- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Maggiano's Little Italy
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good for:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
21 reviews for Maggiano's Little Italy
I have been to several locations of Maggiano's and this one had the best service, by far. The food is always excellent, especially if you have four people and do the family style meal (always, tons of leftovers). The Braised Beef Canneloni is my favorite. I am Italian and nothing compares to my Grandma's (Nonna's) cooking, but this chain restaurant comes the closest. The place is huge, but still gives you the warm feeling that an Italian restaurant should.
The chef came out and made his rounds around the tables and gave out little plates of macaroni salads too.
The wait time to be served water was over 35 minutes AFTER we were seated. The wait staff was careless and clueless. I used to be a fan of Maggiano's having dined at the one downtown, but the last time at this location really ruined the appeal. The baked ziti was ice cold in the center as if it were a frozen dinner. The salads were wilted and in-edible.
I even received a $50 gift certificate to return as an apology. I doubt I'll use it...at least not at this particular location.
I am a fan of Maggiano's! I love the classic decor, the rat pack music wafting through the place and the huge plates of Italian comfort food. My absolute favorite is the Baked Ziti! The ziti is drowned in warm marinara and Italian sausage all doused with healthy helping of melted mozzarella cheese. It is a helping and a half (as are most of their dishes). The tiramisu is to die for too - love the thick chocolate shavings on the top! Every dish is rich and satisfying.
I have also had a party at this Maggiano's - my wedding reception to be exact :) Love the private rooms with a huge bar to ourselves. You get all the atmosphere of the restaurant with your own staff to attend to you, plus privacy for your personal function. I found that the staff was attentive and the food was as yummy as in the dining room - only in bite sizes. The guest enjoyed it and we loved the ease of it. Maggiano's is a place we would use again for a large party.
My friend got married here so this review is based on the experience I had as part of the wedding party, limited to what was part of the package, instead of having at the full menu.
First off, the fact that this restaurant was able to host both a wedding ceremony AND the reception is amazing. They had a pretty big space (enough to fit nearly 150 guests) which was set up quite awesome like with a white cloth running down the aisle, awesome Italian style decor, etc. The staff were extremely friendly and would pretty much jump on what we wanted right away.
The food was pretty good, though honestly I wouldn't say it was any better than what you would get at the much cheaper Olive Garden. I had the Mom's Classic Meat Lasagna with Marina Sauce which was tasty, but again, not the most amazing thing ever. There was also a spinach dish that I had no interest in.
For dessert we obviously had wedding cake (from elsewhere), spumoni and lemon cookies (from Maggiano's). The spumoni was absolutely delicious, while the lemon cookies (though the bride LOVED them) tasted a little too "pine-sol" to me! Not that I've ever had pine-sol. You know what I mean. It tasted way to chemical.
The atmosphere at Maggiano's is amazing. Very comfortable and dark inside (but not too dark), though that made it a bitch when attempting to take pictures. There were plenty of sweet outdoor decor which was perfect for the professional wedding party photos. I can't wait to see how they came out!!!
So to recap, I'm giving this a mid-ground 3 star since A. It was a wedding party and they kinda had to bow to our every request, and B. I only had one dish which was nothing to scream about. HOWEVER, this doesn't mean the rest of the menu is not great! Until i return sometime in the future to taste the rest, the review shall stand at 3 stars! OH! Not to mention that at the cash bar, I asked for a vodka w/cranberry having seen the bottle of grey goose. The bartender instead grabbed a bottle of absolut without asking me if I wanted the better vodka!! I have no problem with absolut, but C'mon!!
I asked my classmates where I could find good quality, homemade italian. About 3 people all at once exclaimed, "Maggiano's!! You have to go there- it's the best." I was forwarned to spend a little more money than you'd expect for italian. Hey, when it comes to good food, money is worth spending, right? So it was me, boyfriend, and his buddy ready to embark on an italian feast.
Ok, first let's look at the positives. From the moment you walk into the charming cottage style architecture, and the moment you sink into your black leather club chairs, you start to feel the excitement. Beautiful dark wood paneling throughout, family friendly atmosphere, Frank Sinatra in the background and the Yankees playing overhead. I thought, "Wow, this is really cool. Very old-world feel, yet surprisingly up-to-date and relaxing. Both an excellent date place and family oriented, too."
Our server was polite, friendly and upbeat. She was timely on everything, except for one of my biggest pet peeves. Perhaps it's me, but I get so insulted when you ask for change when you pay cash. "Do you need some change?" OF COURSE. What the F - you think you're getting a 35% tip?? I HATE when they ask you that. ALWAYS ALWAYS accept the bill graciously and JUST RETURN WITH THE DAMNED CHANGE- NEVER EVER ASSUME that the change is yours to keep. UGH, and I liked her up until that point.
