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Martorano's
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 6 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
66 reviews for Martorano's
Review Highlights
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"The meatball and salad was incredible." In 17 reviews -
"If you wish to feel like a Queen & KIng while in Rio/Vegas." In 24 reviews -
"...that or the rigatoni with Sunday pork gravy, which was also..." In 3 reviews
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66 reviews in English
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Review from Alex Y.
Beverly Hills, CA
5/10/2012
Yeah Yeah. Located at the Rio. Everyone knows about the Carnival World Buffet and their Village Seafood Buffet. That's how the hotel pushes it's marketing: "go to our Carnival World Buffet". I don't think too highly about the buffet. In the 90s, it was the buffet to experience because of the quality and price. Now it's only about the price. Well, surprisingly, I was surprised that the Rio has one hell of a restaurant on site.
Martorano's!!!!! I went with three picky eaters. We normally stay at the higher end casinos like The Wynn or Caesar's. But we had to stay at the Rio due to Business reasons. Well, we were tired so we chose this place. What a great surprise. In fact, it was the best meal I had during my 3 day trip, although the Wicked Spoon Buffet also ranks up there!
My friends are picky but they all three decided to have the Meatball Salad. What a weird choice. Meatball Salad???? But they LOVED it. It was so memorable that we spoke about it weeks later.
Me on the other hand, I don't like to follow everyone else so I decided to order something else. I ordered the Bucatini Carbonara. I love Carbonara. I've had it in some of the best restaurants. Beverly Hills, Paris France, New York. Well, hands down, this was the BEST Carbonara I have ever had. Wow. It was so beautiful I wanted to take a picture but my friends would have laughed at me. They are obviously not a foodie like me and my fellow Yelpers. The Bucatini, which is a thicker spaghetti, was al dente. Perfectly al dente. The Carbonara was delicious. It had a raw egg yolk on it and you had to pop it. It goosed out and made the Carbonara authentically delicious. I added some fresh ground black pepper and it was PERFECT.
I actually think about it. I recently had Linguini Carbonara at two fancy places in Los Angeles and was disappointed. Martorano's has set the bar very high for me and has ruined Carbonara for me......unless I'm willing to make the trip to Las Vegas!!!! This is one instance where "What happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas". No......spread the word. The Best Carbonara I have ever had was at the Rio Hotel and not at the Buffet!!!! -
Review from Monica J.
Canyon Country, CA
5/21/2012
Hubby and I came here for anniversary dinner since we were staying at the Rio anyways and was recommended by friends.
We both loved the chili olive oil for dipping the bread (different spin and good).
Hubby ordered the Pescadora (Lobster, Clams, and Shrimp over Linguini in a Red Sauce) Per hubby the seafood was AMAZING but the linguini with red sauce was just okay and not as flavorful as he was expecting.
I had the Famous Meatball Salad and although the meatball was VERY good as was the salad. Overall the whole dish was too salty for me. -
Review from Rico I.
Glendale, AZ
3/17/2012
Meatball? Second only to Raos.
House Salad - esquisit.
Seafood Linguini? - You CANNOT go wrong.
Enjoy!!! -
Review from Jake W.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2012
What the hell is this place? Fancy looking... but with TVs all over the place. Showing movies (Leon: The Professional was on while I was dining... superb movie, but not really fancy dinner fare). The service was pretty good, but the servers had to wear a shirt that said 'Yo Cuz' on it. Ew.
I really can't get over how surreal the environment was. Just absolutely bizarre. That said, the food everyone had was pretty good. Not really worth the prices, but my calamari and veal parm were good. The cannoli for dessert was sub-par.
I guess if you're really into the Jersey Shore culture and what that while eating a not-inexpensive meal, check this place out. Otherwise steer clear. -
Review from John C.
Parker, CO
10/17/2011
Just went to the original location in Fort Lauderdale a few weeks ago. That was awesome, and the food was amazing. This location, not so much. It just didn't wow me. It was still good, but just not the same. Even the ambiance was different. It was a busy Wednesday night in Florida. It was a quiet Monday night in Vegas. We were one of 5 tables that were occupied in the quiet place at 8p. But that's fine, I understand.
The meatball was drier than expected, the pasta was undercooked. The chicken parmesean was good, but it was just okay good. The sauce is still awesome.
I find it interesting to see that almost all of the positive reviews of this place include a mention that Steve was there. Could that improve the quality? Possibly. I watched him inspect just about every dish that left the kitchen at the original location. That definitely didn't happen here.
So it's getting three stars. Our service was good, the food just didn't meet the expectations set by...his own restaurant. And thats what brings me back. I likely won't be back to this location. Too many other great options in Vegas. But I am still looking forward to my next visit to the Florida location! -
Review from Jeff O.
Newport Beach, CA
11/14/2011
If you've stayed at the Rio then you've seen the posters for Martorano's. Big guy, shaved head, tribal ink, and a scowl. I stay at the Rio 4x or so a year and it's their posters that have helped me resist eating at the restaurant. As a marketing guy, it was clear that the strategy was to promote this guy's persona and DJ skills rather than focus on the food.
It was a free sample that drew me in. I was waiting to check-in when a pretty girl came around offering samples of a Martorano's meatball. I was shocked how good it was...really good...the best I've ever had good... and it was certainly enough to make me want to give the place a try.
