I almost hesitate writing this review because really what do you or should you expect when you go to a chain restaurant. I guess as most reviews are born from either an incredible experience or a terrible experience...unfortunately, this review comes from a terrible experience. We ordered on a Sunday night from the to go menu. We got 2 Vodka Rusticas, which are no longer on the menu but every time we order, we are assured that it is still available. We got them home and were struck by how minimal our serving was in comparison to past experience. The disappointment did not end there. The thin chicken strips in the meal were fatty and had some cartilage. There is nothing worse than biting into a piece of chicken and finding cartilage. I finished my meal disappointed and disgusted. I immediately went online to describe my to go experience. After 3 days, I received a standard form email back, the only thing personalized from my compliant was the insertion of my name. The response I got back assured me that they take all comments seriously and work to correct them to the best of their abilities. I wrote back saying how I thought waiting 3 days to send back a generic response to my comments was a little excessive. I provided the details they asked for and again waited to hear back. A week passed and still I had not gotten any response. I had to call their customer service line to get resolution to my compliant and as a company that claims they want to make sure concerns are addressed, the representative said, we sent you some vouchers but asked me no details about my visit to improve future visits. I am left feeling like as a chain restaurant, maybe I am expecting too much to want to feel like a valued customer. I guess what I expect most from a chain restaurant is consistency. I expect my food to taste the same each and every time I order it and unfortunately consistency is not something you can expect from Romano's.
(2)
V.i.o.l.e.t.t.a. D.
The atmosphere is gorgeous with exposed brick, large open areas, and fresh flowers....the bread is always fresh and there's crayons on the tables so you can draw on the table cloth (score!). I can't tell you the amount of times I've come here in 13+ years...and I continue coming back for those mushroom ravioli in Marsala cream sauce. The last 4 times I've had them there's been some sort of issue with the reduction but I forgive you Macaroni Grill, b/c I'm just that awesome :D (and obsessed with your food!) :p They got rid of certain things I loved on the menu but when I asked for pine nuts, they happily obliged....bonus points for that :] I love you Macaroni Grill, I'll be there in no time, don't you worry ;D
(5)
Charlie H.
Never got to sit down. Host could not figure out how to visualize how to seat more than one party at a time. Had 2 parties of 2 ahead of our 5 top. 4 Tables got up - two of which were next to each other and ... um could have / should have been pushed together for us. But, savant seated a 2 top there "because it was the next table to be cleared." Manager said, I flustered the host and he couldn't think clearly so, our wait would be an additional 30 minutes because neither of them could figure how to find another arrangement that fit a larger party (of 5). Wow. I am not terribly surprised that a teenager couldn't figure this out but, the manager too?
(1)
E K.
Bad service by dour faced people. Never going back. Many other good places to go in the area, like Montri Thai in Warrenville with their absolutely delicious food and great people!
(1)
Tommy M.
My girlfriend and I came to grab a quick bite a this location after having a good experience the first time. I ordered the lasagna bolognese and she had the Carmela's chicken. The lasagna was just right. Our server had noticed that my girlfriend had barely touched her plate. Her pregnancy senses were kicking in and the smell of the onion didn't allow her to eat her food. Without hesitation the server recommended a different plate, the shrimp portofino. She loved it. 5 stars for extraordinary service, delicious food, and extraordinary service again. 100% sure we will be returning to this location.
(5)
Kevin S.
The menu isn't very big for an Italian joint, that's very disappointing. The reason for the one star is thanks to the food poisoning the cooks so generously gave me by serving undercooked meat. I got the create your own pasta and got the meatballs which made me vomit a short time later. Will not be back.
(1)
Kevin R.
We came in tonight for dinner, and I must say, our server was terrible. The food was fantastic, but our server had such a bad attitude it seemed like she was being forced to work there or something. She truly had no charming customer service skills, and was very inattentive to our needs. Even though the food was great, I have to give two stars because we left feeling disappointed with our overall experience.
(2)
Alayna T.
I always enjoy trying new places to eat but I didn't find this place to be impressive. I have tried this place only twice and I don't think I will be coming back again. The service is horrible, they take forever to take your order, bring you food and they aren't friendly. The menu was kind of small and there aren't many things to choose from like other Italian places. Since I didn't find any of the things on the menu to be appealing, I decided to do the "create your own pasta" the pasta isn't even that great, kind of plain. The one time I went with my boyfriend he ended up getting good poisoning because his meat wasn't cooked all the way.
(1)
Luke F.
It's quite a shame. I can remember when this restaurant was the most popular one in Wheaton. Now the food quality and service is just not there. Most times you can find the parking lot and thus the place about 1/4 full. Even still I keep giving this place a chance and every time I do I regret it. Pasta dishes are too dry and lack flavor and the meat portions are small. I can easily see why folks avoid it.
(1)
Donna R.
Awful. The restaurant smells like this weird spice, and ALL of the food I ordered smelled and tasted like it too...bread, pasta, meat, even the butter! It was a very overwhelming taste and was not good at all. The only thing remotely good about this place was the house red wine although I will say I will never go back.
Macaroni Grill is odd. I expect chain characteristics from chains, but this one was just...strange. We were met by the young host (16?) and then brought to a table. He chose one by the kitchen, and I suggested another. He was happy to oblige, and unaware, I think, that no one wants to sit next to the kitchen. Once seated, we looked around. There was a center section of bars with water and wine (there's a Last Supper theme here, I'm sure.) The wine menu area said: "Honor System Wine".....which we assumed meant the wine on the center bar next to us was...um, up to us to serve to ourselves? Honor System? We also assumed that we should serve our own water, as that was on the bar next to the wine. Honor System Water? It was all a bit confusing, considering that no waiter came around to explain any of this, for quite some time. So, I stared at the host. He looked back at us, appeared concerned, and went somewhere....for a period of time......and did not return. So my husband went and got 5 waters from the (maybe?) Serve Yourself Honor System Water Bar. (Suddenly, employees appear like ants. "Can we help you?" Well yeah, 10 minutes ago.) Meanwhile we waited for a waiter. At last, a very tall longish haired dude named Mike showed up. We knew his name was Mike because he grabbed a blue crayon (there for the kids, or anyone who wants to scribble on the paper tablecloth) wrote his name (Mike) backwards on the table cloth, and tossed the crayon back on the table with a bored hipster flourish. Hey Mike, nice intro (not really) and nice hair, but I think you should pull it back into a ponytail. When you lean your locks over my food, well, I'd rather you didn't. Mike was nice, overall, but in the end, he did little but add to the oddness of the place. Meanwhile, my husband ordered a drink along the lines of a Vodka lemonade. It was ridiculously sweet....with sugar on the rim, to add to the diabetic wonder. Two of us ordered beer. We received bottles.This isn't a dive bar. Where are the glasses? Appetizer: The bruschetta was a weird mixture of tomatoes and...butter on the side. No olive oil. Butter on Bruschetta? Just wrong. The entrees were average at best. My meatballs were clearly frozen. (Costco comes to mind.) My companions also observed that their entrees tasted frozen. (You can tell.) All in all, much of what we ate here was inferior to Olive Garden, but more expensive. Take from that what you will. So, in the end, the experience was just too odd, and the food too below average, to earn a return visit. Maybe if it was near an exit on some super highway and we needed something to eat after a (very) long drive....and there was no truckstop. Or Stuckey's. Otherwise, probably not.
(2)
Jan B.
Love Macaroni Grill. Had the Parmesan Sole which was flaky and delicious. Bob had the pork shank which is totally melt in your mouth. One of the nicest early September days so took advantage of eating in their patio. Missing the baked olives which were our favorite appetizer. Service was quick, always a plus.
(4)
James M.
This is a nice restaurant with a warm, welcoming atmosphere. The appetizers are great and there is a special that is worth getting two for under ten bucks. My wife and I went for our anniversary and had a great time. I would highly recommend to anyone who has never been here before. A little ways away from the city but worth the drive.
(4)
K M.
I remember coming here a few times when I was a kid. All I really remembered was that I used to enjoy drawing on the paper table covers with the provided crayons. I didn't have any particularly strong feelings for or against the restaurant based on that, so when my sister suggested this for Mother's Day dinner, I figured why not. We had a group of 9, and our reservation was ready right on time. While Mother's Day is a popular holiday to eat out, I figured our 2:30 reservation would be fairly safe as it is not a prime dining time. Despite the restaurant being half full, the service was absolutely awful. It took our server 15 minutes to bring waters and another 15 minutes to bring the wine 6 people at our table ordered. We ordered the "honor system" wine where they supposedly leave a bottle on the table and you let the server know how many glasses were consumed at the end of the meal. Well, I guess we did not appear very honest because the bottle was not left on our table even though we saw many neighboring tables with bottles. I think my mom and MIL would have liked more wine, but the server's appearances at our table we so few and far between that it was very difficult to get anything from wine to water refills to cheese. In the 80 minutes it took for the meal to arrive, the 9 of us ate the two small pieces of bread (which is very tasty and even a little warm) that were left on the table. We were never visited in between ordering the food and the food arriving, so we couldn't ask for more bread. My MIL ordered a salad and ended up not eating it. She asked to take it home, but the server never brought a box. The food came in 4 batches. I'm not sure when there wasn't a food runner, manager, or another server helping the waiter bring our food - it was just our server making 4 trips back to the kitchen by himself. My the time the final round came, it was 8 or 10 minutes after the first round, so those of us polite enough to wait were digging into fairly cool food. Our party gave the food mixed reviews. The best thing at the table appeared to be the pork chop with a glaze, some roasted potatoes, and broccolini. 2 people at our table had the squash ravioli, which were very sweet. I had the cannelloni with bolognese sauce. There was only about a tablespoon of the bolognese - the rest of the plate had a cheese/cream sauce, so I was eating cheese-filled pasta with cheese sauce. Too much cheese. My sister picked the restaurant because she wanted a vegan-friendly option. She had angel hair with marinara and veggies, but I don't see why any Italian restaurant couldn't accommodate that request. Also,I usually feel like Italian restaurants give huge portions. After all, pasta is very cheap, so they might as well give you plenty. No one at the table had any left overs, so the portions were not particularly big. There were two pluses of the end of the meal: We mentioned it was also my brother's birthday, so the waiter brought a piece of tiramisu. Although between the 9 of us, we only ate a few bites as it wasn't that good. Also, the waiter realized the service as sub-par and did not add an 18% gratuity to the check so that we could tip fittingly. We still left a decent tip, but I appreciate that the waiter acknowledged the less than satisfactory service.
(2)
Tricia R.
Came here with my family for my bday & the food was great. They came out with rosemary bread, oil for dipping and I asked for parmesan cheese. My Mom got the blackened chicken parmesan (which was good), my 10yo daughter got the kids mac n cheese (velveeta cheese sauce ), my youngest son got the pepperoni pizza which was good and my middle son got the spaghetti and meatballs and it also was good. I got the Carmella's chicken and it was fantastic! Even my Mom said she'd get that nxt time! I would highly recommend it. It was a far drive for us (40 minutes), but it was a nice and pleasant for a change. For my bday they gave me the chocolate cake with warm ganache and whipped cream topped with toffee pieces. Very rich and delicious! My mother got the tiramisu and the piece was large abd tasted great and served with 2 ladyfingers! Each kiddo got vanilla gelato for $1 each scoop and no leftovers! We will be back. Thanks for a tasty bday lunch!
(4)
Tiff T.
Cute atmosphere, decent food, friendly service. I ordered a pasta where I could combine it myself (garlic olive oil, pasta, spinach and tomatoes) and it was a little bland - even with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top of it. When it came to having our checks split and adding the $5 coupon code you can use when you sign up for the first time with your email, the waitress said she couldn't add both of our coupons to the system, that it wouldn't allow it, so we combined our checks and only used of our coupons. Maybe she was telling the truth or didn't know how or whatever. I would still go again for a date or even with friends.
(4)
Ed B.
Went there on Monday and what a disappointment, Ordered Penna pasta with sausage and Feta cheese food came and had goat cheese,instead of feta Ask the server why did they put goat cheese on, His response was we don't have any feta so the cook put goat cheese on Well the food went back to the kitchen and a new plate was brought out no less than 4 minutes later and the pasta was hard ,under cooked My wife had bowtie pasta and was really disappointed also This will be our last time we go there, There standards have gone down the hill,
(2)
Eric B.
We were just here in February and everything was great, unfortunately this time it was very disappointing. Out of 8 people in our party 3 of us could barely eat our dinners. They replaced my husbands salmon and took it off the bill, which was appreciated. My lasagna tasted like Dinty Moore pasta, and my daughter didn't like her spaghetti. The service was great and the manager was accommodating but I will hesitate before going back again. I will say the chocolate cake was fantastic!
