Came here almost 4 yrs ago and didn't think of coming back until groupon came up with a really sweet deal ($12 for 20) plus I was craving for tiramisu. Me and hubby ordered calamari, basil pesto with gulf shrimp and tiramisu! They are all good but I would say my fav of them all is the fresh shrimp with creamy pesto sauce. Our server was really nice and since we were sharing the pasta, she offered to split it into two plates. I hope they will continue to take groupons because I will be coming back!
(4)
Kate M.
In my entire life I have never seen worse service. All of the food was dropped off in a few minutes, and the wait staff never returned. We asked three different staff members to find our waitress and at some point they rolled their eyes at us. Finally she returned and acted irritated and surprised that we wanted another glass of wine. Very disappointing for a small restaurant.
(1)
Robin K.
Yum! This is my favorite Italian cuisine in town. Family-friendly place with warm service.
(4)
Adam B.
I dined at DeAngelos for the first time on Tuesday, November 24 with a friend of mine. The service was subpar at best. Our waiter constantly neglected us throughout our stay. We were never informed of the specials [which apparently I qualified for since I ordered a calzone (buy 1, get 1 free)]. Had we known that, my friend would not have ordered what he did. Over 30 minutes had passed after we finished our meal and still our waiter never came to us to see how we were doing. The place was virtually empty and our waiter was no where to be found. I finally got up and had to look for him and once I found him stated "oh there you are, I thought you forgot about us!" To add insult to injury, my "free" calzone was not even ready when we wanted to leave. We had to continue to wait for it. This was my first time at your restaurant, and you have lost this customer's business and I will be sure to let others know of the treatment we experienced while dining out. For the record, I did reach out to management. Their reply was professional but wasn't enough to make me change my opinion of the place, nor did they offer to give me a second chance.
(2)
Amanda C.
A bit pricey, but I suppose it is worth it. ;-) Service has always been great. Try the eggplant parm if you haven't already. C'est tres bien. (I know that is French, it's the best I could do)
(4)
Joshua C.
DeAngelo's is a great place to eat in Bloomington. The atmosphere is very comfortable and classy. The food is really good too. The calzones are amazing but I also love the meatballs (appetizer). If you're looking for a nice place to eat in Bloomington I think you should consider DeAngelo's.
(4)
Brian C.
"Really good reasonable priced and they were able to accommodate a group of 12."
(4)
John Y.
Had dinner here Friday with Kim. The food was pretty good and the setting was very nice. All in all it was a good experience, we will most likely return.
(3)
Shaun R.
Upon entry it seems like this would be a cheesy pizza joint. However, the dining area is very Italian in its style. We were ignored twice by the hostess who seated her regulars first (we are not local). Once seated we received prompt service and our order was taken quickly. It turns out Monday is buy one get one free pizza or calzone. So, we got calzones and huge $3 side salads. Absolutely the best food I'd experienced in a long time. Ingredients were fresh and perfectly prepared. The bill was very light. I highly recommend this restaurant to those looking for Italian. Very romantic atmosphere. The portions are huge and the staff is friendly.
(4)
Joel P.
Last night was the last straw for me at DeAngelo's, which is a shame, because they do serve good Italian food. It's the service, every single time, that kills it for me, and it's why I'm not coming back. Last night, it took almost an hour and a half to get through two courses. The wait staff is slow and unresponsive, and the kitchen moves with no sense of urgency. Seated at the bar (the only place they could put us, despite a reservation), we got to talk to the general manager at length. We spent more than 20 minutes telling him how much the service brings down the quality of the dining experience. He agreed with every word we said, apologizing profusely that his hands were tied, and he couldn't make things better. The kicker--and the crowning reason we won't be back--is that after listening to our very valid concerns AND agreeing with them, the manager himself brought us the bill for the full, overpriced amount of dinner. By overpriced, I mean this: we ordered a 12-inch version of a pizza that comes in a 10-inch special for $10.99. But for the 12-inch, it was $23.50. We told the manager that the experience wasn't worth what we were being charged, and he begrudgingly took $11 off the $53 ticket--while arguing that we were only there for 45 minutes based on the server's input into the POS. Yeah, not quite. The owners of the restaurant, we were told, live in Chicago, and only come down about once a month. Shame on them. This isn't a rental condo. Get yourselves down here and fix your house. We'll be dining elsewhere.
