic Italian food," make your own pasta. I ordered Spaghettini Bolognese. While I waited 20 minutes for my meal to arrive, I watched the staff bustle back and forth at full speed, but not do anything. I overheard them tell a party that arrived after me that "we're out of that." Over and over ... They then tried to order pasta, and were told they were OUT OF PASTA because the pasta machine was broken. They don't even make their own pasta, they accepted a pasta order from me, but told these customers they can't serve pasta because the non-existent machine is broken. When my order came, I did not receive spaghettini. I received spaghetti. Maybe they don't know the difference, and added the "ni" at the end to impress people? The Bolognese, advertised as a "special meat sauce," was not meat sauce. It was a pale tomato cream sauce, very similar to Campbell's tomato soup, and it had five bite-size pieces of tough, grisly beef that had apparently been cut from a piece of meat and dropped into the flavorless sauce. I tried to eat a couple pieces of this meat, which was like beef jerky, and gave up. I ate the grocery store spaghetti covered in tomato soup, and waited 20 minutes for someone to notice that I had finished, clear my place, and offer me dessert. Yes, I was going to try dessert and give them a chance to do something well. Eventually, a server stopped by and asked whether I wanted to "box that up." Box what up? There were only a couple bits of beef gristle left. I declined the box, so he dropped the check on the table and disappeared for another 20 minutes. No dessert menu. Just uninterested staff hiding in the back to avoid customers. I love family-owned restaurants. There aren't enough of them here, and I support the good ones. I'm patient with the little mistakes that can occur, and I really do want places like this to succeed. I don't enjoy writing a negative review, but if these folks don't wake up and start paying attention, they will not survive. My advice: (1) Learn how to cook. (2) Practice basic kitchen safety. No more acrobatics with hot oil. (3) Go to other restaurants and observe bad service and good service. It's easy to tell the difference. La Fontanella on Indian School could teach you about gracious and courteous service. Do what they do.
(1)Malej H.
I LOVE their fried garlic and bread/pita basket. Their daily specials are also fantastic for people with smaller budget. Thumbs up!
(5)Jessi L.
This restaurant has great food and wonderful staff! A must try!
(5)Vince G.
I really want this place to do well. Every restaurant or business that has occupied its location over the past several years has gone out of business within a year or so of opening. Marcos seems to be hanging on a bit longer then most. It is kind of like that Senfeld episode where he tried to help the Pakistani restaurant owner. The owners have also pulled up their roots from back east (Jersey I think) and put everything into this restaurant. That is another reason I want them to succeed. The fact that Marcos has been open for a couple of years is a good sign. All that said no matter how much I want the place to succeed I only think the food is so so and the service is spotty. I have been there three times. One time the waiter was a high school kid who knew nothing about the wine the other times the wait staff seemed a bit scattered. The the meals we have had were OK but not great. The portions were not impressive for the price paid. They have some early bird specials that make going worthwhile however. I plan to go back for the specials and hopefully the service and the food will improve to the point where I think it is worthwhile going back during prime time.
(3)Beth D.
Delicious food! Wonderful service! Great neighborhood restaurant!
(5)Laurie K.
My family & I have been eating @ Marco's Italian Bistro since their conception. We have never had a bad meal there & we love the friendly neighborhood feel & fantastic service we get everytime we go there. My picky 8 year old daughter loves it & even drew them a picture which they still have hanging up for all to see, which excites her everytime we go there. The only problem I have when I go there is that I have such a hard time deciding which dish to get since I have so many favorites. It would be a shame for you to miss out on their fabulous food!
(5)Andy M.
just got home from a great meal. our server was very good and our tea and water glasses were never empty.. the lasagna was a true roman style, hard boiled egg and all. it was only half full, but in the summer that is saying a lot. can't wait to go back.
(4)Michael B.
Absolutely terrible experience. We sat down on a Saturday night after calling ahead to make sure there was a table for four available. The restaurant was busy, but not full. Our bottle of wine took about 7 minutes to arrive to our table. After we ordered, we waited waited and waited. 50 minutes after we ordered our food, we asked the waiter to bring our check, as we were running short on time. Our server informed us that the chef hadn't even started our food yet. He then handed us our tab for our bottle of wine and our table bread. They couldn't even comp the bread and wine? We waited for nearly one hour! As we were leaving, there were about 5 other table available in an otherwise small restaurant. There was no reason it should have taken so long. Extremely disappointed.
(1)Isol M.
Great service and fantastic food! The meals are always wonderful. The staff is extremely friendly. I'm from New York and I'm very picky about my Italian food, this is one of the best!
