Disappointed in Maggiano's.

[luvwinnie]

I'll tell you, Michele and Kim, Carmine's to go is great!

We went to a Mets game back in the spring. Took the NYC bus on the corner, bought a Metrocard and took the #7 train out to Citifield. On the train ride back, I called Carmine's and placed an order for veal parmagiana and rigatoni with sausage and broccoli. We picked it up and brought it back on the bus, which was luckily the turnpike express. Got home, and it was all still hot and very, very yummy.

I had some really good calamari at Carmine's and I am picky about my calamari. My mom made the best!

 

[JerseyJanice]

I had some really good calamari at Carmine's and I am picky about my calamari. My mom made the best!

My dad made a mean calamari too, but I never wanted to try cooking it myself. I remember him accidentally cutting the ink sac, and my mother screaming at him for shooting ink on her kitchen curtains. Those were the days! Dad used to say the secret to good calamari is to cook it less than 2 minutes or more than 20--anything in between would make it tough.

My favorite calamari is at LaFamiglia in Bogota. They serve the world's best eggplant rolatini too--they use fresh mozz and ricotta in theirs, so you can taste the quality.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Crap, now I'm hungry! Too bad I hate the crowds because I'm close enough to Carmines to go at lunch.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

My favorite calamari is at LaFamiglia in Bogota. They serve the world's best eggplant rolatini too--they use fresh mozz and ricotta in theirs, so you can taste the quality.

OMG! I love eggplant rolatini. I may need to find this place.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

It's like going to Mexico and eating at a taco bell!

Wouldn't that be more like going to Southern California and eating at Taco Bell? Last time I checked, NJ wasn't actually in Italy.

But seriously, I used to think the same thing when I lived in So Cal. So many great immigrant- and first generation-owned Mexican places with great food, and people would go to Chevy's and El Torito! Yuck! Maybe they are from out of town and would rather stick with the devil they know, rather than risk trying some place they've never heard of.

Taco Bell, I can actually understand better, because sometimes you need the convenience of a drive-through, though Del Taco is much better!

 

[Missy1961]

You can't be like Carmine's. They're one of a kind and their food is sooooooooooooooo good (insert drooling smiley here).

Agreed! But you know, Carmine's is really noisy too. So Maggiano's seems to have gotten that right, anyway LOL.

I love, love, love Carmine's rigatoni country style. Sooooo good. And did you know they have a cookbook out? I've made the rigatoni a few times now, almost as good as going there.

 

[mla1977]

Haven't eaten at Maggiano's, but I guess that I'll stick with Carmine's and Buca di Beppo.

I prefer Maggiano's to Buca. We've had our company party at Maggiano's the past 2 years after me pushing to have it there for 2 years (and being very disappointed in the alternate locations). Buca is fun, but I think the food at Maggiano's is better.

 

[Katieinwonderland]

LOL, this thread makes me laugh!

DH is Italian and grew up on Long Island, NY. He spent his life going to a little neighborhood Italian resturant where he knew the whole family, and they would make whatever he wanted...the owner came to our wedding!!!

I suggested to him when we first started dating that we try Maggianos and from the reaction I got you'd have thought I'd suggested scraping up roadkill and having that for dinner!

I've been with friends and think it's pretty good - they do a really good salad with avocado...can't remember the name...chop salad or something?

 

[czycropper]

I have never liked Maggiano's and living in NJ (Central NJ) have gotten spoiled by all the good italian restaurants that cook 10x better than Maggiano's and give much more food.

My DH is from Bergen County and he refuses to go to Maggiano's, he'd rather go to a local italian restaurant than go in there even if it means waiting a little bit for a table at a smaller restaurant!

 

[kimmar067]

My favorite calamari is at LaFamiglia in Bogota. They serve the world's best eggplant rolatini too--they use fresh mozz and ricotta in theirs, so you can taste the quality.

...yup. They DO have really good food!

 

[kimmar067]

Wouldn't that be more like going to Southern California and eating at Taco Bell? Last time I checked, NJ wasn't actually in Italy.

....ehhhhh, whatsamattah-for-U???

 

[Chicago526]

I've eaten at Maggiano's here in IL where they originated and those are some of the best meals I've ever had, and DH and I are restaurant snobs! Here there is no such thing as a small portion, a full order is enough to feed four people, easily, and I'm not exagerating.

Either it's a different chain with the same name, or the locations outside of the Chicago area just aren't up to snuff!

 

[holycow]

To me the things you encountered have nothing to do with the restaurant itself!

The parking? The noise??? depends upon time and day you attend! Christmas lunch you want it to be quiet???