(2)
Terry Y.
I ordered the tomato basil soup to be picked up. I waited at the counter for service to hand me the soup across the counter and ring up the bill it took 25 minutes. Then I saw a sign and it said they sold marinara sauce. I thought it would be easy just to buy the marinara sauce but the waitress said she would go get it from the kitchen. My mistake thinking they had it jarred up or it would be a simple task. She came back with the delivery order for the delivery guy and said the kitchen said it would be a minute. There were five tables in the restaurant with two servers in the dining room. After waiting an additional 20 minutes for marinara sauce I walked back to the kitchen to let her know to cancel it. When I walked back there I realize she was actually ladling the marinara sauce out of a pot. So I guess she was the one who was getting the marinara sauce ready and just made me wait for no apparent reason. I told her if it was going to be any longer I wanted to cancel my order at which time the other servers chimed in how busy they were. Seriously you got two cooks in the kitchen two people waiting on tables and five tables you're busy??? The service at this place is ridiculous and less you have five hours to spare. Definitely do not go here!! Really great food horrible service horrible horrible!!!
(1)
Hana C.
Food was alright but definitely overpriced for the quality. What really killed it was the service. The restaurant was nearly empty, but the amount of time it took for our waiter to check up on us felt like she was busy with 5 other tables (when really she had none). Her tone was also very dry and monotone and she hardly ever smiled. I don't expect you to be super happy, but I'm paying for your service so a smile or two would be nice. Also, I saw my food at the counter and literally watched it sit there with no one giving it a second glance. I was half-tempted to go over there and get it myself. I just don't understand what our waiter could possibly be doing when she had no other tables to wait. Overall, I will probably avoid this place from now on.
(2)
Franklin D.
Came for lunch and got some kind of two-for-one deal on the calzones (like $16 each normally). I think I would've been upset about paying the much for lunch without the discount. Strange vibe in the dining room. Too quiet. I dunno about this place.... not really my thing.
(3)
Gandalf F.
I like the food, but I can't afford to eat here very often. The entrees are too pricey for the portions. We (my wife, me, and 3 little kids) only come on Mondays when we get Buy One Get One Free Calzones. A part of me dies inside when I leave a restaurant and I'm still hungry. I'm an average size guy too, so I'm not asking too much to be full after a meal. But, I won't pay for extra food that should be part of a regular portion. If I want a regular priced meal that's filling, I would rather go to Buffalouie's.
(4)
Amelia P.
For a chain place in a strip mall my party, as a bunch of food people, were suitable satisfied with our meal and even pleasantly surprised. We also found the service to be above-par. Typically all-you-can-eat pasta is a bad deal, but here the AYCE price is slightly lower for Spaghetti-n-meatballs than the regular price. The atmosphere is very "chain restaurant in a strip mall in the middle of Indiana" so, that's what you're getting. Brick oven style pizza and meatballs were especially good. cannoli is a little weird, though not untasty. Doesn't taste as if there is any ricotta. The Cheesecake and the tiramisu were the best desserts.
(4)
AJ R.
Excellent calzones. Large, delicious salads. Especially love the spinach salad. A bit pricey, but worth it for special occasions. We normally get two meals from one entree (leftovers). Also appreciate that they frequently run coupons.
(4)
Colin G.