(2)
Kristen G.
Food is good but be aware of using your debit card to pay. Our waiter was away with my debit card for an extremely long time and she copied my card and charged things up with it. Reason we found out it was her was because that's the only place we used it at. Had to get things situated with Chase bank. Be very aware when waiters are gone for a long time with your card if you do decide to use your card!
(1)
Gourab K.
Went here for a Lunch on a Friday afternoon. Food is good, ambience is nice but the service is pathetic. First of all no one at the reception desk guided us to our table unless we pointed it out. Even after having a seat the server came awfully late just to take the drink order. When we complained on this then she came forward to take the order for entree. The wait time between taking the order and the food coming on the table was humongous. We even contemplated on leaving the restaurant due to this slow and bad service, until some one assured that the food would appear soon. It did appear fast after that. Anyways I don't think I will be visiting this restaurant anytime soon until and unless they improve their services.
(1)
Diane V.
Love this place! The opera singers are back! Great food & service! Last time we were here there wasn't any server singing Italian arias. But tonight we got blessed! Macaroni Grill never fails to satisfy!
(5)
Rob H.
I've enjoyed excellent service every time I've been here. The food has always been tasty. I like when they offer bottles of wine for 1/2 price and you get to take your left over wine home. I usually order the Classic Italian Bake (ask for extra ricotta) and a bottle of the house red.
(3)
Erin K.
We've been to this restaurant a few times this summer and mostly because Dad had a coupon or offer that he wanted to take them up on. This last time, the server said they were out of the item that Dad had in mind to try...but then the manager came to say they just got a new shipment in time for us to have the meal we were hoping for. Everything we've tried has been tasty...while I realize this is a chain and not a unique place completely, both the indoor and outdoor seating has a sweet ambience that I've enjoyed for a family meal. I like that we have been in and out with relatively little wait and that each of the people who has worked with us has been on top of their service.
(4)
Jennifer U.
Food was meh- my penne rustica was over baked and dry. The stuffed mushrooms were delicious! Service was slow tonight. Our waiter wasn't great but the floor manager did a nice job of coming over in the gap. Would have been 2 stars but the half price Summer wine sale bumped it to 3 stars. Fairly forgettable experience.
(3)
Roseanne S.
I'm really surprised at the negative reviews for this place. Personally, I'm a fan. I've been here several times and each time has been great. On a whim, we decided to come here on a Saturday night which is pretty busy anywhere you go. Knowing that, we decided to call ahead. Wait time for a table was 45 minutes, so we asked if we could make a reservation. They asked for a time and said it was okay. That may have been because it would be about 45 minutes until we got there, but at least this ensured that we would have a table upon arriving. It's a pretty nice area with wine bottles lined everywhere and a kitchen you can see into. The tables are lined with paper and the waiters draw their name in crayon. They also leave the crayons behind so you can doodle which helps pass the time. I ordered the chicken parm for $13. While we waited for our food, we were served some bread which was one of the best breads I've ever had. It's drizzled in olive oil and salt and has such a great flavor to it and it's super fresh. Dip it in some more oil and please your tastebuds. It did take a while for our food to come but they were pretty busy. I probably should have ordered some wine to make the time go by even faster! But the food is worth the wait. Fresh mozzarella cheese melted on three pieces of lightly breaded chicken and some thin pasta on the side. Grilled cherry tomatoes on top gave it a nice, sweet touch. I probably could have finished my meal, but I wanted to bring some home to have for lunch the next day. Definitely don't expect to be in and out very quickly, but if you have time and enjoy yourself, you'll have a good time.
(4)
Don G.
Their flat bread pizza is outstanding! If you like great crust (like bread) you will enjoy this entree.
(4)
Sunil R.
When I am traveling, I avoid chains and like to try the local fare. We ended up going here for convenience and it was actually a pretty good experience overall. We were a large party and they did a good job making sure that we were well taken care of. Food was good and service was great and attentive. My fave was the artichoke appetizer. Note that the portions are pretty big and most entrees can comfortably feed 2. BTW, check out the restrooms and see if you can find out what's so unique about it.
(3)
S B.
If you're going for Gluten-Free DON'T GO HERE! My son and I who have celiac disease got fettucini noodles mixed into our gluten-free noodle dish. It was obvious to me that they boiled gf noodles in regular noodle water.... Spent Father's Day very ill. Manager apologized and comp'd our bill but that doesn't undo the damage. They aren't really gluten-free. Won't be going back.
(1)
John B.
Don't waist you time. The food was not prepared properly, and takes over an hour to get it, and the salads were very skimpy as well. The atmosphere is nice, and the wait staff very friendly, so that part was okay.
(1)
Kaye D.
"Are you on any time constraints?" was one of the questions the host asked us as we were getting seated to ensure we would still enjoy the dining experience (which we did). The lights in the restaurant were dimmed for the ambience. The rest of the restaurant was pretty open. You could see the kitchen if you peered over the railings. Also, there are a few crayons on the table. The server writes his or her name on there, which I think is a great idea. I don't know how many times I've gone out and barely remember the name or face of who is serving us. Aside from that, it's fun to doodle =) Our server seemed new, and a tad nervous, but did well - pointing us to the new options on the menu and letting us know the specials. We asked for a sample of the wine, which they did that for us, to ensure we even liked it before ordering the bottle. By the way, it's 1/2 off select bottles of wine on Thursdays. Fun fact on that - if you finish the bottle, you can sign it and they will put it on display on their shelves in the restaurant. They're obviously not going to force you if that's not something you want to do. That was pretty neat; though I thought of it as a hall of fame for "wine-o's" =P Hah. I really like the portions of food here. After indulging in nearly 2 loaves of bread and a clam chowder soup (all shared of course), we shared a caprese salad and the penne rustica. It brought us to the right amount of "full-and-happy-stomachs". The bread they give you is pretty delicious when dipped in the olive oil that's sprinkled with cracked pepper... yum! The clam chowder was great too, very thick and chunky (my fave). I wished there was more balsamic on the caprese salad. Otherwise, the dish was great with the stack of cheese and tomato. The penne was decadent with the chicken, shrimp AND prosciutto mixed into it. Again, yum! For me, they have it right. I favor this place over Olive Garden (if you can even compare the 2) for mix of flavors, ambience and portion sizing.
(4)
Tim K.
In the past month we have been here for two lunches and a dinner with friends. I think the food is improving, albeit slowly. Service has been good for all these visits. Today (late lunch) we had the lentil soup special and the braised pork special. Both were very good (3.5-4 stars). I don't think they are making their own pasta yet. Maybe they gave up on that idea. Service from Erik was very good. A new menu will be out Nov. 11. We'll be back to try that out.
(3)
David M.
I started going to RMG back in the mid-90s and have seen a lot of changes. I think way back then, I would have given it close to 4.5 stars. As others will, I VIVIDLY recall when they would have singing waiters. In many cases, I felt embarrassed for them. It was really an intrusion. Just take my order and bring me my food, as ordered, in a decent amount of time. I don't need to hear about your music studies at DePaul and how you want to sing "Rigoletto!" In recent years, when I do go there, I have done much more take out than eat in. It's OK. Every once in a while, they will "shake up" the menu a bit, but it seems to be more about giving the same old stuff new names rather than adding new dishes. The atmosphere inside is cozy and nicely lit. Parking is plentiful and the bathrooms are usually maintained. Given the age of the decor, I would say that it's time for a facelift to freshen up the place. I would hope that they would open up the menu to gluten free patrons. It's time to get on the stick with that.
We've gone here over the years because it's always been consistently decent especially for a larger chain restaurant. Even when traveling, it's our safe "go to" place. But in the past year, no matter which location I've been to (all over the country) - the food quality has really gone downhill. Most recently we went to this location and disappointingly the food was not good. It was cold and bland. If I order penne, I don't want to see a spaghetti noodle in my dish. The service was nice but slow. But if I want "meh" Italian, I can go to Noodles for cheaper & quicker.
(2)
Michael R.
Artichoke potato cakes were not bad. Pasta trio, Mac and cheese with peas and prosciutto, chicken marsala pasta, sausage pasta. NOT much spice in the red sauce with the sausage.The sausage was mediocre, but had just the right amount of fennel. Chicken Marsala sauce was runny and not tremendously appetizing. Mac and cheese was very good, with tasty bread crumbs. Unfortunately there was very little of the promised proscuitto. My wife had the "Create your own pasta" with bow tie, spinach, and arabiatta. Pretty good once the spices kicked in she said. Over all, it was a fairly ho-hum experience and we likely won't be back considering all the great Italian options around Chicago.
(2)
Sue F.
In below zero weather, my husband and I ventured out to Macaroni Grill to take advantage of a coupon that appeared in my email: "Get 2 for $12 Express Dinner Entrees." What a deal, and we had previously enjoyed many meals at the Wheaton location. We sat down at a booth and noticed that there were few other patrons present probably due to the cold weather. Our waitress came to our table (after about a ten minute wait) and asked if we would like to order a beverage. As was our custom, we both ordered the house wine on the "honor system." She poured the olive oil in the small dish, and when she returned with the wine, we mentioned that we would take advantage of the "Kitchen Counter Express" offer to which she replied, "You will have to order that over there," pointing to the counter behind which food was being prepared. She then walked away, never to be seen again. We were uncertain as to what to do next. We found a young lady who seemed to be a hostess, and she said we could order our dinners from her. We apologized and said we had never participated in the "Kitchen Counter" offer and weren't sure of the procedure. She was obviously new, but very kind, and had to ask for some assistance herself in placing our order at the register. We paid her directly. We wondered if we could get some bread for dipping in the olive oil. She replied that it didn't come with this particular offer. We said that we would be happy to pay for some bread. We also wondered why the "honor-system wine bottle" was not left by the seemingly ticked-off waitress who avoided us like the plague. She told us that we would have to order any additional wine there at the counter and pay for it then. She was quite pleasant, and said she would see if she could get us some bread. As we sat at a booth eating our dinner, not one person came by to see if we were enjoying our meals or if we needed anything else. At this point, there were only two other tables with patrons, and we could see our original waitress wandering around at the far end of the restaurant. We truly felt like we were in "no man's land". To top off an incredibly uncomfortable experience, a server, now with a stocking cap on his head, was literally sweeping up, hinting that "it's time to go now" by making 5 passes with his broom within 3 feet of our table as we were trying to enjoy the remains of our dinner. This was transpiring 50 minutes before the restaurant was scheduled to close. By the way, as our hostess-type friend was leaving, we stopped her and gave her a generous tip. If there is a next time, we will order our food, take it to the car, turn the heat up full blast, and bring our own wine.
(1)
Lisa W.
The food is really intensely flavorful - & who can beat a huge bottle of chianti for $15?? They sealed it up for me to take home the rest, even!
(5)
Josie M.
Our server was more interested in flirting with the hostess than getting us our food, and we were one of maybe 4 people in the place. It was painful to watch, and annoying to wait for. The food was okay, kinda bland to the point where I can't remember what I ordered. Something with chicken...That's not really a good sign.
(2)
Melissa C.
Thoroughly disappointed with the service of this location. We made a reservation for 10 for my in-laws anniversary. We arrived a little early, but waited almost half an hour AFTER our reservation time. By the time we sat down, the waiting continued. The waitress, Melissa, came back two or three times before she finally took our order. Our appetizers took another 20 minutes to being out. After appetizers, we had to request to have our plates cleared because they'd been sitting there for a while. And than the waiting continued...for another 15 to 20 minutes! We finally got food to our table...which was pretty good, hence why they get two stars rather than just one. I had the penne rustica, which was pretty delish! (one of the only highlight of the meal) We were never offered refills on drinks, and were never checked back on with the waitress. Overall, the food quality is good, especially for a chain restaurant...but service is seriously lacking!
(2)
Misty S.
This restaurant is a great choice if you are in the mood for Italian. The name alone puts me in a good mood. The ambiance is great because it makes me feel like I'm dining outside with the high ceiling, strings of light bulbs and huge stone columns. The service was great and I felt like I was on a mini-vacation. I wish all meals could feel this wonderful. The warm bread that comes out before the meal goes great with the olive oil (poured from a huge economical sized bottle at the table) and Parmesan cheese (which the waitress will freshly grate for you upon request). If you're done with the loaf by the time your meal comes, the waitress will ask if you want another. How thoughtful, but I had to turn down the offer or else there would be no room for dessert. Lobster Ravioli was creamy and delicious and I really enjoyed the artichokes in the Chicken Scaloppine. The best part about the Chocolate Cake is the homemade ganache drizzled on the top. Mmmm... The portions are small on the American standard chart, but it suits me well. I don't feel overwhelmed by having a mountain of food sitting in front of me. Since the portions are smaller, it makes this restaurant on the pricey side. I gave 5 stars not because it's a 5 star restaurant, but because I really enjoyed my experience here. It's a chain restaurant, but I think it's a lovely one.