(5)Lloyd B.
Perhaps my expectations were too great, I'm sad to say that Marco's didn't make the cut! My wife and I went last night to celebrate our 36th wedding anniversary. They had our reservation under my first name for some reason. Our waiter Wayne, was at the door, welcomed us and acknowledged our anniversary. The restaurant is small but warm and nicely decorated, and service was good and efficient. It was Thursday night and they had live entertainment that began at 6pm, a pianist. It was difficult to have a conversation with the volume of the music. As an entertainer, he was gifted! We ordered the fried calamari appetizer with their bread basket with hot garlic olive oil. Four small warm rolls, had a very doughy consistency and not what you might expect in an Italian restaurant, strike one. The portion size of the calamari was smaller than we had ever received in other places but was breaded and cooked properly and tasted good. Next we had one of the specials, Parmesan encrusted Salmon with eggplant and tomato. The fish was very tasty, cooked perfectly and larger than expected with abundant veggies, a 4 star dish. As a side we both ordered their house made fettuccini, al dente and better than the boxed pasta. Hers with the Alfredo sauce, mine with the meat sauce. Both sauces were delicious, 4 star quality. Also ordered the veal saltimbocca. The veal was more than excellent, tender, tasty and abundant but the sauce, veggies, prosciutto and cheese were so salty it was difficult to enjoy and I am a salt lover, strike two. We did not order desert. We did not receive or were we offered anything for our anniversary other than Wayne saying "Happy Anniversary" once again! Never did see Marco or his wife. I lived and worked for ten years in northern Italy, so I think I know the Italian kitchen. Sorry Marco, I give you no more than 3 stars :(
(3)William K.
Great place and super friendly staff! Had spaghetti carbonara, cedar plank salmon and Rib Eye all cooked to perfection and beautifully presented. Would highly recommend this place!
(5)Evelyn A.
Last Sunday I a had the pleasure of having dinner with some friends at Marco's bistro. I honestly feel that it was one of the best dinners I have had outside of my own home. The seafood dish had over 1 pound of mussels clams shrimp's all fresh and delicious served on a bed of fresh homemade pasta. From the fresh hot bread to the city delicious salad and delectable wine it was a wonderful experience. this restaurant merits five stars the friendliness and cleanliness of this place is another reason why I would always return and bring all of my friends to Marcos bistro. Evelyn A.
(5)Michael Z.
Nice restaurant inside and excellent staff. Prices are reasonable and the food is very tasty! not sure why its not busier inside...kind of a tucked away location. The chef/owner is super nice and takes the time to make his rounds to visit his guests. Class act.
(5)Albert S.
I'm almost afraid to write this review in fear that too many people will go to this amazing restaurant. However, I am going to take one for the foodie team. This place is tucked away in a strip mall and if you don't look hard enough you'll miss it. My first trip to Marco's we were greeted and sat right away. We ordered the sizzling olive oil... it was served from a skillet table-side. GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY! AMAZING! Frutti de mar was next. The portion size was HUGE and the seafood was unbeatably fresh. You cannot go wrong when you have the owner in the kitchen. Other than the location, I can think of nothing but great things about this restaurant. My wife and I recently went to Italy for vacation and it turns out you don't need to travel across the world for authentic cuisine. Do your belly a favor and go to Marco. He will treat you right. Also, the prices are extremely fair so you can have a nice dinner and not break the bank.
(5)Thao T.
This was a place we found through yelp that is within walking distance from my house, so another plus! I never would have seen this place from the street, since it's tucked in the corner of the strip mall across the street from fresh n easy. The service was exceptional and the food was delicious. Everything is organic, and it tasted really light and healthy, not too much oil used in the cooking. They were having a pre-valentine's day special where if you get a bottle of wine, you get a free appetizer, we got the fried calamari. We got the bottle suggested for my dish, which was the special of the day, linguine frutti di mare. It was sooo good, the pasta tasted freshly made, and the seafood was great (clams, mussels, calamari, and four or five really large jumbo shrimp) in a white sauce. My bf got the chicken parmigiana with a side of linguine and tomato sauce and he really like his dish too. I had a bite of his chicken, which was really moist and nicely done. I highly recommend this place for quality italian food that is reasonably priced. It's a small place, so it's kind of nice to sit next to your sweetie in a booth and share good food, wine and laughs. They were also showing the godfather on tv, so that was kinda fun too =)
(5)Igor M.
