East Side Mario's

Reviews

• JI

  julie ivany

  Nov 17, 2025
  1.0
  I placed a take out order for a family of 5. When I returned home w dinner I noticed they had forgotten an item for each order. Not to mention the lasagna portions for my 2 orders, from the new menu Triple Feast, were extremely small, 2 bites and gone, and the cheese cannelloni had no cheese on top, and the chicken parm. did not come w any pasta. When I called to mention the bread for ea meal, for my family of 5, was missed when packaging my take out order, rather than offer me a credit for it, I was told to hold the line. When the manager Jas came back on the phone she proceeded to tell me that it was there and that she just confirmed with 2 workers that they both double checked my order before handing it over. I know my 5 loaves of bread were not there! I was stunned that this manager had just basically called me a liar. Never in my whole life have I ever been treated so rudely by a place where I’ve ordered food and they forgot to send part of it. Instead of offering to replace what they missed, I’m insulted and it’s insinuated that I am lying because she repeats to me that not one, but two people checked my order before sending it out so I have to have it. Now I am super irritated! And I proceed to tell her just how irritated I am with the way she is talking to me and how rude and ignorant it is and I can’t believe this is how they treat their customers when I clearly do not have this part of my meal which is included with it. Next she says she will check the cameras and get back to me the following day. I replied with absolutely go check your cameras bc whoever the two are who checked my order, are completely daft and obviously don’t know the menu and what’s included with each order. Not sure you should be having those 2 idiots checking the orders before they go out anymore. I said i expect an apology from you tomorrow after you go check your cameras and get back to me and I expect to be compensated for your extreme rudeness of so boldly insulting me by calling me a liar over 5 loaves of bread which you could’ve easily just credited. Plus the lasagna portions were pathetically small and the cheese cannelloni had no cheese on top. On Saturday, Jas the insulting manager, at East Side Mario’s on Gibb St, did not end up calling me at all to follow up on my missing items or to apologize for being so ignorant to me the day before calling me a liar. I am appalled that people like her are put in positions of management when it comes to customer service. I am not a liar. Your kitchen and packers are the ones not paying attention to detail, but I’m the one who ends up paying for an order which is missing items and then is insulted when I called to mention it. No customer service here!
• SR

  Stephen Rice

  Nov 13, 2025
  4.0
  Caleb was amazing. Very kind and anticipated what we wanted. We didn't have to ask for anything. Food was very good. We used to go to east sides all the time but they cut portions and charged more, then more times than not the food was over or under done. This time was fantastic, everything made well, good value and good portions.
• KL

  Kailey Littley

  Nov 7, 2025
  5.0
  Evan B was our server during our experience and I’ve got to hand it to him that our dining at East Side Mario’s was absolutely excellent. We had a pleasurable experience that matched our needs just right while chewing food, sipping drinks, and conversation. He was very quick to get help with a spill and everyone assured us we were not this huge burden over an accident. Having small kids, that makes outings feel easier. We are grateful!!!!
• JT

  Jane Tessier

  Nov 7, 2025
  5.0
  Food is always great at East Side's. We love the chicken parmesan and the sausage & pepper penne. The ceasar and garden salad with freshly grated parmesan is always good and the bacon bits in the salad are real, not fake. The warm bread is so delicious we always eat too much. I always order a Ceasar Diavlo to drink and they are so good and spicy. Our waitress Liana was so friendly and brought extra crayons for my granddaughter. Liana was so nice and down to earth and kept the food and drinks coming and she kept our table clear of dirty dishes. We brought home leftovers because they're so good, even the next day. Will definitely go again.
• SE

  Split Ends

  Oct 19, 2025
  1.0
  Time to pull the veil off of this sham; every single one of the reviews that list the name of the server is essentially a fake or otherwise bought-and-paid review. The restaurant offer a discount card that is given to you when you pay your bill where, if you leave a 5 star Google review and include the name of your server, you are entitled to a discount the next time you come. I don't blame the people who wrote these reviews; who wouldn't take the opportunity for a discount, but know that the vast majority of reviews do not reflect the actual experience, and any review that mentions the name of the server should be taken with a grain of salt. When this location opened, it was immediately the best East Side Mario's in Durham. The experience has quickly devolved largely due to consistently horrendous service. As soon as you enter, you will wait at the door for sometimes well over 5 minutes while staff walk past you or place cutlery on tables, or converse with one another, while no one comes to lead you to your seat. On my most recent visit, our server didn't give us a drink menu and we had to request that. At seemingly all East Side locations, bread is customary and is usually given out prior to/around the time your waters arrive. At this location, bread can arrive at literally any point, in our case, minutes before our food arrived, completely negating the purpose of the bread. Servers do not check on you; they have to be flagged down. Service generally is awful and largely consists of inexperienced, young men. There were no women serving tables when we arrived, only about half a dozen very young men. Perhaps this may have something to do with the lackluster service as the only women seeming to be working were the woman at the pickup counter and the owner, or someone who appears to be the owner, who wanders around the restaurant but doesn't stop to check with customers, or at least failed to do that with us. We had to ask our server twice for water after it failed to come for well over 10 minutes the first time we asked. The unlimited soup and salad, normally a standard at East Side locations, is intact here, but you may only ever get one serving as the staff do not come to check on you and have to be flagged down. Our caesar salad arrived with at most ten small chunks of bacon and 75% of the salad was lettuce stalk and not actual leaf. I ordered a second salad thinking this would be different, but no, again largely stalk without much in the way of leaf. The server also failed to bring the parmesan which we then had to request, normally an East Side standard. The only reason to visit this East Side location is convenience of location. Again, when this location was newly opened and eager to please, we had a wonderful experience. Our server, an older woman, was genuinely one of the best servers we've had at an East Side which convinced us to come back. Time and time again though we have been disappointed, and I honestly cannot recommend this location. Seeing as the owner responds to every comment, please take notes from other East Side locations to better your location, as what started off strong has since faltered. Even if the food were spectacular, horrendous service cannot be ignored.

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