Marzano — Restaurant in Oakland

Beware! Not that good! We ordered the meatball appetizer, pizza and the spaghetti and meatballs deal, 2 glasses of chardonnay and mineral water. The pizza was decent, the spaghetti and meatballs were horrible! The sauce was out of a can, the noodles were over cooked and the meatballs must have been left over from the night before or lunch. They knew the small meatballs were horribly overlooked as they floated them in broth for the appetizer.. The salad had been in the fridge for hours and was soggy and still had the shape of being wrapped in saran wrap. Please also clean out the soft ice cream machine... The service was on a par with Denny's, nothing special, and when the server asked how the food was and we told her it wasn't good, she laughed and said "send it back"; we all laughed knowing it would be a futile effort. The meal came out to $80.00 before gratuity. Needles to say we got ripped off, especially for average wine ($22.00) that came out in water goblet and poor quality food other than the pizza, which was ok... The staff is unprofessional, the music selection was a mix of rap and dance music which was for the servers to dance and sing to, not for the patrons or for an Italian atmosphere. I can firmly say that you will be paying for an expensive lease/ great location and overstaffed, over rated, poorly managed establishment. If you must try it, order a pizza to go first and see if it is worth wasting further time and money eating in at Marzano. Zagat should lower the rating and the Chronicleq should take away the plate, especially since the food...

I had one of the most memorable meals in quite a while at Marzano. From the moment I walked in, I felt welcomed and relaxed. The staff greeted us like regulars, and their attentiveness never wavered over the evening.

To start, I couldn’t resist trying their Artichoke Pizza (a longtime recommendation). The crust was beautifully wood-fired and slightly charred on the edges, chewy yet crisp where it mattered and the artichoke, garlic, and olive touch was delicate but bold enough to shine without overwhelming the base. It’s now firmly an all-time favorite pizza of mine.

For my main, I chose the Sea Bass special. It arrived perfectly cooked: flaky, tender, with a crisp skin and a light sauce that accentuated (not masked) the natural flavor of the fish. Every bite felt balanced, with clean flavors and just enough brightness.

On the drinks side, I opted for a nice bottle of Italian wine (their wine recommendations were spot-on), which paired beautifully with both the pizza and the fish. And to close out, I enjoyed a rich espresso that was smooth, and bold, exactly what I needed after the meal.

Service was impeccable: friendly, knowledgeable, and never intrusive. The pacing of courses was well judged; the ambiance felt cozy and intimate. I left feeling delighted and already drafting my mental plan for a return visit.

If you’re considering Marzano, do yourself a favor, try the Artichoke Pizza, the Sea Bass special, pair with a good wine, and let the...

We made a reservation and traveled over 1,000 miles, round trip, to try this restaurant for a birthday dinner with a group of friends. First red flag was when I informed the “manager,” a person in a plain t-shirt, that my wife was celebrating a birthday, I was informed that they offered no birthday dessert to guests, but they were “happy to put a candle on any dessert off of our menu.” Since this was a $500 dinner, it is the first restaurant I have experienced this in, worldwide. The two servers at our table for six appeared to be learning, as another server was training them. When the Pizza Puttanesca was described as a “pizza made without cheese…” but was extremely strong without it, and “extra cheese” was recommended, I was stunned. So “extra cheese” was put on the order. The first overwhelming taste impression was salt. Portion size at the restaurant is petite. The meatballs were fine, but four were served, the size of quarters. The rigatoni was visibly blackened by the oven. The Malfadine pasta was almost too spicy, unnecessarily, with no mention of heat in the description. One dessert, served in a jar with chocolate and nuts, was the best item on the menu. An expensive and unevenly balanced experience that I cannot recommend. We will...