I've only eaten here once, just a few hours ago in fact, but the poor quality of the experience drove me to almost immediately write a review of this place. I had wanted to try it for a while because it does relatively well on Yelp, they feature an interesting happy hour and some interesting specials, and I could really use some decent pizza in Bloomington. Seriously, what the hell kind of college town doesn't have a good pizza place? Being in one of the more run-down strip malls in Bloomington, sandwiched between a McAllister's and a Chinese buffet, does not help your initial impressions. The restaurant looks tiny from the outside, but actually pushes back pretty far and creates a surprisingly large and open space. There are tables, booths and even a bar. The atmosphere reminds me somewhat of Italian places in Chicagoland and on the East Coast, where there is an attempt to make a "special" restaurant, with a somewhat upscale atmosphere, but still remaining friendly, laid-back and casual. I've been to restaurants that do this well, and the experience can be very enjoyable. This place gets it wrong though. The ideas were there, but the execution is all wrong. It feels like it could be almost like a fast casual place, like McAllister's, but then there's this air of pretense, with servers in black uniforms, a somewhat fancy bar area. It's confusing. The menu features a lot of Italian items that you would expect, and tends toward the expensive side for Bloomington standards, usually running at $10. They were running a pizza special today though, so I got that. The lunch specials they do are not a good deal: for $2 more than a 10" pizza, you get an 8" pizza and a half side salad, which comes out to be pretty small. But then there's also, of all things, Louisiana-inspired dishes. "-inspired" because it's not anything someone from Louisiana would envision ever putting together. Me being from New Orleans originally, seeing shrimp, crawfish and three kinds of cheese in the same dish was, honestly, a little insulting. The pizza ended up being pretty bad. I like the sauce a lot and the crust is okay, but the cheese was awful. It's a blend, as most other pizza cheese is in Bloomington, but this one is particularly greasy and foul tasting. There was also way too much of it. I was starving but didn't finish the last piece because I was sure it would make me sick. The service was bad, but not terrible. So, for Bloomington standards, it was okay service: unfriendly, sparse and apathetic, but they got the food and water from point A to point B eventually. So here are the inexcusable things that occurred in our one meal aside from all of the other negative things I mention above: - My wife's salad featured one single slice of apple buried on the bottom. The salad was not supposed to have apples at all. It also featured a single block of cheese. It was supposed to come with cheese, but the description said nothing about it being rectangular. It's as if someone was just lazy in the prep. Strangely enough, it was supposed to be some sort of "Louisiana" salad. Again, a little insulting... - The bread basket had a napkin on top stained with pasta sauce. And it wasn't that the napkin had been washed and the sauce faintly visible: it was just sauce on the napkin. - The first pizza I was given was completely uneven, with one half black on the edges and the other half somewhat undercooked. I sent it back, which is something I never do. I mean, if you're comparing this place to the Olive Garden then, yeah, it doesn't look that bad, except for the service, of course (chains tend to have awful food but great service). But if you've ever had decent Italian food, even the more Americanized type, you will not be happy with this place at all. Needless to say, I will not be back, and I think I may have found, with this experience, the second worst restaurant in town, behind Basil Leaf, but I do still have more places to try.
(1)
Erik J.
THE gold standard for terrible food and service in Bloomington, Indiana. And maybe the world. Our experience at this restaurant sparked a list of terrible food experiences, dubbed the "DeAngelo's List". -Overpriced -Un-inspired food -Service with a frown - the wait staff seemed to care less about our presence You are better off at Grazie, Puccini's and even Olive Garden. I can't believe this place is still in business.
(1)
Julie S.
I went to DeAngelo's on Saturday April 14, 2012 for the first time in years. We weren't exceptionally hungry and decided to try DeAngelo's out because it had been a very long time since we had been there and it's been well reviewed on Yelp and elsewhere. Our server was polite but slow and relatively inattentive. We split a large Caprese "towers" appetizer and a meatball pizza. The caprese salad was very fresh, the basil, mozzarella, and tomatoes were all tasty, however there wasn't enough balsamic vinegar to make the dish come together and our server didn't reappear for about twenty minutes so we weren't able to ask for more vinegar. Our pizza was brought to us by another server, it was served very hot but the slices were very uneven in size, some were slivers and others were giant, it made it difficult to eat without a knife and fork. After we finished our pizza we asked for a box and the check and it took longer than it should have to receive both. The total bill was almost $25.00 for an appetizer and a one topping 12 inch pizza. The quality of the food and service did not warrant the price. In short, the food was fine, but completely unremarkable and the service left a lot to be desired. I'm going to stick to Bucceto's from now on for casual Italian.
