What do Italians think of Sbarro, Olive Garden, Romano's Macaroni Grill, and all the pasta or pizza chains in America?

I'm not Italian, but I was born in Brooklyn and grew up in NJ. My entire family--Jewish-- is from Brooklyn or Queens. I visited my grandparents in Brooklyn almost every weekend when I was a kid.

I'm Italian-by-osmosis enough to answer the question in an authoritative manner. You got a problem with that? I was a concierge for over six years and it was my job to recommend restaurants.

I got to know the maitre d' of an excellent Italian Restaurant in DC--Filomena. Filomena has the "Pasta Mamas"--two women who hand-make the pasta right in a window so passers-by in Georgetown can watch--or a President of The United States can visit. I now live in Saint Louis, Missouri, and I'd sooner eat on The ll--in the huge Italian neighborhood--at an independently-owned restaurant than a chain any day.

The food is better, you get to know the staff and maybe even the owners.. They'll make things the way you ask for them and be happy to have your business. Mr. B's is my favorite, nestled right in the middle of a residential neighborhood, but there's also Frank Papas, which isn't on The but at which Frank himself often seats you. As for pizza, let this be an indicator: In the mid-1990s, a guy from The Bronx opened up the only "slice window" in St.Louis and began serving up some of the best NY-style pizza I've ever had.

That first Racanelli's location is now a handful or two of restaurants in St. Louis (but I still consider them an indie because their product is unique here and it's a family business--no franchisees), and they edged out every St.Louis style pizza place in the St. Louis Magazine's recent Pizza issue. If you've never had St.Louis-style pizza, don't bother--even the magazine said the town is over it. I only order for delivery from there, and after living here 10 years, very coincidentally met the owner on the first day of operations at a new location--I was near their location and I had a feeling I wanted pizza.

I just walked in, and I had no idea they'd just opened the location only two or three hours earlier.. A tiny independent carry-out place that makes NY style pizza--and doesn't deliver--ranked #1. Bottom line: Stick with the indies. PS St. Louis' Chinatown--a two-mile-long stretch of a main street--is dotted with businesses and restaurants owned by Chinese people, mostly from Hong Kong.

I was in the Asian art business and I've been to Mainland China and Hong Kong. I had many of these restaurateurs as clients. I've eaten at just about every restaurant up and down Olive Boulevard in University City.

THIS is where I'll eat Chinese food--I've never set foot in a P.F. Chang's and only went to Stir Crazy because it was with a group of friends. For a waiter to come from across a crowded restaurant at the height of Sunday dim-sum to pull a dish out from in front of me because it contained shrimp--and he knows I am highly allergic--was incredible. You won't get that at a chain.

Bill Clinton with Pasta Mamas at Filomena:(the window to the street is behind them):

Exactly how small that window is: (the restaurant is down a flight of stairs): /670px-Filomena_exterior-res.jpg.

Cheap here weighing in at 1/4 Italian, I would enjoy home made Italian food quite often as my grandfather liked to cook. In brief . .

Sbarro, Poor 2/5, sure it is cheap but the food is poor at best. The only time I will eat this is at a rest stop where it is my only choice and I am very hungry. Olive Garden, t or miss 3/5 for most locations 4/5 for my favorite location.

This depends entirely on the staff. I have one location near me that I enjoy, but I have been to others that were the service was quite poor. Eat light here as they do soups and salads well.

Romano's Macaroni Grill. I have not been to one, and at the moment I have no desire to try the one we have locally. The often repeated review I hear is this, "Well it isn't 'Bad' it is just not as good as Olive Garden.

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