The portion...sorry I've never eaten anything small at Maggiano's I usually have left overs!

We did have a bad experience while in Vegas but it was the waiter! He was horrible!

but I'll eat there again in a minute.

 

[kimmar067]

LOL, this thread makes me laugh!....I suggested to him when we first started dating that we try Maggianos and from the reaction I got you'd have thought I'd suggested scraping up roadkill and having that for dinner!.....

 

[paintnolish]

Do any of you have a Biaggi's near you? It is like a Maggiano's but better. They were goven awesome ratings by Consumer Reports, too. I highly recommend them! Excellent food and service.

 

[MoonFaerie]

It took me forever to find parking, so that was annoying. The restaurant was packed with people who appeared to be the same as us--coworkers out for a holiday lunch. They put us in a horrible table. It was one of those banquettes with seating for two in the back and two others on the side. Very uncomfortable.

But the thing that annoyed me most? The noise! The room is cavernous so the buzz of the crowd really fills it, but on top of that, they were blasting Christmas music over the PA system. I could barely hear my coworkers talking and that's what really stunk. We rarely get to socialize with each other so that's what the lunch was really about, but how do you socialize with someone when you have to shout across a table to be heard and can't hear a thing they say back?

And this right here is why I NEVER go out for my birthday dinner actually on or very near my birthday (12/21). In my 30 years, I've never had a decent dinner experience close to Christmas. All the restaurants are busy. Tis the season.

We'll be going to the Melting Pot sometime in Jan, when we can coordinate it with some close friends instead. It's just not worth the hassle of going out in Dec, IMO.

 

[kimmar067]

Do any of you have a Biaggi's near you? It is like a Maggiano's but better. They were goven awesome ratings by Consumer Reports, too. I highly recommend them! Excellent food and service.

....never heeerd o' it - must be a Midwestern thing....[ ]

 

[kimmar067]

And this right here is why I NEVER go out for my birthday dinner actually on or very near my birthday (12/21). In my 30 years, I've never had a decent dinner experience close to Christmas. All the restaurants are busy. Tis the season.

We'll be going to the Melting Pot sometime in Jan, when we can coordinate it with some close friends instead. It's just not worth the hassle of going out in Dec, IMO.

....sooooo, you should celebrate your birthday in JUNE....

 

[JerseyJanice]

The night after my bad lunch at Maggiano's, I got together with some longtime friends for dinner. It was one BFF, her husband and son, plus my other BFF, her husband and their son, and my son and me (the two BFFs are sisters). There were eight of us altogether, including two children (one BFF's son is 18); my husband had to work so he didn't come.

We went to somewhere called "Antonia's by the Park" in Cliffside Park on the North Bergen border. It was crowded and the parking valets were having trouble keeping up, but the restaurant was wonderful. All the food was very good, and the atmosphere/decor was lovely.

O.K., so all was well and good, but then we got the bill. It was $500! Yes, that was with the tip as they automatically added one to our check since we were a party of 8. Honestly, I spent less on my Christmas Eve dinner for 11 people--although I did put a lot of labor into it.

What got me are some of the things my friends ordered. When I go out to eat, I try to choose things that I normally wouldn't buy or cook on my own. One friend ordered a mozzarella and tomato appetizer; it turned out to be 5 slices of mozzarella, 4 slices of plum tomato and a basil leaf. Not how I would spend $8. Same friend's adult son ordered a smoked mozzarella, prosciutto and arugula dish. He just picked the meat and cheese off the top. Another waste of $8 IMO. That friend also ordered a cannoli for dessert. It was only $7. It was better than Maggiano's though. We did get leftovers to bring home too.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

O.K., so all was well and good, but then we got the bill. It was $500! Yes, that was with the tip as they automatically added one to our check since we were a party of 8. Honestly, I spent less on my Christmas Eve dinner for 11 people--although I did put a lot of labor into it.

What got me are some of the things my friends ordered. When I go out to eat, I try to choose things that I normally wouldn't buy or cook on my own. One friend ordered a mozzarella and tomato appetizer; it turned out to be 5 slices of mozzarella, 4 slices of plum tomato and a basil leaf. Not how I would spend $8. Same friend's adult son ordered a smoked mozzarella, prosciutto and arugula dish. He just picked the meat and cheese off the top. Another waste of $8 IMO. That friend also ordered a cannoli for dessert. It was only $7. It was better than Maggiano's though. We did get leftovers to bring home too.

Mmmmm, I love Caprese salad! Yes, it's very simple and easy to make at home, but it's just so good, that I'll gladly pay $8 for it at a restaurant, too!

$500 does sound like a lot for 8 people though. Were there a lot of drinks included in that?