Best chain ITALIAN food

[pstokely]

[Nicole]

1. Olive garden

:hide:

[Tektonik]

2. Pizza Hut

:P

[LostinVA]

3. Maggiano's -- Best chain Italian food hands down

It really does taste like real Italian food. Ask Midlo.

[Frank Cannon]

5. Macaroni Grill is another Brinker Italian food chain...

that I happen to like as well.

[Redstone]

7. Never heard of them. Do they have any locations in the Northeast?

Redstone

[LostinVA]

21. Not sure -- here's their website

www.maggianos.com

Haruka and I had a wickedly fun lunch there with Midlo last month.

[dropkickpa]

34. Their spinach salad is to die for

basalmic vinegar, pancetta, yum! My cousin had the post baptism dinner thingy for her youngest there, I was really pleasantly surprised!

[Burma Jones]

43. Maggiano's is the best Chain I've been to lately....but.....

There used to be a small chain (5 locations) in the DC area owned by Roberto Donna called Il Radicchio...THAT was, and by a wide margin, the best chain Italian food I ever ate.....There seems to be just one left, in Arlington, VA.

[hippywife]

4. Carrabba's...

hands down! This coming from an Italian who has real difficulty eating in Italian restaurants.

[Blue-Jay]

16. I had Carrabbas once.

My doctor gave me a comb and some ointment and that took care of it.

[LostinVA]

22. Not bad, although I do think Maggiano's is way better

[Gormy Cuss]

6. Il Fornaio

http://www.ilfornaio.com/

[AlCzervik]

12. agreed, the one in Sacramento is wonderful and beautiful.

[Gormy Cuss]

15. If you haven't done so, try one of the regional menus.

The monthly specials highlighting one region are really interesting and unusual dishes.

[Fenris]

18. Definitely.

[bullwinkle428]

8. When it comes to chain Italian, Biaggi's rules over all!

http://www.biaggis.com/index.html

[BarenakedLady]

26. I love Biaggi's!

One was recently built outside our local mall. Very yummy.

:thumbsup:

[bullwinkle428]

37. I think you mentioned once that you live in the Rochester area?

I was really surprised to see a franchise located there, since they started in the upper Midwest, and that's where the lion's share of the restaurants are located. They're always busy as hell, but then again, I still see people standing outside of Olive Garden waiting for tables during peak dining hours... :scared:

Just as an aside, I grew up in the Buffalo/Niagara Falls area... :hi:

[BarenakedLady]

41. Yup!

It's in Victor (Eastview Mall). And on the weekends, you definately need reservations if you don't want to wait 2 hours for a table. Thank goodness for take out! :)

[devilgrrl]

9. Buca di Beppo

http://www.bucadibeppo.com/

[realisticphish]

14. hells yes

[HughBeaumont]

24. Thirded.

I'm proud to say I've been to two Buca Di Beppo restaurants in two different cities (Westlake and D.C.)! I still go regularly despite the price. Awesome stuff.

[dropkickpa]

35. I wasn't terribly impressed with them

although I do appreciate the family style dining.

[Critters2]

42. They have great eggplant parmesan.

Of course, you have to take a bunch of people with you, but good food.

[LostInAnomie]

10. Taco Bell

Tacos are Italian... right? :dunce:

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

28. This is why we're putting up a fence on our border

And then we're throwing you over to the other side. :D

[BluePatriot]

11. Zio's is decent

Yeah, this is "fusion," BUT, I'm challenged to find a big 'ol plate of olive oil-herbs-tomatoes-chicken-pasta with Kalamata olives at any other chain for $7.99. The amount of olives they will dump on it sometimes is worth the dish...mmm...kalamata olives...

http://www.zios.com/

Greek Pasta
Sliced chicken breast and garlic sautéed in olive oil with Kalamata olives, green onions, red pepper flakes and oregano. Tossed with penne diced Roma tomatoes and feta cheese.

[Frank Cannon]

25. Zio's is terrific

They would be my favorite chain, although I like Macaroni Grill a lot too.

[mentalsolstice]

13. Macaroni Grill or Carraba's

in a dead heat. I our case they're about 2 miles apart, so it's easy to check out the waiting times. However, nothing beats the local mom 'n pops!

[jgraz]

17. Frankie, Johnnie & Luigi's

Technically a chain with four locations in the Bay Area. Great menu, decent service and the best damn tiramisu I've ever had.

[Dastard Stepchild]

19. CPK Tomato Basil Spaghettini....

:thumbsup:

[fortyfeetunder]

20. There is actually a best chain?

I have difficulty believing that...

[LostinVA]

23. Maggiano's tastes like REAL FOOD

I was shocked when I found out it was a chain. I'm from NJ originally and half Sicilian, so I'm picky. Haruka also couldn't believe it was a chain after we ate there. TRES good.

[JoDog]

27. Barnelli's

or Leona's. Both small chains in the Chicago area.

[TommyO]

29. Maggiano's Little Italy

I've only eaten at the one in Bridgewater, NJ, but each time the food has been exceptionally good (the lobster ravioli was over the top), as was the service.

Going down the list:

Buca di Beppo!!!!! Go with a crowd, or just get the lemon chicken to go and eat it by yourself for a week. This one is about twenty minutes from my house, the rest of my family visits and we go there.
Romano's Macaroni Grill - unfortunately none near me right now.
Carrabbas, good food and very accessible (there's one just a few miles from my house).

[LostinVA]

33. Exactly what I said up thread!

And, Haruka got the lobster ravioli and said it was as good as any she gets in Connecticut -- including handmade ones filled with lobster right off the boat.

[TommyO]

40. We knew the lobster ravioli was good

I didn't realize it was that good!!!

I think Maggiano's is the winner here, though next time I'm not volunteering to pay (ouch!)

[LostinVA]

45. You can get half portions of everything now

So, it's a bit cheaper.

[Little Wing]

30. Isn't that an oxymoron?

Chain and 'good' ?

[datasuspect]

31. sbarro

i hate to say. in some markets, it is actually halfway decent for mall shit.

[SmokingJacket]

32. I didn't know there were so many.

I've never been to one, as far as I know.

[bbernardini]

36. ZOMG! U R ALL TRADERS TO TEH LIBEREL PARTY!!! nt

[Phentex]

44. LMAO!

:7

[NoGOPZone]

38. "Best" and "chain Italian food"? No there's an oxymoron. nt

[MissMillie]

39. My preference wouldn't be a chain but if I had to choose a chain

I'd say Bertucci's

[MAGICBULLET]

46. Bertucci's