Ive been here twice. While the 1st time was a terrible experience I went back again seeing if the service and food had changed. And It had. I was happy. The bread basket was delicious. We ordered two of them. haha. And they bring out olive oil and garlic hot from a pan. I thought it was a nice touch. Definetely tasty. I ordered the prosciutto and mushroom pasta with vodka sauce. It was great. Service has definetely gotten better as well. They seem to have hired better help. I hope this business does well and I will be back.
(4)b k.
They open at 5, I arrived before 5:30. It was empty except for a family of 3 already seated. After a few minutes, I was greeted by a woman who seemed distracted, and didn't offer to seat me. I had to ask her to seat me. She spent a few minutes looking across the empty dining room, then at a piece of, and was very flustered. I asked again to be seated, and she said that she didn't know if they had any tables. I pointed at the empty dining room and asked whether there was a problem. She said that they were all reserved, and she didn't have a place for me. She gave in and gave me a table just inside the door, in the middle of the foot traffic as the disorganized staff ran to and fro. Scottsdale restaurants commonly refuse to seat women dining alone, so they can hold out for large parties that spend more on food and alcohol. That seems to be the case here, because it was still empty when I left over an hour later. Once I was seated, a young lady came from the kitchen, carrying a skillet in one hand and a bread basket in the other. This was very precarious, and I watched her trying to hold the heavy skillet with one hand as she came toward me. She placed the basket on my table, and poured from the skillet into a small bowl on the table. I realized that she was pouring smoking hot olive oil with burned chunks of garlic. The oil was was bubbling, even after she poured it into the bowl. I was horrified that she had carried burning oil through a restaurant, and could have burned herself, employees or customers, or me. The smell of burned garlic in burned olive oil was awful. I opened the breadbasket and found a single roll (recently thawed), and several scraps of pizza dough that had been brushed with olive oil and partially baked, but mostly raw and with no seasoning). I later saw the same young lady pass me with cauldrons of boiling oil for the party seated ahead of me and a party that arrived after me. I think this is their attempt at an interesting tableside presentation, but it is unappetizing and dangerous. I waited perhaps 10 minutes and nobody came to even take my drink order. There was some confusion over a to go order, and the staff gathered at the back dining room to discuss how to sort out the mess. While I waited ... and waited, I overheard the first party try to order, only to be told that they were out of one dish after another. A half hour into dinner service, an empty dining room, and they're out of half the items on the menu? I was in a pasta mood, and checked the menu, hoping it was homemade. No. It's "IMPORTED FROM ITALY!" I can get grocery store pasta "IMPORTED FROM ITALY!" if you advertise "high quality authentic Italian food," make your own pasta. I ordered Spaghettini Bolognese. While I waited 20 minutes for my meal to arrive, I watched the staff bustle back and forth at full speed, but not do anything. I overheard them tell a party that arrived after me that "we're out of that." Over and over ... They then tried to order pasta, and were told they were OUT OF PASTA because the pasta machine was broken. They don't even make their own pasta, they accepted a pasta order from me, but told these customers they can't serve pasta because the non-existent machine is broken. When my order came, I did not receive spaghettini. I received spaghetti. Maybe they don't know the difference, and added the "ni" at the end to impress people? The Bolognese, advertised as a "special meat sauce," was not meat sauce. It was a pale tomato cream sauce, very similar to Campbell's tomato soup, and it had five bite-size pieces of tough, grisly beef that had apparently been cut from a piece of meat and dropped into the flavorless sauce. I tried to eat a couple pieces of this meat, which was like beef jerky, and gave up. I ate the grocery store spaghetti covered in tomato soup, and waited 20 minutes for someone to notice that I had finished, clear my place, and offer me dessert. Yes, I was going to try dessert and give them a chance to do something well. Eventually, a server stopped by and asked whether I wanted to "box that up." Box what up? There were only a couple bits of beef gristle left. I declined the box, so he dropped the check on the table and disappeared for another 20 minutes. No dessert menu. Just uninterested staff hiding in the back to avoid customers. I love family-owned restaurants. There aren't enough of them here, and I support the good ones. I'm patient with the little mistakes that can occur, and I really do want places like this to succeed. I don't enjoy writing a negative review, but if these folks don't wake up and start paying attention, they will not survive. My advice: (1) Learn how to cook. (2) Practice basic kitchen safety. No more acrobatics with hot oil. (3) Go to other restaurants and observe bad service and good service. It's easy to tell the difference. La Fontanella on Indian School could teach you about gracious and courteous service. Do what they do.
(1)Laurie K.