Thirty minutes before dinner, I began to have doubts. The reviews for this place were so spotty, I have never heard anyone say anything good about the place, and I wanted to have a great dinner. Should I risk it? Maybe I should take one more look at the menu. It all looked good and I was fired up to go there again until I read the end of the menu: ABSOLUTELY NO CHANGES OR SUBSTITUTIONS. JUST LET ME DO WHAT I DO AND DON'T BREAK BALLS. The "balls" thing was kind of Philly-clever and I liked it, but the "absolutely" thing reeked of immature hubris. If you're giving it to me, I'll accept that, but since it's my nickle and if my request is reasonable, then it's my way or the highway. Despite this nagging "don't do it" feeling, I decided to give it a shot. Should I have listened to my instincts?
The entrance to Martorano's opens to the bar where it's intimate with a clubby feel. Before being seated I took a look at the dining area. Gone was the low light and rich feel of the bar and instead you're treated with a stark open plain and uninteresting room. There's nothing noteworthy about the decor other than there really isn't any. Pretty bland open room. What I gather is supposed to pass for some kind of industrial minimalist effect simply looks unfinished and incredibly boring. The awesome news is that the dining room blares dance music at ~2 little notches below club volume. The other reviewers weren't joking; it's loud. The only other time I've heard music that loud at a restaurant was at a "rock n' roll" teppanyaki place where the cooks fling rice at the kid's mouths. BTW, that restaurant sucked as well so I opted to sit at the bar.
Wow, only one other customer at the bar and he's getting his check. I'm gonna get great service, right? Hang on....the bartender...let's call him "Dick"...wants to bus the guy's area before he acknowledges me. A long 4 minutes later, Dick comes by to get my drink order. I get my drink and my menu and try to decide what to eat. I had a few questions about the menu, but Dick is still really busy...intensely focused...tending to his empty bar. I called out my questions and he yelled back his answers OVER HIS FREAKIN' SHOULDER. You see, Dick was far too involved going thru the day's tickets and lining up glasses etc to actually look my way, let alone stand in front of me. Clearly I was an interruption to him. If I hadn't been starving I would've bolted, so in an attempt to minimize my time here I decided to have just an app - the meatball with a salad.
While I was waiting for my food, Dick continued to amble about behind the bar, not once coming by (and the waitstaff wasn't keeping him busy). The food came. I ate it. Dick continued to personify his nickname while doing his busy work. Wait...2 girls just sat down...busy work is over and he's got all the time in the world for a 10 minute flirt session. Ah...Dick wasn't that busy after all, was he?! He was just being Dick.
The meatball was again really good, but a gristle in a meatball is JV and I found a gristle in my last bite, so it wasn't that damn good after all. I got the hell out leaving a far too generous $2 tip...wish I'd left the goose egg.
This is an odd review but it's an odd restaurant. The dining room ambiance is such an anomaly that the only crowd I believe this restaurant could appeal to are perhaps some teens and young twenty-somethings that like the loud music and probably haven't had a lot of (any?) fine dining experience. I'm certain this place thrives on Vegas first-timers and unsuspecting others since I can't imagine anyone enjoying an expensive dinner in their dance floor environment.
Trust the 1 and 2 star reviews. The bartender appeared to be some sort of manager and with his kind of skills, I'm sure the rest of the food sucks as hard as the service.
A final note: this is definitely NOT a $$$ restaurant. If a couple each has a cocktail and splits an app, has a salad and a mid-priced entree with a glass of wine and no sides and no desert, it will cost upward of $180 before tip. The only way to get out with the $$$ rating is to have no alcohol or under-order. -
Review from Kim P.
Henderson, NV
7/20/2011
We had dinner here for my husband's birthday. I usually stick to cream sauces because I'm picky about red sauces. I ordered the tagliatelle classic parmigiana cream with chicken and peas which was excellent. The pasta's had great texture and flavor, definitely handmade, I love that it was thicker than other pastas I have tried. After getting our appetizer meatball I wished that I had ordered a dish with the red sauce, it was so flavorful and zesty. I tried some other dishes that my family ordered too, the bucatini carbonara with pancetta was rich and wonderful also. I liked the very modern decor and loud music.
****If you are a local show your ID and players card and get 25% off****
The reason's I did not give this place 5 stars:
I don't like that the soda comes in bottles. I'll be forever spoiled by the endless refills that practically every other restaurant offers.
My husband had the orecchiette with hot and sweet peppers which did not look appetizing at all, I didn't even try it. He thought the restaurant was "OK" while everyone else loved their food. -
Review from Terra G.
Richmond, VA
5/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
I stayed at the Rio with a small group of friends for one night and we wandered a bit to find this place. The menu sounded appealing and at the thought of carbs and red wine, we jumped.
We were told the way would be 25-30 mins are were surprised when barely 15 mins went by and we were seated in the loudest restaurant I've ever been in. There were five of us and we sat at a large round table and could not hear each other other across the table without shouting and making hand signals. It was ridiculous, although we made the best of it and mostly just laughed at each other trying to understand what the person next to us was saying.
After asking the server to repeat what he had said six times we asked how he managed to keep say in a place so loud. He said he used to wear earplugs. I asked if people complain often, and he said yes, but the chef, this Martorano guy, apparently says if people don't like it, they can just leave. Great business model.
What was even stranger was the movie breaks that came on the TV. A loud, obnoxious song would be playing, and then some iconic clip from a movie would start playing and it was so, so distracting. Don't go hear if you'd like to have a conversations with your tablemates.
The service was okay, but not great. Our server forgot to give us the specials menu after we asked for it and came to take our order and we reminded him of his error. He also forgot an appetizer we had ordered. Who knows if he was just forgetful, or couldn't hear us.
The food was good, but over-priced, even for Vegas. It didn't blow me away and I could get cheaper, better made food on the strip. I don't need to pay $18 for a meatless entree with canned tomatoes, a leaf of basil and a few cloves of garlic.
