East Side Mario's Calgary
• 500, 16061 Macleod Trail S | Calgary, AB | T2Y 3S5
Average User Rating:
7.58/10
7.58/10
Recommended by:
80%
80%
Sort Reviews by:
"Family Restaurant"
Jenny
January 2012 — "My boyfriend and I decided to have dinner at East Side Marios before going to a movie at Sunridge one evening. I had not been to East Side Marios in about fifteen years, so thought it would be nice to try again. It is a very busy spot, particularly on a weekend as a lot of people probably go there before seeing a movie. We were told it would be about ten minutes before we would be seated so we decided to go sit at the bar and have a beer while we waited. The wait was more than ten minutes, which always irks me, and I was also annoyed that while we were in the middle of our beers they couldn't put them on our table tab. We had to pay for the beers at the bar before we could be seated in the restaurant. The menu is huge, and in my opinion has too many offerings. I was a little overwhelmed but found the dish I used to order fifteen years ago - chicken linguini tetrazini. I ordered that, and it was exactly as I remembered it. The portions were also as I remembered: too large. I took what I couldn't finish to go. Overall the food was good and the service was acceptable, but it's not somewhere I would go back to for a date night. It's a great place for families, but when you have that many kids in a restaurant it tends to be quite noisy and I'd rather go somewhere a little quieter. "
User Rating
6.50/10
6.50/10
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"Filling and delicious"
Henry
July 2011 — "East Side Marios is a chain of Canadian owned restaurants with plenty of locations to choose from in Calgary. One of their more busy locations is the site located at Chinook Centre Mall. Lots of comparisons can be made to Boston Pizza. East Side Marios restaurants are uniquely decorated to resemble a street restaurant in New York although it doesn't have much of an affiliation to the United States which kind of reminds me of Boston Pizza which is based in Edmonton. The selection of food is rather similar to Boston Pizza as well although I do prefer East Side Marios in terms of quality. Most of menu items are under $20 and there is the usual selection sandwiches, pizza, pasta, and even steaks if you are feeling extra hungry. The service is usually quick and friendly even when it is busy and everyone loves the endless salads and breadsticks which comes with certain entrees. Quality food for a decent price."
User Rating
7.33/10
7.33/10
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"Hearty Family Restaurant"
Tanya
January 2011 — "My friends and I went to East Side Marios in the North East. There is lots of parking and it is easy to find. It is more of a family restaurant than a trendy place to hang out, but if you are looking for a typical Italian restaurant to satisfy a big appetite, this is a great reliable place. There is lots of seating and the décor has somewhat of an Italian touch. The service was really good and the waiter kept coming back to check on us. When you order an entree you also get all you can eat bread and your choice of all you can eat soup or salad. This filled most of us before we even received our entrées (which were also in very hefty portions)! I would return to this restaurant again, especially if I was really hungry and craving carbohydrates, but I don’t recommend it for a trendy night out with friends or a first date! "
User Rating
8.17/10
8.17/10
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"Delicious!"
Denny
October 2009 — "The Sunridge East Side Mario's is fairly close to our house, so when out and about on a Friday night, I suggested that we dine there. It was very busy for 5pm, but we were seated quickly in a nice intimate back room with just 6 or 7 tables. I was craving the whole unlimited salad and bread deal, so I decided to order the Zesty Sicilian with the added on unlimited soup and bread. The Zesty Sicilian was really spicy, but it tasted pretty good. It had Italian sausage, Capicolla hap, black olives and cheese on it. I ordered a Fresca to accompany my meal and it was very refreshing. My wife had the Hell's Kitchen Chicken, which I got to eat a bit of and it was very spicy, but surprisingly tasty. It was served with assorted steamed vegetables and some spaghetti with herbs and olive on it. The server was very attentive and our food came quickly. In fact, I believe we were in and out in less than an hour."
User Rating
8.17/10
8.17/10
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"Feels like little Italy"
Jeffrey
September 2009 — "Went to East Side Marios up by Sunridge Mall last night and had a great time. There was no wait needed for a table which was surprising for the long weekend. I love the ambience at these restaurants, feels like you're in little Italy in New York. I especially like their Statue of Liberty holding up a tomato torch, that is a nice touch.
If you're hungry, you have to come here because you get great value if you order an entree. I ordered the Marios Classic Lasgna and with any entree you get free bread and your choice of soup or salad (all you can eat!). I always go for the Italian Wedding Soup, it is probably my favourite soup and they always know how to make it right at East Side Marios.