Another pet peeve. Her co-worker obviously had some anger issues or something because when he brought over our dishes- and mind you- we're sitting at the bar tables- the SMALL round, elevated tables. He has a total of 3 dishes to set. 3. Not 5, not 7, not 10. 3. He stands in between my boyfriend and his friend, serves them first, and then glares at me to REACH OVER to receive my HOT PLATE.
HELL NO. NEVER REACH OVER your patrons. What- you couldn't take the 2 steps to correctly place my entree in front of me? And you sighed in exasperation? F u.
Ok, let's move onto the food, because that's what really matters, right?
Appetizer: stuffed mushrooms. (3.5/ 5)Pretty good actually. Large mushroom caps stuffed with sauteed spinach and perfectly seasoned breadcrumbs. Great with a squeeze of lemon and sprinkle of parmesan. (Btw, it is NOT fresh parmesan. It's an emptied out bottle of canned parmesan onto a silver serving dish. How can you call yourself an italian restaurant and not serve FRESH parmesan??) Fine, I ate it anyway.
Angel hair pasta with marinara. It was 90% pasta and 10% sauce. Umm, I realize that it's not a complicated dish, so why the ultra skimpy sauce serving? Was there a shortage on jarred Ragu? Because what we did taste, was simply that.
Baked ziti and sausage. Definitely tasted store bought (think Barilla and Ragu or whatever's on sale at King Soopers). The sauce was so bland and underdeveloped, sausage over-salted and very generic.
Gnocchi in vodka sauce. So I'm on a personal quest to find freshly made gnocchi because being freshly made makes all the difference in the world. I was told that theirs is prepared with ricotta cheese instead of traditional potatoes. I was a bit dismayed at first, but I thought, "Eh, let's give it a try." It had great texture. So great in fact that it didn't even taste or feel like ricotta.
Plus: it tasted like gnocchi
Minus: what was the point then, to capitalize on such a specialty technique that wasn't apparent??
Vodka sauce: watery and frankly, I think they forgot to add cream. It was like a big canned of stewed tomatoes was rinsed and then dumped onto my plate. Terrible. Too bad because like I said, I liked the gnocchi.
This whole experience was so frustrating that I didn't even bother to try desserts. That's a bad day.
So, if you've never been to Italy, or eaten italian from the east coast or SF's North Beach area, this will impress you. Unfortunately, I have had the indulgence of eating in all 3 areas of the world and this just plain sucked.
Obviously we are the only people in the World who dislikes Maggianos.
The place was packed to the rafters -- 30 minute wait when we walked in, and it increased to a 90 minute wait by the time we were seated.
I went to Maggianos with an open mind, and personally I don't care about authentic or not; it's that, the food here just doesn't taste good.
Everything was SO over-salted, I didn't eat more than a few bites for fear I would have an instant heart attack. Not only was salt added to everything, but they applied a salty bread coating ( Similar to Shake & Bake coating for Pork) on every cutlet whether it be chicken, pork, or veal --- obviously cutlets are pre-coated, frozen, then thawed and fried for mass production.
My Veal was so gummy from the huge amount of bread coating, it was just plain -- gross !!
Nothing tasted fresh or home made-- except for the bread, which the was the only thing the hubby really enjoyed --
Oh, and the Cesear Salad was pretty good -- But if I were you, I would ask for the dressing on the side, so you don't have globs of dressing like we did.
Sure, I'm picky, but the Hubby is a different story; The Man will eat the sole of a shoe, and not complain -- this was the first time I've heard him voice displesure at a meal.
To add insult to injury -- I wanted to surprise the hubby with a birthday candled desert post entree -- had it all set with the hostess, then the waiter ruined it when he walked up to our table and as part of hes introduction stated: " I hear we're celebrating a Birthday" -- unless you're bearing glasses of champagne -- Shut the F' UP !!
No over MMM'something year old wants the hear that-- great goof if it's done right -- just stupid this way.
The surprise was ruined -- the hubby certainly didn't want desert after that, at least not there.---
Oh well, I'll make up for it next time !!
Oh, the 2nd Star is for the Valet Guy for returning my sunglasses --
Thank you, Thank you !!
I lived in Italy for 3 years. I would rather die then be forced to eat here ever again.
My husband and I had a "date" here last night. We are the type that usually prefer to sit in the bar area, as theoretically, the service should be better, and the atmosphere is ususally more fun.
