We Tried 15 Italian Chain Restaurants. Here's The Best One

[Music] while americanized italian food might not be the most authentic it's also yummy that nobody's taste buds are complaining to help lead you toward the most scrumptious italian food we have ranked italian chain restaurants from the worst of the worst to the cream of the crop a couple of decades ago johnny carinos had great italian food it seemed like you couldn't go wrong with anything you decided to select from their menu after you were finished with your main course johnny carino's desserts would put an even bigger smile on your face sadly things are no longer the same at this italian chain restaurant johnny carinos has suffered financially in recent years and over the last 20 years or so the quality of their food has declined as well nowadays johnny carinos is the place you go if you want yucky food that is painfully overpriced even seemingly safe choices like pizza tortelloni and lasagna will leave you totally underwhelmed the desserts specifically their watery tiramisu will just add to the sadness fazzoli's has more than 200 restaurants spread across more than 25 states even if there's a location near you and you're desperate for italian food just say no this chain doesn't deserve your business first of all fazoli's uses trickery to try to make you believe that their food is truly authentic when that is simply not the case while restaurants can't be blamed for making their food sound more delicious than it really is fazoli's goes further by using phony italian words and phrases to try and fool you that's a step too far secondly their food just isn't that good it'd be one thing if they used sneaky marketing tactics to get you in the door and then blew you away with delectable food but instead their italian food is at the level of what you'd expect from a school cafeteria stay away the first time you visit a spaghetti warehouse restaurant your expectations will be sky high the atmosphere will please your senses and your mouth will begin to water as you think about the amazing food that will surely be served to you tragically once your food arrives at your table the disappointment you feel will be palpable while the decor and the atmosphere are pristine the food is a total and utter letdown at a restaurant called spaghetti warehouse you'd think that you could at least trust the spaghetti but no you'll find that assumption to be inaccurate their spaghetti tastes like it has been cooked too long and is now a mushy mess the sauce lacks flavor and even the meatballs will leave you yawning with boredom the good news is that bertucci's has relatively extensive menus for both lunch and dinner if you have a favorite italian food there's a strong likelihood that you'll find it on their menu moreover they have lots of options on their menus for children which makes this chain a favorite destination for families unfortunately the bad news outweighs the good news most egregiously the quality of food at bertucci's is basically what you'd expect from a drive-through window the food isn't bad mind you but this place is basically the mcdonald's of italian chain restaurants that alone wouldn't be a deal breaker but when you factor in the high price tags that you'll find on the menu it makes bertucci's impossible to recommend decent food for high prices isn't a recipe for success which is probably why they had to file for bankruptcy back in 2018. this chain is still alive and kicking but it isn't worth your hard earned dollars it's places that bertucci's has to compete with that are cheaper faster the first bravo italian kitchen opened its doors for the first time in columbus ohio in 1992. since the start they've been a restaurant where you can find yummy italian food today there are more than two dozen locations in 14 states from staple classics to fancier more modern choices you can find it all on bravo italian kitchen's dinner menu what holds this chain back the answer is simple inconsistency sometimes you'll be ecstatic after going to bravo italian kitchen because whatever dish it was that you chose was scrumptious and left you wanting more but regrettably that isn't always the outcome as sometimes you'll be dismayed to find their food to be less than stellar even if you order the same exact meal you won't know what to expect from one visit to the next with a history that dates back more than 120 years not many italian chain restaurants in the united states can hold a candle to amato's when it comes to experience these days this chain sells a lot more than sandwiches at amato's you can get your hands on a wide host of italian goodies ranging from calzones to pizzas to pastas the food at this chain is reliably good nothing they serve will knock your socks off but this italian chain restaurant definitely deserves to be considered at least average when compared to the competition the experience and know-how they've built up over the years can be tasted in each bite of food while you probably shouldn't go to amato's if you're looking to impress a date it's a fine choice if you just want good italian food at good prices if you go to zio's italian kitchen with a plan you can be confident that you will be thrilled with your meal conversely if you have no idea of what you should be doing don't be stunned when you leave this restaurant unfulfilled and unhappy zio's italian kitchen has an immense menu with virtually limitless options if it's considered italian food you will find it somewhere on their menu that said not everything they serve is the same quality truthfully it's not even close at zeo's italian kitchen your strategy should be to avoid meat dishes and stick with pasta dishes why their meat dishes promise to underwhelm on the other hand if you pick their pasta you'll i'm be love i'm having a relationship with my pizza you look like you're breaking up with pizza what's the matter sure olive garden won't win any awards for being authentic this isn't a chain you go to for a fine dining experience olive garden and the food they serve will never be confused for a michelin-starred restaurant but you also shouldn't be ashamed if you love this place they serve comfort food that is adored by taste buds from coast to coast they have delicious salad and their glorious breadsticks are addicting when it comes to italian chain restaurants olive garden is the most successful both in terms of sales and the number of locations that's no accident the quality of olive garden's food is always the same no matter which location you visit their prices are always