(2)
Ryan B.
They were really busy, so the service was slow, but the fried ravioli for $5 was OUTSTANDING!!!! The rest of our food was excellent too.
(4)
Jill V.
The food was nothing special, on the bland side, and definitely over-priced for what it was. I was also somewhat annoyed by the service. There were only two tables of customers when I arrived, yet I waited by the door for about 8 minutes before any of the wait staff noticed me and showed me to a table. No reason to return here.
(2)
Kathryn W.
Food was fine. Service was polite and completely responsive to requests. No errors in our order, which included enough details (e.g. some, but not all dressings on the side) that there was the possibility of error. Drink refills were offered, plates promptly cleared, and all that. However, if you order an entree salad, ask when they plan to serve it. Forty minutes after we arrived, and long after my dining companions had been served appetizers, salads, soups (I had ordered none of these, though I had some of a flatbread app), and then their entrees, my entree salad arrived, the absolute last thing served. The restaurant was not particularly busy, though it was filling up. I might have been more assertive a couple of times, as the waitress brought other food, and asked when my food was coming. But the responsibility really, I think, was hers. She did not ask if we wanted dessert. (Yes, I would have, though I would not have been willing to wait another 40 minutes for it.)
(2)
Jeff L.
Good Italian place, better than Olive Garden for same price, maybe even less. Best thing on menu: tomato basil soup - is amazing. Calzones are fantastic too. Entree salads are HUGE. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu.
(4)
Genevieve K.
Yes, it's a chain. But I've never had anything I didn't like here, and I've had: Super veggie pizza Portofino pizzette ? something like that Tuscan chopped salad Chicken & mushroom ravioli in cream sauce And they were all good! The price is reasonable, the dining area is nice, and the food is consistently good. Tuesday night is family night - I've never been on Tuesday, but FYI.
(4)
Renee D.
One of our favorite places. Great food and friendly service. Manager Scott is always accommodating and ready to please
(4)
Brian O.
Good food, good environment, usually good service. Enjoy their calzones.
(4)
Stephanie K.
For a chain restaurant, this places knows how to do it right. They use quality ingredients--and it's evident upon first bite. The salads are massive and filled with tons of toppings and the calzones are cooked perfectly--with an amazing, garlicky tomato sauce for dipping. Everything I've had on the menu has been great--and the price is reasonable, too. I agree with Megan M. that it's the best Italian in town. But when your competition is the Olive Garden....
(4)
Ally L.
This place servers standard Italian food made with fresh ingredients and is really good for B-town standards. Their portion sizes are huge, the wait staff is professional and the food is good. I'd say DeAngelos and Ragazzi Arte Cafe are probably the top places in Bloomington for Italian food.
(4)
Elihu C.
Good wine, good salads, Funghi Focaccia is great ! I would not have guessed that it was a chain after eating there a few times, so they get 4 stars for that alone!
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, 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 : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Pizza is a famous Italian dish savored around the world. The entire credit for the popularity of Pizza in the United States goes to the chain of pizzerias all over the country. While the base and the texture of Pizza remains same across the globe, it's the toppings that differs from country to country. In the United States, you will find the top pizzerias serving pizzas with the toppings of mainly beef, bacon, chicken, ham, and sausage for the non-vegetarians. Other than these famous meat options, Pizzas with veg toppings such as mushrooms, pepperonis, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, etc. are also famous in most restaurants in the United States.