Well, Maggiano's is ALWAYS packed on weekends, but we were lucky enough to snag a small hi top in the bar area. I have been here a few times, and I always have consistently good experiences. Last night was no exception. We ordered the mussels (tuscan-style), and the liguinie with clams. The food was delicious and the service was pretty good. Our server was nice, a little slow, but nice.
This is a great "chain' Italian eatery that is always yummy and has good service!
Great service, Ryan! Got a child's size spaghetti and meatball, and the meatball was as big as my 2 year old's head! Ok, it wasn't that big. Huge portion, even for me! Luckily she loves meatballs.
Parking was tricky, mainly because of the snow. Ended up in the next restaurant's lot.
Only minor complaint. Their Specialty item: Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage: Mine had about 4 small pieces of sausage. That was the reason I ordered it. A little disappointing. The ziti and sauce was excellent otherwise, and Ryan's enthusiastic service made me forget to complain. Oh, well, I'll definitely give them another shot.
Oh, the lemon cookies, sounds plain, but they are a great end to a heavy pasta meal.
It almost hurts me to write this review. I was raised in NJ, moved to Boston for college where I stayed a few extra years, then to NYC for nearly 10 more and now Colorado is home. So, Italian food is pretty serious for me. Maybe I've given up on "the real deal" after looking for years and coming up empty-handed in Denver but I really LIKE Maggiano's. There, I've said it and I feel so much better.
I fought it many times but the kids love it and my mother-in-law always wants to go when she's in town. She's addicted to their chopped salad and now I am as well. With a $75 gift card in hand from her to celebrate my birthday, the 5 of us went for lunch on a recent Saturday. *An aside...how is this place always packed, even in a recession?* We took advantage of a GREAT promotion that's happening for another few weeks. Order an item off a list of 6-8 entrees and pick another full entree that will get packed up and shipped home with you. We ordered 3 of these and brought home TONS of leftovers(like 2 full dinners for 5 people). The poorly-named Rigatoni "D" was delicious. Rigatoni in a marsala sauce that was TO DIE FOR. The lasagna is always pretty good(read - not great) but we ordered the meat version and were happy. The chicken pesto pasta dish was also tasty. Had a coupon for a free dessert and ordered the warm apple crostada with a bit o' ice cream which rocked. Throw in a big ole chopped salad to start and a sandwich for our picky 13 year old and we got out for $80 with a good tip and sodas for all 5 of us. Crazy thing...I didn't actually eat much there but was way full for hours and hours and hours. We all skipped dinner that night. Service has been consistently good with constant refills until we were begging it to stop.
For first timers, this is really a place for at least 4 people and reservations are usually needed. Portions are enormous and meant to be shared. Then again, Italian makes some of the best leftovers ever.
Stupendous experience!
I went with my parents and best friend. It was our first visit (we were asked) and the waitress was extremely nice, taking time to explain the way portions work (hint: they're all huge) and recommendations.
The food was absolutely delicious-- we had stuffed mushrooms and onion straws as an appetizer, eggplant parm, chicken francese, gnocchi, and shrimp & angel hair al arribbata. I had the gnocchi, personally, and the sauce was incredible!
We stopped eating early to make sure we had room for dessert, and it was a good thing we did because the head chef brought out cheesecake and tiramisu COMPLIMENTARY since it was our first time! In addition, we had ordered a dessert sampler plate (a small bit of all the desserts), my favorites were the chocolate zuccotto cake and the warm apple crostada in caramel sauce, they are the best desserts I have had in a very long time.
They have four banquet rooms onsite (the place is massive) and I wouldn't hesitate to bring anyone here.
For those of you who are fans of Maggiano's, NEWS FLASH, they are now doing six of their desserts in miniature size for $1.95. The six are tiramisu, creme brulee, apple crostada, cheesecake, chocolate cake and their dessert of the day. I had the apple crostada (delicious), cheesecake (very good) and the chocolate cake (not my all-time favorite chocolate cake, but great). It was really fun to be able to have three different things!
3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
2/14/2009
For what it is, Maggiano's does a great job. Find your favorite things there and stick with them.… Read more »
Overall, an excellent experience.
Saturday, February 21, 2009, 5:30 PM
People who attended: Husband (42), Father (55), Grandmother (90), and Myself (30)
Dropped Dad and Grandma off near the front door, while Husband and I parked. Went to turn around and found a spot in the very first row in a parking lot packed full of people and cars. Decided we were meant to be here.