Overall, I was pretty unimpressed. -
Review from Amy H.
12/29/2011
They promised the best meatball and they delivered! My meal at Martorano's was the best meal I had in Vegas!
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Review from Mark H.
Honolulu, HI
9/4/2011
The food tasted good but my stomach hurt shortly after... My friends' tummies were OK so guess it was just me.
The restaurant claims to have famous meatballs and their meatballs are indeed tasty. -
Review from Victor C.
Covina, CA
3/19/2012
Went here for a staff dinner one night. We ordered a couple of meatballs to share. DEFINITELY try the meatballs. They are FANTASTIC! The evening we were there they had a Chilean Sea Bass special. It was melt in your mouth tender. Those of us that ordered the special just about licked our plates clean. Place is a bit pricey... but hey, you're in Vegas!!
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Review from Melly G.
New York, NY
8/4/2011
I ate here last Saturday night. While the food was all tasty (we cleaned our plates), I cannot say that I was amazed- I have definitely had better Italian food. I did appreciate that you could see right into the kitchen, and they even had seats surrounding the kitchen area if your heart so desires. This gives me a little more confidence that I am eating quality food that was not premade or thrown around in a dirty kitchen.
For me, what really killed this place was the atmosphere. There are TV's surrounding all the tables which play scenes from famous mafia-like movies. The restaurant blasts (I repeat, BLASTS) iconic tunes from these movies, but will occasionally put the sound clips of the movies for particularly vulgar scenes. If the incredibly loud music/clips does not prevent you from having a conversation, the fact that you are surrounded by distracting TV's certainly will. As a side note, please do not take children here- the restaurant has made the poor decision of showing very violent scenes (yes- while people are eating?) and does not bleep out the curses when they play sound clips. Not very tasteful if you ask me. -
Review from Chase M.
Torrance, CA
12/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
First I like to say the service was excellent, he was very nice and helpful. The food is delicious but just a little bit over priced. But I just don't think this place deserves 5 stars.
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Review from Rochelle B.
Coronado, CA
1/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Only giving this three stars because I didn't order dinner here so can't comment fully. I will say the service and friendliness of the staff was first rate -
The place was loud but they have TVs at the bar and cool movies running in the background - lots if DeNiro. For obvious reasons.
I DID order the calamari which gets rave reviews by locals here. Instead of being covered in batter and deep fried - it was more sauteed and then mixed with both sweet and hot peppers and this great sauce - delicious! The app portion was pretty big too. I would definitely return - and FYI - to give you an idea of prices - my app and one glass of port (Taylor 20 year) was $42 and change - place was crowded - reservation recommended for weekends - -
Review from Dan H.
8/5/2010
LOL, this place is a joke, although It's worth a visit just to see how off the wall it is and to bring home a good story of the awkwardness.
I'm a foodie and know for a fact I could cook proteins better than the head "cook". I know for a fact there are better tasting pastas from Sysco. I also know when I can taste a marinara that has a base of canned tomatoes yet it's called "homemade".. I know for a fact that Lipton style instant Iced Tea out of a plastic bottle doesn't cut it as a drink in a restaurant of this price range.
I've traveled Italy, ate at some of the best Italy has to offer and I have a moderate respect for the cuisine, but even if I do over look the under cooked pasta and a horribly dried out meatball and bring it all down to flavor, this place still just doesn't cut it and dont even get me started on the service..
We tried this place on a whim before the Penn and Teller show as it looked to be the closest thing to fine dinning at the Rio, but we should have known better when there are TVs playing the God Father all over the place.. The Rio really needs to up their dinning game.
If you're a foodie, my suggestion is go for a overpriced poorly mixed drink at the bar to experience the train wreck that is Martorano's and take home a story of a "restaurant" you will never forget..
Oh yeah, what the hell was that thing that Martorano's calls bread? Wow, who ever came up with that one needs to be taught the basics of baking bread again.. -
Review from Amanda M.
Austin, TX
7/5/2011
No. No. No. I was so hungry and craving spaghetti and meatballs, so since my husband and I were staying at the Rio we decided to give Martorano's a try. Our server was so terrible. He was visibly frustrated with us when he asked whether we wanted extra plates and we didn't answer right away (because we were both in the middle of eating). Our meals came out at different times, so my husband sat and watched his food cool off (I told him he could eat, but he's polite enough to wait). Then my plate arrived with fingerprints along the edges. My waiter just stared at me while I wiped down my plate and acted like he was doing me a big favor when I requested another napkin. At the end of the meal, I mentioned that being served on a plate with fingerprints all over it was very unappetizing, and he just mumbled a completely insincere apology as he walked away. My husband backed me up by leaving just enough cash to cover the check.
On principle, whenever I don't tip, I always talk to management. I explained that when you're charging $25 for spaghetti and meatballs, the meal should be served on a clean plate. I also said that I could even get over that, but when the server doesn't care whether you had a good experience then he doesn't deserve a tip. I felt better for speaking my mind, but still not so good about dropping $100 for such sub-par service. Another pretentious restaurant in Vegas. -
Review from Jeff W.
San Carlos, CA
5/30/2008 ROTD 6/15/2008
Based on the reviews, it seems you either love or hate this place.
That's what originally drew me to it, i had just checked into my hotel some firends and family to celebrate my 21st, and in amongst some downtime and getting unpacked, i immediately started thinking about where to go prior to the nights out that were soon due to come. So i opened "THE BOOK" in The Hotel and while flipping through the pages i noticed an add for an Italian Cafe that had the picture of a big guy (Vin Diesel Looking) and a 2 paragraph dissertation on how his cafe became.