Irrespective of your locality, you will find a variety of different restaurants in your cities offering pizzas of all different types. Pizza is hot favorite among people of all ages in the United States. A large size pizza is enough to feed a family of 3 or 4 at large. Pizza is also the most preferred food whenever a group of friends is hanging out together. Pizza gained popularity in the United States after the American soldiers stationed in Italy returned from World War II.
Over the years, different pizzerias in the United States have developed their own respective regional variations. Pizza gained popularity as the iconic dish in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. Whether you prefer thin or thick crust pizza, you can find a pizza of your preference at the best pizza restaurants in your city.
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Yvonne M.
Came here almost 4 yrs ago and didn't think of coming back until groupon came up with a really sweet deal ($12 for 20) plus I was craving for tiramisu. Me and hubby ordered calamari, basil pesto with gulf shrimp and tiramisu! They are all good but I would say my fav of them all is the fresh shrimp with creamy pesto sauce. Our server was really nice and since we were sharing the pasta, she offered to split it into two plates. I hope they will continue to take groupons because I will be coming back!
(4)Kate M.
In my entire life I have never seen worse service. All of the food was dropped off in a few minutes, and the wait staff never returned. We asked three different staff members to find our waitress and at some point they rolled their eyes at us. Finally she returned and acted irritated and surprised that we wanted another glass of wine. Very disappointing for a small restaurant.
(1)Robin K.
Yum! This is my favorite Italian cuisine in town. Family-friendly place with warm service.
(4)Adam B.
I dined at DeAngelos for the first time on Tuesday, November 24 with a friend of mine. The service was subpar at best. Our waiter constantly neglected us throughout our stay. We were never informed of the specials [which apparently I qualified for since I ordered a calzone (buy 1, get 1 free)]. Had we known that, my friend would not have ordered what he did. Over 30 minutes had passed after we finished our meal and still our waiter never came to us to see how we were doing. The place was virtually empty and our waiter was no where to be found. I finally got up and had to look for him and once I found him stated "oh there you are, I thought you forgot about us!" To add insult to injury, my "free" calzone was not even ready when we wanted to leave. We had to continue to wait for it. This was my first time at your restaurant, and you have lost this customer's business and I will be sure to let others know of the treatment we experienced while dining out. For the record, I did reach out to management. Their reply was professional but wasn't enough to make me change my opinion of the place, nor did they offer to give me a second chance.
(2)Amanda C.
A bit pricey, but I suppose it is worth it. ;-) Service has always been great. Try the eggplant parm if you haven't already. C'est tres bien. (I know that is French, it's the best I could do)
(4)Joshua C.
DeAngelo's is a great place to eat in Bloomington. The atmosphere is very comfortable and classy. The food is really good too. The calzones are amazing but I also love the meatballs (appetizer). If you're looking for a nice place to eat in Bloomington I think you should consider DeAngelo's.
(4)Brian C.
"Really good reasonable priced and they were able to accommodate a group of 12."
(4)John Y.
Had dinner here Friday with Kim. The food was pretty good and the setting was very nice. All in all it was a good experience, we will most likely return.
(3)Shaun R.
Upon entry it seems like this would be a cheesy pizza joint. However, the dining area is very Italian in its style. We were ignored twice by the hostess who seated her regulars first (we are not local). Once seated we received prompt service and our order was taken quickly. It turns out Monday is buy one get one free pizza or calzone. So, we got calzones and huge $3 side salads. Absolutely the best food I'd experienced in a long time. Ingredients were fresh and perfectly prepared. The bill was very light. I highly recommend this restaurant to those looking for Italian. Very romantic atmosphere. The portions are huge and the staff is friendly.
(4)Joel P.