Did not want my grandmother to stand for any amount of time so I became determined to find my grandmother a chair, which I carried across the bar, and through a crowd of people. Grandma and I waited near the door while a constant flow of people walked in and out. All types and ages. After waiting about 45-50 minutes we were seated. I had the pleasantry of talking to my grandmother the entire duration of waiting. I cherish it though we should have made reservations.
My grandmother does not eat dairy. We told our waiter. He said food could be made to order and he would ask the chef to come out to speak with my grandmother so they could meet her dietary needs.
A chef came out with an order form. I briefly told him my grandmother's situation. No dairy, no spicy, not too many tomatoes. The chef and Grandma then had a quiet conversation. I later learned they negotiated a Shrimp Diavolo sauce with little spice. John, the waiter, came to take our order about 30 seconds later. My husband had the Chicken Francese. My father had some sort of red sauce garlic shrimp dish, and I had the Linguini with White Clam Sauce. John said the clam sauce is the only dish he warns customers about. He stated that it was more of a watery dish. Not thick, which is fine.
After the waiter left, a much more superior chef with a black chef's hat came out to give us a greeting. A life saver since we were starving. Wedge of flat bread with Italian sausage. It was a delicious flavor explosion and even grandma ate it.
We also ordered a 1/2 order chopped salad and a large order of parmesan garlic bread. Both were great and even grandma enjoyed some.
After what seemed like a long wait, dinner arrived. It was okay. It looked and tasted like my husbands and I's had been sitting under the warming lamp for some time, little juice. My father's was cooked next and looked good and than my grandmother's was made last and looked the brightest. It was obvious they spent extra time on Grandma's.
All in all, I would go back again in a second just for the service. Maggiano's really does its best to meet the needs of the entire family, which is just beautiful and harmonious. They also gave my grandmother special attention which at almost 91, I believe is deserved. I enjoyed the atmosphere much more than Bucca di Beppo. Maggiano's completely catered to our family and personalized the experience. Well balanced overall.
Maybe it's cause we didn't order the "family style" like it looks like everyone else thinks we should have! Anyway, went here for lunch with a party of 6 (made reservations online) and I ordered their lasagna. HUGE yes, but slightly boring. The only cheese that I could tell was in there was ricotta and certainly not enough sauce to please. It was decent, I just think if you are a strictly Italian restaurant - staple items like lasagna should be outstanding!! Especially for $12.
Moving on, we had a great server. She was very attentive to our party of 6 and keeping our waters full etc. Even accomodating vegan requests. I'll give an extra star for our server's greatness.
But BOOHISS! Cappucino maker was broken.
I think I'll continue to explore a few other neighborhood Italian restaurants before I decide to return here.
spent my second birthday dinner here with my family when i went home. none of us will ever return.
we had a reservation for 5. we were seated upstairs, which none of us even knew existed despite dining there several times. turns out there are TWO large (we're talking 20+ people here) parties dining in this small space with us. one of them was half kids that were letting the air out of helium balloons...um, the whole thing was loud, but this was beyond obnoxious.
before even sitting down, we asked to be reseated. the hostess immediately said nothing was available. my father asked her to check anyway. she said she'd be back. we waited. the manager came up and asked what the problem was. my dad tried to explain that it was loud and cramped (we were squished between the two parties right next to the traffic heavy staircase, WAY less than ideal) and we'd like to sit somewhere else. he pretty much said this was impossible, all the while patronizing my dad. i was livid. i stepped in to explain that this was my birthday dinner, we had dined here many times before and this was a walk-in table, i don't care how busy you are. even if you run entirely on reservations, you save some tables for walk-ins. well maggiano's this table is it. anyway, the manager proceeded to discuss this with me in a reaaaaally loud voice, commenting on the parties surrounding us, that if they were too loud one was about to leave and "can't we all just get along?" yeah, he said that. LOUD. i was so embarrassed because it's not like i was trying to bitch about these tables and have them know about it. so i just tapered off and let him walk away. SUCH A MORON. this is a corporate restaurant and i have no clue how he still works there. wish i knew his name.
we spent probably 300 all together and we will never be back again. the one star is deserving for our amazing server who recognized that we didn't want to be sitting there and was so nice and accommodating and humorous. ugh this is why i despise corporate restaurants.
AVOID.
Really, don't understand all the hype. You CANNOT GET IN without a reservation at this location. Family style food, which I guess is supposed to save you money but I seemed to spend just as much as I would elsewhere. The food isn't to die for or anything. Go without a reservation? You'll put your name in with a 45 min wait and when you go back up after an hour to check where you on the list you'll have an hour and half wait. WTF?