(5)
Michelle I.
I love this place!! We don't get up there too often but every time it is good! I always get my favorite, the Chicken Scaloppine (sauteed chicken with artichokes, mushrooms, aged prosciutto and lemon butter with capellini pasta) YUMMM!! Then we split a piece of Lemon Passion Cake which is a citrus cake soaked in sweet cream then topped with lemon mousse and whipped cream. To die for!! Today was extra nice, I had a gift card from my credit card!! I can't believe I've never given them a review! Always good, always fresh- I recommend!!
(5)
Brad V.
I really wanted to like this place. They are owned by the same company that owns Maggianos, which I love. Before I give my two cents, I will disclose that we got take-out, so I can only speak for the food, not the service. The Good: After calling with are order, they said our food will be ready in 15 minutes. By the time I got there, the food was ready. I was in and out in less than 5 minutes. Love it! The Bad: The food sucks! My wife got the mushroom ravioli, and it was burned to a crisp. It tasted like processed food, not like food from a good Italian restaurant. I was going to take a picture of it to post here, but my camera wanted nothing to do with it. I got some chicken, mushroom pasta dish. It was soggy like a wet sock and tasted about the same. Honestly though, it was bland. The whole dish was very unappetizing. I'm not that picky of an eater. I'll scarf down frozen dinners like it's my last meal before an execution. Rammen Noodles? Bring it on! Fast food? Can't get enough. And I even have the high cholesterol to prove it. Yet I couldn't finish my meal from this place. My son got the classic spaghetti and meatballs. It must have not been too bad because he ate a lot of it and didn't complain. Granted, he's only 1-years old. But he seemed happy. I threw all the leftovers down the disposal, except for the spaghetti. The Verdict: No, I wouldn't recommend this restaurant even if someone was holding a gun to my head. The only redeeming quality this place has is their website has a food allergy list. My son is allergic to eggs, so we really appreciate that. If it weren't for that, I'd only give it one star. I think I'll go to McDonalds now.
(2)
Justin L.
Average Italian food that closer to fast food, but with a good atmosphere. I was generally unimpressed with the food. I've been here twice in the past year and I still haven't been wow-ed. The last time I went I got the lobster ravioli. Portion size was a bit disappointing and it came out warm, not hot. The ravioli itself was okay, but restaurant sit-down quality? meh. Atmosphere and location are good though. Located in South Wheaton off of Naperville road there's shopping and other things to do in the area. The interior is pretty nice, I came here to celebrate my nephew's birth ( few years back) and the back room was separated out for us, which was nice. So good atmosphere and a decent venue for a large group. Overall... not some place I visit often, and not a place I think of going, but so-so.
(3)
Natalie F.
Ok I have passed this place several times but never had the chance to try it. I always wondered what they had and how the decor was. I was able to try them the week of Christmas. My bf and I met his family there for dinner. As we walked in I said oh wow this place has pretty decor and I like the layout. It is not super big but the tables are spread out somewhat decent. We met them at a corner table near the wall which worked out well. They serve a warm Rosemary bread which was just yummy. I could not stop eating it. The menu had several good items to pick from. We all started off with an order of the Fresh Mozzarella Fritta which whee cheese-sticks. A bit disappointed that only got I believe three or four. we also got the Tomato Bruschetta which I loved. I was SO happy I could eat it because I don't/won't eat onions and this had none. :) Good size portions on that one. I ended up playing it safe (only because I was sick earlier that day) and choose the Pollo Caprese which was lemon chicken and pasta. It was very good! My bf ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and said it was good. His brother ordered the Chicken Parmigiana. Great presentation on that dish. His father ordered the Lasagna Al Forno. It was not a big portion but I am sure it was good and his wife ordered the Chicken Scaloppine I THINK. Gosh I can't remember the name of her dish but it looked very good. We all decided to get the chocolate cake that I heard about. One slice and we just all dug in. It was very tasty! Moist and not too rich. All in all good experience with good people. :) I have to say I think I will give them another try. Cheers!
(4)
Tina E.
Long time fan of the Mac. My favorite location has to be Huntington Beach, Ca. Went to Wheaton for 2 tapas-2 pastas for $25. Great deal for a large quantity of italian comfort food. Luckily, I was'nt too far away before I checked my order to find out my tapas were missing. I guess I should have looked before I left but they just seemed so confident my order was set. My server did'nt believe for one minute that anything was missing & he was POSITIVE that he placed them in the order. He was clearly accusing me of lying which just set me off even more than having to drive back. Finally got my items replaced & I was on my way. Still think I like their food more than Maggianos, but they can keep the attitude.
(3)
Kevin W.
This was my second time I have one here. Now I am not sure if it was because I was younger when I went or what but I thought the food was good? My girlfriend and I swung by while shopping at Denada Square and I foolishly made the comment "Oh yeah, I have been there before it was pretty good!"...My bad. We were sat promptly. Waited in the empty section for the server to finally come over. I was impressed with the lemonades, they were actually good. The oil and pepper? Meh. Our server had very little personality. He did his job though so I can't fault him there. Just saying though, if I worked for tips and it was dead... TALK to your table. The food was alright. The chicken parmesan was alright? Slightly burnt. The spaghetti that came with it was bland and very oily. And the Penne Rustica... Shrimp was overcooked, and the overwhelming flavor of something I could not get a hold on kinda made the dish tough to eat. All in all I would say I will not be returning. I'd rather go to Olive Garden.
(2)
Carl C.
Very rude hostess and unorganized in the seating/waiting process. Even with a coupon, I would eat at another place. When I spoke with the Manager, she blamed promotions for poor experience and said "this is what happens when you get free food".
(1)
Nicolae Frederick Z.
Great place!
(5)
Joy S.
Get a reservation! 730p on a Sunday was gonna be a 25 minute wait for 2 people - after waiting 5 minutes at the host stand for someone to come up and tell us how long the wait would be.
(2)
Stacey W.
Just like the rating system says: Meh. I have had better. The chicken parm was pretty good, but the spaghetti was oily and bland. Oh, and cold. The warm bread they brought out was okay, I guess, but I'm not a fan or Rosemary in the first place. My boyfriend had the Penne Rustica and said it had kind of a weird flavor to it. The flavored lemonades were delicious though. It's not too bad a price. Right around what you'd be paying for a meal at Olive Garden except you don't get a free salad or soup with your meal at Macaroni Grill. Service was pretty slow considering there was only about 3 other tables there at the time. Would I come back? Nah. I'll save my 40-some bucks.
(2)
Gwin C.
Server was less than friendly which annoyed my kids who kept saying "thank you" with no response from our indifferent waitress. Only time she said thank you was when she left us the check.
(2)
Paula W.
We had such a good time and the food was wonderful. Susan was our waitress and she made wonderful recommendations. Desert was yummy.
(5)
Morgan W.
The atmosphere is charming. It can be kind of loud because it is so wide open but you can still manage a conversation. The bread is wonderful. If you really want to throw someone off tell the staff it is there birthday. Maybe it's not every night but the night I was there one of the staff sang an opera version of happy birthday. The food is okay but I have had better pasta. The service was bad. It was slow... Really slow. We were there for ten minutes before the waitress came over. She took the drink order and brought out one drink and the other one had to be made at the bar. We didn't get that one go 15 min. When it came to dessert the waitress asked what we wanted. Three of the four of us ordered and then she said okay and walked away without getting the last dessert order.
(3)
Mo D.
I love this place. I really, really do. I super-extra-heart their delicious warm bread served with olive oil and cracked pepper, and that alone keeps me coming back. I always get the lobster ravioli or seafood portofino, and both are equally delicious. The desserts are awesome, especially the ginormous chocolate cake with real chocolate sauce on it. But... last time I went, I had the Worst Waitress Ever. First, she forgot my stepmom's salad. Then, when dad mentioned the salad was non-existent, waitress said, "Oh, I'm sorry." After a ten second pause, she says, "Oh, do you still want it?" Then, I ask her for something and she snaps, "Just wait a second, ok?!" Later, I ask for something (milk, cream, whatever) other than corn syrup / soybean oil creamer for my coffee (I swear they had cream last time I came in), and she tells me I can't have cream, but she'll give me milk. In a ramekin. Wahoo. My ravioli was gummy on the top as though it had been nuked one too many times. And finally, when my coffee was refilled, it had at least a teaspoon of grounds in it (I do not exaggerate... I had to rinse out my mouth). I'm not a jerk to servers. I say please and thank you and I always tip above 20%. I understand people have bad days, but c'mon, really? Do ya have to be THAT rude? It wasn't even that busy, either. There was hardly anyone there. I hope it was an aberration and that this kind of service will never ever ever reoccur when I dine there, because, I really, really like the bread and I would give it 5 stars if it weren't for the crappy service. Atmosphere is nice, bathroom soundtrack teaches you Italian phrases while you pee, and food and wine are generally tasty. So, great place to dine if you get the right server.
(4)
Chi C.
We've been dining at Macaroni Grill for quite some time & were always happy with the food & service. Our last visit was a different story. It was Mother's Day & quite busy. The service was slow & the food was cold when we got it, but we tried to be understanding & didn't complain. However, my wife's pasta was all clumpy & stuck together. Seeing as it was Mother's Day, I wanted at least her meal to be good, so I mentioned this to our waiter. Instead of offering to rectify the problem, his response was, "pasta does that sometimes." REALLY??? Needless to say, we haven't been back there since, and we don't plan to.
(1)
Kate D.
This is a CHAIN restaurant. No, you're not in Italy. You're not even in the city, near Italian immigrants. You're in Wheaton. With that said, this is a nice chain restaurant. Everything is polished, from the cliche wall of wine bottles to the dim lighting and decor. Someone looked at a picture of an Italian restaurant in a travel guide and did a great job of creating an Americanized version. They always have huge vases of fresh flowers sitting around too, which I consider a nice touch. I find something I'm excited to order off their menu every visit. Which I then struggle to finish after stuffing myself with the free bread and olive oil. The bread comes warm out of the oven and melts in your mouth. Awesomeeee. It's probably my fav restaurant bread. My go-to entree is the seafood linguine - although don't make the mistake of looking up the nutrition information online. I always thought it was a relatively healthy choice but no. Not even close. If you want healthy, stay home and make yourself a salad. I like the house wine they bring around in jugs. I'm not a wine expert but it makes me happy. The staffers are great. My waiter remembered me from 5 months prior. That guy must see hundreds of people each day and he remembered. The hostesses are quick and friendly and they let you pick your table if it isn't crowded. If you're around Danada and want Italian, this is the best pick. Keep an eye out for coupons too. They help bring the cost down a bit.
(4)
Mac B.
Ate here a number of times when we lived in suburbia. Wait time can be long on weekend nights. The menu remained essentially unchanged it seemed for many years. I think they have added new items since I was last there. I never had any complaints. Service was always good. Chocolate dessert, very good. Has an open seating arrangement. Gives a feel like you are eating outside with a bunch of other folks at a sidewalk cafe somewhere. The kitchen area is open for people to see the hustle and bustle of things going on and meals getting prepared. Despite the name, it actually is decent enough Italian food place. Never had food served cold here. And in most cases, I only ate half and took the rest home.
(3)
Sarah W.
Romano's Macaroni Grill = heaven in a pasta bowl. __________________________________________________Â__________________ The food- Macaroni Grill is the best Italian place ON EARTH- no question. I always get the fettucine alfredo- fresh pasta with warm, cheesy, delicious, irresistable alfredo- ooh-la-la! They also always give you the choice of freshly grated, right over your bowl parmesan cheese, freshly ground pepper over your salad, and warm, fresh rosemary bread with peppered olive oil to dip the bread in. This place is heaven in a pasta bowl. The service- The waiters and waitresses there are always friendly and welcoming, with quick seating and quick service. They always treat their customers with respect. The atmosphere- The atmosphere here is like a real restaurant in Italy! You can even see the wine cellar! Overall- a five-star-worthy restaurant! Chrissa K. tab.macaronigrill.com/ma…
(5)
Stephanie G.
This was my second time and am ready to go back again soon! I loved the 2 for $9 tapas selection when you just want to have something light and explore. Our waitress was great and because of her wine recommendation my mom and I are now hooked on Seven Daughters Moscato. I love the bread that comes with the entree and dipping it in olive oil; just always seems more authentic to me that way? At this point it is one of my favorites for Italian. In my opinion their Ceaser dressing is the best ever too.
(5)
Sabrina M.
