Princi Italia - Plano — Restaurant in Plano

[update Dec2019] Sadly, I am withdrawing a star from my rating.

My schedule hasn't allowed me to visit often over the last months. The last time I ate at Princi Italia, the signature dish that had enticed me originally, the chicken piccata, was not up to standard. When I mentioned this, I was advised the chef had erred on the recipe and my meal was comped.

More recently, I found that experience unfortunately seems to BE the new standard for that dish. The chicken itself is simply not as savory and firm as it had been. The heirloom tomatoes have been replaced with bland chunks of more common tomato. The tartness is not as distinct. What had impressed me as the best piccata is now very ordinary.

There are other dishes on the menu I really like, the Orrechietti is one, and I will next time try one of those to compare where the menu might now be. In the meantime, my previously unqualified recommendation has been lowered a bit.

[original 2016] When the Plano location opened very close to my residence, I was looking to add an Italian restaurant to my circle of favorites and this one has met the need. The Chicken Piccata that was my first option was a delight, much better than expected and, after repeated orders, a consistent highlight. It includes broccolini, which was my first exposure to this now favored vegetable. The "fingerling" potatoes are also superb; my 10-yr-old granddaughter always asks for extras (but also opts out of the broccolini). The Orecchiette is also very tasty and the portion size is ideal for me - it might seem small to some accustomed to oversized U.S. offerings. The housemade sausage has nice spice. A tart lemonade is a hit with all of us. The wine list is quite good but starts a bit higher than I'd expected for some of the options. I have found a number of quite good surprises in the $9-10/glass reds and the list is consistently updated. The staff have been more exceptionally welcoming and have indulged my grandkids when I brought them with me. (The fettuccine alfredo they provided my grandson was off-menu and very, very good. He wound up with sauce-face from getting too eager in his eating.) I try to visit once a week which for me is a hearty...

The WORST dining experience I HAVE EVER HAD! EVER! DO NOT SPEND A DIME AT THIS PATHETIC EXCUSE OF A RESTAURAUNT. I am absolutely SICKENED and DISGUSTED at the experience that my family and I experienced at this location yesterday. The most heinous, rude, unprofessional servers that would barely make eye contact with us, and left us sitting alone, with no drinks for OVER 15 minutes. They did not even EVER ask us what we wanted to drink. It was BIZZARE. The waitstaff seemed to fight over who would have to take our table. I wonder why. Absolutely disgusting and despicable service. And the FOOD? The pizza was inedible. It was disgusting. They brought us pizza, unsalted and tasted RANCID. Yes. They served us RANCID pizza. Not only that, they took the pizza off the bill with NO apology. No nothing. Not to mention, they NEVER took our drink order so we were to wash down the vile pizza with luke warm water. The server, a burly, heinous man who again, like his counterparts, seemed to avoid eye contact and couldn't even fake a smile. He was palpably annoyed at having to serve us. The racism, the shifty eye contact, the disgusting food, the unfriendly staff, the sketchy manager who kept watching us...I am sickened by this entire dining "experience." If you are not a Caucasian person there to drink wine and eat VILE pizza that tasted as if it was rancid and also dowsed in gasoline...then this place is not for you. Coming up is a pathetic "apologetic" response from the owner who will ask me to email him/her for a giftcard or to apologize. No thank you. Yesterday was a HOLIDAY, and this hideous experience tainted it. Thanks for nothing. Hideous, heinous, disgusting, bizarre and offensive wait staff with repulsive food. Avoid at all costs. Go anywhere else. Even the staff at a fast food restaurant smile and ask you what you'd...

First time in a long time I straight up walked out without even ordering. We made reservations and arrived exactly on time at 6:45pm. We had to wait a little bit while they got our table ready. No problem, that's fine.

We were seated at a decent table close to some foot traffic and the kitchen. A server came by to pour us some water but said nothing to us and left quickly.

And then we sat and waited... For at least 10 minutes while no one came to ask how we were, explain the menu or specials, or anything.

By the time our server arrived (the same guy who poured our waters), he was in an extreme rush and simply asked if we were ready to order. When I asked if he could introduce the menu or suggest something, he simply pointed at the restaurant week menu and left. Obviously we didn't deserve his time and attention, despite having waited there patiently for him to ignore us for 10 minutes to begin with. By this point, both of us were feeling very unhappy with what was supposed to be an otherwise enjoyable dining experience. Rather than spend $$$ on a meal we were already unhappy with, we just got up and left. Like I said earlier, I haven't had such a terrible customer service experience to begin with in years.

And I don't make this review lightly, I have been to this restaurant several times and do enjoy their food. However, for restaurant that wants to advertise itself as a premium experience, the service was anything but and unfortunately I will not be coming here again.

PS, I let the manager know and he indicated our server was one of his long time servers. Which begs the question if that is one of the better servers there, I don't want to know what the experience is like with others.

My suggestion to there is find another place that bette appreciates and values you...