Yes, Maggiano's is a chain... but I think it's definitely a better Italian chain than most around town. If going with a group, it is always recommended to make a reservation a minimum of a week in advance. Otherwise you will be subject to a very long wait. If you're just going with another person, then I would recommend waiting for a seat in the bar area... they still serve food and it's just as pleasant as the dining room.
We were just at this location with family which included two elderly folks. The waitress was extremely understanding with those who could not hear well and were also on the verge of a diabetic issue. She immediately brought the iced tea we needed and some bread and made an effort to make everyone feel comfortable.
I always enjoy the spaghetti with the large meatball or the Rigatoni D. A half order is plenty for 3 people. Add the Maggiano's salad to that and you've got an excellent meal!
This is the first time I've dined at this tech center location... usually I've gone to the one downtown, but I really recommend either location.
We have a favorite dish here: shrimp shells. It was taken off the menu a while ago but we usually still ask them to prepare it. Order a large and you get leftovers for lunch. Their large portions are really HUGE. The food here is pretty good if you choose the right thing. It's housed in a mansion-type building off the I-25.
Family Style. Always, order, Family Style. This, unfortunately, means you need a family, or similarly sized group. Back when I was a bigger and much unhealthier eater, my Dad and I made an attempt to order Family Style between two people. The waitresses gave us strange and then cold stares, but served us anyhow. Needless to say, we got a LOT of food. But it is always good.
First, the bread and olive oil/balsamic vinegar they bring is quite nice. The bread is fluffy and usually hot. Then the food comes. I love the stuffed mushrooms, and the spinach salad is a knockout. As for the pasta, it's all good. For the entrees, the Chicken Saltimbocca stands out in my memory, and in dessert, the creme brulee (pardon the omission of proper accents) and chocolate cake.
The trick to family style eating is, as soon as you finish your dish of food, whatever it is, they'll bring you another. So, if you want to maximize what you can bring home as leftovers, though this is somewhat tacky (not saying I don't do it), then finish a dish, then ask for more. As soon as they bring it, eat a few bites, muss up the rest (so it looks eaten and well appreciated), and box it for later. While Maggiano's is pricey, bringing home an additional 4-5 meals of excellent quality food makes it a better bang for your buck. Though, again, you shouldn't be looking for bargain bites at Maggiano's. Just a trick.
Love the atmosphere here - a mafia meets Frank Sinatra, with the Italian Mama in the kitchen. Very homey and cozey if sparse, very chaotic if crowded, but in an amative Italian kind of way. Each waiter or waitress has an assistant waiter or waitress. The assistant almost never speaks English - don't harangue him/her with weird requests or complaints. Ask them to get the waitress and go from there. It'll get things solved quicker and nobody gets stressed.
But, yeah, supremely excellent food is at the heart of Maggiano's, with portions that won't leave you hungry. Especially with Family Style, though regular entrees are also generously sized.
mmmmm...six hours later and i'm still thinking about maggiano's. this was my second time at this location. and i do believe i like the englewood one just a bit better than it's sister in the Denver Pavillions. the building resembles an over-sized cottage and has a ridiculous amount of space (including a second floor). the lights are softly dimmed, old-fashion pictures fill the walls and it doesn't feel as cramped as the other location. there's something a little more comforting at the englewood maggiano's.
we made it in right before the dinner rush, so we were seated instantly. and although there were only three in our party, we were seated in a huge comfy booth that felt like it could have fit 100 people. although our table runner was not the cheeriest of all, she was quick and on her 'A' game. our actual server was a little slower and not as on mark, but still deserving of a 20% tip.
the food was FANTASTIC. i would say a half order of pasta averages about $12-$13, BUT it's enough to fill at least three or four meals. the portions are ginormous! and the flavor....sigh. i was with a couple of picky eaters and they loved their lasagna and ravioli. i chose the spaghetti and meatball (which was the size of a human fist!) and didn't want to stop eating even though i was stuffed.
i don't know if it was the ambiance, food or maybe just a combination of the two, but i have to say i felt a little special while eating here.
As an Italian princess I love big family dinners served family style. Whenever I am in Denver I ALWAYS hit this spot up with my brother. They serve authentic Italian cuisine. The menu is full of choices and it is hard to decide what to choose, which is just another reason why the option for family style is so nice because it allows you to order an appetizer and a few entrees. You should definitely save your appetite for dinner here, but there is usually a wait so it gives you time to smell the Italian food and get more hungry while you have a drink at the bar.