Food was authentic and delicious!Restaurant is quaint and dimly lit. Reminds me of a mom & pop Italian cafe.We absolutely loved it! Our first time there but definitely not our last!
Ashley Mullin
The owner is awesome! His wife makes everything homemade and is soooo delicious. Even the noodles and bread is from scratch. Dining atmosphere is romantic and beautiful. I will definitely be back!
Gil F.
On two occasions I attempted to speak with the owner, Joseph, about a fund raising event to benefit a local nonprofit community service organization with a long history in Vista going back further than Marco restaurant. On the second occasion I waited 45 minutes in the parking lot before opening hours so as to not interfere with his business. On both occasions I was treated extremely rudely. I have approached 36 other restaurants for the same purpose and no one has been as rude and dismissive as Joseph. I have been a patron of this restaurant before. However, I will never give them my business again.
BodomNightChaos Joseph Mora
After reading online reviews between this and Ciao, we went for the small whole in the wall joint. All of the reviews must have been written by family or employees because this place is the worse restaurant we have EVER been to in our lives. We have never felt compelled to write such a bad review.My wife ordered eggplant Parm and I ordered a pizza and a side of meatballs, we also ordered garlic bread because all the reviews said this place has the best garlic bread ever.Meatball(singular) came and it was a little bigger than a golf ball, cost about $3. Garlic bread came and it tasted freezer burned with a hint of butter and garlic after taste. The eggplant Parm came and it looked like mush. The eggplant Parm was not breaded and it made my wife gag, I have never ever seen her complain and actually send back a plate of food. My meatball came out in a bowl with some Marinara sauce. The meatball had no flavor and the sauce was very bland. The pizza along with the meatball was bland. It had a cracker crust that did not taste homemade. The eggplant Parm Also came with a side of spaghetti in meat sauce. My wife being vegetarian, sent that back and my wife apologized and said she should have asked. But you figure if you order a vegetarian dish, as a wait staff, you might want to let the customer know it comes with meat sauce.Anyway, they made her a mushroom and garlic plate of spaghetti. We felt so bad and we really wanted to keep some hope for this place so we ordered dessert. She got the tiramisu and I got a cannoli. The dessert was the only thing worth coming for. That was the best tiramisu we have ever had. When we got the bill, instead if taking the eggplant Parm off the bill, they discounted it and wrote next to it... "Mushroom spaghetti" knowing businesses are hurting, we didn't fight it and just paid and left.The waitress should have done a better job and letting us know that the eggplant Parm isn't a typical breaded eggplant Parm. That theirs is different.We will not go back ever! But might grab a tiramisu to go!
Jackie O.
We have been coming for years, tonight was my late ex-husband's 80th birthday, tonight our son Tom and his older girls came in his memory. The best food yet, go and see the owner, amazing place with the best memorie.
Candise T.
I've been coming here with my parents for nearly 30 years, and the consistency is outstanding. We love this food so much that we'll order our favorites for dine-in and then take 3 additional entrees to go for the next day. Can't get enough. I like simple things like Santa's meat sauce (which is perfect and hasn't changed in 30 years), chicken Marsala (which is fork tender like the veal), the veal dish with the creamy wine sauce, the eggplant parmigiana (not heavily breaded and covered with the perfect layer of melted cheese), all the different pasta dishes, especially the simple ones with olive oil, garlic, and just some veggies and shrimp. It's literally like you're eating at your friend's Italian Nonna's house. We've never had the pizzas because we go there with favorites we're not going to pass up, and we're not really that into pizza, but it does look and smell pretty awesome when it's being brought to other tables. A note on seasoning: I like that it's not overly salty, and that I don't have to tell the server that I'd like my dinner made with less salt. I can have a full size portion of meat sauce and not feel obviously thirsty like I have when going to other highly rated Italian places everywhere. I recently had some fresh made beef Ragu from Eataly in Century City with fresh made tagliatelle and it was good, but still salty and I drank like a half gallon of water later. If you need so much salt, it's right there at the table in front of you. This is the place I'll bring people to when I feel like they're genuine friends that I don't have to bring some place pretentious, and I want to share something I think is special with them.
David Gonzalez
Loved this place. Old world charm. Excellent service, fresh well prepared food for a reasonable price. The lasagna was very good. Highly recommend you save room for the canoli. We will be back
Tracee Huddleson
I love Marco's! One of my favorite restaurants! Dinner was delish, as always! Went there to celebrate my birthday. I had mostaccioli with meatballs and mushrooms, yummy! One friend had the linguine diavolo, she loves that dish! Another friend, who had never been there before, and is a picky eater, lol, had the lasagna/spaghetti combo. She loved it! We had garlic bread and salads as well. Spumoni cake for dessert. It was free since it was my birthday! ? Staff was great as usual! Our server was so nice and helpful and courteous! She kept coming to check on us and refilling our drinks. Can't remember her name, but thank you! ?
Gail E.
I'm not sure where all the 5 star ratings came from. The lasagna was incredibly bland and the garlic bread didn't have a bit of garlic on it. My husband had pasta with the sausage and peppers and it was quite tasty. The service was good and the portions were sizable. They need to up their game on the seasoning.
Phyllis McGreevey
Deliciously consistent. Definitely a destination restaurant!
Fantastic service and AMAZING food. Deserts were incredible as well.
ranallict
Started out with a glass of Prosecco appetizer fried calamari and beet salad both very good for the entrée we both had lobster mac & cheese it was outstanding service was Outstanding for dessert my wife had chocolate lava cake with ice cream I had New York State cheesecake we will be back
s harris
My family has come to this restaurant for almost 30 years. Good basic Italian meals yummy
Brenda Rubio
It was the best I've ever had, I totally recommend this place.