Last night was the last straw for me at DeAngelo's, which is a shame, because they do serve good Italian food. It's the service, every single time, that kills it for me, and it's why I'm not coming back. Last night, it took almost an hour and a half to get through two courses. The wait staff is slow and unresponsive, and the kitchen moves with no sense of urgency. Seated at the bar (the only place they could put us, despite a reservation), we got to talk to the general manager at length. We spent more than 20 minutes telling him how much the service brings down the quality of the dining experience. He agreed with every word we said, apologizing profusely that his hands were tied, and he couldn't make things better. The kicker--and the crowning reason we won't be back--is that after listening to our very valid concerns AND agreeing with them, the manager himself brought us the bill for the full, overpriced amount of dinner. By overpriced, I mean this: we ordered a 12-inch version of a pizza that comes in a 10-inch special for $10.99. But for the 12-inch, it was $23.50. We told the manager that the experience wasn't worth what we were being charged, and he begrudgingly took $11 off the $53 ticket--while arguing that we were only there for 45 minutes based on the server's input into the POS. Yeah, not quite. The owners of the restaurant, we were told, live in Chicago, and only come down about once a month. Shame on them. This isn't a rental condo. Get yourselves down here and fix your house. We'll be dining elsewhere.
(2)Terry Y.
I ordered the tomato basil soup to be picked up. I waited at the counter for service to hand me the soup across the counter and ring up the bill it took 25 minutes. Then I saw a sign and it said they sold marinara sauce. I thought it would be easy just to buy the marinara sauce but the waitress said she would go get it from the kitchen. My mistake thinking they had it jarred up or it would be a simple task. She came back with the delivery order for the delivery guy and said the kitchen said it would be a minute. There were five tables in the restaurant with two servers in the dining room. After waiting an additional 20 minutes for marinara sauce I walked back to the kitchen to let her know to cancel it. When I walked back there I realize she was actually ladling the marinara sauce out of a pot. So I guess she was the one who was getting the marinara sauce ready and just made me wait for no apparent reason. I told her if it was going to be any longer I wanted to cancel my order at which time the other servers chimed in how busy they were. Seriously you got two cooks in the kitchen two people waiting on tables and five tables you're busy??? The service at this place is ridiculous and less you have five hours to spare. Definitely do not go here!! Really great food horrible service horrible horrible!!!
(1)Hana C.
Food was alright but definitely overpriced for the quality. What really killed it was the service. The restaurant was nearly empty, but the amount of time it took for our waiter to check up on us felt like she was busy with 5 other tables (when really she had none). Her tone was also very dry and monotone and she hardly ever smiled. I don't expect you to be super happy, but I'm paying for your service so a smile or two would be nice. Also, I saw my food at the counter and literally watched it sit there with no one giving it a second glance. I was half-tempted to go over there and get it myself. I just don't understand what our waiter could possibly be doing when she had no other tables to wait. Overall, I will probably avoid this place from now on.
(2)Franklin D.
Came for lunch and got some kind of two-for-one deal on the calzones (like $16 each normally). I think I would've been upset about paying the much for lunch without the discount. Strange vibe in the dining room. Too quiet. I dunno about this place.... not really my thing.
(3)Gandalf F.
I like the food, but I can't afford to eat here very often. The entrees are too pricey for the portions. We (my wife, me, and 3 little kids) only come on Mondays when we get Buy One Get One Free Calzones. A part of me dies inside when I leave a restaurant and I'm still hungry. I'm an average size guy too, so I'm not asking too much to be full after a meal. But, I won't pay for extra food that should be part of a regular portion. If I want a regular priced meal that's filling, I would rather go to Buffalouie's.
(4)Amelia P.
For a chain place in a strip mall my party, as a bunch of food people, were suitable satisfied with our meal and even pleasantly surprised. We also found the service to be above-par. Typically all-you-can-eat pasta is a bad deal, but here the AYCE price is slightly lower for Spaghetti-n-meatballs than the regular price. The atmosphere is very "chain restaurant in a strip mall in the middle of Indiana" so, that's what you're getting. Brick oven style pizza and meatballs were especially good. cannoli is a little weird, though not untasty. Doesn't taste as if there is any ricotta. The Cheesecake and the tiramisu were the best desserts.
