Zio Johno's - Marion — Restaurant in Marion

We reluctantly decided to give Zion Johno's a try after a several year hiatus due to a very bad experience. To say that we were shocked that it could be worse is an understatement.

We were seated in a booth, and waited 15 minutes just to get our drinks. It would be understandable if it was a full house-there were maybe 4 other tables and one party seated. Another 10 minutes later our waitress finally returned to take our order. Fried porta bella mushrooms for an app, chicken parmesan for myself, and fettuccine Alfredo for my wife.

The mushrooms arrived. Soaking on the inside and dripping in grease. You could tell they came STRAIGHT from a freezer bag right into the fryer. Our entrees arrived another 20 minutes later. Her fettuccine Alfredo was about the worst excuse for a meal I've ever seen. Watery, runny, tasteless sauce that tasted like it came straight from a jar, served over overcooked noodles.

My chicken Parm was no better. The spaghetti and sauce had zero flavor, almost as if I ordered plain noodles. The chicken was so overcooked that the steak knife couldn't cut through it. I've had beef jerky that was softer. The breading fell right off, and was soggy and unappetizing. It was pretty obvious that the chef noticed this, and tried to hide it with cheese. There was so much melted on top you couldn't even see the "filet". If that wasn't bad enough, the cheese itself had a sour taste, it felt off. My wife had asked the waitress for some parmesan cheese, but we were completely ignored.

After no more than 4 bites, I asked for a manager. I explained my issues with the quality of our food, and my complete loss of appetite. His first response was to offer a refire, or if I would like to order something else. The absolute LAST thing I wanted was to eat anything more from that kitchen. After a 3 minute battle, he finally decided to cancel our order. We walked out, and we do not see ourselves ever returning. The next day, I find myself throwing up with stomach pain, and my wife is nauseous. To anyone wondering if this place has improved, it hasn't....

Their Gondolas are superb! It is a long time favorite of ours in Marion, IA!  Been going back for decades now.

Gondola Sub: Absolute best thing on their menu!  Their bread is famous and the sandwich fillings make it even better.  Get it with mayo and tomato if you like that kind of thing.  Even chipotle sauce is great with it.

Spaghetti in a Bucket (Family Size): Delicious.  The bucket comes filled to the brim.  It has all the hallmarks of a good spaghetti with noodles cooked just right and sauce with a good blend of tomato and seasoning.  It was spot on.  Many people love the spaghetti and my kids ask for it when we are in town.

Meatballs:  HUGE.  I mean MASSIVE.  They are something along the lines of 2-3 inches wide.  The seasoning is amazing.  The meat is tender and cooked perfectly.

Cheese Bread: Amazing.  I am not typically a fan of cheese bread, but I was told to try it.  I was not disappointed.  It was just the right proportion of cheese to bread, warm (even with carry out), soft, and tasty.

Garlic Bread: Slightly more on the garlic side, which I like.  Their bread is famous in town and is great.

Cinnamon Bread: This was a surprisingly good option.  It was a bit on the heavier side with cinnamon and sugar, but not too bad.  It was soft and a great treat.

Salad: Fresh, crispy, and delicious.  The ranch is particularly tasty.

Beef Ravioli with Meat Sauce: Good.  There was plenty of sauce.  The ravioli itself was delicious, but they did stick together.

Service: Quick and friendly.  They always take care to get everything right and it shows.  Super great people who know how to make the experience wonderful!

Atmosphere: We typically order take out, but the dining area is pretty cool with Mediterranean and European emphasis.  It is clean and well organized.

Conclusion: We have ordered take out, but also catered for a retreat.  They always do a great job with everything.  Many people commented at the retreat they remembered Zio’s as a great restaurant and they loved the food.

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Need a complete dinner for a large family? This place has plenty of delicious and well-priced Italian options. Don't take my word for it, go look up their menu. It proves itself. If you didn't like spaghetti growing up, this place can make you change your mind. But get those humongous meatballs that are practically the size of your fist for only $0.79 each, 2 or 3 should do it for you. Get some cheese and extra sauce if you like it. Salad, garlic bread. They sell stuff as a to-go package, a complete meal kit. They have a 16" gondola sub for like $7. It won't break any records but it complements a meal for some crazy reason. And you know what, their pizza is really good too, and I've tried most pizza places. These guys are fancier with their pizzas for about the same price as anywhere else. Long and short, here is your family's...