My family & I have been eating @ Marco's Italian Bistro since their conception. We have never had a bad meal there & we love the friendly neighborhood feel & fantastic service we get everytime we go there. My picky 8 year old daughter loves it & even drew them a picture which they still have hanging up for all to see, which excites her everytime we go there. The only problem I have when I go there is that I have such a hard time deciding which dish to get since I have so many favorites. It would be a shame for you to miss out on their fabulous food!
(5)Andy M.
just got home from a great meal. our server was very good and our tea and water glasses were never empty.. the lasagna was a true roman style, hard boiled egg and all. it was only half full, but in the summer that is saying a lot. can't wait to go back.
(4)Mary P.
The owner replied below. Here is my reply. I HAVE had eggplant parmesan at your restaurant before and it was fine, as can be expected, it fitted the common expectation and standard description of the dish. Whatever i had w that alfredo sauce was not that, it was haphazardly thrown together, barely eatable and by no standard of any italian cooking can it be called an eggplant parm ( a dish i usually LOVE), for one there was no parmesan cheese in it. The dish was just eggplant, not well cooked, not good, covered in sauce with random chunks of mozz & ricotta cheese. I'll change my stars from 1 to 3 because i feel bad letting my bad experience affect your business, my issue is more w the waiter who Claimed he saw breadcrumbs. But to keep telling me that what i was served was not a mistake, that is some version of the dish, is ridiculous. I really want to like this place, it's cute, but when the attitude is so hoity you better come correct..and it just dont. Tonight's dinner was a travesty. I ordered an eggplant parmesan w Alfredo sauce instead of marinara. It came looking odd. I questioned it but was assured by waiter that it was normal. It wasn't, all this was, was a stack of dry thick eggplant with chunks of ricotta, mozz & alfredo thrown on too. It was not at all an eggplant paRm, i decided to make the best of it, cus they act at this restaurant like complaining or questioning is strictly forbidden. Before leaving I reported to the waiter, just as an Fyi, that mine was really not an eggplant parm, and he started arguing w me. I said "i've had it many times, it's supposed to be thin sliced eggplant fried in breadcrumbs and parmesan etc". he said : "i saw breadcrumbs" what?! Where?! I think i know what was in it, i ate it and am telling you what was on my plate in front of me for 20 min. I didnt send it back out of courtesy, hated that ineatable slop, paid for it, tipped well, and they can't even give me the courtesy of taking my notes at face value? I understand mistakes can be made, but when they look you in the face and deny the glaring obvious issues like you're lying or irrational, then i get lit. Additionally their homemade fettuccini breaks into small peaces right in the bowl, thats a no no for italian anywhere. Get it together.
(3)Lois R.
Food is very good...if you are a vegan, ask your wait staff for their special menu.
(3)Betty M.
My husband and I had dinner here last night and it was absolutely delicious. The service was great and the ambiance was truly italian. The piano man added a delightful touch of the type and genre of music we enjoy. We will definitely return to this "taste of Italy."
(5)Dale S.
Had dinner there last night about 5:00 after a recommendation from a friend. We will definitely return! The hot oil and garlic with the bread was a nice surprise and a pleasant change from the usual oil and balsamic. the flat bread ( garlic and mozzarella} came with an excellent sauce. The spring mix salad had a variety of greens and just the right amount of vinegarette. My wife loved the choice of the quinoa pasta and my shrimp diavola was wonderfully spicy. Wayne was attentive and friendly. The portions are generous and the food excellent. A very pleasant experience. Dale and Mare
(5)Robert M.