(4)AJ R.
Excellent calzones. Large, delicious salads. Especially love the spinach salad. A bit pricey, but worth it for special occasions. We normally get two meals from one entree (leftovers). Also appreciate that they frequently run coupons.
(4)Colin G.
I've only eaten here once, just a few hours ago in fact, but the poor quality of the experience drove me to almost immediately write a review of this place. I had wanted to try it for a while because it does relatively well on Yelp, they feature an interesting happy hour and some interesting specials, and I could really use some decent pizza in Bloomington. Seriously, what the hell kind of college town doesn't have a good pizza place? Being in one of the more run-down strip malls in Bloomington, sandwiched between a McAllister's and a Chinese buffet, does not help your initial impressions. The restaurant looks tiny from the outside, but actually pushes back pretty far and creates a surprisingly large and open space. There are tables, booths and even a bar. The atmosphere reminds me somewhat of Italian places in Chicagoland and on the East Coast, where there is an attempt to make a "special" restaurant, with a somewhat upscale atmosphere, but still remaining friendly, laid-back and casual. I've been to restaurants that do this well, and the experience can be very enjoyable. This place gets it wrong though. The ideas were there, but the execution is all wrong. It feels like it could be almost like a fast casual place, like McAllister's, but then there's this air of pretense, with servers in black uniforms, a somewhat fancy bar area. It's confusing. The menu features a lot of Italian items that you would expect, and tends toward the expensive side for Bloomington standards, usually running at $10. They were running a pizza special today though, so I got that. The lunch specials they do are not a good deal: for $2 more than a 10" pizza, you get an 8" pizza and a half side salad, which comes out to be pretty small. But then there's also, of all things, Louisiana-inspired dishes. "-inspired" because it's not anything someone from Louisiana would envision ever putting together. Me being from New Orleans originally, seeing shrimp, crawfish and three kinds of cheese in the same dish was, honestly, a little insulting. The pizza ended up being pretty bad. I like the sauce a lot and the crust is okay, but the cheese was awful. It's a blend, as most other pizza cheese is in Bloomington, but this one is particularly greasy and foul tasting. There was also way too much of it. I was starving but didn't finish the last piece because I was sure it would make me sick. The service was bad, but not terrible. So, for Bloomington standards, it was okay service: unfriendly, sparse and apathetic, but they got the food and water from point A to point B eventually. So here are the inexcusable things that occurred in our one meal aside from all of the other negative things I mention above: - My wife's salad featured one single slice of apple buried on the bottom. The salad was not supposed to have apples at all. It also featured a single block of cheese. It was supposed to come with cheese, but the description said nothing about it being rectangular. It's as if someone was just lazy in the prep. Strangely enough, it was supposed to be some sort of "Louisiana" salad. Again, a little insulting... - The bread basket had a napkin on top stained with pasta sauce. And it wasn't that the napkin had been washed and the sauce faintly visible: it was just sauce on the napkin. - The first pizza I was given was completely uneven, with one half black on the edges and the other half somewhat undercooked. I sent it back, which is something I never do. I mean, if you're comparing this place to the Olive Garden then, yeah, it doesn't look that bad, except for the service, of course (chains tend to have awful food but great service). But if you've ever had decent Italian food, even the more Americanized type, you will not be happy with this place at all. Needless to say, I will not be back, and I think I may have found, with this experience, the second worst restaurant in town, behind Basil Leaf, but I do still have more places to try.
(1)Erik J.
THE gold standard for terrible food and service in Bloomington, Indiana. And maybe the world. Our experience at this restaurant sparked a list of terrible food experiences, dubbed the "DeAngelo's List". -Overpriced -Un-inspired food -Service with a frown - the wait staff seemed to care less about our presence You are better off at Grazie, Puccini's and even Olive Garden. I can't believe this place is still in business.