I'm a Cook County girl. More specifically, I'm a Chicago girl. So it's not often that I get to DuPage County for any reason, but work took me out there and I decided to test the culinary delights of our fair county to the west. I met up with a friend who lives in Wheaton and she suggested this restaurant and it...wasn't bad. It reminded me of an Italian-themed Bennigan's. The food was neither "authentic" nor extraordinary but it...wasn't bad. Resolutely "so-so". I initially had the unremarkable Pasta Milano, which was advertised as this savory roasted chicken, sun-dried pasta in garlic cream sauce dish. I had to search for the chicken and I think they gave me the one little piece of sun-dried tomato they had left. The "cream" sauce was little more than salty, gray water. To her credit, my server saw that it wasn't so much to my liking and very quickly switched me out to her original recommendation, the Chicken Marsala. Better, but not outstanding. The service was outstanding, however, and much appreciated. Would I dine at Romano's Macaroni Grill again? Probably not. It's tepid Italian at it's best. I have to believe DuPage County has better.
(3)
Elizabeth W.
I went to the Macaroni Grill with my aunt and cousins who love this place. The inside is very cute. It has a darker Italian romantic feel with paper on the tables and little bowels for your oil and cheese. The bread is nice and hot, but when I looked at the lunch menu I thought the selection was small and the prices were large. I had a chicken pasta dish with spinach and red peppers. I thought it was good but right along par with dishes that I have had at the Olive Garden. Just for lunch, my pasta dish cost $10 and if you want a soup or salad, that costs extra. Overall, I thought the service was good and the atmosphere was cute, but I was not impressed at all by the food or prices. I definitely have had better and cheaper Italian food elsewhere.
(2)
Nari H.
This place is A-OK :D They had some really good deals/menu options for their lunch hours. The interior is pretty nice, and the food was pretty good (I got a soup and sandwich combo) for being under $7. Didn't stay for dessert, but I wouldn't be averse to go back.
(3)
Jello M.
This is one of my favorite chains. The service is so-so, it depends who your waiter is. The appetizers are very good though, i like the sampler the best. The entrees are pretty good, although the serving sizes are a little small. There are paper table cloths that you can draw on, and the younger kids love it. Over all its a fun place.
(3)
Mary J.
Ok Italian food. Great Italian food is hard to find out here in the 'burbs. Family wise it works with kids. The wait can be long at dinner time, but they have that call ahead where you can put your name in before you leave. They have a good bar area to wait in (sans kids) and the wine is good. As far as the menu selection goes, stick with the house specials. They also have this thing where you can make your own pasta dish by picking out the pasta type, sauce and other stuff to put in it like shrimp and veggies. Some of the other food is bland-o, but they will add extra garlic if you ask. The kids menu is good with macaroni and cheese (the baked kind), pizza, chicken fingers and I think burgers and hot dogs. They also get a free ice cream at the end of their meal. The waiters here seem to have a hard time figuring out when you need help or want to be left alone. We always give them the "we have kids, don't strand us" chat so we aren't in a panic when it's time to go. They don't get that you only get so much time, like a timer on a bomb and then it explodes. If you want dessert, let then know ahead of time, because it's hard to catch them after the food comes. So this place is MUCH better than some of the other chains, but my favorite Italian food is still on the HILL in St. Louis!
(3)
Tom W.
I used to love this place 5 stars worth. Then I went two weeks ago and either they had gotten a new chef or the corporate guys had changed the recipes. There were 4 of us and each had gotten our entree on a previous visit. All 4 entrees were sort of watered-down versions of their previously glorious selves. I complained to headquarters and they sent me $10. I will try once more in a few weeks to see if it was a fluke or not.
(2)
Brian L.
Headed to the "Mac" with a work buddy for a nice lunch. For the first time ever, I ordered an individual pizza and was pleasantly surprised. It was a very thin Neopolitan crust and had quality toppings. Pasta bowls are very large here, even for lunch. You get some nice warm toasty bread and olive oil when you sit down. It wasn't very crowded for a Friday lunch but this place does good business and has been around for many many years. I think it does tend to be a bit more pricey than normal lunch places, but for sit down it's probably the right value. Waitstaff was attentive and pleasant, keeping our sodas constantly filled.
(3)
Leanne M.
IN GENERAL: Cute, romantic italian atmosphere with live table hopping opera singers, draw your date on your tablecloth crayons, and excellent freshly, made to order, italian food. MY MEAL: The best Eggplant Parmigiano I've ever had in my life- I ordered it without cheese, and they didn't mind at all (that's how you know it's freshly made to order). It was sooooo delicious and not heavy or salty like most italian places make it. My (omnivorous) husband was jealous and stole a few bites himself. ALSO- try the italian sodas- they have MANGO! It's amazing. THE VERDICT: Great for a date or a group, and your veg friends will have great options too!
(5)
Peter M.
We get there on a Thursday night, the dining room is 3/4 empty and they have a 10 min wait. OK.... we wait and then get sat. The waitress has no personality and just basically takes our order and thats it! Food was ok, ambiance was OK, and the service was OK. Bottom-line, if you have no expectations, you will like this place. I don't dislike it, but there are FAR BETTER options than this place
(2)
Wesley H.
I have been coming here for many, many years and almost always get the same dish; the Penne Rustica. This place has three things that always has me coming back: the deliciously baked rosemary bread, the penne rustica, and the smothered chocolate cake. The bread is enough to bring one here, especially if you are really hungry. It is by far the best bread you can find at a chain restaurant, as it is warm, fluffy, and flavorful. Dipping it in the olive oil makes it even more all worthwhile. I have tried many dishes here and they are all great, but the penne rustica's rich, hearty flavor always has me ordering time and time again. The cake is devoured within a minute when splitting it with others because it is so moist and delicious, especially with ice cream on top melting from the hot fudge that's smothered on top. All in all, this place and its atmosphere definitely has Olive Garden beat.
(4)
Mark S.
Decent Italian, much better than Olive Garden as chains go. Kid friendly -- this is the first place we could confidently take our son when he was little. Noisy so he could fuss if he needed to; he could draw on the paper "tablecloth" and order his (then) beloved macaroni and cheese. As noted in other reviews, it's crowded when you'd expect a restaurant to be crowded, so "call ahead". (Nobody wants to call them "reservations" anymore -- are they afraid of lawsuits?)
(4)
Cynthia K.
I was disappointed in my recent experience at Macaroni Grill. I have dined at this location and others (in CA and IA) much more favorably. Most of our party felt the food was mediocre and the service also. It was a weeknight around 8 pm and very few diners there. On the plus side, the desserts are very reasonbly priced and fairly tasty. I will be heading elsewhere for Italian food since in the Chicagoland area there are tons of better venues!!!
(2)
Mike S.
So so. Have not been there in a few years. Nothing to get excited about. They do have some new menu items that are healthy (a nice change). Service is good.
(3)
Robyn C.
Fairly good food with a longer-tan-average wait and only so-so service. The most annoying thing -- which always turns me off on a restaurant -- is having open tables (not reserved, just open) in plain sight of customers yet forcing a 10-15 minute wait because they don't have enough staff to cover it. Infuriating! We live five minutes from there but don't frequent it because every time we do, we have to wait amid the open tables. On the up side, my husband loves the design your own pasta and the rosemary bread brought to the table is very good.
(3)
Sharon F.
Our party of four had dinner here last night after having not dined here in the past year. We had a reservation, arrived about 5 minutes early, was checked off on the list and was handed the electronic "wait to be called" device and politely asked to wait. (We amused ourselves watching the rapid cooks reheat pasta, portion out food that they rapidly cooked or reheated. Everything in the kitchen appeared to be well orchestrated and I certainly wouldn't be able to do their jobs. They seemed focused and happy. Several dishes that were served up sat for pick up quite a while which explained why our meals weren't very hot when they arrived.) After about 10 minutes of waiting, we were taken to a table on the floor that was right in the middle of waitstaff setting up tray stands, the "island" where waiters and the bus staff would replenish their place settings, glasses, and so forth. I knew that I would not enjoy my meal among this business and kindly requested the available booth that was about to be reset. We were politely ushered back to the waiting area and were obliged to wait another 7 minutes or so until we were signaled that the booth was ready. The booth was in the left, rear of the dining room away from all the action and for that I was grateful. Our waitress, Melissa's initial greeting and explanation of the "Blackboard" specials was fine, however, her service was mediocre. The restaurant was busy which may have impacted her service, however, of this I am uncertain. Once she served us our meals, she never checked back in with us. Menu has been changed. All Ala cart Bread was tasty and warm. 2 for $9 Appetizers/Italian Tapas: Spicy Ricotta Meatballs - arrived lukewarm, sauce was tasty, meatballs were spicy and fairly tasty Baked Prosciutto & Mozzarella - arrived lukewarm, served with a flat bread, overall this dish was nothing special and could easily be made at home and served at a warmer temperature Pasta Milano - overly seasoned with what I think was rosemary (but not sure)/I didn't finish it; not to my liking Penne Rustica - our daughters ordered this dish; flavorful and filling; again, it arrived warm, not hot Blackboard Special - Squash Ravioli in a Truffle sauce with prosciutto, a tasty dish but looked as though it sat (pasta was stiff and not hot) I won't be back. If you go, go on a less crowded night. You may get better service and hot food.
(2)
Blair S.
Seriously? I don't get it? The place is packed for food that to me is not good. Spaghetti is bad, portions are modest at best, and the menu is like Olive Garden. For the life of me I do not get why it's always crowded. The bread is good, service is fine, but the food, chain like with no effort to make it stand out. Want good Italian food....Marios in Carol Stream for a fraction of the price.
(2)
Ronnie W.
Try the Penne Rustica or Lobster Spagetti
(4)
Michelle J.
Great for a date-night or a family outing (they gave the little guys pizza dough to play with...many of the adults wanted to as well :P)! Good food and service. House wine was available on the table all night, along with fresh bread with dipping oil. The appeztier sampler was worthwhile. Food is not of the most healthy variety and the portions are very large, so if you are trying to monitor your portions I would recommend splitting 1/2 the entree into a "doggie bag" before you start! The entire group had various desserts and coffees that all received rave reviews :)
(5)
Erica i.
I thoroughly enjoy the macaroni grill. Its not very large so on a Friday/Saturday night , the wait can be up to 2 1/2 hours, and on busy nights it can get very very noisy. However, their salads and breads are delightful. What I really enjoyed was there "make your own" menu. (only upon request) I have a few food allergies and I was able to fill out a little form for exactly what i wanted. Their pasta dishes are ok...better than Olive Garden but nothing spectacular. Great Restaurant.
(3)
steve k.
A great place to eat Italian. The place is always packed, so be prepared to wait a while.
(4)
Ashley L.
This place is amazing! The food is great, the waiters are ALWAYS happy to see you, and it's great for anyone! It gets A LOT of business, and the wait time is always shorter than what the people there may tell you. It's pretty casual, but feel free to dress up fancy if you like. It's great for a lovely dinner for two, a little get together with friends, or just a casual night out before a movie! My family and I go here all the time. Oh, my suggestion: If you're a ravioli fan, try their "Mushroom Ravioli" - excellent choice. And they're dessert is wonderful too! 5 stars!
(5)
Kris Z.
Pretty good chain restaurant with pretty good jug wine. A good place for lunch and to bring the kids - they can color the paper tableclothes!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Amy S.
I almost hesitate writing this review because really what do you or should you expect when you go to a chain restaurant. I guess as most reviews are born from either an incredible experience or a terrible experience...unfortunately, this review comes from a terrible experience. We ordered on a Sunday night from the to go menu. We got 2 Vodka Rusticas, which are no longer on the menu but every time we order, we are assured that it is still available. We got them home and were struck by how minimal our serving was in comparison to past experience. The disappointment did not end there. The thin chicken strips in the meal were fatty and had some cartilage. There is nothing worse than biting into a piece of chicken and finding cartilage. I finished my meal disappointed and disgusted. I immediately went online to describe my to go experience. After 3 days, I received a standard form email back, the only thing personalized from my compliant was the insertion of my name. The response I got back assured me that they take all comments seriously and work to correct them to the best of their abilities. I wrote back saying how I thought waiting 3 days to send back a generic response to my comments was a little excessive. I provided the details they asked for and again waited to hear back. A week passed and still I had not gotten any response. I had to call their customer service line to get resolution to my compliant and as a company that claims they want to make sure concerns are addressed, the representative said, we sent you some vouchers but asked me no details about my visit to improve future visits. I am left feeling like as a chain restaurant, maybe I am expecting too much to want to feel like a valued customer. I guess what I expect most from a chain restaurant is consistency. I expect my food to taste the same each and every time I order it and unfortunately consistency is not something you can expect from Romano's.
(2)V.i.o.l.e.t.t.a. D.