Disclaimer: The owner, Marco, is sort of a friend of some friends whom I had never met in person before this visit. But I intend to give a very fair and honest review of my dining experience at this restaurant. We arrived on the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving a little after 6 PM. My wife called ahead to confirm they were open and the hostess warned us that they were busier than usual and that we may have to wait a bit to get a table. The restaurant is quite small and they appeared to be short-handed with staff that night as a couple of the staff members were sharing hosting, waiting, busing, and even bar duties. Having some first-hand experience in the food service business, I can appreciate the challenges that a small operation is faced with regarding staff. Even being one person short on a busy day can significantly impact your ability to provide good service. It took 20-25 minutes to get seated and the waits to have our orders taken, for the appetizers to arrive, and for our main courses to arrive were all longer than what we would normally expect when dining out. But, we were a party of six which included my wife's sister and husband who were visiting us from the Bay Area, so we weren't in any hurry and didn't much mind hanging out during the extended waits. Now on to the food. We ordered several appetizers: bread rolls and garlic mozzarella flatbread, both of which were quite good; calamari (I didn't try, but sis-in-law enjoyed it); rapini (a bit on the bitter and spicy side for my taste, but the other adults at the table liked it). All of the entrees ordered were big hits. My wife absolutely loved her shrimp scampi; her sister ordered the clams and mussels and loved it; her husband was very satisfied with the chicken marsala; I ordered one of the evening specials, grilled swordfish in lemon butter sauce with homemade fettucini in olive oil and garlic on the side. I don't often encounter swordfish on the menu when I dine out, but it's my favorite fish and this one was simply delicious. Our 12-year old daughter chose her standard favorite dish, fettuccini alfredo with grilled chicken. She's not big eater, but she stuffed herself the best she could while I gladly cleaned up the remainder. She swore it was the best she'd ever eaten and was still talking about it on the drive back to our hotel and even the next day! Finally our 5-year old daughter ate what she could of the margherita pizza that was shared by several of the adults and had no complaints. Marco stopped at our table a couple of times during our visit to make sure we were satisfied with our food and thank us for coming in that evening. It was readily apparent that he's passionate about his use of top quality ingredients and providing good value for the customer's dollar. Obviously, the overall dining experience wasn't perfect, but I felt like the service shortcomings were acceptable given the circumstances and the fact the staff remained courteous while busting their butts to do what had to be done. If Yelp would allow it, I'd give them 4.5 stars. So give Marco's a try next time you're in the mood for some tasty Italian food at a fair price.
(4)Nicole H.
I was introduced to Marco's a few years back and ever since then I have been hooked. The food is amazing and the staff is extremely attentive and nice. My recommendation, order either of the two pink sauce pasta dishes, yum! If you're looking for more than good food please keep reading... If you ever get the opportunity to have a discussion with the owner Marco, please do. On the first of three occasions (I've been there way more than that), a friend and I stopped in for dinner as we were extremely hungry after a long day. My friend ended up scarfing down his meal and when the owner, Marco, noticed how hungry he was, offered to make him more pasta at no charge. I mean, seriously, you don't find service like that in many places. On the second occasion, I was there with my boyfriend and we were having a nice lunch, Marco again stopped by to talk with us and saw that we were drinking the wine that his employees had suggested would go great with our meal, at no cost he had them refill our glasses. Lastly, I was there with my grandmother who was wheelchair bound. After our meal, Marco stopped by to ask us our opinion of the food. My grandmother and he had a great conversation about Italy and how the pink sauce originated (Marco also remembered me and a conversation we had from a visit the month prior). On our way out the door to my car, Marco decided to help me wheel my grandmother to the car, assist her inside the car, and then proceeded to pack up the wheelchair and put it in the trunk of my car. Wow, just wow!!! I mean, you can't find first class people like this just anywhere. That last act spoke volumes! I am and will be a fan of this establishment for life. So if you are a looking for great food, good service, a nice environment, and admirable individuals, look no further. Marco's Italian Bistro is one of the best, if not the best Italian restaurant in town!
(5)Helen T.
This food is so amazing Marco put so much effort into his preparation I have never had a bad meal have been going there for over 2 Years Amazing Pl.
(5)Richard B.
Just went to happy hour at Marco's Bistro. Food was very good to excellent but the service was average to poor. Very little attention in checking back to see if more appetizers were to be ordered, had to flag down staff to order. Last appetizer ordered never came and had to flag down a staff person again to request the order and was told our order had been put behind a large family order so never was filled. When we canceled the tardy appetizer the original waitress came up to say we couldn't expect our small order to be put in front of a large family order and we had to stop her excuses to get our bill so we could leave. We will come back because food was very good but hope that we don't encounter the same level of incompetence in the wait and kitchen staff.
(3)Roswell M.
My girlfriend and I really love your restaurant that we just found. Your attention to detail, the flavors and textures you bring out are fantastic , not to mention that you have gluten free dishes as well as you cook Organically. Your a personal tour of your kitchen as we we're leaving at closing time was great! I was very impressed with the cleanliness after a long day. In regards to your response to Michael B, that further shows me how on top of everything you are in satisfing your customers. You're on it! Keep up the great work...
(5)Tara Z.