The long and the short of the ad, is that he loved to cook since he was young, so he calls himself a cook not a chef, and does things his way. Basically the story said;
A customer came in once and was insisiting that he turned down the music, and he politely said "Sir, this is the image that my restaurant upholds and what we are, so i'm sorry i cannot do that." The customer became extremely mad and began to demand and yell at the owner, and the owner told the man to get up and GTFO! As soon as i was done reading that, i was sold, "This was a place i must check out", mainly becasue it's rare that people and restaurants now a days still have a backbone, and don't let people walk all over them.
The theme of the restaurant is his way or the highway, where from 5-7pm music like sinatra is played, then from 7-8pm it's 80's music, and then from 9-close is club style hip hop since the restaurant turns into a 1/2 club at night. And throughout any of this, the music will pause, the lights will dim and all of the many plasmas on the walls will show one of his favorite scenes from one of his favorite moives (casino,the godfather, knockaround guys.....) and then quickly before anything gets too gory the music resumes and the lights come back up.
The food, is the best hands down italian food i have ever had and 1/2 of my family is from a little family owned city in northern italy called consa.
We ordered the chef's choice which is an (5 course) assortment of food both on and off the menu, and whatever the owner/cook feels like making. It was a bit pricey ($125 pp for chefs choice) but i know there are other things for sub $30 and $40 on the menu, plus it's vegas, what isn't pricey if it's not good, i mean really good. You get what you pay for and you're not in vegas all the time, so indulge a bit. We also had a personal wine concierge that helped us select wine throughout the meal, and our waiter who's name was meatball was extremely helpful in preparing us for what we were about to experience (the most food in one meal i have ever seen). One of my personal favorites was the crab and lobster stuffed shellfish (that was not on the menu). Holy mother that was good! They also have a more than capable bar, and you can take a photo with "the cook"
All in all, it was hands down my favorite place to eat in vegas, and i will definately be returning when i go back there. If you want some killer italian food, and a memorable atmosphere, you must make a stop here. -
Review from Cathy K.
Orange County, CA
1/10/2009
Sure, my review is probably biased. I ate for free.
Sure, my review is probably biased. I ate for FREE.
Sure, my review is probably biased. I ate FOR FREE!!!
Then again, perhaps my review ISN'T so biased, as I would actually pay my own money to go back here.
Since I became old enough to gamble, I was a fan of the Rio. Why? I don't know, but I just had really good luck gambling at the Harrah's casinos (back when it was just Harrah's and Rio in the lineup). Of course, with lady luck shining down on me with all her glory, I'd up my antes and win even bigger. With that came the VIP treatment, for shizzle. After my second trip, I was somehow put in touch with a host, and thus began my long and beautiful relationship with the Rio.
Okay, so Rio sort of lost its charm as I got older, but my all-star host Derek was so great that I couldn't be disloyal and stay anywhere else. Then again, he DID give me free rooms all the time. Minor details, I promise.
Derek has moved on to bigger and better things, so I haven't actually been back to the Rio in awhile, but the last time I went, Derek treated me to an AWESOME dinner. Usually, we go to the buffet (because I used to love the Carnival Buffet), but that particular visit, Derek was incredibly insistent on taking me to the new Italian place that had just opened. Beggars can't be choosers, so I decided to just roll with it.
And boy, am I glad I did! Again, I don't know how much any of the dishes cost, as I didn't pay for any of them, let alone look at the menu. All the wait staff knew Derek personally (apparently, he dined here often), and were quick to serve us up with everything we could possibly need. Derek just said, "Bring us all the good stuff," and like that, magic happened at our table. Three different kinds of pasta, a little steak something for me, random meatball thingies, and I don't even know what else.
Here's the thing. I don't like Italian food. I generally find it too heavy. And another thing. Derek himself is of Italian heritage. When Derek first sat me down, he said, "Look, I NEVER eat out Italian because nothing compares to my grandma's cooking. But this place is THAT good." Did I believe him? No. I thought this was some weird promo that he was pulling on me (which is unlike him). But no. After my first few bites, I was TOTALLY SOLD. Everything was scrumptious, tasty, and definitely not too heavy. As Goldilocks once said after eating Baby Bear's soup, "This is JUUUUUUST right~"
The appetizers, entrees, and desserts were ALL amazing. But the piece de resistance of this place is the DECOR AND AMBIANCE. Holy cow!
At first, I was confused when the lighting changed from violet to blue. Were my eyes playing tricks on me? I was too busy savoring my meal to care if I was going blind. Then the blue light changed to red. What the??? That's when I realized that the lighting in the room continuously changes color, dissolving slowly from one color to the next! It adds a totally colorful and fun element to the whole modern decor, and jeebus, the movies! Okay, so I'm not a classics-enthusiast in general, but it was really cool to have the music and the lighting interrupted periodically for a short showing of classic scenes from classic movies like the Godfather and whatnot! Totally a cool and unexpected touch! The DJ played good (if loud) music, and the staff was totally friendly and enthusiastic!
The best part? I got to go to the kitchen to see where the magic happens. Derek introduced me to the chef (he looks incredibly like Vin Diesel - another Las Vegas impersonator?), and he was totally friendly and exuberant. Just my kind of guy!
This place was freaking awesome. The experience was freaking awesome. The fact that it did zero damage to my gambling funds was freaking awesome. When (and I don't mean IF, I mean WHEN) I go back, there is no way that I'll be able to afford such a varied sampling (I think we had like 10 different plates on our table at one point) of all the scrumptious goodness, but I will be sure to try something different every time, just to get my fill!
