East Side Mario's — Restaurant in Cranbrook

My family ate here a few nights ago and was sorely disappointed. Our group tried 4 separate dishes and all were sub par. Their usual salad and soups seemed fine but the mains were something else. The most average dishes were the lasagna and the spaghetti and meat balls. Both featured runny sauce low quality flavorless meats. The alfredo and chicken pasta was way to hot out of the kitchen while also being gummy and bland. We didn't eat the chicken pasta and asked to return it to the kitchen. The manager came to speak with us which was appreciated initially. He then proceeded to explain that people complained about the pasta often; then argued that he didn't microwave it as Boston Pizza does which was in poor taste. The last dish was a 4 meat pizza which came on doughy crust and again the same bland meat. Most confusingly, despite the menu listing basil as a topping, there was no basil on the pizza. There was some chopped up spinach which I can only hope was not meant to be passed off as basil. The waitress was cold, but obviously over worked. She even said she the only server on staff for at least a dozen tables. We have eaten here before and really enjoyed the atmosphere and food but this was an...

So 3 cheetahs walked into an East Side Mario’s one day with a real hankering for some chicken tetrazzini and Peroni. The cheetahs were immediately greeted by friendly and accommodating staff who were very hospitable to the newcomers at this location; it’s not every day you see a coalition of cheetahs at a legendary Italian franchise in the lower east southern most tip of the Kootenays. The owner, Raymond, was extremely personable and welcoming at his location. He even offered up the banquet room in case the cheetahs needed to take a little cheetah nap before their long eastwardly journey home. When the cheetahs made their order Raymond was very sorry to let them know that Peroni is an eastern delicacy that has not yet been adopted by North Western ESM culture. But Raymond quickly evened the score and broke out a couple souvenir Peroni glasses for the cheetahs to take home. The chicken tetrazzini was just as remembered and brought two of the cheetahs on a nostalgic journey back to their eastern birth roots. FACT: 1 out of every 3 cheetahs does NOT like mushrooms. Overall the cheetahs were very satisfied and are willing to bet that no one has ever had more fun at the Cranbrook ESM. 10/10 would...

This was my first time to an East Side Mario's and my partner and I had an amazing time. Our server, Grace, was phenomenal. She knew the menu up and down, and made perfect recommendations based on our likes and dislikes.

The Bruschetta flatbread was heaven. A perfect light starter, or even a great lunch on a hot day.

The Trio entree had a Chicken Parm, Fettuccine Alfredo, and Lasagna. Talk about value! The chicken was done perfectly, as was everything else we had.

The Steak was also cooked to perfection. The sear was exactly how I ordered it, and tender enough melt in your mouth. You can't beat the price on this either.

All the entrees come with all you can eat soup or salad. The seasonal Ravioli Soup was my favorite.

For dessert we topped things off with a mini trio to go because we were absolutely stuffed halfway through dinner (blame the delicious soup).

For me and my partner, this was a fantastic way to spend the evening before our wedding, and I would absolutely qualify the service we received as 2S/LGBTQIA+ friendly.

Thank you so much Grace, you...