The Old Spaghetti Factory — Restaurant in Phoenix

1/08/2022- Just noticed this says 6 months ago that my review was done. This is why I try to put dates of my reviews And if I update I put a note stating so with new date above old mention.

Google is lying about times of review which is not accurate. I noticed it says 6 months ago on other reviews when for some it has been years since I have been. Google need to correct this. It is wrong.

I've been in Phoenix for over a year, and practically passed this place everyday, even taking pictures of the outside, but I never stopped in to check it out. However, today (November 30th , 2017)on a two hour break from work I decided last minute to give it a try.

Upon walking past those double doors, I was IMMEDIATELY intrigued by the views that my eyes beheld when I walked in. These optological creatures lodged in my socket did not expect this one bit!😯 The two young ladies greeted me rather quickly and I was seated right away. I was intrigued to the utmost as she walked me to the table. Upon the greeting by my waitress, who was naturally friendly and smiling the entire time, I asked if I could take pictures as I awaited my order and was told "Definitely! Visitors do it all the time!" I'm sure I was up and clicking away before she finished those words for I was too excited!

The place has a antique, unique, museumly ( I make my own words on😊) and welcoming feel to it. The memorabilia in this amazing place consists of photos and objects of all sizes and different time of the 20th century!😱 To add to my visually stimulating moment, were the Christmas decorations all over...the parts I saw. * There was still more that I did not get to see since I had to go back to work.* But man what a lovely surprise.

I ordered the special soup called something like a Manteninga soup. I'm almost sure I said it wrong but it was something with rice, apply, and curry and 🐔 chicken. I was open for trying anything since it was my first time and I was not disappointed. This soup was served with a load of freshly baked bread and what tasted like homemade butter (deeeelish) and I had ordered my first Italian soda cream. I enjoyed every slice and bite of that 🍞 bread and promised to get one to go. I waited about 10 minutes for the rest of the meal which I like so I would not be too full.

The beautiful plate of my first ever, spaghetti squash meal with one meatball ( on the side per my request). I've seen about the trend of this healthy meal on Facebook but I did not imagine it to taste so wonderful. I ate and savored every single taste that tickled the fancies of my taste buds!

I was getting full so I am very careful not to drink much fluid ( buffet learnt tricks!!!), But surprisingly I was satisfied but not feeling like I'd pass out from too much food. Tomy surprise she came back and said I have one more surprise for you, ( I secretly thought it was my receipt since I paid no attention to the price when I ordered😄). Instead she says we have one scoop of ice cream 🍨 for dessert. What a pleasant treat when one does not expect it! She gave me a choice if four kinds and I chose spumoni, but I did not try it for I surprised my coworker with it and the look on her face told me all I needed to know. The ice cream was wonderful!

What a treat! What a wonderful place to dine. And upon bringing my bill, what an affordable price indeed!!!! What a pleasant and wonderful hostess. I wish I got her name! She is simply amazing! And to add sprinkles on top of the ice cream on top of the cake, she said, "guest gets a souvenir glass!" Wowowowowowowwowo.

I give The Old Spaghetti five stars for their friendliness, speed, quickness, service, food and historical and artistical venue. Everyone who comes to Phoenix must come here! It is right on the light rail at the McDowell stop and parking is free!!!...

