Mangia Bistro — Restaurant in Plano

This was our fourth time going to this restaurant. I joined their vip list after our second visit and I remember this being one of my favorite Italian restaurants for many reasons. Food, service and staff were all reasons for our fondness of Mangia and past experiences have been wonderful. That’s where the good times ended, in the past. I celebrated my 53rd birthday this past weekend and Mangia was the last stop on my weekend staycation and it was the most disappointing. My wife treated me to brunch, a winery visit and dinner in McKinney Texas on Friday. We went to brunch on Saturday and visited Mangia for dinner and it was by far the worst of the entire weekend birthday celebration. Our server was pleasant and very gracious as I’ll demonstrate later. I ordered a salad and my wife and our guest ordered stuffed/ some type meatballs for our appetizers. Never notified that my dinner choice included a salad which was placed but not requested until our dinner guest arrived. All food was received and appeared satisfactory at that time. We all asked for doggy bags because we didn’t finish all of our meals. Now we ordered and paid for our meals and I also ordered some of the very delicious oil that they provide for dipping as a side with the bread. Remember I chose this restaurant to celebrate my birthday and I’ve never asked for something I’m not willing to purchase however I’m accustomed to a restaurant offering the birthday person some but the server stated that “management doesn’t give anything free” which I replied “no worries” and we finished our drinks and packaged our leftovers. During this time the sweet young lady approached the table and asked what type of dessert I wanted because she felt bad about the issue and said she wanted to get me something from her heart. How sweet? Of course I didn’t allow her to do that but I thanked her for offering. We eventually left for our hotel room and later that evening and actually over in the wee hours or the morning my wife became sick. She eventually was able to get rid of the sickness and get some sleep. The morning came and she had a conversation with our guest from my birthday dinner and found that she also became sick after dinner as well and I’m thankful that I didn’t. Very long story short, I’ve patronized this restaurant several times and even chose to visit for my birthday celebration and realized that they didn’t care about my choice to pick their restaurant, the food was not up to par and the management didn’t do anything to make this something special for me. We won’t be back but I wish a special blessing for the young lady, our server who seemed to be the only person there who cared as...

I come from a NY Italian family so my expectations for Italian food are high. I wish it were possible to give 3.5 stars. Favorites include Miss Pasta, Mio Nonno, Numero 28, Roman Cuccina, Pizzaria Testa, Taverna and a couple others. We visited Mangia on a Saturday evening for a quiet birthday dinner. It was the first time so we made reservations via their website. Never received a confirmation email or text but when we arrived, it was obvious that a reservation was not needed. Very few tables were filled and many of the diners appeared to be retirees. Service was good. The server seemed inexperienced but he was attentive and got the job done - nice young man. Ordered Mozzarella sticks: the consensus was that they were probably a frozen product but not as good as supermarket quality, breading was very bland and the sauce was average. Meatball appetizer was good, no complaints on the red sauce. Biggest disappointment was the Caesar salads. Each of us ordered as part on the entrees. The lettuce was fresh but the dressing was HORRIBLE. Very thin/watery and did not taste like true Caesar dressing. I ate half, the other two were sampled and rejected. The entrees were good but not amazing (Tartufo, Fettuccini Alfredo w/chicken & Chicken Saltimbocca). Flavor, portion size and sodium level were perfect, each of us left with some extra food. Pasta was slightly overcooked but did not bother us at all. We ordered dessert to finish the night (Lemon cake, cheese cake & creme brulee). No complaints again and we ate as much as possible. Atmosphere was average, it didn't feel like an Italian restaurant. Prices were very good considering how much inflation has impacted most restaurants. Overall, a good but not great experience. I don't believe this place will make the list of our favorites but may try again in the future. Must fix that...

I had recently been recovering with severe depression, which had lead to an unfortunate illness, the doctors gave me at most 5 years to live as long as I took my prescribed medication. I couldn’t remember the last time I had been happy, until yesterday. I invited my family to enjoy what I thought to be a seemingly regular birthday. But when I arrived at Mangia’s, I couldn’t help but admire the cozy, yet uplifting atmosphere, warm fresh delights lingering through my nose. I walk in to the restaurant, as the owner was greeting me with a kind welcoming smile, as I get seated with my Mother and brothers, I am later surprised by my father and aunt's, who I hadn’t seen in a while. The menu was easy to navigate, along with vast food options from chicken-pasta plates to seafood and pizza. I was very satisfied with my day by this point. Me and my family then ordered and waited, talked what felt like a few minutes came our food by this very kind gentleman, who I believe went by Giann. Me and my brothers had ordered the Chicken Parmesan, which came with a plentiful amount of pasta along with an appetizing delicious side of chicken. As I took a bite into the meal, l had felt a deep warmth thawing at my heart along with a smile to my face. This was THE BEST birthday I had since I was a kid, along with a deeper connection with my family as we got to communicate in peace. Earlier today, the doctor’s said I was in far better shape and will make a full recovery. Thank you, for this wonderful food, service along with...