A secret of east El Cajon, or just south of the 8 in essentially Lakeside, not far from Santee--we stopped for dinner after picking up supplies at a neighboring store. They are still sticking to the original recipes and I appreciate the dough of our Italian Sausage & Mushroom pizza. We also shared a Caesar salad. I like that they have a room for private events - they had the Padres game on in that room. Our server would pass by a few times so that we could ask her for anything additional. We skipped dessert this time. Our pizza was better the second day! The way they prepare mushrooms was the way my hometown pizza place did. And the CHEESE! So delicious and melt-y!!!! Enjoy it read more

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Went in to purchase cannoli shells Staff was very helpful but I thought the shells were overpriced Lesson Learned I ordered the house torpedo to-go and the whole sandwich was PERFECT read more

My first time at this location. Not being a cook or professional I had to google what minestrone soup is without beans or pasta and just vegetable which I confirmed by asking is their only ingredient. The answer is.. vegetable soup. If I had known I woulda got the salad. You skip the pasta and beans when you make it in mass and want it to last up to 4 days instead of fresh according to google. The penne was not made fresh and was from a box machine cut and under cooked. The eggplant looked a bit wierd but tasted great, but I left most and was overall dissapointed. The ambiance was great darker with light red Celine lights and dean martin on the speakers. The severs were great and I attribute no fault to them. Imma have to keep looking for a family run Italian place. read more

Marechiaro's Italian Restaurant - Italian Near Me - El Cajon, California

The food here is the best Italian food I have ever tasted. The service is excellent. It is a bit of a drive for us, but well worth it. The only downside is the parking can be tricky. Only a few spaces in front, with more in the back. read more

Had a family dinner here recently and the place has such a cozy, nostalgic feel. We shared an antipasto salad that is a huge portion! I also had a minestrone soup that came with my meal. Both were delicious! I couldn't decide what I wanted to eat and then finally decided on the baked rigatoni with pink sauce. It was a huge portion as well, but tasted great! Our server was attentive and at the end of the meal, I had to get a spumoni ice cream. Perfect way to end a good meal! read more

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It's hard to believe I've been going to this place for 50 years. I still remember when they were in El Cajon when I was a kid and I remember that the paintings on the walls glowed in the dark I was fascinated by that and I loved their pizza. As I got older and moved away I would look forward to coming back just to get pizza and now every time I'm in San Diego that is one of my first stops I still love their pizza. The staff is always fast and courteous and service is first class. All the food on the menu is great never disappoints read more

Great food, big portions, great service. Would highly recommend here. Order the family meal deal they have on Wednesday. Great value. read more

This place is always our go to for birthdays and special events. The food always is a hit! Took some family from out of town and had a very bad experience with a server. It's hard to say it wasn't racially motivated as some of our party didn't speak english well. She was very bothered from the beginning and walked away mid order. We had to stop her and tell her we weren't done ordering. She avoided our table and just made the experience very uncomfortable. I would hope management would speak to her about improving . read more

This Italian restaurant has been around for 70 years!! Since 1955 and it's no wonder why. They serve delicious original Italian food. It's a family restaurant, great atmosphere to dine in with friends and family or if you prefer to take home they do fast take out orders. When I've ordered online the pizzas are usually ready in 20 minutes. I've tried several of their pizzas and they've all been outstanding. Its conveniently located off the freeway 8 lake Jennings exit on olde hwy 80. read more

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If I could give ZERO stars I absolutely would tonight . We come here ALOT ... we have been here when it's slow .. when it's busy ... and tonight yes it was busy . I added our name to the list for a party of 2 for a booth and that we would wait . 40 minutes later they get a booth that has opened .. the host calls out a name that came in 20 minutes after us . I stand up and ask about us ... they say we aren't on the list .. the other lady waiting told us to go ahead as she knew we were there for some time . We sit and get asked for our drinks . I ask for an Americano and ice tea . The girl leaves then comes back and tells me they don't do americanos ( I've had them many times before .. many many times ) she then asks if I want a coffee with hot water in it since " that's what an Americano is " in a snooty voice . I told her " no , it's not .. and that I would just have a hot coffee . She brings back the coffee and it's ice cold .. almost an hour into this adventure and we are over it . We get up and walk out ... no food , cold coffee and we have now been there for an hour ... I never thought I would've have been this pissed off from a place we frequent often . I am not sure if we will go back anytime soon or again after this ridiculous experience , the snootiness of the person getting our drinks and the incompetence of the host taking our names down . Management is nearly non - existent from what I've seen and how these newer employees are trained . We have had a few not so good experiences lately and have just deemed it as " that day situational " ... after this experience I'm seeing it now as a rapid decline in service . .. read more

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Marechiaros hosted a large party for us. The services and the food were amazing. All the food and drinks were served in time. Warm food and cold drinks. The service was outstanding. The food is always delicious. Thank you Marechiaros. read more