reasonable and they have tempting specials like the never-ending pasta bowl and the unlimited breadsticks soup and salad olive garden isn't the best of the best no one could argue that with a straight face however it's a chain that serves its purpose and serves it well i actually love olive garden so i won't even have to act at all there's a lot to like about biagi's ristorante italiano most importantly the food here is really really good in fact it's so good you shouldn't be surprised if you find yourself licking your plate at the end of the meal in addition to tasty grub biagi's ristarante italiano gets bonus points for having a tremendous selection of options for those looking for gluten-free food if you're on a gluten-free diet and you have a hankering for italian food go to this restaurant you won't be sorry biagi's ristorante italiano has one major drawback though the service at this chain isn't very good which leads to some mediocre reviews if you are planning on visiting this restaurant be sure to factor in their shaky service when making your decision brio italian grill has locations across the country and while their restaurants are fancy enough to impress they're still comfortable places to relax and unwind while the prices are on the high side you can definitely afford to visit on special occasions two issues hold brio italian grill back from climbing higher in this ranking first of all there's a lack of diversity on their menu too much of their food is similar other italian restaurants offer a wider array of options second of all the serving sizes here can be hit or miss sometimes you'll be completely satisfied by the amount of food you get other times you will enjoy the food but you will wish that there was more of it the old spaghetti factory isn't exaggerating about its age this family-owned and family-operated restaurant chain has been around for more than 50 years and currently they have more than 40 locations in over a dozen states when it comes to fun decorations and a family-friendly yet classy ambiance this chain delivers the old spaghetti factory is always a memorable destination and the food never disappoints while not at the same level as the food at the restaurants higher on this list you'll always leave this eatery with a big grin and full tummy the old spaghetti factory is known for their three-course meals that feature an entree bread that has been freshly baked super salad and a scoop of spimoni or a scoop of vanilla ice cream even if you've never tried spimoni before don't be intimidated and settle for the vanilla ice cream this is the perfect place to try this delicious dessert romano's macaroni grill is truly an elite italian chain restaurant launched in 1988 by the same guy who founded fuddruckers this chain now has more than 40 locations in a total of 15 states this place is basically the opposite of zio's italian kitchen because at romano's macaroni grill the meat dishes are to die for whether you opt for something with lamb chicken seafood or beef all the meat options on their menu are marvelous their dessert options are also fantastic despite having the word macaroni in their name the pasta dishes at romano's macaroni grill don't live up to the high standards set by their meat dishes their pasta dishes are undoubtedly better than average however they won't leave you in a state of awe like their meat dishes will unless you speak italian when you see the name of this restaurant for the first time you might be unnerved buca di beppo may sound like a place where a fancy dress or a suit and tie is required but that's not the case at all in fact buca di beppo basically translates to my buddy's basement and that translation hints at exactly why you'll love this chain from the red checkered tablecloths to the laid back mood that permeates the restaurant this is family style italian dining at its best the greatness of buca di beppo begins with the large serving sizes your meal starts with free garlic bread that is better than the free bread you get at any other italian chain restaurant from there the appetizers are big and hearty and the entrees are larger than you imagine it's not just the quantity that shines at buca di beppo the quality is also very high you'll love your meal until the moment the final morsel has disappeared into your i mouth learned to eat spaghetti like that i've been taking lessons caraba's italian grill is definitely in the running for our top spot and although they didn't quite win the race it was a very close call this place serves outstanding italian food the service is impeccable and the restaurants are both sophisticated and delightful unlike destinations like zeo's italian kitchen and romano's macaroni grill there isn't a huge difference between the quality of their meat dishes and pasta dishes one of caraba's italian grill's most popular menu items is the chicken brian this majestic dish features chicken that has been wood grilled and then covered with sun-dried tomatoes goat cheese lemon butter and basil on the side you get a generous amount of pasta that has been cooked to perfection and topped with a wondrous sauce it's the best of both worlds and just one of the many delicious options on the menu at carrabas maggiano's little italy is everything you dream of in an italian chain restaurant whether you're on a date looking to feed your family or simply want a yummy escape with friends this is the place to go founded in chicago illinois in 1991 this chain is known for their humongous portions their unique italy inspired offerings and the warm inviting aura of each of their restaurants the presentation of their food is always masterful and the flavors will blow your mind even if you come prepared for greatness each mouthful is euphoric whether you're enjoying an appetizer a main course or one of their luscious desserts when you're looking over the vast menu at maggiano's little italy you should have complete confidence that anything you decide to order will be delicious with that level of assuredness you can let your taste buds be your guide just be sure you're hungry when you visit because you'll want room to savor each and every bite of what you order check out one of our newest videos right here plus even more mashed videos about your favorite restaurant chains are coming soon subscribe to our youtube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one [Music] you

Channel: Mashed

Views: 473,061

Keywords: mashed, italian, restaurant, food, best restaurant

Id: lebWPxJ4Ago

Length: 11min 19sec (679 seconds)

Published: Fri Jun 11 2021