This is our favorite Italian restaurant in the area! We've been to all the others, Vito's, Nicks, and this is hands down the best!! Chef Marco and his staff are not only friendly but very efficient! Now to go onto the food! The portions are extremely generous! If you have ever been to Italy, you know that meat is never served with pasta noodles on the same dish. It's almost sacreligious! Chef Marco knows what he is doing. Ever feel like you never get enough sauce... Not here... Each dish is served with the sauce and an extra carafe of sauce on the side! He makes his own fettuccine noodles as well!! We've tried just about everything and have never been disappointed! Def try the chicken balsamic for something out of this world for mushroom lovers! A lot of thought and love goes into all the dishes!! Just like it should be!
(5)Kristin L.
Marco is an amazing chef, everything is from scratch, and the white table clothes and small but quaint atmosphere is very nice. The seafood risotto was melting in my mouth! My mother and I love to go to Marco's!
(5)Vonda P.
Really good place. I liked the fact that customers can choose the level of spice. It is a small place but is really, really good.
(4)Amanda L.
SMall place tucked in the back of a shopping center. The people that work there are WEIRD. The food is GREAT!
(3)Toni K.
The food was good but they nickel and dime you. $2 for the bread, $1 for this $2 for that, so it adds up at the end. The service was slow, waiter was nice but didn't come around often enough.
(3)Chris B.
We come here often. The place is sporatically busy then not. I don't get it as the food is super. The home made fettucini is wow, as it the Bolognese sauce. Garlic shrimp over pasta, yum. Chicken dishes are good as well. I have sampled most of them and the chicken is moist and well prepared. My cousin had a veal dish last night and loved it as well (veal parm). This place needs more customers! Try it!
(4)Vanessa H.
This family owned restaurant is awesome. They serve the olive oil for the bread sizzling, the salads are fresh and great. The pasta is out of this world. So are the meat dishes. If you like veal, theirs is the best! Note: Be careful when you get a spicy dish!!! The scale goes from 0-4, and I got a 2.5 for my seafood pasta. It was HOT and i eat hot stuff all the time. Best Pink sauce, and they will customize any dish for you. Seafood is very good. Best Italian I have had in the Northeast Valley, maybe even all of the valley. Also, please dont come here expecting fast food! The owner is in the kitchen preparing each and every dish himself. Amazing!
(5)Catherine Y.
Awesome food ! Best italian food I've ever had !! Great cook ! Staff was friendly ! The patio dining was very cozy and the bread was warm and fresh.
(5)Jordan M.
First time ordering food from Marco's. We decided to do take out to test it out. Ordered the margarita pizza and baked ziti with meat sauce. The pizza dough was soggy and was not cooked all the way through. I tasted fine, but was difficult to eat with out falling apart because you could not pick it up. This was the only pizza I've ever had that the crust and dough were not cooked enough to pickup. Of course when I make pizza at home on a pita this happens, but I paid Marco $13 for this so called pizza. The baked ziti was very soupy like in consistency. Tasted fine, but didn't look very appealing to eat. The meat sauce in side looked strange as their were bits of hard cut up meat pieces that at first I couldn't figure out what it was. The problem is Marco's is that there are no less than 3 very italian restaurants within 2 miles (Vito's 3 blocks away, Nicks about 2 miles away, and Spinatos about 3 block across the street) so if you want customers to come back, the food must be better. Unfortunately, the food is much worse and is probably why when I walked in the place to pick up my takeout it was pretty emply at 7pm. If you go into any of the other places I mention at 7pm, you have to wait about 10-20 to get in. Perhaps it is time to call "Restaurant Impossible" to this place out before it goes out of business. Seems like they could make it work, but Marco thinks he's a much better chef that he really is and may be the only one who loves his own cooking! Even if I had a Groupon I wouldn't come back!
(2)Mark D.
Food is very good. The staff is family and Marco the chef. The service is poor. Marco should hire a staff that could keep guests comming back. When all the local Italian restraunts are full we go to Marcos. It is empty for a reason, high prices and poor seating, service, house wine. The 60s live music (1 man on a ele. piano) works only for Marco's Mom. Sorry I will make a reservation elsewhere.
(2)Marsha L.
Best calamari in the valley! We have eaten here about 6 times...Never had a bad meal! Marinara sauce is awesome! Service is a bit quirky... But we've never waited long for anything.
(4)Dan A.
Great food and nice atmosphere, Quality Italian dining!
(5)Roger N.