The atmosphere is gorgeous with exposed brick, large open areas, and fresh flowers....the bread is always fresh and there's crayons on the tables so you can draw on the table cloth (score!). I can't tell you the amount of times I've come here in 13+ years...and I continue coming back for those mushroom ravioli in Marsala cream sauce. The last 4 times I've had them there's been some sort of issue with the reduction but I forgive you Macaroni Grill, b/c I'm just that awesome :D (and obsessed with your food!) :p They got rid of certain things I loved on the menu but when I asked for pine nuts, they happily obliged....bonus points for that :] I love you Macaroni Grill, I'll be there in no time, don't you worry ;D
(5)Charlie H.
Never got to sit down. Host could not figure out how to visualize how to seat more than one party at a time. Had 2 parties of 2 ahead of our 5 top. 4 Tables got up - two of which were next to each other and ... um could have / should have been pushed together for us. But, savant seated a 2 top there "because it was the next table to be cleared." Manager said, I flustered the host and he couldn't think clearly so, our wait would be an additional 30 minutes because neither of them could figure how to find another arrangement that fit a larger party (of 5). Wow. I am not terribly surprised that a teenager couldn't figure this out but, the manager too?
(1)E K.
Bad service by dour faced people. Never going back. Many other good places to go in the area, like Montri Thai in Warrenville with their absolutely delicious food and great people!
(1)Tommy M.
My girlfriend and I came to grab a quick bite a this location after having a good experience the first time. I ordered the lasagna bolognese and she had the Carmela's chicken. The lasagna was just right. Our server had noticed that my girlfriend had barely touched her plate. Her pregnancy senses were kicking in and the smell of the onion didn't allow her to eat her food. Without hesitation the server recommended a different plate, the shrimp portofino. She loved it. 5 stars for extraordinary service, delicious food, and extraordinary service again. 100% sure we will be returning to this location.
(5)Kevin S.
The menu isn't very big for an Italian joint, that's very disappointing. The reason for the one star is thanks to the food poisoning the cooks so generously gave me by serving undercooked meat. I got the create your own pasta and got the meatballs which made me vomit a short time later. Will not be back.
(1)Kevin R.
We came in tonight for dinner, and I must say, our server was terrible. The food was fantastic, but our server had such a bad attitude it seemed like she was being forced to work there or something. She truly had no charming customer service skills, and was very inattentive to our needs. Even though the food was great, I have to give two stars because we left feeling disappointed with our overall experience.
(2)Alayna T.
I always enjoy trying new places to eat but I didn't find this place to be impressive. I have tried this place only twice and I don't think I will be coming back again. The service is horrible, they take forever to take your order, bring you food and they aren't friendly. The menu was kind of small and there aren't many things to choose from like other Italian places. Since I didn't find any of the things on the menu to be appealing, I decided to do the "create your own pasta" the pasta isn't even that great, kind of plain. The one time I went with my boyfriend he ended up getting good poisoning because his meat wasn't cooked all the way.
(1)Luke F.
It's quite a shame. I can remember when this restaurant was the most popular one in Wheaton. Now the food quality and service is just not there. Most times you can find the parking lot and thus the place about 1/4 full. Even still I keep giving this place a chance and every time I do I regret it. Pasta dishes are too dry and lack flavor and the meat portions are small. I can easily see why folks avoid it.
(1)Donna R.
Awful. The restaurant smells like this weird spice, and ALL of the food I ordered smelled and tasted like it too...bread, pasta, meat, even the butter! It was a very overwhelming taste and was not good at all. The only thing remotely good about this place was the house red wine although I will say I will never go back.
(1)John E.
We've stopped by this particular restaurant twice in the past couple months and while our first visit was not too shabby, our visit last night was absolutely phenomenal. We requested a darker table since our previous visit felt like we were sitting in a spotlight. Our server, Jose or Joe as he introduced himself, had no problem putting us in a secluded portion of the restaurant and we certainly appreciated the privacy. He asked what we were celebrating and we announced that we had a baby sitter for the night--and if you ask me that is plenty reason to celebrate when you have children. Our dinner was relaxed. He dropped in from time to time to see how we were doing, we ordered a bottle of wine, the calamari appetizer and some complimentary bread. The first loaf was a bit on the hard side but after mentioning it Joe made us a fresh loaf and it was perfect--just like how I remember it to be. Soft, salty, warm, delicious, perfect! We split the bibb & blue salad which I highly recommend over the standard Caesar, then also split the Penne Rustica which was VERY tasty. We appreciated that they separated both the salad and our entrée into two dishes since we were sharing. It just makes things so much easier. We wrapped up a while later, no dessert for us, but we were both shocked and beyond appreciative when our waiter told us he was buying our bottle of wine! I've never seen such generosity in a server in all my life. He said he knew where we were coming from having 6 kids of his own and just wanted to give something back. This guy rocks! Fantastic dinner, fantastic atmosphere, and second to none service. We will be coming back time and time again.
(5)Victoria O.
Macaroni Grill is odd. I expect chain characteristics from chains, but this one was just...strange. We were met by the young host (16?) and then brought to a table. He chose one by the kitchen, and I suggested another. He was happy to oblige, and unaware, I think, that no one wants to sit next to the kitchen. Once seated, we looked around. There was a center section of bars with water and wine (there's a Last Supper theme here, I'm sure.) The wine menu area said: "Honor System Wine".....which we assumed meant the wine on the center bar next to us was...um, up to us to serve to ourselves? Honor System? We also assumed that we should serve our own water, as that was on the bar next to the wine. Honor System Water? It was all a bit confusing, considering that no waiter came around to explain any of this, for quite some time. So, I stared at the host. He looked back at us, appeared concerned, and went somewhere....for a period of time......and did not return. So my husband went and got 5 waters from the (maybe?) Serve Yourself Honor System Water Bar. (Suddenly, employees appear like ants. "Can we help you?" Well yeah, 10 minutes ago.) Meanwhile we waited for a waiter. At last, a very tall longish haired dude named Mike showed up. We knew his name was Mike because he grabbed a blue crayon (there for the kids, or anyone who wants to scribble on the paper tablecloth) wrote his name (Mike) backwards on the table cloth, and tossed the crayon back on the table with a bored hipster flourish. Hey Mike, nice intro (not really) and nice hair, but I think you should pull it back into a ponytail. When you lean your locks over my food, well, I'd rather you didn't. Mike was nice, overall, but in the end, he did little but add to the oddness of the place. Meanwhile, my husband ordered a drink along the lines of a Vodka lemonade. It was ridiculously sweet....with sugar on the rim, to add to the diabetic wonder. Two of us ordered beer. We received bottles.This isn't a dive bar. Where are the glasses? Appetizer: The bruschetta was a weird mixture of tomatoes and...butter on the side. No olive oil. Butter on Bruschetta? Just wrong. The entrees were average at best. My meatballs were clearly frozen. (Costco comes to mind.) My companions also observed that their entrees tasted frozen. (You can tell.) All in all, much of what we ate here was inferior to Olive Garden, but more expensive. Take from that what you will. So, in the end, the experience was just too odd, and the food too below average, to earn a return visit. Maybe if it was near an exit on some super highway and we needed something to eat after a (very) long drive....and there was no truckstop. Or Stuckey's. Otherwise, probably not.
(2)Jan B.
Love Macaroni Grill. Had the Parmesan Sole which was flaky and delicious. Bob had the pork shank which is totally melt in your mouth. One of the nicest early September days so took advantage of eating in their patio. Missing the baked olives which were our favorite appetizer. Service was quick, always a plus.
(4)James M.
This is a nice restaurant with a warm, welcoming atmosphere. The appetizers are great and there is a special that is worth getting two for under ten bucks. My wife and I went for our anniversary and had a great time. I would highly recommend to anyone who has never been here before. A little ways away from the city but worth the drive.
(4)K M.
I remember coming here a few times when I was a kid. All I really remembered was that I used to enjoy drawing on the paper table covers with the provided crayons. I didn't have any particularly strong feelings for or against the restaurant based on that, so when my sister suggested this for Mother's Day dinner, I figured why not. We had a group of 9, and our reservation was ready right on time. While Mother's Day is a popular holiday to eat out, I figured our 2:30 reservation would be fairly safe as it is not a prime dining time. Despite the restaurant being half full, the service was absolutely awful. It took our server 15 minutes to bring waters and another 15 minutes to bring the wine 6 people at our table ordered. We ordered the "honor system" wine where they supposedly leave a bottle on the table and you let the server know how many glasses were consumed at the end of the meal. Well, I guess we did not appear very honest because the bottle was not left on our table even though we saw many neighboring tables with bottles. I think my mom and MIL would have liked more wine, but the server's appearances at our table we so few and far between that it was very difficult to get anything from wine to water refills to cheese. In the 80 minutes it took for the meal to arrive, the 9 of us ate the two small pieces of bread (which is very tasty and even a little warm) that were left on the table. We were never visited in between ordering the food and the food arriving, so we couldn't ask for more bread. My MIL ordered a salad and ended up not eating it. She asked to take it home, but the server never brought a box. The food came in 4 batches. I'm not sure when there wasn't a food runner, manager, or another server helping the waiter bring our food - it was just our server making 4 trips back to the kitchen by himself. My the time the final round came, it was 8 or 10 minutes after the first round, so those of us polite enough to wait were digging into fairly cool food. Our party gave the food mixed reviews. The best thing at the table appeared to be the pork chop with a glaze, some roasted potatoes, and broccolini. 2 people at our table had the squash ravioli, which were very sweet. I had the cannelloni with bolognese sauce. There was only about a tablespoon of the bolognese - the rest of the plate had a cheese/cream sauce, so I was eating cheese-filled pasta with cheese sauce. Too much cheese. My sister picked the restaurant because she wanted a vegan-friendly option. She had angel hair with marinara and veggies, but I don't see why any Italian restaurant couldn't accommodate that request. Also,I usually feel like Italian restaurants give huge portions. After all, pasta is very cheap, so they might as well give you plenty. No one at the table had any left overs, so the portions were not particularly big. There were two pluses of the end of the meal: We mentioned it was also my brother's birthday, so the waiter brought a piece of tiramisu. Although between the 9 of us, we only ate a few bites as it wasn't that good. Also, the waiter realized the service as sub-par and did not add an 18% gratuity to the check so that we could tip fittingly. We still left a decent tip, but I appreciate that the waiter acknowledged the less than satisfactory service.
(2)Tricia R.
Came here with my family for my bday & the food was great. They came out with rosemary bread, oil for dipping and I asked for parmesan cheese. My Mom got the blackened chicken parmesan (which was good), my 10yo daughter got the kids mac n cheese (velveeta cheese sauce ), my youngest son got the pepperoni pizza which was good and my middle son got the spaghetti and meatballs and it also was good. I got the Carmella's chicken and it was fantastic! Even my Mom said she'd get that nxt time! I would highly recommend it. It was a far drive for us (40 minutes), but it was a nice and pleasant for a change. For my bday they gave me the chocolate cake with warm ganache and whipped cream topped with toffee pieces. Very rich and delicious! My mother got the tiramisu and the piece was large abd tasted great and served with 2 ladyfingers! Each kiddo got vanilla gelato for $1 each scoop and no leftovers! We will be back. Thanks for a tasty bday lunch!
(4)Tiff T.
Cute atmosphere, decent food, friendly service. I ordered a pasta where I could combine it myself (garlic olive oil, pasta, spinach and tomatoes) and it was a little bland - even with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top of it. When it came to having our checks split and adding the $5 coupon code you can use when you sign up for the first time with your email, the waitress said she couldn't add both of our coupons to the system, that it wouldn't allow it, so we combined our checks and only used of our coupons. Maybe she was telling the truth or didn't know how or whatever. I would still go again for a date or even with friends.
(4)Ed B.
Went there on Monday and what a disappointment, Ordered Penna pasta with sausage and Feta cheese food came and had goat cheese,instead of feta Ask the server why did they put goat cheese on, His response was we don't have any feta so the cook put goat cheese on Well the food went back to the kitchen and a new plate was brought out no less than 4 minutes later and the pasta was hard ,under cooked My wife had bowtie pasta and was really disappointed also This will be our last time we go there, There standards have gone down the hill,
(2)Eric B.
We were just here in February and everything was great, unfortunately this time it was very disappointing. Out of 8 people in our party 3 of us could barely eat our dinners. They replaced my husbands salmon and took it off the bill, which was appreciated. My lasagna tasted like Dinty Moore pasta, and my daughter didn't like her spaghetti. The service was great and the manager was accommodating but I will hesitate before going back again. I will say the chocolate cake was fantastic!
(2)Kristen G.
Food is good but be aware of using your debit card to pay. Our waiter was away with my debit card for an extremely long time and she copied my card and charged things up with it. Reason we found out it was her was because that's the only place we used it at. Had to get things situated with Chase bank. Be very aware when waiters are gone for a long time with your card if you do decide to use your card!