(1)Julie S.
I went to DeAngelo's on Saturday April 14, 2012 for the first time in years. We weren't exceptionally hungry and decided to try DeAngelo's out because it had been a very long time since we had been there and it's been well reviewed on Yelp and elsewhere. Our server was polite but slow and relatively inattentive. We split a large Caprese "towers" appetizer and a meatball pizza. The caprese salad was very fresh, the basil, mozzarella, and tomatoes were all tasty, however there wasn't enough balsamic vinegar to make the dish come together and our server didn't reappear for about twenty minutes so we weren't able to ask for more vinegar. Our pizza was brought to us by another server, it was served very hot but the slices were very uneven in size, some were slivers and others were giant, it made it difficult to eat without a knife and fork. After we finished our pizza we asked for a box and the check and it took longer than it should have to receive both. The total bill was almost $25.00 for an appetizer and a one topping 12 inch pizza. The quality of the food and service did not warrant the price. In short, the food was fine, but completely unremarkable and the service left a lot to be desired. I'm going to stick to Bucceto's from now on for casual Italian.
(2)Ryan B.
They were really busy, so the service was slow, but the fried ravioli for $5 was OUTSTANDING!!!! The rest of our food was excellent too.
(4)Jill V.
The food was nothing special, on the bland side, and definitely over-priced for what it was. I was also somewhat annoyed by the service. There were only two tables of customers when I arrived, yet I waited by the door for about 8 minutes before any of the wait staff noticed me and showed me to a table. No reason to return here.
(2)Kathryn W.
Food was fine. Service was polite and completely responsive to requests. No errors in our order, which included enough details (e.g. some, but not all dressings on the side) that there was the possibility of error. Drink refills were offered, plates promptly cleared, and all that. However, if you order an entree salad, ask when they plan to serve it. Forty minutes after we arrived, and long after my dining companions had been served appetizers, salads, soups (I had ordered none of these, though I had some of a flatbread app), and then their entrees, my entree salad arrived, the absolute last thing served. The restaurant was not particularly busy, though it was filling up. I might have been more assertive a couple of times, as the waitress brought other food, and asked when my food was coming. But the responsibility really, I think, was hers. She did not ask if we wanted dessert. (Yes, I would have, though I would not have been willing to wait another 40 minutes for it.)
(2)Jeff L.
Good Italian place, better than Olive Garden for same price, maybe even less. Best thing on menu: tomato basil soup - is amazing. Calzones are fantastic too. Entree salads are HUGE. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu.
(4)Genevieve K.
Yes, it's a chain. But I've never had anything I didn't like here, and I've had: Super veggie pizza Portofino pizzette ? something like that Tuscan chopped salad Chicken & mushroom ravioli in cream sauce And they were all good! The price is reasonable, the dining area is nice, and the food is consistently good. Tuesday night is family night - I've never been on Tuesday, but FYI.
(4)Renee D.
One of our favorite places. Great food and friendly service. Manager Scott is always accommodating and ready to please
(4)Brian O.
Good food, good environment, usually good service. Enjoy their calzones.
(4)Stephanie K.
For a chain restaurant, this places knows how to do it right. They use quality ingredients--and it's evident upon first bite. The salads are massive and filled with tons of toppings and the calzones are cooked perfectly--with an amazing, garlicky tomato sauce for dipping. Everything I've had on the menu has been great--and the price is reasonable, too. I agree with Megan M. that it's the best Italian in town. But when your competition is the Olive Garden....
(4)Ally L.
This place servers standard Italian food made with fresh ingredients and is really good for B-town standards. Their portion sizes are huge, the wait staff is professional and the food is good. I'd say DeAngelos and Ragazzi Arte Cafe are probably the top places in Bloomington for Italian food.
(4)Elihu C.
Good wine, good salads, Funghi Focaccia is great ! I would not have guessed that it was a chain after eating there a few times, so they get 4 stars for that alone!
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