Budda boom budda bing! East Side Mario's is known for great value, but what keeps people coming back is the quality of the food. And let's not forget the fun. So come on in, bring the family, sit down and get ready for the good time that comes with a great meal.
Visited this place twice last year in 2009. 4 months apart.
Only thing I can say is, after they serve the food and drink. Server just comes back when they see your plate is empty. But they gave you a smile when you walk out.
We stopped coming back because the service was never changed on the second visit.
I don't know how anyone can give ESM a rating on...
I don't know how anyone can give ESM a rating on their food above average and mostly, it is poor. I went there (for the last time) last night . Knowing the cheap portion sizes, I asked the waitress to tell the cook to "not go cheap on the spaghetti" ( I ordered Spaghetti and Bolognese sauce). When the meal arrived, my plate contained a very chintzy portion of (cold)spaghetti noodles and a miniscule amount of sauce. I sent it back asking for more sauce, which was still barely enough. I mean c'mon, spaghetti and meat sauce for $11.00, and that's what you get? Never again..
I'm not a HUGE fan of Italian food, however I absolutely LOVE the atmosphere at this place. The entree was ok... nothing spectacular but the bread and caesar salad make up for that!!!
Our server was...doing her job; however it must have been close to the end of her shift because toward the end, we got the feeling she was rushing us out a bit (ie. didn't offer dessert/coffee just sort of cleared the plates and brought us our bill in a prompt manner).
Overall a pleasant experience. The kids loved it, and we had a great time. Will definitely be going back.
Previously there had been enticing entrees that, while not cheap, were enjoyable and good value for the meal provided. The new menu's narrowed on Pasta and Pizza have retained some favourites, but popular items such as Goat Cheese Chicken have been removed. It seems that ESM is moving towards a more corporate driven menu.
Small touches like the garden salad have been reduced to mostly iceburg lettuce and very little else. This is disappointing. Not to be trite, but this has all the hallmarks of an MBA think tank finding the way to reduce costs while not caring a whit for the customer experience or satisfaction. The new "captivate tv" which broadcasts ads for local muffler shops, etc. to the dining room goes a long way to lowering the dining experience. There is no justification for its intrusiveness and any attempts to rationalize this could only reasonably be met with incredulity. I defy you to find one patron who would say that they like being advertised to during their meal.
I am not trying to be argumentative or overly negative. In fact, I am saddened to see what has become of a restaurant my family greatly enjoyed. The changes that have been made are disappointing and give me very little reason to visit again.