If I could give one star I would and simply for the fact that our server (Thomas) was so rude and inappropriate. We come to this location multiple times a year. We have always gone to TOSF as we’re from WA State and the one they had in Seattle was so pretty. However, today, the service at the downtown Phoenix location was so horrible. It was my sisters 30th birthday and we had a party of 13, three kids, ten adults. Which is definitely a lot for one person to serve - totally understandable. However, the few of us on the end heard Thomas checking and cashing his other tables out and loudly and rudely commenting on the tips they were leaving. Additionally, I asked for the adult Mac and cheese and he explained ditalini pasta to me like I was two. When it was time to check out and we let him know we were splitting the check based on who everyone was with he loudly commented “well there goes my big tip” and he was upset that we had to split the check. Which I get could be confusing, but it’s lowkey his job. Also, when we were leaving the table, he started grabbing the tip tins, like before anyone even left, there were still people sat, and he started counting the tips and goes “just making sure you guys enjoyed the night, since judging by the tips I have been left it seems like you haven’t” and I wish could say it was all sarcastic and he was trying to be funny, but he wasn’t because he slammed the tins down on the table right after. So I asked his name and he lied and told me it is Jason… no one in my family is one to complain about this stuff, and the checks were split and every single person left 10$. That’s around 50$ I under that waiters and waitresses are not paid the greatest and they do rely on tips, but 50$ in an hour and a half is more than any of us make in that time and he was so rude. But anyways, like I said we don’t usually complain however we told his manager and it didn’t really seem like his manager cared tbh. So that’s why I'm taking to here in hopes that somebody sees it and talks to him about customer service. It’d be one thing if we were super needy guests but we weren’t, we asked for bread one more time and I think one person got a refill on their drink… he really only served us the drinks, salad, dinner, and dessert. So… like he really didn’t do anything above and beyond, the only difficult thing was that we were a large group. I’m not saying being a server is by any means easy, but it is a customer facing job and I agree, the customer is not always right, but for this instance, someone needs to send him to a training or something . Like he was so rude and if he was my server and it was my first experience here… it would be my only because I would not ever come back. And he even messed up how we split checks and then said if it’s wrong he’s sure we have Venmo and can send the other person money anyways. And then made a comment about how at his old job would have given him 30% gratuity. Please either train this guy better or make him do a different job here that is not...

I have been going to this restaurant since it opened in the 70's. Most of the time it has been a good experience. I take my son there for his birthday every year. Even though you removed our favorite dinner off the menu quite a while ago, (manicotti), we still go a few times a year and especially on his birthday. This time, on the 25th of May, it was disappointing. Our server seemed nervous almost scared to serve us. He spoke very quietly, I had to ask what he was saying every time. He only stopped by once to ask if we needed to go boxes. I was still eating. The manager removed our salad dishes. The server never offered a refill of our drinks, I had to ask for to go drinks. And sadly, when I mentioned it was my son's birthday, he barely said happy birthday and walked away. A few minutes later the table down from us had a birthday and the servers got together and sang happy birthday to them. That wasn't very nice! I guess some matter and some don't! Last, my son ordered the crab, lobster ravioli with pesto sause $23.00 and it was absolutely the most pathetic ravioli I have ever seen. They were almost completely flat and I think there were five of them. Which wouldn't fill a child. Everything, including the spinach artichoke dip was saturated with parmesan! That is all I could taste in that dip, and I don't care for parmesan. My fettuccine was saturated with parmesan with little cream sause as well. It seems like business is down and we pay the price with higher prices and small portions. I used to love to go there! The atmosphere is still great. Our server not great and the meal was disappointing to say the least. At the end f our dinner, the server came up to me and asked if I could sign the check and give it to him because it was his break. THAT IS TACKY, RUDE AND UNEXCEPTABLE! That cost him a smaller tip. YOU'LL GET YOUR MONEY, DON'T RUSH BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING ON BREAK! This didn't make a good experience for my son's birthday. Previous birthdays the servers have always been thoughtful regarding his birthday, but this waiter came up finally at the end and asked if we wanted our ice cream. It's part of our meal, bud! I might have to break our tradition and find a new place to go, especially when it is a special day. SAD! IT'S BEEN A COUPLE WEEKS AND I SEE NO ONE FROM MANAGEMENT HAD ANY RESPONSE TO MY REVIEW OBVIOUSLY YOU DON'T GIVE A DAMN! VERY SAD! REALLY SAD BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN GOING TO YOUR RESTAURANT SINCE IT OPENED! MOST LIKELY BEFORE ANY OF MGMT WAS BORN! AGAIN SAD TO NOT EVEN...