Romano's Macaroni Grill — Restaurant in Jefferson Township

I’ve never been to a stand-alone Macaroni Grill, only this sad airport version. Hopefully the corporate fat-cats understand that this airport restaurant represents their entire chain, so no excuses for being an “airport restaurant” here.

I’ve made the mistake of spending money on this over-priced “Italian” restaurant before and I'm done. Apparently, my time between O’Hare visits is too long and I forget all the reasons for promising never to return. This review is as much a means of committing this to memory as it is a warning to other travelers.

Reading the Macaroni Grill main website, a great deal of emphasis is put on classic imported ingredients at use. “Welcome to Macaroni Grill. Join us tonight for classic Italian dishes made with imported Italian ingredients.” I wouldn’t mind the higher-than-average airport price tag for a single entrée (absolutely no other items are included at $23 pre-tip and tax) if only the boast of authentic ingredients seemed true, but when I asked for real parmesan cheese to top my small bowl of $23 Penne Rustica, the long-time server brusquely picked up the ramekin of tiny dehydrated parmesan packets from the center of the table, placed it four inches closer to me, then jabbed his finger at into it stating, “This is your parmesan.”

I would have paid any price for some fresh parmesan to cut through the ridiculous amount of unadvertised red pepper flakes in the meal. From my first bite, I recall the chicken and shrimp being fairly flavorful while not really being able to taste any rosemary, but three bites in and I couldn’t taste anything. It was just a small bowl of burning. I could have been eating the mushroom ravioli or the butternut tortellacci and I wouldn’t have been able to discern it. I rechecked the menu and indeed, there’s no mention of any pepper at all or an indication that it's a 'spicy hot' meal, so it must be a chef’s choice? I do love it when a cook’s personal indifference to spice obviously means that everyone else loves things so spicy you need an entire pitcher of water to get through a meal.

So we have brusque service, expensively small entrees that include nothing else, and questionable on the importation of any actual ingredients, but just as my meal arrived, I remembered the other reason this restaurant had made me grumpy in the past: all the servers collect at the center register area a few feet away from the customers where the male servers treat the female servers very disrespectfully. If you’re lucky, you’ll get the full show though where the male servers holler at the female servers’ alleged incompetence from the bar or the open kitchen on the opposite side of the small dining area.

If you don’t mind spending more than you need, you’re okay with mono-flavored spicy food, an obvious lack of any truly Italian ingredients, and you’re skilled at tuning out server drama, this is your place; however, if you’re looking for a competitively priced meal that includes a few sides set in pleasant and professional surrounding, maybe try one of the many other O’Hare...

I had 4.5 hours until my next flight, and rather than go to a bar and have bar food, I figured I would go to somewhere that offered a more intimate setting where I could take my time with a glass of wine and enjoy a better quality of food.

I was sat at my table and the menu placed on the table before I had sat down.

Shortly afterwards I was asked if I would like to order anything. To which I responded that a glass of wine would be awesome.

The wine arrived and I had just about decided what I wanted to eat. I ordered the Tomato soup to start and the Pollo Caprese for my main course.

My wine was delivered along with a nice tasting crusty bread roll and a saucer with olive oil and it was no more than 5 minutes until my soup arrived.

The soup was quite tasty. Although I wasn’t quite halfway through my soup before my main course arrived, at which point I looked quite helplessly at my half finished soup and the meal being presented to me. I did say that I wasn’t ready for my main and the kitchen staff offered to put it under the heat for me.

I attempted to wolf down the rest of my soup and after finishing, waited for my meal to arrive. The meal did arrive a few minutes later and was basically luke warm, I typically enjoy hot food, so in order to enjoy what heat existed in the middle of the pasta and base of the chicken I ate with purpose. I forgot I had the wine as I was loathe to let any more heat escape my meal.

No more than 20 minutes have passed since I was served my wine and my meal is finished... I feel like a MacDonald’s at this point would have taken more time to prepare...

The restaurant is perhaps 2/3 full, I would understand the rush had it been full and people waiting to be seated, however it is not and I don’t. I am surprised my main meal had chance to cook in the time it took to be served.

This was a disappointing decision, I would not recommend this place for anyone looking to savour their meal, however if you have a short connection time and need food pronto, you won’t be...

I was very disappointed with this location. I understand the need for keeping social distancing right now, but being cordial from a distance is doable. We arrived and were on a layover so needed to grab a bite. We were seated, left with a menu, and that was when it went down hill. 4 waitresses/waiters passed us by a few times with no acknowledgement, no "I'll be with you in a moment". Waited about 15 minutes and a waitress asked if we were going to order. My smart mouth almost stated "Nope. Just here to watch everyone else eat." Let her know we were waiting for someone to take are order and she then asked you didn't order on the app? What app and why? You handed me a menu when we sat down. She then said "You want me to take your order?" Whelp, I think that's part of the job isn't it? Finally order and get our food another 20 minutes later. It was the worst Chicken Marsala (and I've had it from another location of theirs before and it was awesome) ever. The chicken was dry, as thin as a piece of paper, the pasta and sauce was non existent. My friends dish of simple spaghetti and meatballs was worse then if you got it from a frozen food. The meatballs were dry and no flavor and the "meat sauce" was less flavorful then a jar of premade sauce from the store. We couldn't finish half of the meal. Paid, left and went down to grab McDonald's before having to hop on the plane! McDonald's! Could've saved my money and time elsewhere.

I'm sorry, but this pandemic is not an excuse for poor service and poor food preparation. Not all Romano's locations are like this. I actually quite love some of their plates, that's why it was so disappointing to be served up something I wouldn't...