Came in after some highly touted recommendations. Stood at the front for approx. 4-5 mins before anyone acknowledged us (other than the pianist who was a little too loud). We were seated then another 10 mins passed at which point I waved down a waiter so we didn't need to continue our wait. We promptly ordered, 2 salads, 3 entrees. Salads came out in about 10-15 mins. I started with a spinach salad (w/pecans, cranberries& feta). It was very good, even though they were out of the requested raspberry vinaigrette dressing...balsamic vinaigrette was used instead. Wife said Caesar salad was also good. After finishing salads, it was 10-15 mins before salad plates were cleared. Then another 15-20 before entrees were served. Still no one stopped by table to check on anything. Interestingly, the tray holder was put down by our table 15 mins before the food came out. The entrees of Chicken Parmesan, Balsamic Chicken & Shrimp scampi were (finally) delivered. My dish ( the Chx Parmesan ) was fair ( 5 on a 1-10 scale) and the pasta served on the same plate was watery and mixed w/ the chicken. Other diners with me rated the Balsamic Chicken as a 7 and the Shrimp Scampi as a 6. Meal was fair, service poor.
(2)Jennifer T.
I cannot believe I almost forgot to review this place! Thank you yelp for your lovely check-in reminders;-) I had an interesting experience here. I ordered take-out and loaded up 2 young kids to go pick it up. I ordered raviolis for the little ones and a salad for myself. Once I got home I noticed that my salad dressing was not in the bag. Really??? Grrr was all I had to say. I was not about to load up the hungry kids and drive back out for salad dressing. So I fed them and used the lovely kraft italian dressing I had in the fridge. Yum, I know. But I thought I'd give the restaurant a call and let them know of the mistake. I informed the woman who answered the phone. She said I could come back and get it and I refused. Well, not 30 seconds later Marco himself called me and offered to drive the salad dressing to me himself, personally. I know! I told him everyone makes mistakes and I understand. Of course I didn't make him drive it out to me. But what that phone call did was make me a repeat customer for life. All business owners should learn this lesson and make every customer happy! It will pay in the long run.
(5)Michael R.
I stopped back in to Marco's Italian Bistro again recently. We were welcomed & seated immediately & the waitress was right there taking our drink orders & describing the night's specials. I was really looking forward to having another one of their incredible Veal Dishes, but after hearing the specials, I decided to try something different. I ordered up the Linguini Frutti di Mare special which is Over 1 pound of Shrimp, Mussels, Clams, & Calamari prepared in a red or a white sauce. You can choose your spice level: 0 - 4. I chose Red Sauce & a 2 spice level. We also ordered up the Alfredo pasta with Chicken. The meal was incredible & the spice level was perfect for us. Two of us shared this plate as there was so much food on it. Everything was cooked to perfection. The Waitress never let our drinks go dry which is very important to me & the service & food were just amazing. We really enjoy the ambiance of this Restaurant and look forward to going back again soon to try more of their great menu.
(5)Costa D.
The food is fresh, high quality and always delicious. Upscale atmosphere. Great place for a date or a celebration
(3)Malej H.
I LOVE their fried garlic and bread/pita basket. Their daily specials are also fantastic for people with smaller budget. Thumbs up!
(5)Jessi L.
This restaurant has great food and wonderful staff! A must try!
(5)Vince G.
I really want this place to do well. Every restaurant or business that has occupied its location over the past several years has gone out of business within a year or so of opening. Marcos seems to be hanging on a bit longer then most. It is kind of like that Senfeld episode where he tried to help the Pakistani restaurant owner. The owners have also pulled up their roots from back east (Jersey I think) and put everything into this restaurant. That is another reason I want them to succeed. The fact that Marcos has been open for a couple of years is a good sign. All that said no matter how much I want the place to succeed I only think the food is so so and the service is spotty. I have been there three times. One time the waiter was a high school kid who knew nothing about the wine the other times the wait staff seemed a bit scattered. The the meals we have had were OK but not great. The portions were not impressive for the price paid. They have some early bird specials that make going worthwhile however. I plan to go back for the specials and hopefully the service and the food will improve to the point where I think it is worthwhile going back during prime time.
(3)Beth D.
Delicious food! Wonderful service! Great neighborhood restaurant!
(5)Margo B.
Located "off the beaten path" at the end of a small shopping strip mall, this place isn't something that just jumps out and grabs you. But it is definitely worth finding your way here! If you want an authentic, Italian dinner made with the freshest of ingredients you should definitely come here. And to make it even better you can eat healthy if you want. Organic, gluten free, and Marco will make modifications to meet your wishes. Yum My only hesitancy in writing this review is I don't want my favorite Italian restaurant to get so darn busy that I won't be able to get in.
(5)Mario G.