Sarita K.
The BEST Italian I've ever had and I've lived and visited all over the world! Hands down my ultimate favorite
Food was authentic and delicious!Restaurant is quaint and dimly lit. Reminds me of a mom & pop Italian cafe.We absolutely loved it! Our first time there but definitely not our last!
The owner is awesome! His wife makes everything homemade and is soooo delicious. Even the noodles and bread is from scratch. Dining atmosphere is romantic and beautiful. I will definitely be back!
On two occasions I attempted to speak with the owner, Joseph, about a fund raising event to benefit a local nonprofit community service organization with a long history in Vista going back further than Marco restaurant. On the second occasion I waited 45 minutes in the parking lot before opening hours so as to not interfere with his business. On both occasions I was treated extremely rudely. I have approached 36 other restaurants for the same purpose and no one has been as rude and dismissive as Joseph. I have been a patron of this restaurant before. However, I will never give them my business again.
After reading online reviews between this and Ciao, we went for the small whole in the wall joint. All of the reviews must have been written by family or employees because this place is the worse restaurant we have EVER been to in our lives. We have never felt compelled to write such a bad review.My wife ordered eggplant Parm and I ordered a pizza and a side of meatballs, we also ordered garlic bread because all the reviews said this place has the best garlic bread ever.Meatball(singular) came and it was a little bigger than a golf ball, cost about $3. Garlic bread came and it tasted freezer burned with a hint of butter and garlic after taste. The eggplant Parm came and it looked like mush. The eggplant Parm was not breaded and it made my wife gag, I have never ever seen her complain and actually send back a plate of food. My meatball came out in a bowl with some Marinara sauce. The meatball had no flavor and the sauce was very bland. The pizza along with the meatball was bland. It had a cracker crust that did not taste homemade. The eggplant Parm Also came with a side of spaghetti in meat sauce. My wife being vegetarian, sent that back and my wife apologized and said she should have asked. But you figure if you order a vegetarian dish, as a wait staff, you might want to let the customer know it comes with meat sauce.Anyway, they made her a mushroom and garlic plate of spaghetti. We felt so bad and we really wanted to keep some hope for this place so we ordered dessert. She got the tiramisu and I got a cannoli. The dessert was the only thing worth coming for. That was the best tiramisu we have ever had. When we got the bill, instead if taking the eggplant Parm off the bill, they discounted it and wrote next to it... "Mushroom spaghetti" knowing businesses are hurting, we didn't fight it and just paid and left.The waitress should have done a better job and letting us know that the eggplant Parm isn't a typical breaded eggplant Parm. That theirs is different.We will not go back ever! But might grab a tiramisu to go!
We have been coming for years, tonight was my late ex-husband's 80th birthday, tonight our son Tom and his older girls came in his memory. The best food yet, go and see the owner, amazing place with the best memorie.
I've been coming here with my parents for nearly 30 years, and the consistency is outstanding. We love this food so much that we'll order our favorites for dine-in and then take 3 additional entrees to go for the next day. Can't get enough. I like simple things like Santa's meat sauce (which is perfect and hasn't changed in 30 years), chicken Marsala (which is fork tender like the veal), the veal dish with the creamy wine sauce, the eggplant parmigiana (not heavily breaded and covered with the perfect layer of melted cheese), all the different pasta dishes, especially the simple ones with olive oil, garlic, and just some veggies and shrimp. It's literally like you're eating at your friend's Italian Nonna's house. We've never had the pizzas because we go there with favorites we're not going to pass up, and we're not really that into pizza, but it does look and smell pretty awesome when it's being brought to other tables. A note on seasoning: I like that it's not overly salty, and that I don't have to tell the server that I'd like my dinner made with less salt. I can have a full size portion of meat sauce and not feel obviously thirsty like I have when going to other highly rated Italian places everywhere. I recently had some fresh made beef Ragu from Eataly in Century City with fresh made tagliatelle and it was good, but still salty and I drank like a half gallon of water later. If you need so much salt, it's right there at the table in front of you. This is the place I'll bring people to when I feel like they're genuine friends that I don't have to bring some place pretentious, and I want to share something I think is special with them.
Loved this place. Old world charm. Excellent service, fresh well prepared food for a reasonable price. The lasagna was very good. Highly recommend you save room for the canoli. We will be back
I love Marco's! One of my favorite restaurants! Dinner was delish, as always! Went there to celebrate my birthday. I had mostaccioli with meatballs and mushrooms, yummy! One friend had the linguine diavolo, she loves that dish! Another friend, who had never been there before, and is a picky eater, lol, had the lasagna/spaghetti combo. She loved it! We had garlic bread and salads as well. Spumoni cake for dessert. It was free since it was my birthday! ? Staff was great as usual! Our server was so nice and helpful and courteous! She kept coming to check on us and refilling our drinks. Can't remember her name, but thank you! ?
I'm not sure where all the 5 star ratings came from. The lasagna was incredibly bland and the garlic bread didn't have a bit of garlic on it. My husband had pasta with the sausage and peppers and it was quite tasty. The service was good and the portions were sizable. They need to up their game on the seasoning.
Deliciously consistent. Definitely a destination restaurant!
Restaurantji Recommends
Fantastic service and AMAZING food. Deserts were incredible as well.
Started out with a glass of Prosecco appetizer fried calamari and beet salad both very good for the entrée we both had lobster mac & cheese it was outstanding service was Outstanding for dessert my wife had chocolate lava cake with ice cream I had New York State cheesecake we will be back
My family has come to this restaurant for almost 30 years. Good basic Italian meals yummy
It was the best I've ever had, I totally recommend this place.
The BEST Italian I've ever had and I've lived and visited all over the world! Hands down my ultimate favorite