Mannino Italian Garden — Restaurant in Meadville

Ok everyone, Here is the scoop on this place. I use to work there and I just want everyone to know about this owner and how he runs his business.

Yes, they do have good food and honest, hard working employees. But, the owner needs to learn how to handle things properly. First, he pays everyone under the table in cash so that he doesn't have to pay the taxes that every business is required to pay and so that he can get away with not even paying his employees minimum wage. I was told that I would get paid $8.00/hr because of the experience I have working at Italian restaurants. I worked my butt off for this guy and was always busy! Even on my first day when I didn't even know what to do or how the system worked there. When I would do task that was asked of me, and I completed it, I would ask "what needs to be done next?" I NEVER would stand around and do nothing, even if the boss told me it was ok to do so and to just watch what other people were doing so I could learn what to do. I would always help someone at what they were doing or find something that needed to be done. At a restaurant there is always something you can clean or food that you can prep to stay busy so that when you got the rush it would make it easier for everyone to be efficient at their job.

But when it came time to pay me he only gave me $6.00/hr because he said that it was a slow week. That is just not right! When you agree to pay a employee a certain amount, and they not only do there job, but they go above and beyond what is required of them, you can't then change the agreement because the business didn't make the amount of money they were expecting. That is just not how we do business in America. And yes, he is from Italy.

This guy fired me after two weeks because he received a letter from Domestic Relations asking if I was working there. My girlfriend and I just split up a month prior to me starting there and they were just trying to confirm my pay rate and how many hours a week I was working. It had nothing to do with any type of back payment that I owed because like I said, we had only been split up for a month at the time. And he didnt even take me in private and do this, he fired me at the front counter one day when I came into work in front of all of the employee's and customers that were there, which was very embarrassing and degrading. At least take someone in private!

The reason he said he was doing it was because he didn't want to deal with domestic Relations because he said he went through that with two employees before and it was just to stressful. That's all part of owning a business!

Yes, it was my mistake to not require something in writing to protect myself aginsted that happening. Lesson learned!

I just feel that the public should know that this guy comes here from Italy and wants all of benefits of living in america but is doing everything he can to not pay his portion of taxes. I feel that is just wrong on so many levels.

He is very rude and insulting towards his employees and I think he needs to learn how to treat employees in a positive way. It is the employees choice weather or not they want to work in such a hostel environment, but some people have a very hard time finding any work in such a small town like Meadville, Pa. That they really have no other option at the time to work anywhere else. There are limited jobs around this small town and sometimes people have to take whatever work they can get.

I just think that people should know how this guy operates his business and I dont feel like he deserves to have a business.

So please everyone, if you hate people trying to scam the government and hate people not paying there fair share but still wanting all of the benefits, Please DO NOT grace this...

Working just up the street, I have been a patron of Mannino's Italian Garden since the day they opened their doors a few years back. I have bought lunch there many times, had dinner with family and friends, and talked their business up whenever I had the chance because I've always had quality friendly service and great tasting food. However, my most recent experience at Mannino's was absolutely horrible and will be my last.

My husband and I placed an order for delivery that was only supposed to take 30 minutes. After waiting for over an hour, I called Mannino's to find out if there was a problem with our order. The girl who answered the phone told me that it was in route and should arrive shortly. After another 20 minutes of waiting (more like 25 because the phone kept ringing busy), I called again. I told the gentleman who answered the phone what happened and to keep the food and please refund my card. With no explanation as to why we didn't have our food or even an apology, he just said "okay". I told him we'd never do business with him again after this and he responded "Thanks, I appreciate that." and hung up on me. Irritated with how this was being handled, we stopped by the restaurant to speak with a manage/owner/someone. A waitress explained that the delivery driver's car broke down and that's why we didn't have out food, and proceeded to get the owner for us. I started to explain to the owner what happened, but he cut me off to tell me that he already knew as he was the person I spoke with the second time I called and that he didn't know what I expected him to do. When I told him an apology would have been nice or even just explaining to me on the phone why we didn't have our order, he began rambling on about how he had a full floor to take care of and didn't have time to deal with me. I told him this is now how you treat paying customers and reiterated that we would not be back. He couldn't have possibly cared less, because all he had to say was, and I quote, "you already said you wouldn't be back and I told you that was okay. I don't need your business."

I'm absolutely appalled by the owner's lack of professionalism. But that's okay, if he doesn't need my business, I won't give it to him. And I recommend that you...

I try to stop in and visit at least 1 non-chain restaurant when I come to visit Meadville. Today's was Mannino's and it was a great choice.

I ordered scallops and shrimp with gnocchi in a pink vodka sauce and was delightfully surprised by it. Tender gnocchi that wasn't overcooked, with shellfish that wasn't overcooked. Often shellfish can either overpower a dish or end up being underwhelming, but this was a very well-executed dish whose ingredients complimented each other perfectly (good seafood was especially impressive to me as a new Englander visiting a landlocked state).

Service was attentive and swift, even with a mostly-full restaurant. The staff stopped by for drink refills and meal check-in, and did not overstay or stop too often. The wait time wasn't long either.

Atmosphere was good too, if a little confusing. The paintings and photographs on the wall tell stories and showcase family members and the local community history. The original industrial architecture of the building shines through as well, adding a rustic, authentic feel to round out the experience.

I can absolutely say that I recommend Mannino's, and if you stop in and get a salad, try their raspberry...