(1)Gourab K.
Went here for a Lunch on a Friday afternoon. Food is good, ambience is nice but the service is pathetic. First of all no one at the reception desk guided us to our table unless we pointed it out. Even after having a seat the server came awfully late just to take the drink order. When we complained on this then she came forward to take the order for entree. The wait time between taking the order and the food coming on the table was humongous. We even contemplated on leaving the restaurant due to this slow and bad service, until some one assured that the food would appear soon. It did appear fast after that. Anyways I don't think I will be visiting this restaurant anytime soon until and unless they improve their services.
(1)Diane V.
Love this place! The opera singers are back! Great food & service! Last time we were here there wasn't any server singing Italian arias. But tonight we got blessed! Macaroni Grill never fails to satisfy!
(5)Rob H.
I've enjoyed excellent service every time I've been here. The food has always been tasty. I like when they offer bottles of wine for 1/2 price and you get to take your left over wine home. I usually order the Classic Italian Bake (ask for extra ricotta) and a bottle of the house red.
(3)Erin K.
We've been to this restaurant a few times this summer and mostly because Dad had a coupon or offer that he wanted to take them up on. This last time, the server said they were out of the item that Dad had in mind to try...but then the manager came to say they just got a new shipment in time for us to have the meal we were hoping for. Everything we've tried has been tasty...while I realize this is a chain and not a unique place completely, both the indoor and outdoor seating has a sweet ambience that I've enjoyed for a family meal. I like that we have been in and out with relatively little wait and that each of the people who has worked with us has been on top of their service.
(4)Jennifer U.
Food was meh- my penne rustica was over baked and dry. The stuffed mushrooms were delicious! Service was slow tonight. Our waiter wasn't great but the floor manager did a nice job of coming over in the gap. Would have been 2 stars but the half price Summer wine sale bumped it to 3 stars. Fairly forgettable experience.
(3)Roseanne S.
I'm really surprised at the negative reviews for this place. Personally, I'm a fan. I've been here several times and each time has been great. On a whim, we decided to come here on a Saturday night which is pretty busy anywhere you go. Knowing that, we decided to call ahead. Wait time for a table was 45 minutes, so we asked if we could make a reservation. They asked for a time and said it was okay. That may have been because it would be about 45 minutes until we got there, but at least this ensured that we would have a table upon arriving. It's a pretty nice area with wine bottles lined everywhere and a kitchen you can see into. The tables are lined with paper and the waiters draw their name in crayon. They also leave the crayons behind so you can doodle which helps pass the time. I ordered the chicken parm for $13. While we waited for our food, we were served some bread which was one of the best breads I've ever had. It's drizzled in olive oil and salt and has such a great flavor to it and it's super fresh. Dip it in some more oil and please your tastebuds. It did take a while for our food to come but they were pretty busy. I probably should have ordered some wine to make the time go by even faster! But the food is worth the wait. Fresh mozzarella cheese melted on three pieces of lightly breaded chicken and some thin pasta on the side. Grilled cherry tomatoes on top gave it a nice, sweet touch. I probably could have finished my meal, but I wanted to bring some home to have for lunch the next day. Definitely don't expect to be in and out very quickly, but if you have time and enjoy yourself, you'll have a good time.
(4)Don G.
Their flat bread pizza is outstanding! If you like great crust (like bread) you will enjoy this entree.
(4)Sunil R.
When I am traveling, I avoid chains and like to try the local fare. We ended up going here for convenience and it was actually a pretty good experience overall. We were a large party and they did a good job making sure that we were well taken care of. Food was good and service was great and attentive. My fave was the artichoke appetizer. Note that the portions are pretty big and most entrees can comfortably feed 2. BTW, check out the restrooms and see if you can find out what's so unique about it.
(3)S B.
If you're going for Gluten-Free DON'T GO HERE! My son and I who have celiac disease got fettucini noodles mixed into our gluten-free noodle dish. It was obvious to me that they boiled gf noodles in regular noodle water.... Spent Father's Day very ill. Manager apologized and comp'd our bill but that doesn't undo the damage. They aren't really gluten-free. Won't be going back.
(1)John B.
Don't waist you time. The food was not prepared properly, and takes over an hour to get it, and the salads were very skimpy as well. The atmosphere is nice, and the wait staff very friendly, so that part was okay.
(1)Kaye D.
"Are you on any time constraints?" was one of the questions the host asked us as we were getting seated to ensure we would still enjoy the dining experience (which we did). The lights in the restaurant were dimmed for the ambience. The rest of the restaurant was pretty open. You could see the kitchen if you peered over the railings. Also, there are a few crayons on the table. The server writes his or her name on there, which I think is a great idea. I don't know how many times I've gone out and barely remember the name or face of who is serving us. Aside from that, it's fun to doodle =) Our server seemed new, and a tad nervous, but did well - pointing us to the new options on the menu and letting us know the specials. We asked for a sample of the wine, which they did that for us, to ensure we even liked it before ordering the bottle. By the way, it's 1/2 off select bottles of wine on Thursdays. Fun fact on that - if you finish the bottle, you can sign it and they will put it on display on their shelves in the restaurant. They're obviously not going to force you if that's not something you want to do. That was pretty neat; though I thought of it as a hall of fame for "wine-o's" =P Hah. I really like the portions of food here. After indulging in nearly 2 loaves of bread and a clam chowder soup (all shared of course), we shared a caprese salad and the penne rustica. It brought us to the right amount of "full-and-happy-stomachs". The bread they give you is pretty delicious when dipped in the olive oil that's sprinkled with cracked pepper... yum! The clam chowder was great too, very thick and chunky (my fave). I wished there was more balsamic on the caprese salad. Otherwise, the dish was great with the stack of cheese and tomato. The penne was decadent with the chicken, shrimp AND prosciutto mixed into it. Again, yum! For me, they have it right. I favor this place over Olive Garden (if you can even compare the 2) for mix of flavors, ambience and portion sizing.
(4)Tim K.
In the past month we have been here for two lunches and a dinner with friends. I think the food is improving, albeit slowly. Service has been good for all these visits. Today (late lunch) we had the lentil soup special and the braised pork special. Both were very good (3.5-4 stars). I don't think they are making their own pasta yet. Maybe they gave up on that idea. Service from Erik was very good. A new menu will be out Nov. 11. We'll be back to try that out.
(3)David M.
I started going to RMG back in the mid-90s and have seen a lot of changes. I think way back then, I would have given it close to 4.5 stars. As others will, I VIVIDLY recall when they would have singing waiters. In many cases, I felt embarrassed for them. It was really an intrusion. Just take my order and bring me my food, as ordered, in a decent amount of time. I don't need to hear about your music studies at DePaul and how you want to sing "Rigoletto!" In recent years, when I do go there, I have done much more take out than eat in. It's OK. Every once in a while, they will "shake up" the menu a bit, but it seems to be more about giving the same old stuff new names rather than adding new dishes. The atmosphere inside is cozy and nicely lit. Parking is plentiful and the bathrooms are usually maintained. Given the age of the decor, I would say that it's time for a facelift to freshen up the place. I would hope that they would open up the menu to gluten free patrons. It's time to get on the stick with that.
(3)Eric R.
The short story is this was the worst Valentine's Day dinner/restaurant experience ever, and we will never go to this restaurant again, if I could leave negative stars I would. If you want more detailed information keep reading... We had an 8:15 reservation, we expected it would be busy due to Valentine's Day so arrived early at 7:45 to have a drink and appetizer at the bar. We checked in when we arrived and confirmed our 8:15 reservation with the hostess, and let her know we would be waiting in the bar. The bartenders were so deep in the weeds that it took 10 minutes for them to acknowledge us even though we were 1 of three couples seated at the bar. Now it's 8:30, recheck in with the hostess "so sorry we're running a little behind" she says. They overbooked the restaurant on valentines day, how inconsiderate, now there is a real backup of people blocking the entrance, waiting for their reservations. I tried to be patient and understanding, but now it's 9:00, we are still not seated and neither of the 2 hostesses have come to update us. At this point I decided to go and complain to the hostess and inform her that we are walking out because of the ridiculousness of the situation, this is the same hostess that I spoke to two other times but now she can't find my reservation, and initially looks at me like we have never spoken before. Eventually there is memory recall, and she apologizes profusely, and begs us to stay, and promises that she will make it up to us with free appetizers and a dessert. My wife and I take a minute to decide, we would rather have drive through Portillos at this point, but because we are both starving we stayed to get some food, big mistake. Okay now are seated, and the one highlight of this review is going to be that they happen to seat us next to my cousin and his wife, but the waiter takes 10 minutes to come and talk to us, once he does, he is very good at his job, he takes our appetizer orders and they do come out quickly. Our entrées were good, except three of the meatballs were cooked into rocks, things don't seem to be getting better. We got cheesecake for dessert and that was delicious, but then we waited another 20 minutes for our waiter to come back and give us our bill, we don't understand why because the restaurant is pretty much empty at this point. We paid and left knowing that we would never eat here again.
(1)L F.
We've gone here over the years because it's always been consistently decent especially for a larger chain restaurant. Even when traveling, it's our safe "go to" place. But in the past year, no matter which location I've been to (all over the country) - the food quality has really gone downhill. Most recently we went to this location and disappointingly the food was not good. It was cold and bland. If I order penne, I don't want to see a spaghetti noodle in my dish. The service was nice but slow. But if I want "meh" Italian, I can go to Noodles for cheaper & quicker.
(2)Michael R.
Artichoke potato cakes were not bad. Pasta trio, Mac and cheese with peas and prosciutto, chicken marsala pasta, sausage pasta. NOT much spice in the red sauce with the sausage.The sausage was mediocre, but had just the right amount of fennel. Chicken Marsala sauce was runny and not tremendously appetizing. Mac and cheese was very good, with tasty bread crumbs. Unfortunately there was very little of the promised proscuitto. My wife had the "Create your own pasta" with bow tie, spinach, and arabiatta. Pretty good once the spices kicked in she said. Over all, it was a fairly ho-hum experience and we likely won't be back considering all the great Italian options around Chicago.
(2)Sue F.
In below zero weather, my husband and I ventured out to Macaroni Grill to take advantage of a coupon that appeared in my email: "Get 2 for $12 Express Dinner Entrees." What a deal, and we had previously enjoyed many meals at the Wheaton location. We sat down at a booth and noticed that there were few other patrons present probably due to the cold weather. Our waitress came to our table (after about a ten minute wait) and asked if we would like to order a beverage. As was our custom, we both ordered the house wine on the "honor system." She poured the olive oil in the small dish, and when she returned with the wine, we mentioned that we would take advantage of the "Kitchen Counter Express" offer to which she replied, "You will have to order that over there," pointing to the counter behind which food was being prepared. She then walked away, never to be seen again. We were uncertain as to what to do next. We found a young lady who seemed to be a hostess, and she said we could order our dinners from her. We apologized and said we had never participated in the "Kitchen Counter" offer and weren't sure of the procedure. She was obviously new, but very kind, and had to ask for some assistance herself in placing our order at the register. We paid her directly. We wondered if we could get some bread for dipping in the olive oil. She replied that it didn't come with this particular offer. We said that we would be happy to pay for some bread. We also wondered why the "honor-system wine bottle" was not left by the seemingly ticked-off waitress who avoided us like the plague. She told us that we would have to order any additional wine there at the counter and pay for it then. She was quite pleasant, and said she would see if she could get us some bread. As we sat at a booth eating our dinner, not one person came by to see if we were enjoying our meals or if we needed anything else. At this point, there were only two other tables with patrons, and we could see our original waitress wandering around at the far end of the restaurant. We truly felt like we were in "no man's land". To top off an incredibly uncomfortable experience, a server, now with a stocking cap on his head, was literally sweeping up, hinting that "it's time to go now" by making 5 passes with his broom within 3 feet of our table as we were trying to enjoy the remains of our dinner. This was transpiring 50 minutes before the restaurant was scheduled to close. By the way, as our hostess-type friend was leaving, we stopped her and gave her a generous tip. If there is a next time, we will order our food, take it to the car, turn the heat up full blast, and bring our own wine.
(1)Lisa W.
The food is really intensely flavorful - & who can beat a huge bottle of chianti for $15?? They sealed it up for me to take home the rest, even!
(5)Josie M.
Our server was more interested in flirting with the hostess than getting us our food, and we were one of maybe 4 people in the place. It was painful to watch, and annoying to wait for. The food was okay, kinda bland to the point where I can't remember what I ordered. Something with chicken...That's not really a good sign.
(2)Melissa C.