Are you thinking about dining here? DON'T HESITATE. DO IT.
DO IT. DO IT. DO IT.Listed in: If I Only Had One Day Left To…
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Review from Stacie T.
Washington, DC
4/13/2009
It is definitely not like any other dining experience I've had cause it felt like I was in a nightclub with all the loud music and flat screens but that was where it ended. I was with 3 other people and we weren't on any type of budget for dinner so my review is primarily about service and quality.
We got there about the same time as a large group but nonetheless that is no excuse for our entrees to take over an hour to receive. Our appetizers came out in a timely manner and were very delicious (the meatballs do live up to their rep and the pizza was probably the best I've ever had) but our main courses were a different story. After waiting for over 30 minutes and seeing smaller parties who ordered after us receive their food before us we were more than displeased. We spoke to our waiter and he explained that the large group had higher priority than us (I think they just forgot our order).
Our entire dining experience took nearly 4 hours and because of our displeasure, they offered to take a few drinks off our bill. The money wasn't the problem, it was the service. Our waiter hardly ever checked on us and we constantly had to ask other staff when we had questions.
The only good thing I can say about this place was that they played some Biggie Smalls on the speakers and The Soprano's on the TVs. -
Review from Rae'esah N.
Antioch, CA
9/1/2009
I'd give five stars but my long island was weak. Pretty much enough said but I'll add on just for the thrill of it!
We did a "no penis allowed" girls trip to Vegas for my daughter's 21st birthday.
Birthday dinner was here, at Cafe Martorano. Yo, don't bust my balls, man.
It's pretty upscale the whole way around, you know from the linens to the dishes to the service to the ambience to the nasty dude who was running his hand up the thigh of his "rode hard and put away wet" date. Oh wait, that was just nasty, not upscale AT.ALL.
The bread and variety of dipping choices was yummy, the presentation of the food we ordered was beautiful and the complimentary scallop that the cute waiter brought my daughter for her birthday made me scratch my head.
I told my daughter to smile and say thank you, its not every day a girl gets a scallop for her birthday - even tho she is hella cute!
I find that when I dine at fancy Italian restaurants that I'm hungry not long after - the food is very good but they don't really give you hearty portions. Or, perhaps I'm just a pig.
This place is expensive so don't be bringing your friends who would have rather had McDonald's here - I swear if I see one more person in my daughter's party roll their eyes at me over the price I'm going to throw a scallop at them!
Cafe M - work on your mixed drinks for me - my twins will be 21 in eight years and I'd like to actually catch a buzz over dinner next time I'm in town. -
Review from Rachel K.
Baltimore, MD
12/18/2011
I had high expectations for Martorano's because my Italian friend was raving about it. Unfortunately I really wasn't impressed. We started with the Calamari in sweet chili sauce which I thought was horrible. It was a really easy way to ruin calamari. Two of my friends liked it, and one thought it was edible. I guess the deal with this restaurant is that Mr. Martorano knows Italian food and he makes it the way he likes it. I am NOT rushing to eat dinner at his house. It was a very Northern Italian style that was heavy on the meat. His famous meatballs are a mixture of veal, pork, and beef. I don't eat veal and I'm not really a pork eater so I was not interested there. The rest of the menu was really lacking. There was no gnocchi or risotto, only one fish option, and really no salad. I think if I want some spaghetti, I can make that at home (and better). So most of the entrees are around $20-$25. When the waiter said that there was a special of Chilean sea bass, I decided to go for it. It did come with some awesome spinach with huge chunks of garlic and the herb crust was good, but the sauce was drowning the fish. It was really heavy. Although it was my fault for not asking, I was REALLY surprised to see that the sea bass was $48. The service was seriously lacking as well. We told our server that we had show reservations and needed to be in and out quick, but he was really slow and often seemed confused about what was on the menu and maybe even just life in general. He also did a weird crumb relocation rather than cleaning before the main courses arrived. He started to scrape up the crumbs, but just left the piles he made on the table. He also started to tidy up a little spill, but half way through just left it. I've definitely had much better Italian food and would not rush back here anytime soon.
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Review from Steven C.
Los Angeles, CA
4/22/2009
ughhhhhh.....
Let's negate the price here because the meal was free and I'll still say, quite possibly one of the worst meals I have ever had. My chicken parmigiana tasted like something I microwaved from a Michelinas frozen dinner. On top of that, the waiter was a condescending eegit with a superiority complex. Listen to me and listen to me now, DON'T COME HERE! There are so many good Italian places in Las Vegas, that there is no need to stop at this self-righteous restaurant in The Rio. Do yourself a favor and go to Valentino in the Venetian or Rao's in Caesar's Palace.
Cheers! -
Review from Brad F.
Henderson, NV
5/14/2010
I have lived and dined in Vegas for over 10 years now, and I have never experienced such a complete joke of an experience as I had when dining here. I don't believe for an instant that I can adequately convey how disappointed I was or how many horrible attributes this place has. The nightmares started when we first sat down and didn't stop until we were out the door, and unfortunately there was a long gap of culinary torture in between.
Most of all, this restaurant is the epitome of a "tourist trap." It features an extensive yet grossly overpriced menu and a service staff that was obviously hired based on looks rather than on ability - the two main "tourist trap" requirements.
The atmosphere is unlike any place you've ever been, but that's not necessarily a good thing. It's different because nobody in their right mind would ever build a restaurant like this. Loud, overpowering music and movie tracks that keep you from being able to have a conversation (and likely designed to also keep diners from being able to complain about the food) combine with disco lights and uncomfortable chairs to make sure there's no way anyone could ever experience a moment of peace while dining. It's like trying to eat in the middle of a dance floor of a Vegas club, except that people on the dance floor would notice you more than the staff at Martoranos does.