You either have to be careful not to eat too much bread or soup/salad, otherwise you might be left packing your entree to take home with you. After a couple rounds of bread and three bowls of Italian Wedding Soup, I was ready to try out the main dish. The lasgna was good. Lots of meat and cheese and done just the way I like it. Next time I will have to leave room for some of their delicious looking desserts!
I'd recommend this place if you're hungry because you get a lot of food. A definite must try for any fan of Italian food. The lasgna was good, but if you want something more unique, try their Linguine Chicken Tettrazini. I usually get that dish and it is fantastic!"
User Rating
8.50/10
8.50/10
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"East Side Mario's- Chinook Location"
Melissa
September 2009 — "The Chinook East Side Mario’s location is at the front of Chinook Mall. The evening we decided to go to this location, their computer system was completely down. It was quite interesting watching the servers who normally enter everything in the computer, write down orders by hand.
We were seated at our table, and were right beside a large glass banquet room. This room was full of staff, calculating bills for the servers. It was an entertaining view for the evening. Then our server arrived…
I really think he meant well, and was trying really hard, but every time he came over to our table I cringed. He would linger at our table too long, and try to make small talk every time he came over. At one point he started to chat about the movies he had recently seen! We really just wanted to relax and have a quite dinner, but he just wouldn’t leave us alone.
Our favorite thing about East Side Mario’s is the unlimited soup or salad. We always go for the Italian Wedding soup, which has a clear broth with spinach, small pasta, and meatballs. We were annoyed that our server did not ask us if we wanted a second serving, nor did he ever ask us if we wanted more bread.
Our meals arrived extremely quickly. I ordered the Linguine Chicken Tettrazini, a pasta with mushrooms, chicken, tomatos, and alfredo sauce. The food was good and consistent to the East Side Mario’s chain. It arrived at our table hot and we were both pleased with our food.
An average evening out. The food was good, but the service was not. I don’t think this is reflective of this location however, and would probably go again. Just hopefully in a different section!
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User Rating
7/10
7/10
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"Good Pizza"Zoey
September 2008 — "I went to the East Side Mario's at Chinook Mall and was impressed with the food. I ordered a small Hawaiian pizza. It had plenty of toppings on it and the crust tasted fresh. I went with a group of friends and overall we were disappointed with the service. It took us a long time to order and for the bill to be delivered. However, the food was good, so it worked out okay in the end."
User Rating
7.33/10
7.33/10
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"Great food and service"mandy
September 2007 — "I went to the East Side Marios in NE Calgary last night....WOW great food and friendly service. The spicy Calamari was a huge hit with everyone at our table. We will be back."
User Rating
9.33/10
9.33/10
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"Poor Quality"
JIM
July 2007 — "Was at East Side Mario's Saturday July 21/07. Ordered Veal Parm. Half way through my plate, I noticed more red than pink, and that the veal was too too chewy, to be properly cooked. Passed info onto Cassie, ( She was great ), and asked if i wanted to see a manager. I said no. She thanked me, and said that i wasn't the first person to complain about the VEAL. "
User Rating
6.50/10
6.50/10
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"If You Keep Going Back, You're Bound to Find Something You Enjoy!"Susan
June 2007 — "East Side Mario's is one of those places that we go when we have a group of people that can't decide what they want to eat, or when we just can't think of anywhere better to go. At least two of the restaurants in Calgary are located near movie theatres, so we usually eat here when going to a show.
I've never been overly impressed by the pasta at East Side Mario's, nor the service. It's just a run-of-the-mill Italian-style restaurant that pleases people because it tastes the same no matter where you go. I've had steak that was blue rare, pasta that was bland and calzones that were disgusting, but this past trip to the Sunridge location was probably the best experience I've ever had at any East Side Mario's location.
We were in a rush so just ordered the stuffed mushroom caps to start (which were very delicious) and then split a chicken goat cheese pizza. Both were very tasty and I was thoroughly impressed. Since I've never been a fan of their other dishes, I chose dishes that I had not yet had, and it was a good decision. I might just ENJOY going back to East Side Mario's in the future."
User Rating
7/10
7/10
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DescriptionOpen daily, East Side Mario's serves American-Italian dishes in a market atmosphere. Salads, pastas, pizzas, sandwiches, and a special express lunch menu are available. East Side Mario's also offers both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Location Information500, 16061 Macleod Trail S
Calgary
AB
T2Y 3S5
