The Italiano — Restaurant in Scottsdale

If you haven't been to The Italiano, you're missing out on one of the most incredible dining experiences Scottsdale has to offer. Chef Joey Maggiore has outdone himself by blending his creative genius with his deep Italian roots, and the result is nothing short of spectacular.

We began with the Caesar salads, and the presentation was stunning. Crisp romaine leaves were elegantly arranged upright, encased by a long crostini that wrapped around them. It was beautiful, and breaking off pieces of the crostini as you ate the salad was delicious.

For our entrées, we each had a standout dish. The Rigatoni Fra Diavolo was absolute perfection. The sauce struck a flawless balance between rich creaminess, Chef Joey's homemade red sauce, and just the right amount of spice. The house-made rigatoni was very special in that it was half the length of regular which we thought was brilliant, because it allowed for maximum sauce coverage. Every bite tasted indulgent and heavenly.

The Pasta Bolognese, topped with two of Nonna's Meatballs, was literally amazing. My brother, who's traveled the world and is part Italian, declared it "the best bolognese I've ever had in the world." The meatballs were more than what you'd imagine from even an Italian Nonna's perfected secret family recipe, and the bolognese had beef, pork and veal. Incredible!

The Veal Piccata, which my mom orders everywhere, completely astonished her. When we were driving home, she was raving about how the veal was so tender her fork cut through it like butter, and the sauce was better than any she's ever had. She often complains that there weren't enough capers, and she said that this was so delicious and perfect.

We couldn't resist dessert, and we're so glad we didn't. The Cannoli Tuiles were a creative twist on the classic, with Italian tuiles (delicately thin, crisp cookie) shells shaped like cigars filled with the sweet ricotta and chocolate chips. There are two resting in a glass "ashtray," and a server lights them table-side. I have a video clip which includes the cool verbal presentation that goes along with the lighting of them.

But the Tiramisu? That's the one you truly MUST order. Presented in a chocolate espresso cup with a chocolate garnish resembling steam, it's whimsical, but the flavors are what truly shine. Each element--the espresso, mascarpone, and chocolate--was perfectly balanced. The pieces of ladyfingers were soft, cake-like and perfectly blended with all of the textures. It's hands down the best tiramisu any of us have ever had! I have never been to the Sicilian Baker (which he owns) and now I know that I have got to go.

Chef Joey himself was visiting tables, and his warmth and charm made the night even more memorable. Our server, Gary, was phenomenal--professional, personable, and attentive from start to finish.

Generous portions, impeccable service, unforgettable food. The Italiano is a masterpiece of Italian-American cuisine, and I can't wait to go back...and...

A very subpar dining experience overall. I’ll try to explain everything so others can understand my rating. First we got there a bit early for our reservation, and went to the bar while we waiting for our table. The seating setup at the bar was very uncomfortably close, and you’re literally rubbing elbows with people next to you. For beer choices, they only had Coors light and Lagunitas, which was very weird. Cocktails and wine choices were fine so we went that route.

Once we got to the table, our server Shawn did pretty well to make recommendations, take our order, and checked in often throughout the night to refill cocktails and water. He himself gave us good service and he was trying his best which I appreciate. The issue came with the food itself and when it arrived. We ordered the octopus, burrata, carpaccio for appetizers. When they arrived, the food runner (not the server), literally threw the plates on the table. The octopus actually flew off the plate and onto the table. Instead of helping us get it back on the plate or even apologizing, he literally laughed and walked away and let us take care of it by ourselves. Talk about unprofessional. Luckily the octopus came in its own container otherwise we’d literally have to eat it off the table. This food runner is one of the top reasons this rating is so low.

The next round were the salads and that was solid. The Caesar salad was very flavorful and fresh with a unique presentation. When the entrees arrived, it unfortunately went downhill again. I got the linguine and clams, and while the sauce and clams in it were good, but the pasta itself was gummy and clumped together like it had been sitting for a while. Really disappointing to not have great pasta at an Italian restaurant especially since the menu lists it under their “Legendary Pastas” section. My wife’s Bolognese dish was unfortunately very forgettable. The pasta in the dish was not cooked properly and was very mealy in texture. I hate to say this, but it was not better than what you could get at an Olive Garden.

The timing of the kitchen was very inconsistent. There were many people who were clearly unhappy because some tables were getting their food quickly and others took forever. There were couple that came in that finished their entire meals before others just barely got their appetizers. Frustrations all around.

I understand they are a newer restaurant in town, but they certainly have many things to figure out both in terms of timing of food preparation, quality of food, and providing a high level service experience. For a meal where we spent just under $400 for four people, I would wait 6-12 months for them to get their act together before I...

My husband and I had a very fun date night experience at The Italiano. We were warmly greeted, and were immediately impressed and fascinated by the decor and paintings throughout.The space is beautiful with incredible large painted murals. It is quite bright - and maybe the blue lighting adds to that - but, it’s neat in a unique way. One possible con for some is that it is extremely loud. We loved the ambience that the live piano music gave, however with that and the sound of everyone around you makes it difficult to hear your company or feel like you’re somewhat shouting. If you’re looking for a quiet place to catch up and have good conversation, this may not be the best spot… however, if you’re looking for a vibey, energetic, fun place this is definitely that! We always prefer to sit at the bar, and The Italiano’s is gorgeous. Our bartenders, Richy and Ricky, were fantastic and made the evening unforgettable.They were super attentive, engaging, and just a lot of fun. We also have to mention the hard-working barback, Ellia. The bar team worked so well together. Onto the meal… Perfect portions and great price point/value. We love a good Barolo, and the one pictured was delicious, especially for the great price point. For an appetizer we started with the meatballs and both loved them. The pine nuts were a nice change in texture to most traditional meatballs; they were light and the flavor was amazing. Next we split the Spicy Rigatoni Alla Vodka. We were underwhelmed with this one… it was very rich and creamy, but didn’t really taste the Calabrian chili or spice at all. Tasted a little “eh”. However, the pasta itself was amazing and cooked perfectly al dente. For entrees my husband ordered the Beef Braciole and I got the Halibut. The Braciole is not my preferred style of dish, but after he convinced me to try it, I was blown away. It ended up being both of our favorite dish of the night. Haha. Cooked perfectly and very flavorful. I enjoyed the halibut fine, but it was a bit heavy, rich and overwhelming for halibut in my opinion. We don’t often get dessert, however, we decided to end with the Tiramisu, and oh my goodness, we’re glad we did. One of the best I’ve ever had! Very coffee forward. Light. Perfect portion size. Like an espresso martini in tiramisu form. Must order. There are several other items we want to try and we definitely look forward to...