Incredibly slow service, requests that went unanswered, one entree served cold and another served only half-cooked (pasta too, not meat) and all the while an unbearable atmosphere that made us all want to jump up and leave at a dead run. We should have, because when the bill arrived it was completely outrageous even after they took off the half-cooked spaghetti.
If you go, bring earplugs, aspirin, dark glasses, $200 more than you would expect to spend on any meal, a microwave or warming plate, an air horn (to get the attention of the staff or the person across the table from you) and, most of all, bring a whole heck of a lot of patience.
I love the Rio and everyone and every place in it, or at least I did until they put this dump in. Let's hope people start realizing it for what it is and the Rio replaces it with a real restaurant that's not run by an egocentric maniac who thinks that people want everything his way. Don't believe me? Look at the menu carefully (both comments and prices) then ask to walk through the "dining" area before you agree to sit down. I wish we had. -
Review from Steph P.
7/9/2010 1 photo
This one is a toughie. Rio is my sister's home for 6 weeks in the summer for the WSOP, so we of course frequent every restaurant there. I like the food. I really do. And the service is great. But there is something so Jersey Shore about this place. I know it is Vegas, but after 8 hours in a casino with smoke and lights and ding!ding!ding! of slot machines, I want to have a quiet dinner. Martorano's goes from Italian eatery to nightclub around 7pm when the music starts blaring and the disco balls start spinning (seriously). It just gets too loud for me. One of the guys dining with us this trip said he was waiting for them to move the tables back so we could all start dancing.
That all said, the food is great. The caprese is delicious, fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, a drizzle of balsamic and olive oil and a fried basil leaf. I love how simple and clean the flavors are. Then there is the meatball. OMG. It is so fluffy and flavorful. Served on top of some sort of tubular noodle whose name I can't recall with a fresh tasting sauce and a scoop of the best ricotta I have ever tasted. Everyone at our table ordered that or the rigatoni with Sunday pork gravy, which was also fantastic. The pork was so tender and the sauce again so fresh. You really feel like your Italian grandma made it. -
Review from Connie R.
6/1/2010
First off, this was my 3rd visit and all 3 times I thoroughly enjoyed every item I ordered which included the Caesar salad, Meatball appetizer, Linguine Clams, Banana Foster, and more.
It must be noted that this restaurant is pretty loud with music and movie clips so knowing this in advance is important.
The atmosphere is rather dimly light, upscale and modern with televisions displayed in numerous places with mafia and mobster movies playing - cool!
While this place is rather pricey, the food that I've tried, in my opinion, is well made, well seasoned and well displayed.
By the way, if you like a BIG dessert, try their version of the Bananas Foster - wow, amazing! It was comprised of caramelized bananas served with Haagen Daz vanilla ice cream, cream, blueberries and strawberries all on top of a huge waffle. Let's just say I shared it with one other person and there was still nearly half left over!
TIP: If you have a Harrah's Rewards Card, give it to the waiter/waitress and they give you points for dining there!
Let's hope my boyfriend scores during this World Series of Poker and we'll be eating there a lot! :D -
Review from Amanda R.
Long Beach, CA
3/22/2010 4 photos
Came to this place with some family friends for our pre Penn & Teller dinner. Just made sense to do the dinner at the same hotel as the show. And yes this is the restaurant with that cheesy ad (as seen on Tropicana) with the Italian guy (that looks like Pit Bull) and the sexy woman in the background who can't resist the "Italian". We didn't realize we had ACTUALLY dined at the place with the horrific ad until post dinner.
Disclaimer: There's a little bit of cheesiness involved in dining here
1) Loud opera style music is playing.
2) Yes there are about six flat screens (estimation) staggered around the dining room. three flat screens were on the wall behind me.
But the food makes up for the cheesiness (if you can get past it). Server was mindful and the busers kept the table clean. Warm rosemary infused bread served with a trio of dipping oils. The extra virgin olive oil was very good. We got some version of a deconstructed caprese with balsamic gastric. Loved the fried basil they gave us with it. They devote a whole portion of their menu to a mozzarella bar. The mozzarella in our caprese was the best that I have ever had. Generally I would say the menu isn't all that revolutionary....lots of fried options and the portions are alot bigger than celeb chef run restaurants (like B&B in the Venetian). I ordered the bucatini all' amatriciana which was perfectly al dente and right on point sauce wise.
For dessert we got bananas foster with waffles and tiramisu. Both were good but oh my god the bananas fosters with waffles sounded disgusting to me (on the menu) but it tasted really good. By the time I got around to taking a bite of it (we were doing family style among the whole table for dessert) the waffles was soaked with the butter from the caramel of the bananas foster. It was like a waffle with seven layers of butter! -
Review from Ken N.
Sisters, OR
9/15/2010
What an awesome place to take a date and enjoy top-notch food & service. We have NOTHING like this in Central Oregon.
Our server was stellar in his delivery of the nightly specials...enough that we were sold on two of them.
We ordered the Roasted Chicken & Chicken meatball Fusulli, and she had the NY Pizziole (NY topped with fresh herbs & house made mozzerella) OMG...the portions were grande & the food quality? truly amazing...
With a waiter recommended glass of red, to go with the meal? This was a great dining experience.
The owner Steve was present 1/2 way through our meal, manning the DJ booth just a hairs split from the open kitchen.
What a cool place, If you dont like "loud"...this I will not recommend to you.