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First time here. The girls took me out for a birthday lunch. This is a cute little restaurant located in a strip mall El Cajon. Celebrating 70 yrs in business and It's easy to see why. Janine was our server. We were greeted with a smile and menus immediately. Janine brought out our soup and salad in 5 mins flat. She made excellent suggestions and customized the soup to half lentil, half minestrone when we couldn't decide. The food is SO good. I had chicken marsala and the chicken was melt in your mouth tender. My friend had the tri color tortellini and I was a bit jealous. Lots of choices on the menu including specialty pizzas. Portions are very generous. We enjoyed garlic cheese bread and regular garlic bread to soak up all my mushroom marsala sauce. I had a birthday limoncello sorbet for desert and I would go back just for that sorbet alone! The prices were reasonable for the quality of the food and excellent service. Wheelchair friendly. Plenty of parking. I cannot wait to go back. read more

Honestly, they don't know how to make pizza there. The pizza is not great and it's too salty. Don't compare yourself to the East Coast when you're not I'm talking about a server. He can probably read this and he would know who I am. read more

This is my family's go-to for good Italian food. We have been customers ever since we learned that it is where our favorite Italian chef went when Brunetto's closed. His delicious sauce lives here and I couldn't be happier about it. My favorite dish is Brunetto's Spicy Shrimp. This is an amazing family restaurant. They have plenty of room for large groups. It is always busy in peak hours and does a steady take-out business too, There's music streaming but not so loud as to interfere with conversations. It does get loud for those with sensitivity to sound but not really more so than any other packed restaurant. It's always comfortable with a nice light level - not too bright and a mix of can lights and string lights. The menu is extensive. And, in my opinion, the best part is that you can customize your meal and they don't bat an eye. Tonight I had the Fresh Tomato and Basil pasta but I swapped the penne out for angel hair the way it used to be served. Then I added scallops and sautéed mushrooms. The end result was perfection! The garlic bread is good. They use the sandwich rolls for that. I didn't take a picture, but the tiramisu is house made and oh so good!! My kids love the spumoni. I haven't found anything on the menu that I didn't like. I always get the minestrone instead of the salad. It's devoid of pasta and full of large chunks of vegetables. The parking lot in front is small but there's more parking in the rear, including a dirt lot. The staff is always great. The service is both friendly and good. And if you need something, just ask. read more

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Never have I left a bad review but to say I was disappointed tonight was an understatement. Coming back from a 5 hour drive I decided to pick up Marechiaro's Pizza before getting home. I've had their pizza many times and have never been disappointed. But tonight I got home and our pizza was just so poorly made. The crust was thinner than paper, had holes in the dough and it couldn't even hold any cheese or toppings. (Picture for reference if you have glasses to see that thin crust). There was way too many pineapples(not usually an issue). And the pizza just became inedible. I was left completely disappointed and upset about it and didn't even want the rest of the pizza! I've never experienced this here or anywhere else for that matter. But just an overall bummer. Waste of money. UPDATE: they offered me a coupon for my trouble over the phone. And I woke up with food poisoning. read more

Marechiaro's Italian Restaurant - Pizza - Italian Near Me - El Cajon, California

I have had the pizza here twice and the hot honey pizza is so good. I really like the customer service as well Overall a good neighborhood pizza place read more

When we were looking for a new house to rent, we stumbled upon this place. They offer a great lunch special in the portions are huge. I had a personal pizza and salad while my husband ordered lasagna. We loved every bite. We decided a few weeks later to try another pizza from them, this time the hot honey pizza and my husband decided last minute to order me the Brunettos Spicy Shrimp pasta dish. Holy moly! I couldn't stop eating either and I'm not a huge pepperoni pizza Fan. I actually prefer veggie pizza but this was delicious! We have since moved to Lakeside and this is one of our go to restaurants now. read more

We've been to this restaurant several times, and the food is always excellent ; that's what keeps us coming back. Their garlic bread, calamari, fettuccine Alfredo, and chicken piccata are some of our favorites. Every dish is flavorful and fresh, and we really do enjoy the food. However, the service is consistently slow, even when the restaurant isn't particularly busy. Each time we visit, we find ourselves waiting quite a while just to be acknowledged. For example, today we stood at the front for several minutes while a waitress walked by multiple times without making eye contact. It might not have been her job to seat us, but even a simple greeting or letting the host know we were waiting would've gone a long way. Once seated, it often takes a while to place our order and get our food. We usually don't even receive bread until after our appetizers, which is frustrating. It's clear the servers have only a few tables each, so it doesn't seem to be an issue of being overwhelmed, just a lack of attentiveness. We keep coming back because the food is truly worth it, but we know going in that we'll need to be very patient. If the service matched the quality of the food, this place would be an easy five stars. read more

