Maria's Italian Kitchen — Restaurant in Pasadena

I think a lot of people hate on Maria's for no other reason than being a chain. It's LA, so sure, there is a plethora of high-end Italian eateries. And don't get me wrong, I'm all for fine dining, hyper-authentic, or otherwise unique restaurant experiences. But knocking a chain just because it's a chain isn't where it's at. I'm not here to tell you Maria's will teleport you to Italy with transcendent Italian cuisine. But they bring plenty to the table, and I'm a fan.

First, the food. It's solid, it's priced fair, and I never leave hungry. Their vegan pizza is good, even well above average. Is it the best pizza I've had in the two decades since ditching dairy? No. Have I paid a lot more for worse? Absolutely. It's a big pie with a rich sauce and perfect crust. Vegan cheese can be finicky, but Maria's does it justice. I'm sure the pizza with regular cheese is equally satisfying. If I ask for a metric ton of black olives on half because that's the only topping my three-year-old will eat these days, then Maria's will pile the olives on like it's their goddamn mission in life. And we always snag the Chopped Italian Salad (sans mozz) because it's got a tang and crunch that plays well with the pizza. The pasta? It's just ok. We get the spaghetti because it's egg free. Maybe there are fresh in-house pastas that can step into the ring, but I only know what I know.

As for the service, I've never felt less than completely cared for at Maria's. Whether we're dining in or taking out, the service is friendly, and attentive. It just feels good to eat here, you know? It would be so wrong if an Italian restaurant wasn't inviting. I grew up around Italian families, culture, and plenty of restaurants and delis. And the idea is that if we're dining together, or we're talking food, we're family. The folks working at Maria's get that, whether they are Italian or not.

Sure, Maria's is a chain. And what does that mean? That they run their operation well, granting an opportunity to open multiple restaurants. I'm not a chain guy, I hate having a Starbucks every two blocks, but if a place like Maria's is bringing enough good stuff to have nearly 10 locations, then good for them. The food is solid, they cover the plant-based crowd and everyone else. They represent the Italian experience, and they do it with a smile, every damn time....

Wow! Sunday March 24, 2024 4pm. It’s been awhile since I have had to deal with such a Nasty girl in public but at Maria’s in Pasadena I had to be insulted and disrespected by a girl named Denise. I ordered a small order to go and asked for a piece of bread or 2 to come with my order and she said No. You can get 4 pieces for $1.00 and you can pay $1.00. I am not going to get in trouble or lose my job over you for free bread. Ok I said. Yikes what a bad attitude. I’ve gotten a piece or 2 before from nicer people than you I guess. Yikes, This made her very mad. I was basically trying to have her loosen up and not be so nasty. And I know other employees do not like her too. I handed her my credit card and she refused to hand it back. I said can you hand me my credit card like I handed it to you out of respect and she said No. You already said I wasn’t nice so you will say I handed it to you and cause an issue about that too. Huh? WOW! What a mouth Denise has. So, let’s stand at the counter and she can & will continue to insult me until I get my order. I’m almost 70 so Denise working in the public, able to lash out at customers is shocking. I looked inside the bag for plastic silverware and of course none and no napkin. So I asked the young man for it and Denise said, you have to ask for it. It’s against the law for me to give it to you without you asking. Hmmm, not one other restaurant has ever told me that in the last few years. Not one. Only Maria’s Italian restaurant in Pasadena. Was her meanness and disrespect necessary? I don’t think so. Obviously she hates her job and needed to lash out. She showed me. Denise showed me with a smirk on her face that she can say whatever she wants and there are no consequences. She showed me that I contribute to her paycheck no matter her actions. She showed me…..she thinks. Beware people, you’ve been warned. The young tall man at the counter...

Quick disclaimer—this restaurant seemed to be incredibly under staffed with only 3 wait staff for the entire restaurant. For this reason, I will refrain from reviewing their customer service. I will say that the wait staff were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable. Now…about the food—we had calamari and garlic knots for the appetizer. While the calamari flavor was ok, they were severely undercooked and therefore chewy. The garlic knots were ok. My daughter loved them. I did appreciate the presence of real garlic and the bread did taste as though it had just been baked. Now onto the entrees. I hate to say this, but I honestly had the worst meatball sandwich I’ve ever had. There was very little to no flavor, and the flavor that did exist was not very palatable. Too much cheese, flavorless sauce, and bland meatballs. I’ve honestly had better meatball subs at subway…😬👀 My husband had the vegetarian pizza. I tried it and it wasn’t bad. It was actually ok—about a 6 out of 10. The crust was just way too thin for the ingredients and please keep in mind, we didn’t add anything. These are the ingredients that come with. I also would highly recommend against using salad tomatoes to top a vegetarian pizza, and perhaps, instead, more thinly sliced tomatoes. The flavor wasn’t bad though. Prepare to eat it with a knife and fork. My kids had the pepperoni and basil pizza and they loved it. They gave it an 8 out of 10. For this reason, as well as the fact that the wait staff were super nice when they were able to come to the table—I’m giving this restaurant a 2 star instead of 1. I was dissatisfied enough to not visit this restaurant again in...