If you wish to feel like a Queen & KIng while in Rio/Vegas...this is a Top option.
I will return later to update more of OUR experience here, later as Im short on time.
Namaste~ -
Review from Joey M.
New York, NY
4/19/2008
anyone who reviewed this place must have not been to the original martoranos! Why this place wasnt packed when we went there on a saturday night is beyond me!
The food was the best! I know italian food and this was excellent! The staff was attentive and our waiter recomended the eggplant stack, the best app i had in all my time in vegas!!!! we shared the veal for our main and it too was excellent.
This place would do great if it was like the one on lauderdale. I wonder why it isnt.
This is real italian food, not the olive garden! i thought it was great!
im shocked at the other reviews. and the prices werent bad for vegas -
Review from jeverr w.
Chicago, IL
8/25/2011
Recently ate there, service and food both excellent !
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Review from Stephanie G.
Los Angeles, CA
3/13/2009
Cafe Martorano was probably one of my fave dining experiences I have EVER had.
It was my first time in Vegas, and we asked the concierge at the Palms for a good Italian restaurant nearby. She suggested Cafe Martorano, and I am soooo glad she did!!
As soon as I entered the Rio, i'm not going to lie, I was turned off. It smelled like a dirty diaper, and could not have cheesier decor or people roaming around.
But, as soon as we walked into the restaurant... it was an experience like none other.
I was with 6 of my girlfriends, and we sat down at a beautiful table, it was quiet, there were a few other people in the restaurant... and all of a sudden BOOM! Disco balls came down from the ceiling, GREAT old school jams were playing, the waiters were wonderful and super fun, the FOOD was amazingggg (make sure to get the eggplant stack as an app).
Then, two men came up to our table, chatted with us for a bit, and then bought our entire meal, multiple patron shots, and 2 bottles of wine. All we had to do was give our waiter a great tip. It was a fabulous time, great food, and I am going back in a week.
Don't let the Rio turn you off... this place is a MUST! -
Review from adam l.
Las Vegas, NV
1/7/2010
When I'm hungry for Italian...
... I see the Martorano's billboard and lose my appetite. -
Review from BETH E.
Beverly Hills, CA
7/26/2010
I loved this place! The food was incredible. We chose the price fix menu for $39 , plus appetizers. The meatball and salad was incredible.
The main course of rigatoni and chicken was perfect, and the cannolis were fluffy and sweet and very fresh. The Service was ok- not 5 stars, but I liked everything else in this restaurant. YES it is loud and there are strobe lights- Frank Sinatra is blaring. But this place is fun, great food, great wine list, lots of things going on - if you are celebrating something fun- this is your place- if you are looking for a quiet relaxing place - this is not for you. I cant wait to go back -- There is no food that I have tasted like this in CA or NV- you have to go to NJ to italian food this good! -
Review from Brandon S.
Los Angeles, CA
4/10/2010
The service was excellent. Our server was attentive and genuinely friendly. The bus boy did not let our water get below half full. The food is tasty. The bread they bring out is good. The chili oil dip for it is great. It has a nice flavor and a little kick.
For my meal I had the philly cheese steak with truffle oil fries. I love the flavor truffle oil gives fries. They were great. The cheesesteak was also pretty tasty.
For desert I had the tiramisu. It was great. The flavors were solid and distinct. My friend had the cheesecake. It was very good, and was a huge portion.
There is a good wine selection.
It is a bit pricey. The cheesesteak was $24. Most of the more formal meals were in the mid 40's.
There are several flat screens televisions through out the dining room. The Godfather was playing on one, so that made me quite happy. They also had some games on. -
Review from Francis C.
Chicago, IL
5/6/2011
I give this place an F!!! For example I had the eggplant stack and F that was good. Then I had the rigatoni pot roast and F-me that was good. Then I had the spaghetti and meatball and that was good, but what the F only 1 ball? Then I had the veal with the capers and F it was good. The service was good-Scott was my waiter and he gets an F too. I had a tear in my eye because I thought what the F, I'm leaving tomorrow. Anyways, I saw those previous cry baby reviews-F them they don't know their arse from their elbows!!!
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Review from Tomas B.
5/31/2011
After a great meal at Capo's on Saturday night we ventured over to the Rio for a shot at Cafe Mortarano Las Vegas located in the Rio Hotel 2nd floor over in the Mardi Gras wing. Arriving to the same look and feel from their other two locations in South Florida, I have to admit other than poking my head inside at the Hard Rock Location, I had not yet tried any of the locations for a dining experience. I have read mixed reviews from everyone and spoken to many persons in and about south FLA who either swear by the place or think it should be black listed. I thought I'd give my own opinion after this event. Arrived as stated Sunday night 9PM very empty for a Holiday weekend, and I'm guessing the Rio Location is the cause. If this place was in one of the more mainstream malls you probably couldn't get into the place. After some drinks with Bethany at the bar, we moved to our appointed table 5 of us to dine this evening.
Scott our friendly waiter gave us a rundown and we ordered up some appetizers that showed up in no particular order or together but this is the way it's done as I understand everything fresh & hot. Homemade Meatball with gravy and ricotta cheese $14, South Philly Cheese steak with caramelized onions and American cheese on a crisp Italian roll $16 and Eggplant Stack with homemade mozzarella, tomato and arugula $23 were the 3 appetizers we chose to share. Bread was hot and fresh and every single one of the above were 100% on the money.