The best pizza in East County. Service is amazing. The atmosphere is very friendly and clean. All the staff are very helpful and polite. This place has been around almost as long as I have and I'm old lol. The pizza, the pasta, everything is so good. I love the calamari. Perfect amount of sauce and cheese on the pizza. Been coming here for about 20 years. And never disappoint. Everything is always perfect. read more

Eating in at this restaurant is a generally pleasant experience. The service is ok. The food is good. Eating takeout is a whole other story. We ordered dinner to go and got spoiled food. The salad was old and the croutons were not crispy. The garlic bread was stale and old. It was rubbery as you tried to eat it. The chicken parm was not well cooked and the vegetables were so overcooked they had no flavor. The baked rigatoni tasted like they boiled the pasta and then threw sauce on it in the to go bin. It's the worst pasta we've ever eaten. I got physically sick from their food. Given how horrid this take out was, we won't be returning. Please think twice about ordering take out. Save your money! read more

We were in El Cajon to pick up a Ragdoll kitten and stopped for lunch at Marechiaro's Italian Restaurant. The home made lasagna was delicious. Jean had the Tortellini Carbonara and the pasta, sauteed prosciutto, mushrooms & sauces were prepared to perfection. The garlic bread was delightful. Our only regret is we live 2 hours away in Fullerton and there are no comparable wonderful Italian restaurants providing this quality of yummy food at such affordable prices. Brenden was personable as our waiter and we were delighted with his attentive service. Jean is now looking for excuses for us to drive down to El Cajon to enjoy another meal at this restaurant. If this restaurant was located in Fullerton we'd be weekly "regulars" and probably have our usual table. We recommend this restaurant for anybody looking for an outstanding meal at a very competitive prices. You won't be disappointed. read more

Absolutely best pizza in town no comparison also the ceasar salad is . No bongiovannis isn't better nor is fillippis don't get it twisted . 5 read more

Best lasagna in town. Service was friendly and good. Tuesday night special. Ambience very Italian. A special place. read more

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Such a cute family dinner spot! I went with my family and it was giving all the classic Italian kitchen vibes. Service was friendly and attentive. Food and drinks were out quickly and the quality was great. If you order an entree it comes with soup or salad and garlic bread which is always a plus. We got the spicy shrimp pasta which was okay, but everything else was absolutely delish! We also ordered lasagna, chicken picatta, and pepperoni mushroom pizza. The pizza was definitely the stand out - look at that cheese pull! We'll be back! read more

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soggy disgusting mess. the crust looks like it was rained on. the torpedo had no flavor and the ratios are so off. never again read more

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Marechiaro's is a great family Italian restaurant in El Cajon. Service has always been friendly and attentive. I went to pickup a pizza the other day. The pizza is fantastic with lots of toppings. The desserts are tasty as well. The parking lot is small, but more parking in the back. I always loved the soup. Great lunch specials too. read more

This is now my go-to place when I need great food to serve a large party. I have used their catering 3x now and they never disappoint. The portion sizes are very generous and the food is always ready on time, hot and delicious! I've ordered a large salad from here too and the veggies are fresh and they give you a lot of dressing with it. My family's favorite is the Chicken Giuseppe! I order it every time! read more

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The food was good enough, but nothing outstanding. The service was good and the place was clean. The men's restroom was not in working order, or locked, I'm not sure but it was very inconvenient. read more

We been coming here for a few years now and my mother even longer, she introduced it to me! I loved their pizza at first but the last 2 times the dough was thicker than ever and that was the reason I kept coming back was because how thin the crust was and great topping portions! The few visits the dough was thicker than ever and I felt like I was eating cheap little Cesar's pizza! I also asked for extra pepperoni and it looked like I asked them for less! The skimpy on the pepperoni,even after my request for extra! I do love the calamari and fettuccini Alfredo but imma be hesitant on the pizza. Maybe others love thick crust but I don't. read more

My girlfriend and I came here on a Sunday evening around 7pm. The restaurant was decently occupied for a Sunday night. There was a little kid's bday party at the table next to us so it was pretty loud. The minestrone soup came first which came with the Chicken Picatta. The soup was okay nothing to write home about. Then the entree came and I didn't realize the chicken had so many capers....but I still ate it. It came with a side of vegetables and pasta with marinara. The true test of fresh veggies for me is the color and texture. This came with broccoli which usually comes overcooked to the point where it is mush and basically breaks down in your mouth without you having to chew it in most places. The broccoli was NOT overcooked however it was on the verge of becoming so. The pasta was MEh....al dente penne pasta with marinara sauce that was bland. My girlfriend got the lasagna which she was pleased with since she had a craving for cheese and it was pretty loaded with said cheese and it came out piping hot. Service was okay...bussers came by multiple times checking for water refills. The waitress was a bit MIA at times but we didn't mind since we were talking and had the patience and time to wait for her to come back. We probably won't be coming back because the food was just okay. read more

