Well Fed On the Town

Many have heard of Maggiano’s, as the Italian restaurant is located in about 15 states across the country.  Entering from the outside, passing the Italian trim, it feels as though the large chain restaurant is really located in a small Italian village.

Growing up in an Italian household, I tend to be fairly critical of Italian restaurants.  This one is okay, as chain restaurants go. The food, while not my grandmothers, is tasty.

The staff takes the time to cover the tables with white over red checkerboard linens and have large Italian paintings placed on the walls. The menu is extensive, but seems to be targeted more for an adult crowd with the extensive seafood selections.  Interestingly, the soup selection is sparse. And, like a high end restaurants, dishes are ala carte so patrons must be prepared to pay for extras. Fortunately, the service is respectable, proficient, and quite courteous.  Servers are not “in-your-face” and are helpful when it comes to the menu.

But, the experiences in the main rooms are going to vary depending on preferences and times of service.  What caught my attention were the three striking banquet rooms that can hold up to 160 people. (Numbers may vary with location.) I didn’t have any idea about the back rooms until my meeting with a bride-to-be as she showed me where I would be delivering/setting up her wedding cake.  Dark paneling, large mirrors, old world buffet tables all create a traditional, elegant atmosphere.  The professional banquet staff is available to assist clients with services offered.  And, they even assisted me as well, without hesitation, when I was delivering the wedding and grooms cakes on the afternoon of the wedding.

With the economy in the state it is and as everyone watches their pennies, Maggiano’s banquet rooms are a great alternative to some of the overpriced banquet halls. However, I would suggest either communicating specific linen preferences or bringing some of your own decorations and accents if you care about specific colors.  The table that was set up for the buffet-style dinner was a washed-out burgundy with even more tired embroidery, both that clashed with the rugs.  Nonetheless, the smaller of the three rooms was perfect for the wedding I baked for and any one of the rooms would work well for birthdays, showers, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, rehearsal dinners, or reunions.

If in the Atlanta area, and you want to capture your event at Maggiano’s (or any venue) on film, be sure to give Cliff Robinson Photography, a call. Cliff is one of the most talented photographers I have come across while in Atlanta.  Just look at the pictures here; they’re all by him. Creative, artistic, and there was not a bad proof in the bride’s online gallery.

Maggiano’s
1601 Cumberland Mall SE
Atlanta, GA 30339
(770) 799-1580

Cliff Robinson Photography
404.525.6599
http://cliffrobinsonphotography.com

*all pictures included here are taken by Cliff Robinson Photography