We decided on 4 entrees for dinner to split for 5 persons. First was Shrimp Scampi Bread with butter, garlic, tomato, peas and bread crumbs $18 which was an appetizer order that we asked to be bumped up to 5 jumbo shrimp one for everyone. Veal Cutlet Parmigiana with tender cutlet of veal and fresh mozzarella $30 a Linguine and Fresh Clams in light red or natural white juices $25 and the absolute last but not least Rigatoni with a Sunday Pork Gravy made with fresh pork, San Marzano tomatoes and ricotta cheese $28.
All I can say is there was not one single solitary thing left in any plate, the food was absolutely delicious on every level, and although I was told family style meant large portions (They aren't) it was a sufficient amount of food to go around. Two bottles of wine were consumed on moderately priced list, and the 70's disco music in the place was absolutely perfect. Scott was an Excellent server and giving my own unbiased opinion this was a winner from every vantage point that I can find. A definite repeat for me on my Vegas runs and will give the Original South Florida location a go when I get a chance. Enjoyed my best meal in Vegas in some time. -
Review from Ann B.
Federal Way, WA
2/21/2011
We were staying at the Rio with friends this past weekend, and failing to have made reservations at a decent restaurant, called down to Matarano's. They made us wait a half an hour for the reservation, and when we went down to the restaurant, had us wait in the bar for another 15 minutes. The bartender was rude and we had a hard time getting drinks. We were finally shown to the dining room, which was about 25% full. Right.
Things LOOKED promising at first: three separate servers came up to our table to say they were part of the "team" waiting on us. Then one waiter berated another for talking to us. We asked for a wine recommendation, and were poured an absolutlely AWFUL 2007 Chianti that, if it wasn't faulted, really should not have been on the wine list. We are NOT people who send back food or wine, but there was NO WAY we were going to drink this. We ordered a bottle of California wine that we knew was going to be good.
Then it took a good 20+ minutes to get anyone to return to our table. Our "team" of waiters was no where to be seen. We finally flagged someone down to beg them for bread--which we were CHARGED for!
My BF and I split a Caesar salad (which was the best part of the dinner by a mile) but were brought no extra plates. Nice.
I ordered the pork chop special, which, while cooked properly, didn't have a lot of flavor. Interestingly enough, my BF, who ordered the Red Snapper special, had the SAME salty sauce on his fish! REALLY? Our friend who ordered the Chicken Parmigiana got a piece of chicken with cheese & what appeared to be canned red sauce slapped on the plate--no pasta, no veggies, no presentation whatsoever. Our other friend ordered the Seafood Fra Diavola, and said it was quite good.
We'd had dinner the night before upstairs at VooDoo Steak & Lounge, and it was excellent. Skip Matarano's and head upstairs. You'll be glad you did. -
Review from Erin H.
Palmdale, CA
4/14/2010
The atmosphere was definitely different. Every few minutes they play famous death scenes from popular movies at an extremely high volume ... a little ironic in a restaurant that is all white and (sort of) fancy looking. It was interesting to have the entertainment while waiting for the food.
The food wasn't that great however. Steak was boring. Not well seasoned. Sweet and sour calamari was a joke ... completely unoriginal. The gnocchi was good though. Its better with the marinara sauce than the alfredo.
There are so many other great places in Vegas. Martorano's is not worth a second visit when there are so many places I have yet to try. -
Review from Bryan F.
San Diego, CA
12/29/2009
Expensive as far as Italian food goes but damn good. Martorano's is located in the Rio hotel and worth leaving the strip for.
The meatball appetizer was great. People rave about it and it did not disappoint. A huge tasty meatball with a glob of great ricotta cheese.
For a main course, I had the veal marsala. It was a huge veal chop which was so tender and good. The gnocchi that came with it were nice and fluffy. And the mushroom sauce was great.
My wife had the lobster francaise which was very good as well. The risotto that came with it was kind of salty and didn't really taste all that great though. But overall still a good dish.
Our server was great too. Real Italian food is worth paying for. So I totaly recommend this place. Also Casino playing on the TVs was fun. And that's that.Listed in: Vegas
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Review from Nancy H.
San Jose, CA
8/24/2010
We ate at the bar for quicker service. It would have been a 15min wait, but we were meeting friends, so we wanted to be in and out. Also, we weren't really prepared for a nice meal at a candlelit table, so this was just fine. (We were misleaded by the CAFE in the name).
We ordered a Ziti with Hot and Sweet Sausage and Penne and Vodka. (from Rio webiste; official website does not have updated menus). Both were very good with big portions. We also had a side of bread with some dips that were interesting. There was the usual olive oil, but there was also a spicy dip, kind of like chinese spicy hot sauce (weird, not really my kind of dip). The service was spot on... the bartender would refill our water glasses when needed and checked on us periodically.
On a side note, Steve Martorano looks like a UFC fighter that just happens to own this restaurant. I'm not sure i'd trust him as a chef. Oh, and the prices were higher than i would have expected, but then it's vegas -
Review from Teri D.
Quartz Hill, CA
5/28/2011 1 photo
Italian food the way it's supposed to be ! True, genuine Italian with only the freshest ingredients, including homemade mozzarella and they are NOT shy with portions !
Owner Steve Martorano is a culinary genius with a huge celebrity fan base. I was lucky enough to score one of his first edition autographed books while dining there.
The ambiance is elegant and tasteful and the menu has a wide variety of culinary treats that anyone can find something they will love.
I started with the eggplant stack that was simply rediculous ! HUGE slices of eggplant, mozzarella and tomatoe and moved on to the veal cutlet which is brought in fresh from local farmers. It was so tender I never bothered with the knife.
The service was excellent and staff was attentive and helpful.
This is not a place to go if you are looking for Pizza Hut quality food or price, so be prepared to pay for what you get but all in all I will be dning there again as soon as possible.