Marechiaro's Italian Restaurant - Chicken Picatta - Italian Near Me - El Cajon, California

I just placed an order for a pizza and the funds came out of my account, $30.00 but they CLAIM THEY never received the order. So now I have to wait for my $$. That does NOT make any sense. I love their food, but this is WRONG on so many levels, and I won't be going back. read more

Our second time here. Always pleased so far. Not necessarily near where we live, but it is a place worth stopping for a good Italian dinner. Friendly service. Plates are definitely rich and oily, served in a very decent portion, so if you are super hungry, their foods will definitely hit the spot and then get a food coma later. Ambiance is very casual. Calamari appetizer is good. Linguini w/clam is good, and if only they could make the pasta a little more Al denté, it will even taste better. Shrimp scampi is one of their best dishes. Same, Al denté pasta would make this dish even better. Garlic bread is a great start, goes great with salads, can be filling as it is super oily, so don't eat up too much at once if one wants to make room for the rest of dishes. Parking is right outside, and might be limited during peak hours. read more

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We ordered takeout pizza. Pepperoni, sausage, and pineapple. Very good. Pizza was done on time.

This is a local spot for mostly the Alpine area. It's a simple family restaurant. No frills. It's pretty good and you won't leave hungry. The wait staff/ servers are very friendly and helpful. The food is always made fresh. We've picked up pizza there on occasion but the other food is ok too. Try it if you're driving through. It's very old fashioned family friendly. A little treasure. read more

We went this past Saturday night to celebrate our Dad's birthday, he would have been 86. Dad unfortunately passed away on December 26, but this was his favorite restaurant so we had to have a celebration. There were 45 of us and the service was amazing! The staff took care of us so well and we got to visit with family and enjoy some amazing food. The salads were delicious we had quite a few of their options from the Caesar, Antipasti and Greek all amazing! The pizza did not disappoint with the stretchable cheese and generous toppings! The best pizzas without a doubt! And the pasta dishes all wonderful from the spaghetti, the lasagna, the manicotti, the Alfredo and even my Neice's linguine "concoction". All the food hit the excellence category and knocked it out of the park! Thank you Marechiaro's for always taking care of our family like we are part of yours!! read more

We stopped into this restaurant late on a weeknight when the original restaurant we drove to ended up being closed. This was in the area and listed as Italian food with good reviews, so we figured why not. It was easy to get seated and the vibes in the restaurant were friendly and warm, a nice environment that wasn't too stuffy. It looked popular for a weeknight and the waiters seemed to know or be familiar with a lot of the patrons -- always a good sign. The menu was substantial, but everything sounded good so it was a bit of a challenge to decide what we wanted. We ended up deciding to split an appetizer, the caprese salad, and then ordered a pasta dish and a gluten free pizza. The caprese came out first, and we both agreed it was to die for. Like, caprese is always good, but I don't know how they managed to make this one SO delicious. While we were having it, the waiter came out and let us know that they had overcooked my pizza a bit and weren't happy with it so they were making me a new one, and apologized for the wait and offered us a free dessert. We really hadn't felt like it had been long at all, hadn't complained and had no problem with this as we were enjoying ourselves, but we were happy to take the offered dessert! After this, it did take a bit for our food to come out but it wasn't unreasonable and we had been warned, so no issues at all. Everything still came out hot, the portions were massive, and the flavors were great. Because of the slight delay to the food it was getting to closing time, so we offered to take our dessert to go to let the staff close up. They assured us there was no problem with us being there at all and were super kind. This felt genuine, as those who were closing in the back seemed to be having fun cracking jokes with each other which is always nice to see. (I don't think people are obligated to always be stoked about their jobs, but it's just genuinely nice to see people having fun and enjoying themselves at work!) They let us ordee a free cannoli (delicious) and even knocked a bit off our bill -- we were shocked as we didn't think it was necessary, but were super grateful and tipped heavily. Overall, we had an awesome experience at this restaurant and it's definitely going into our rotation of favorite places. read more

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Great people. Owners are very sweet. Food is very good and takeout is super easy. Spaghetti and meatballs are my favorite thing here. My family has been coming here for years and it's been consistent. read more

Perfect every time the food the service always quick with refill on your drinks friendly staff

Ordered the pizza. It had a runny, thin, tasteless marinara with an overabundance of cheese which was packed on top of the "toppings" causing the toppings to be mushy. The worst pizza I've ever had ... and I like pizza! read more

My family has been going to marecharios many years. Tonight we tried the buffalo chicken pizza and it was amazing. read more

Marechiaro's Italian Restaurant - Half pineapple Canadian bacon, half buffalo chicken pizza - Italian Near Me - El Cajon, California