Maggiano's Little Italy — Restaurant in Boca Raton

⭐ 0/5 (If I could give negative stars, I would)

This was, without a doubt, the worst dining experience of my life! We were supposed to be celebrating our friends’ 5-year anniversary on Saturday, February 1st, 2025, but instead, we ended up with a night of frustration, humiliation, and complete disappointment.

It all started earlier that day when my friend called to add more seats to our 18-person reservation. The male manager rudely told him it wasn’t possible and that it was his problem, not the restaurant’s. My friend, who has a heart condition, was so upset by the conversation that he had to stop arguing to avoid risking his health. So, he called me to see if I could help.

When I called, a lady answered and brought the manager on the line. Before I could even explain, he cut me off and said he already knew what I was going to ask because he had spoken to a man earlier. His attitude was dismissive and rude, but in the end, he told me we would be seated at two separate tables but in the same area. I agreed, thinking the issue was resolved.

Then the nightmare truly began…

From the moment we arrived, some of the waitstaff treated us as if we were an inconvenience rather than paying customers. Their arrogant and unprofessional attitude made us feel completely unwelcome.

But the worst part? We were not allowed to choose our own food. Yes, you read that right—our group of 24 people was forced to order the exact same dish. When we questioned this ridiculous policy, they coldly told us:

"Either everyone orders the same thing, or we won’t serve you."

Excuse me?! Since when do restaurants dictate what customers must eat? But to avoid ruining the celebration, we reluctantly agreed, hoping the food would at least be worth it.

The food was a complete joke

Then came the final insult—the food arrived in tiny, laughable portions. It was nowhere near enough for an adult, let alone a large group. Here’s what they gave us per table of 12 people:

2 small plates of salad

2 types of pasta (barely enough for a few bites each)

2 plates with 4 tiny pieces of meat

Yes, you read that correctly—4 small pieces of meat for 12 people! It was insulting. We weren’t happy, but to avoid making a scene in front of other customers, we nervously laughed it off and tried to make the best of it.

The tipping incident that sealed the deal!

To add one last layer of absurdity, the waitress tried to shame one of my friends for her tip. The restaurant had already suggested an $18-$20 tip per bill, but my friend, out of generosity, left $30 on a bill for two people. The waitress came back and questioned her, implying that she hadn’t left a tip at all. My friend had to defend herself, saying, "Yes, I left you $30!" Unbelievable.

Final thoughts:

This experience was so outrageous that I will personally ask every single one of my 23 guests to write their own review, sharing their anger and disappointment over this humiliating night.

A restaurant that mistreats customers, overcharges for scraps of food, and enforces absurd policies does not deserve to stay in business.

Avoid this place at all costs!

The only good thing about this night was that we got to spend time with our friends and took a few pictures showing our best smiles. But we’ll be laughing about this disaster for years to come—not because it was funny, but as a reminder to never, ever return to this place.

This is the first time I've given a review of details of this kind, and I hope nobody else has to go through this horrible experience. If you did, please tell us...

We had an absolutely wonderful experience at Maggiano’s thanks to the server Christian and food quality. Particular shout-out to Christian as he turned what could have been a negative experience into a positive one. We arrived on-time for our reservation, however they didn’t have a table available. The manager at the host stand was rude and ignorant when asked politely for an ETA on a table and made a bunch of excuses. Then he went out of his way to tell us after about 45 minutes he had found us a table but didn’t have staff to clean it - so he would personally do it for us. It was said in a way that he expected us to be over-whelmingly appreciative that he would lower himself to do such a thing. I commended him on doing that absolute minimum as part of his job. His attitude was beyond horrible - I wish I got his name, but if senior management is reading this I can easily describe him or you can figure out who the only male was working your host stand was around 8pm on Friday Dec. 27. Anyway, needless to say he got us in a terrible frame of mind where we considered leaving despite having waited already. But we had kids with us, so we stuck it out. Then Christian to the rescue! All I can say is he went above and beyond in every single regard. He is someone who prioritizes customer service and just human decency. He was so above any reasonable expectation any guest could possibly have. Because of him, our night turned out great and we would gladly return to this location despite the absolutely horrid staff member we encountered at the host stand - who held himself out to be a manager of sorts. I do hope the restaurant reaches out for...

The last two times I have been there probably in a span of 2 months everything has gone downhill. The waiters are either gone or say they will get it for you and don't come back. Last time our appetizer and food came at the same time, who wants that. The portions get smaller and smaller every time I come. My lasagne I kid you not could have fit on my bread plate. Our appetizer was much smaller in size the last few visits and the prices have gone up so you are definitely not paying for what you get. I'm almost embarrassed for the restaurant because the portions are so small now and the food is not that good. No one wants a small portion that used to be a good sized one. I came this week for a celebration dinner, my son becoming a teacher and my birthday, they sat us by the bar because we didn't have a reservation, it was a Monday, we were never denied the dining room before, no tablecloth on the tables in the bar section anymore so you feel like you are on a picnic table outside, service was so slow. My food looked like it was sitting out all day, not fresh, gave them my $10.00 coupon they never even acknowledged the celebration like they would in the past years we have gone there and we didn't even receive the birthday cookies you are supposed to get on your birthday. EVen the dessert sampler, one of the desserts was so tiny, I don't want to hear they are short staffed because they are not, just unorganized and worried about the portion size being saved for the next customer. I have been coming here for years and years, don't think I will be back any time soon for sure. Maggiano's you need to do better like you have in the past. Very...