Thoroughly disappointed with the service of this location. We made a reservation for 10 for my in-laws anniversary. We arrived a little early, but waited almost half an hour AFTER our reservation time. By the time we sat down, the waiting continued. The waitress, Melissa, came back two or three times before she finally took our order. Our appetizers took another 20 minutes to being out. After appetizers, we had to request to have our plates cleared because they'd been sitting there for a while. And than the waiting continued...for another 15 to 20 minutes! We finally got food to our table...which was pretty good, hence why they get two stars rather than just one. I had the penne rustica, which was pretty delish! (one of the only highlight of the meal) We were never offered refills on drinks, and were never checked back on with the waitress. Overall, the food quality is good, especially for a chain restaurant...but service is seriously lacking!
(2)Misty S.
This restaurant is a great choice if you are in the mood for Italian. The name alone puts me in a good mood. The ambiance is great because it makes me feel like I'm dining outside with the high ceiling, strings of light bulbs and huge stone columns. The service was great and I felt like I was on a mini-vacation. I wish all meals could feel this wonderful. The warm bread that comes out before the meal goes great with the olive oil (poured from a huge economical sized bottle at the table) and Parmesan cheese (which the waitress will freshly grate for you upon request). If you're done with the loaf by the time your meal comes, the waitress will ask if you want another. How thoughtful, but I had to turn down the offer or else there would be no room for dessert. Lobster Ravioli was creamy and delicious and I really enjoyed the artichokes in the Chicken Scaloppine. The best part about the Chocolate Cake is the homemade ganache drizzled on the top. Mmmm... The portions are small on the American standard chart, but it suits me well. I don't feel overwhelmed by having a mountain of food sitting in front of me. Since the portions are smaller, it makes this restaurant on the pricey side. I gave 5 stars not because it's a 5 star restaurant, but because I really enjoyed my experience here. It's a chain restaurant, but I think it's a lovely one.
(5)Michelle I.
I love this place!! We don't get up there too often but every time it is good! I always get my favorite, the Chicken Scaloppine (sauteed chicken with artichokes, mushrooms, aged prosciutto and lemon butter with capellini pasta) YUMMM!! Then we split a piece of Lemon Passion Cake which is a citrus cake soaked in sweet cream then topped with lemon mousse and whipped cream. To die for!! Today was extra nice, I had a gift card from my credit card!! I can't believe I've never given them a review! Always good, always fresh- I recommend!!
(5)Brad V.
I really wanted to like this place. They are owned by the same company that owns Maggianos, which I love. Before I give my two cents, I will disclose that we got take-out, so I can only speak for the food, not the service. The Good: After calling with are order, they said our food will be ready in 15 minutes. By the time I got there, the food was ready. I was in and out in less than 5 minutes. Love it! The Bad: The food sucks! My wife got the mushroom ravioli, and it was burned to a crisp. It tasted like processed food, not like food from a good Italian restaurant. I was going to take a picture of it to post here, but my camera wanted nothing to do with it. I got some chicken, mushroom pasta dish. It was soggy like a wet sock and tasted about the same. Honestly though, it was bland. The whole dish was very unappetizing. I'm not that picky of an eater. I'll scarf down frozen dinners like it's my last meal before an execution. Rammen Noodles? Bring it on! Fast food? Can't get enough. And I even have the high cholesterol to prove it. Yet I couldn't finish my meal from this place. My son got the classic spaghetti and meatballs. It must have not been too bad because he ate a lot of it and didn't complain. Granted, he's only 1-years old. But he seemed happy. I threw all the leftovers down the disposal, except for the spaghetti. The Verdict: No, I wouldn't recommend this restaurant even if someone was holding a gun to my head. The only redeeming quality this place has is their website has a food allergy list. My son is allergic to eggs, so we really appreciate that. If it weren't for that, I'd only give it one star. I think I'll go to McDonalds now.
(2)Justin L.
Average Italian food that closer to fast food, but with a good atmosphere. I was generally unimpressed with the food. I've been here twice in the past year and I still haven't been wow-ed. The last time I went I got the lobster ravioli. Portion size was a bit disappointing and it came out warm, not hot. The ravioli itself was okay, but restaurant sit-down quality? meh. Atmosphere and location are good though. Located in South Wheaton off of Naperville road there's shopping and other things to do in the area. The interior is pretty nice, I came here to celebrate my nephew's birth ( few years back) and the back room was separated out for us, which was nice. So good atmosphere and a decent venue for a large group. Overall... not some place I visit often, and not a place I think of going, but so-so.
(3)Natalie F.
Ok I have passed this place several times but never had the chance to try it. I always wondered what they had and how the decor was. I was able to try them the week of Christmas. My bf and I met his family there for dinner. As we walked in I said oh wow this place has pretty decor and I like the layout. It is not super big but the tables are spread out somewhat decent. We met them at a corner table near the wall which worked out well. They serve a warm Rosemary bread which was just yummy. I could not stop eating it. The menu had several good items to pick from. We all started off with an order of the Fresh Mozzarella Fritta which whee cheese-sticks. A bit disappointed that only got I believe three or four. we also got the Tomato Bruschetta which I loved. I was SO happy I could eat it because I don't/won't eat onions and this had none. :) Good size portions on that one. I ended up playing it safe (only because I was sick earlier that day) and choose the Pollo Caprese which was lemon chicken and pasta. It was very good! My bf ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and said it was good. His brother ordered the Chicken Parmigiana. Great presentation on that dish. His father ordered the Lasagna Al Forno. It was not a big portion but I am sure it was good and his wife ordered the Chicken Scaloppine I THINK. Gosh I can't remember the name of her dish but it looked very good. We all decided to get the chocolate cake that I heard about. One slice and we just all dug in. It was very tasty! Moist and not too rich. All in all good experience with good people. :) I have to say I think I will give them another try. Cheers!
(4)Tina E.
Long time fan of the Mac. My favorite location has to be Huntington Beach, Ca. Went to Wheaton for 2 tapas-2 pastas for $25. Great deal for a large quantity of italian comfort food. Luckily, I was'nt too far away before I checked my order to find out my tapas were missing. I guess I should have looked before I left but they just seemed so confident my order was set. My server did'nt believe for one minute that anything was missing & he was POSITIVE that he placed them in the order. He was clearly accusing me of lying which just set me off even more than having to drive back. Finally got my items replaced & I was on my way. Still think I like their food more than Maggianos, but they can keep the attitude.
(3)Kevin W.
This was my second time I have one here. Now I am not sure if it was because I was younger when I went or what but I thought the food was good? My girlfriend and I swung by while shopping at Denada Square and I foolishly made the comment "Oh yeah, I have been there before it was pretty good!"...My bad. We were sat promptly. Waited in the empty section for the server to finally come over. I was impressed with the lemonades, they were actually good. The oil and pepper? Meh. Our server had very little personality. He did his job though so I can't fault him there. Just saying though, if I worked for tips and it was dead... TALK to your table. The food was alright. The chicken parmesan was alright? Slightly burnt. The spaghetti that came with it was bland and very oily. And the Penne Rustica... Shrimp was overcooked, and the overwhelming flavor of something I could not get a hold on kinda made the dish tough to eat. All in all I would say I will not be returning. I'd rather go to Olive Garden.
(2)Carl C.
Very rude hostess and unorganized in the seating/waiting process. Even with a coupon, I would eat at another place. When I spoke with the Manager, she blamed promotions for poor experience and said "this is what happens when you get free food".
(1)Nicolae Frederick Z.
Great place!
(5)Joy S.
Get a reservation! 730p on a Sunday was gonna be a 25 minute wait for 2 people - after waiting 5 minutes at the host stand for someone to come up and tell us how long the wait would be.
(2)Stacey W.
Just like the rating system says: Meh. I have had better. The chicken parm was pretty good, but the spaghetti was oily and bland. Oh, and cold. The warm bread they brought out was okay, I guess, but I'm not a fan or Rosemary in the first place. My boyfriend had the Penne Rustica and said it had kind of a weird flavor to it. The flavored lemonades were delicious though. It's not too bad a price. Right around what you'd be paying for a meal at Olive Garden except you don't get a free salad or soup with your meal at Macaroni Grill. Service was pretty slow considering there was only about 3 other tables there at the time. Would I come back? Nah. I'll save my 40-some bucks.
(2)Gwin C.
Server was less than friendly which annoyed my kids who kept saying "thank you" with no response from our indifferent waitress. Only time she said thank you was when she left us the check.
(2)Paula W.
We had such a good time and the food was wonderful. Susan was our waitress and she made wonderful recommendations. Desert was yummy.
(5)Morgan W.
The atmosphere is charming. It can be kind of loud because it is so wide open but you can still manage a conversation. The bread is wonderful. If you really want to throw someone off tell the staff it is there birthday. Maybe it's not every night but the night I was there one of the staff sang an opera version of happy birthday. The food is okay but I have had better pasta. The service was bad. It was slow... Really slow. We were there for ten minutes before the waitress came over. She took the drink order and brought out one drink and the other one had to be made at the bar. We didn't get that one go 15 min. When it came to dessert the waitress asked what we wanted. Three of the four of us ordered and then she said okay and walked away without getting the last dessert order.
(3)Mo D.
I love this place. I really, really do. I super-extra-heart their delicious warm bread served with olive oil and cracked pepper, and that alone keeps me coming back. I always get the lobster ravioli or seafood portofino, and both are equally delicious. The desserts are awesome, especially the ginormous chocolate cake with real chocolate sauce on it. But... last time I went, I had the Worst Waitress Ever. First, she forgot my stepmom's salad. Then, when dad mentioned the salad was non-existent, waitress said, "Oh, I'm sorry." After a ten second pause, she says, "Oh, do you still want it?" Then, I ask her for something and she snaps, "Just wait a second, ok?!" Later, I ask for something (milk, cream, whatever) other than corn syrup / soybean oil creamer for my coffee (I swear they had cream last time I came in), and she tells me I can't have cream, but she'll give me milk. In a ramekin. Wahoo. My ravioli was gummy on the top as though it had been nuked one too many times. And finally, when my coffee was refilled, it had at least a teaspoon of grounds in it (I do not exaggerate... I had to rinse out my mouth). I'm not a jerk to servers. I say please and thank you and I always tip above 20%. I understand people have bad days, but c'mon, really? Do ya have to be THAT rude? It wasn't even that busy, either. There was hardly anyone there. I hope it was an aberration and that this kind of service will never ever ever reoccur when I dine there, because, I really, really like the bread and I would give it 5 stars if it weren't for the crappy service. Atmosphere is nice, bathroom soundtrack teaches you Italian phrases while you pee, and food and wine are generally tasty. So, great place to dine if you get the right server.
(4)Chi C.
We've been dining at Macaroni Grill for quite some time & were always happy with the food & service. Our last visit was a different story. It was Mother's Day & quite busy. The service was slow & the food was cold when we got it, but we tried to be understanding & didn't complain. However, my wife's pasta was all clumpy & stuck together. Seeing as it was Mother's Day, I wanted at least her meal to be good, so I mentioned this to our waiter. Instead of offering to rectify the problem, his response was, "pasta does that sometimes." REALLY??? Needless to say, we haven't been back there since, and we don't plan to.
(1)Kate D.
This is a CHAIN restaurant. No, you're not in Italy. You're not even in the city, near Italian immigrants. You're in Wheaton. With that said, this is a nice chain restaurant. Everything is polished, from the cliche wall of wine bottles to the dim lighting and decor. Someone looked at a picture of an Italian restaurant in a travel guide and did a great job of creating an Americanized version. They always have huge vases of fresh flowers sitting around too, which I consider a nice touch. I find something I'm excited to order off their menu every visit. Which I then struggle to finish after stuffing myself with the free bread and olive oil. The bread comes warm out of the oven and melts in your mouth. Awesomeeee. It's probably my fav restaurant bread. My go-to entree is the seafood linguine - although don't make the mistake of looking up the nutrition information online. I always thought it was a relatively healthy choice but no. Not even close. If you want healthy, stay home and make yourself a salad. I like the house wine they bring around in jugs. I'm not a wine expert but it makes me happy. The staffers are great. My waiter remembered me from 5 months prior. That guy must see hundreds of people each day and he remembered. The hostesses are quick and friendly and they let you pick your table if it isn't crowded. If you're around Danada and want Italian, this is the best pick. Keep an eye out for coupons too. They help bring the cost down a bit.
(4)Mac B.
Ate here a number of times when we lived in suburbia. Wait time can be long on weekend nights. The menu remained essentially unchanged it seemed for many years. I think they have added new items since I was last there. I never had any complaints. Service was always good. Chocolate dessert, very good. Has an open seating arrangement. Gives a feel like you are eating outside with a bunch of other folks at a sidewalk cafe somewhere. The kitchen area is open for people to see the hustle and bustle of things going on and meals getting prepared. Despite the name, it actually is decent enough Italian food place. Never had food served cold here. And in most cases, I only ate half and took the rest home.
