Maggiano's Little Italy — Restaurant in Boston

I have been to Maggiano's 3-4 times before, and typically it has been wonderful. However, this time we had a horrifying experience which has left me appalled at their treatment of guests.

I went with some of my friends, who are vegetarian. They ordered a spaghetti with marinara sauce, but they received spaghetti in a different red sauce (probably Bolognese) with clear visible chunks of meat. Not good that they got the order wrong, but fine it was a simple mistake, and we hadn't told our server that we were vegetarian.

We pointed this out to him, and he said "No Marinara sauce is always vegetarian, there is no meat". When we showed him the meat chunks he said "I'm sorry I'll get you new dishes". So far, completely fine.

But then, he came back with someone who I assumed was a manager at the restaurant. They said that the "meat" we saw is actually roast garlic. The manager explained that they are trying a new recipe where they add whole roast garlic to the sauce, and in the dim light it happens to look like meat. That was weird, because my friends have ordered spaghetti with marinara sauce many times before and said it tasted different.

The manager and server then said they will make us new dishes anyway, and my friends said "No if you're a 100% sure it's vegetarian don't waste the food". The manager said "Yes it's a thousand percent vegetarian. But we can get you new dishes". And insisted on getting new ones. Eventually he said, "are you sure?" And my friends said "Yes, don't waste the food unnecessarily" and they handed the original dishes back.

Just to be sure, one of them asked me to try it (I eat meat). I pulled out a chunk of "roast garlic" and tried it. And it was 100% meat. Either that or I don't know the difference between garlic and beef.

We called our server back and said "This is definitely meat." Rather than admitting to it, he said "No you think it's meat. Because now it's in your head. I'm telling you it's roast garlic. That's why I said I would make new dishes because now in your head it's meat".

And he took the dishes back and came back with spaghetti with marinara sauce. Sauce which tasted completely different than the previous dish to me and my friends, and the difference definitely wasn't "roast garlic".

We are disgusted by the audacity of the server and the manager to lie to us, and then gaslight us when we point out their lie. If they had simply said "Sorry that was a mix up, that sauce had meat, we sincerely apologize and will get you new dishes with marinara sauce" it would have been completely fine, mistakes happen. But it is shocking, demeaning, and unprofessional to lie that the sauce never had meat when it so clearly did, and then persist with that lie. I have had both meat and roast garlic countless times and it's incredibly disrespectful to be told "no it's all in your head".

I sincerely hope the restaurant is able to take appropriate action to train and inform both their servers and managers. Mistakes happen, and it is basic professionalism to own up to them, apologize, and redress, instead of trying to cover them up through lying...

Holiday disappointment all around. We were invited to Magliano's for a pre-holiday family dinner by another family member. It's hard to put in to one review how bad the overall experience, but it's safe to day everything from the table location and set up to the food to the drinks was beyond sub par.

Our group of 22 was relegated to a 'private' side room to the right of the hostess stand. We have eaten here other years with the same group and been accommodated in the main dining area. This side room was hot and worse, the table of 22 was more appropriate for 18. We were packed in with literally no room to spread out - and for the record we are a lean family. I can't imagine how larger adults would have felt at this table. My 83 year old father had almost no room at the end of the table. The heat in the room was only amplified by being packed in like sardines. 4 minutes in to dinner, I started to feel nauseous and had to get outside to get some air. It was at that point that I vomited. I have not vomited in maybe 5 years.

Then there was the food. Food was mediocre at best across the board. Calamari was very dry and small, we were not brought any bread as other tables around us were, pasta was over cooked and the red sauce was a solid 4 out of 10. The dessert was all completely average in every regard. The only bright spot of dessert was the coffees which were fine.

Finally I want to talk about the drinks because this part is just absurd and inexcusable. I ordered a Dark and Stormy, a pretty standard drink by all accounts. I was brought a Whiskey Sour which is not even close. OK, fine, honest mistake. When I brought this to the attention of our waiter, it's as if the bar tender completely overcompensated. Dark and Stormy (which I am still not sure it was), was about 80% alchohol and likely no ginger beer. To top it off, it was mixed. This is not how this drink is prepared. At this point, I am frustrated and over the whole situation. My wife who can sense I am loosing patience for what has become an overall ridiculous situation orders me a beer with another one of the servers. 10 minutes later, no beer still and the original waiter comes over and asks if he can get me something else, "a glass of wine maybe?". I am done at this point. 10 minutes later, a manager comes over and to be fair, he's quite earnest about "making it right". For context, my first drink (which took 10 minutes to get) was ordered over 30 minutes earlier.

My sense is this place prays on tourists and a suburban crowd that doesn't know any better. My personal go to for real Italian is Rino's in East Boston and that's where I will go next time. Magliano's Little Italy is well...

We had the pleasure of dining at Maggiano's Little Italy during our visit to Boston, and it turned out to be a delightful experience. Our friend had made a reservation for the family-style meal, which was the perfect choice for our group. We were able to customize our dining experience by selecting two appetizers, four main courses, and sampling some delectable desserts.

From the moment we stepped inside, we were captivated by the warm and inviting atmosphere. The restaurant had a cozy, Italian charm that immediately set the tone for a memorable evening. The staff was incredibly attentive and provided excellent service throughout the meal, making us feel welcome and well taken care of.

To start our culinary journey, we opted for the calamari fritte and stuffed mushrooms as our appetizers. Both dishes were bursting with flavor and cooked to perfection. The calamari was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, while the stuffed mushrooms were a savory delight that left us wanting more.

For our main courses, we decided to try the cannelloni florentine with truffle cream and the shrimp scampi. The cannelloni florentine was the highlight of the evening. The combination of the creamy truffle sauce and the delicate flavors of the cannelloni created a mouthwatering experience that we won't soon forget. While the shrimp scampi was enjoyable, it didn't quite reach the same level of excellence as the cannelloni.

We also indulged in the chicken parmesan and the parmesan-crusted cod with lobster cream sauce. The chicken parmesan was a comforting classic, with tender chicken, gooey cheese, and a tangy marinara sauce. The cod, on the other hand, surprised us with its unique twist of a parmesan crust and the rich lobster cream sauce, resulting in a harmonious blend of flavors.

To end our feast on a sweet note, we were treated to a delightful selection of desserts. Each bite was a heavenly delight, and the variety allowed us to enjoy various flavors without feeling overwhelmed. It was the perfect conclusion to a satisfying and delicious meal.

Overall, our experience at Maggiano's Little Italy was exceptional. The family-style deal allowed us to explore a range of delectable dishes, and we left with our appetites fully satisfied. The atmosphere was welcoming, the service was top-notch, and the food was a true celebration of Italian cuisine. Whether you're a local or a visitor to Boston, Maggiano's is a fantastic choice for a memorable...