Marco's, very nice back story, family owned, Marco is the chef. I really wanted to be blown away. I was not. Portions are very small. From the fried calamari to the veal parma, very small portions as compared to other Italian places . The veal is so thin that it's hard to taste the meat under the sauce but the flavor is good. Service was good for early Friday evening. I maybe an Italian food snob. I'm from NYC and was raised by my grandmother who came from Naples and was an amazing cook. That being said the prices are pretty expensive and I was expecting a lot more after seeing the reviews. I will try it again soon and see if other dishes are better. I did get a side of homemade fettucinni with bolognese sauce. It was very good.
(4)Margo B.
Located "off the beaten path" at the end of a small shopping strip mall, this place isn't something that just jumps out and grabs you. But it is definitely worth finding your way here! If you want an authentic, Italian dinner made with the freshest of ingredients you should definitely come here. And to make it even better you can eat healthy if you want. Organic, gluten free, and Marco will make modifications to meet your wishes. Yum My only hesitancy in writing this review is I don't want my favorite Italian restaurant to get so darn busy that I won't be able to get in.
(5)Mario G.
Marco's, very nice back story, family owned, Marco is the chef. I really wanted to be blown away. I was not. Portions are very small. From the fried calamari to the veal parma, very small portions as compared to other Italian places . The veal is so thin that it's hard to taste the meat under the sauce but the flavor is good. Service was good for early Friday evening. I maybe an Italian food snob. I'm from NYC and was raised by my grandmother who came from Naples and was an amazing cook. That being said the prices are pretty expensive and I was expecting a lot more after seeing the reviews. I will try it again soon and see if other dishes are better. I did get a side of homemade fettucinni with bolognese sauce. It was very good.
(4)Evelyn A.
Last Sunday I a had the pleasure of having dinner with some friends at Marco's bistro. I honestly feel that it was one of the best dinners I have had outside of my own home. The seafood dish had over 1 pound of mussels clams shrimp's all fresh and delicious served on a bed of fresh homemade pasta. From the fresh hot bread to the city delicious salad and delectable wine it was a wonderful experience. this restaurant merits five stars the friendliness and cleanliness of this place is another reason why I would always return and bring all of my friends to Marcos bistro. Evelyn A.
(5)Vanessa H.
This family owned restaurant is awesome. They serve the olive oil for the bread sizzling, the salads are fresh and great. The pasta is out of this world. So are the meat dishes. If you like veal, theirs is the best! Note: Be careful when you get a spicy dish!!! The scale goes from 0-4, and I got a 2.5 for my seafood pasta. It was HOT and i eat hot stuff all the time. Best Pink sauce, and they will customize any dish for you. Seafood is very good. Best Italian I have had in the Northeast Valley, maybe even all of the valley. Also, please dont come here expecting fast food! The owner is in the kitchen preparing each and every dish himself. Amazing!
(5)Catherine Y.
Awesome food ! Best italian food I've ever had !! Great cook ! Staff was friendly ! The patio dining was very cozy and the bread was warm and fresh.
(5)Lloyd B.
Perhaps my expectations were too great, I'm sad to say that Marco's didn't make the cut! My wife and I went last night to celebrate our 36th wedding anniversary. They had our reservation under my first name for some reason. Our waiter Wayne, was at the door, welcomed us and acknowledged our anniversary. The restaurant is small but warm and nicely decorated, and service was good and efficient. It was Thursday night and they had live entertainment that began at 6pm, a pianist. It was difficult to have a conversation with the volume of the music. As an entertainer, he was gifted! We ordered the fried calamari appetizer with their bread basket with hot garlic olive oil. Four small warm rolls, had a very doughy consistency and not what you might expect in an Italian restaurant, strike one. The portion size of the calamari was smaller than we had ever received in other places but was breaded and cooked properly and tasted good. Next we had one of the specials, Parmesan encrusted Salmon with eggplant and tomato. The fish was very tasty, cooked perfectly and larger than expected with abundant veggies, a 4 star dish. As a side we both ordered their house made fettuccini, al dente and better than the boxed pasta. Hers with the Alfredo sauce, mine with the meat sauce. Both sauces were delicious, 4 star quality. Also ordered the veal saltimbocca. The veal was more than excellent, tender, tasty and abundant but the sauce, veggies, prosciutto and cheese were so salty it was difficult to enjoy and I am a salt lover, strike two. We did not order desert. We did not receive or were we offered anything for our anniversary other than Wayne saying "Happy Anniversary" once again! Never did see Marco or his wife. I lived and worked for ten years in northern Italy, so I think I know the Italian kitchen. Sorry Marco, I give you no more than 3 stars :(
(3)