(3)Sarah W.
Romano's Macaroni Grill = heaven in a pasta bowl. __________________________________________________Â__________________ The food- Macaroni Grill is the best Italian place ON EARTH- no question. I always get the fettucine alfredo- fresh pasta with warm, cheesy, delicious, irresistable alfredo- ooh-la-la! They also always give you the choice of freshly grated, right over your bowl parmesan cheese, freshly ground pepper over your salad, and warm, fresh rosemary bread with peppered olive oil to dip the bread in. This place is heaven in a pasta bowl. The service- The waiters and waitresses there are always friendly and welcoming, with quick seating and quick service. They always treat their customers with respect. The atmosphere- The atmosphere here is like a real restaurant in Italy! You can even see the wine cellar! Overall- a five-star-worthy restaurant! Chrissa K. tab.macaronigrill.com/ma…
(5)Stephanie G.
This was my second time and am ready to go back again soon! I loved the 2 for $9 tapas selection when you just want to have something light and explore. Our waitress was great and because of her wine recommendation my mom and I are now hooked on Seven Daughters Moscato. I love the bread that comes with the entree and dipping it in olive oil; just always seems more authentic to me that way? At this point it is one of my favorites for Italian. In my opinion their Ceaser dressing is the best ever too.
(5)Sabrina M.
I'm a Cook County girl. More specifically, I'm a Chicago girl. So it's not often that I get to DuPage County for any reason, but work took me out there and I decided to test the culinary delights of our fair county to the west. I met up with a friend who lives in Wheaton and she suggested this restaurant and it...wasn't bad. It reminded me of an Italian-themed Bennigan's. The food was neither "authentic" nor extraordinary but it...wasn't bad. Resolutely "so-so". I initially had the unremarkable Pasta Milano, which was advertised as this savory roasted chicken, sun-dried pasta in garlic cream sauce dish. I had to search for the chicken and I think they gave me the one little piece of sun-dried tomato they had left. The "cream" sauce was little more than salty, gray water. To her credit, my server saw that it wasn't so much to my liking and very quickly switched me out to her original recommendation, the Chicken Marsala. Better, but not outstanding. The service was outstanding, however, and much appreciated. Would I dine at Romano's Macaroni Grill again? Probably not. It's tepid Italian at it's best. I have to believe DuPage County has better.
(3)Elizabeth W.
I went to the Macaroni Grill with my aunt and cousins who love this place. The inside is very cute. It has a darker Italian romantic feel with paper on the tables and little bowels for your oil and cheese. The bread is nice and hot, but when I looked at the lunch menu I thought the selection was small and the prices were large. I had a chicken pasta dish with spinach and red peppers. I thought it was good but right along par with dishes that I have had at the Olive Garden. Just for lunch, my pasta dish cost $10 and if you want a soup or salad, that costs extra. Overall, I thought the service was good and the atmosphere was cute, but I was not impressed at all by the food or prices. I definitely have had better and cheaper Italian food elsewhere.
(2)Nari H.
This place is A-OK :D They had some really good deals/menu options for their lunch hours. The interior is pretty nice, and the food was pretty good (I got a soup and sandwich combo) for being under $7. Didn't stay for dessert, but I wouldn't be averse to go back.
(3)Jello M.
This is one of my favorite chains. The service is so-so, it depends who your waiter is. The appetizers are very good though, i like the sampler the best. The entrees are pretty good, although the serving sizes are a little small. There are paper table cloths that you can draw on, and the younger kids love it. Over all its a fun place.
(3)Mary J.
Ok Italian food. Great Italian food is hard to find out here in the 'burbs. Family wise it works with kids. The wait can be long at dinner time, but they have that call ahead where you can put your name in before you leave. They have a good bar area to wait in (sans kids) and the wine is good. As far as the menu selection goes, stick with the house specials. They also have this thing where you can make your own pasta dish by picking out the pasta type, sauce and other stuff to put in it like shrimp and veggies. Some of the other food is bland-o, but they will add extra garlic if you ask. The kids menu is good with macaroni and cheese (the baked kind), pizza, chicken fingers and I think burgers and hot dogs. They also get a free ice cream at the end of their meal. The waiters here seem to have a hard time figuring out when you need help or want to be left alone. We always give them the "we have kids, don't strand us" chat so we aren't in a panic when it's time to go. They don't get that you only get so much time, like a timer on a bomb and then it explodes. If you want dessert, let then know ahead of time, because it's hard to catch them after the food comes. So this place is MUCH better than some of the other chains, but my favorite Italian food is still on the HILL in St. Louis!
(3)Tom W.
I used to love this place 5 stars worth. Then I went two weeks ago and either they had gotten a new chef or the corporate guys had changed the recipes. There were 4 of us and each had gotten our entree on a previous visit. All 4 entrees were sort of watered-down versions of their previously glorious selves. I complained to headquarters and they sent me $10. I will try once more in a few weeks to see if it was a fluke or not.
(2)Brian L.
Headed to the "Mac" with a work buddy for a nice lunch. For the first time ever, I ordered an individual pizza and was pleasantly surprised. It was a very thin Neopolitan crust and had quality toppings. Pasta bowls are very large here, even for lunch. You get some nice warm toasty bread and olive oil when you sit down. It wasn't very crowded for a Friday lunch but this place does good business and has been around for many many years. I think it does tend to be a bit more pricey than normal lunch places, but for sit down it's probably the right value. Waitstaff was attentive and pleasant, keeping our sodas constantly filled.
(3)Leanne M.
IN GENERAL: Cute, romantic italian atmosphere with live table hopping opera singers, draw your date on your tablecloth crayons, and excellent freshly, made to order, italian food. MY MEAL: The best Eggplant Parmigiano I've ever had in my life- I ordered it without cheese, and they didn't mind at all (that's how you know it's freshly made to order). It was sooooo delicious and not heavy or salty like most italian places make it. My (omnivorous) husband was jealous and stole a few bites himself. ALSO- try the italian sodas- they have MANGO! It's amazing. THE VERDICT: Great for a date or a group, and your veg friends will have great options too!
(5)Peter M.
We get there on a Thursday night, the dining room is 3/4 empty and they have a 10 min wait. OK.... we wait and then get sat. The waitress has no personality and just basically takes our order and thats it! Food was ok, ambiance was OK, and the service was OK. Bottom-line, if you have no expectations, you will like this place. I don't dislike it, but there are FAR BETTER options than this place
(2)Wesley H.
I have been coming here for many, many years and almost always get the same dish; the Penne Rustica. This place has three things that always has me coming back: the deliciously baked rosemary bread, the penne rustica, and the smothered chocolate cake. The bread is enough to bring one here, especially if you are really hungry. It is by far the best bread you can find at a chain restaurant, as it is warm, fluffy, and flavorful. Dipping it in the olive oil makes it even more all worthwhile. I have tried many dishes here and they are all great, but the penne rustica's rich, hearty flavor always has me ordering time and time again. The cake is devoured within a minute when splitting it with others because it is so moist and delicious, especially with ice cream on top melting from the hot fudge that's smothered on top. All in all, this place and its atmosphere definitely has Olive Garden beat.
(4)Mark S.
Decent Italian, much better than Olive Garden as chains go. Kid friendly -- this is the first place we could confidently take our son when he was little. Noisy so he could fuss if he needed to; he could draw on the paper "tablecloth" and order his (then) beloved macaroni and cheese. As noted in other reviews, it's crowded when you'd expect a restaurant to be crowded, so "call ahead". (Nobody wants to call them "reservations" anymore -- are they afraid of lawsuits?)
(4)Cynthia K.
I was disappointed in my recent experience at Macaroni Grill. I have dined at this location and others (in CA and IA) much more favorably. Most of our party felt the food was mediocre and the service also. It was a weeknight around 8 pm and very few diners there. On the plus side, the desserts are very reasonbly priced and fairly tasty. I will be heading elsewhere for Italian food since in the Chicagoland area there are tons of better venues!!!
(2)Mike S.
So so. Have not been there in a few years. Nothing to get excited about. They do have some new menu items that are healthy (a nice change). Service is good.
(3)Robyn C.
Fairly good food with a longer-tan-average wait and only so-so service. The most annoying thing -- which always turns me off on a restaurant -- is having open tables (not reserved, just open) in plain sight of customers yet forcing a 10-15 minute wait because they don't have enough staff to cover it. Infuriating! We live five minutes from there but don't frequent it because every time we do, we have to wait amid the open tables. On the up side, my husband loves the design your own pasta and the rosemary bread brought to the table is very good.
(3)Sharon F.
Our party of four had dinner here last night after having not dined here in the past year. We had a reservation, arrived about 5 minutes early, was checked off on the list and was handed the electronic "wait to be called" device and politely asked to wait. (We amused ourselves watching the rapid cooks reheat pasta, portion out food that they rapidly cooked or reheated. Everything in the kitchen appeared to be well orchestrated and I certainly wouldn't be able to do their jobs. They seemed focused and happy. Several dishes that were served up sat for pick up quite a while which explained why our meals weren't very hot when they arrived.) After about 10 minutes of waiting, we were taken to a table on the floor that was right in the middle of waitstaff setting up tray stands, the "island" where waiters and the bus staff would replenish their place settings, glasses, and so forth. I knew that I would not enjoy my meal among this business and kindly requested the available booth that was about to be reset. We were politely ushered back to the waiting area and were obliged to wait another 7 minutes or so until we were signaled that the booth was ready. The booth was in the left, rear of the dining room away from all the action and for that I was grateful. Our waitress, Melissa's initial greeting and explanation of the "Blackboard" specials was fine, however, her service was mediocre. The restaurant was busy which may have impacted her service, however, of this I am uncertain. Once she served us our meals, she never checked back in with us. Menu has been changed. All Ala cart Bread was tasty and warm. 2 for $9 Appetizers/Italian Tapas: Spicy Ricotta Meatballs - arrived lukewarm, sauce was tasty, meatballs were spicy and fairly tasty Baked Prosciutto & Mozzarella - arrived lukewarm, served with a flat bread, overall this dish was nothing special and could easily be made at home and served at a warmer temperature Pasta Milano - overly seasoned with what I think was rosemary (but not sure)/I didn't finish it; not to my liking Penne Rustica - our daughters ordered this dish; flavorful and filling; again, it arrived warm, not hot Blackboard Special - Squash Ravioli in a Truffle sauce with prosciutto, a tasty dish but looked as though it sat (pasta was stiff and not hot) I won't be back. If you go, go on a less crowded night. You may get better service and hot food.
(2)Blair S.
Seriously? I don't get it? The place is packed for food that to me is not good. Spaghetti is bad, portions are modest at best, and the menu is like Olive Garden. For the life of me I do not get why it's always crowded. The bread is good, service is fine, but the food, chain like with no effort to make it stand out. Want good Italian food....Marios in Carol Stream for a fraction of the price.
(2)Ronnie W.
Try the Penne Rustica or Lobster Spagetti
(4)Michelle J.
Great for a date-night or a family outing (they gave the little guys pizza dough to play with...many of the adults wanted to as well :P)! Good food and service. House wine was available on the table all night, along with fresh bread with dipping oil. The appeztier sampler was worthwhile. Food is not of the most healthy variety and the portions are very large, so if you are trying to monitor your portions I would recommend splitting 1/2 the entree into a "doggie bag" before you start! The entire group had various desserts and coffees that all received rave reviews :)
(5)Erica i.
I thoroughly enjoy the macaroni grill. Its not very large so on a Friday/Saturday night , the wait can be up to 2 1/2 hours, and on busy nights it can get very very noisy. However, their salads and breads are delightful. What I really enjoyed was there "make your own" menu. (only upon request) I have a few food allergies and I was able to fill out a little form for exactly what i wanted. Their pasta dishes are ok...better than Olive Garden but nothing spectacular. Great Restaurant.
(3)steve k.
A great place to eat Italian. The place is always packed, so be prepared to wait a while.
(4)Ashley L.
This place is amazing! The food is great, the waiters are ALWAYS happy to see you, and it's great for anyone! It gets A LOT of business, and the wait time is always shorter than what the people there may tell you. It's pretty casual, but feel free to dress up fancy if you like. It's great for a lovely dinner for two, a little get together with friends, or just a casual night out before a movie! My family and I go here all the time. Oh, my suggestion: If you're a ravioli fan, try their "Mushroom Ravioli" - excellent choice. And they're dessert is wonderful too! 5 stars!
(5)Kris Z.
Pretty good chain restaurant with pretty good jug wine. A good place for lunch and to bring the kids - they can color the paper tableclothes!
(3)