Centro on the Square delivered one of the most enjoyable dining experiences we've had in a long time. My husband and I met friends for a double date, and from the moment we arrived, the service was outstanding. The staff was attentive without hovering, knowledgeable about the menu, and genuinely friendly throughout the evening. We started with cocktails, shared three appetizers, enjoyed two bottles of wine, ordered four entrées, sampled three desserts, and finished with nightcaps. Not a single dish missed the mark. The burrata was fresh and creamy, the calamari was perfectly cooked, and the steak tataki was one of the highlights of the meal. Every entrée was thoughtfully prepared and beautifully presented. The restaurant has a polished atmosphere that still feels relaxed and welcoming. It's the kind of place where you can settle in, enjoy good conversation, and appreciate great food without feeling rushed. Excellent food, excellent service, and an all-around memorable evening. We're already looking forward to our next visit. We also want to recognize the outstanding service we received during our visit. Our server, Gabby, was warm, attentive, knowledgeable, and helped make the entire dining experience feel special from start to finish. It's clear she genuinely cares about her guests and takes pride in what she does. We were equally impressed by Connie, the manager on duty. She was incredibly welcoming, professional, and present throughout the evening. Connie went above and beyond to ensure everything was perfect, and her leadership and hospitality were evident in every interaction. Between Gabby's exceptional service and Connie's attention to detail, they elevated an already wonderful meal into a truly memorable experience. Great food brings people in, but great people are what make guests want to come back--and Gabby and Connie are excellent examples of that. read more

Centro is by far my family's favorite restaurant in McKinney. The food? Absolutely delicious. The entire menu is beautifully crafted and features everything from delicious homemade pasta to filet mignon. Personally, my favorite dishes include the burrata (seriously... best I have ever had), the beef tataki, and the grilled chicken orzo. The ambiance? Elegant yet cozy. The building itself is beautifully restored and has a unique, romantic charm to it. But the best part? The wonderful people that work there. The owners and every employee there are simply the best. Super friendly and truly awesome. Highly recommend going to check this place out on a Thursday aka "Jazz Night" (6-9PM). The live music elevates an already exquisite dining experience... Without it being so loud that you cannot socialize. 1000/10. Just go - You'll thank me later. read more

Centro - Italian Near Me - McKinney, Texas

Beautiful restaurant, and a welcome addition to the square. Service was really great and the reason this is 4 stars vs 3. Panzanella Salad - I understand this is a bread salad, but it was 75% hard croutons. I love a panzanella, but I think the balance was way off. They were happy to replace this with their Mixed Green Salad, which is probably what I should have ordered in the first place. Great starter salad. Cacio e Pepe - Now this is a major pepper bomb. By daughter, who is no stranger to spicy food, powered through this one. I tried multiple bites and I think it could have used a lot more salt. The additional salt would have helped balance the better, IMO. Lemon Ricotta Agnolotti del Plin - This was a really lovely dish. Porkchop - What a disappointment this was. It was billed as a double bone in chop - what I received was an overdone single porkchop. Seasoning was fine. It was serviceable, I guess. The server accidentally spilled some wine as he was pouring us our glasses. We had the manager come by and asked if we could get a bit more just to make up for the amount that was spilled. She came by with a full glass, and also bought us our dessert. So, very thankful for the great service and we tipped him as such. The tiramisu though - beautiful on top. The creamy marscapone mix at the top was delicious. Underneath were some dry and dense ladyfingers. Again, would have been a 3 had it not been for the service. read more

So since my first visit we've been back a handful of times from lunches to work dinners. And I just had to change my stars. Apparently there's a new chef and you can tell; the food is better, they've added some new items, and again the food is better. I love the crudo appetizers along with the beet salad. They no longer do the bread tray service; but that's okay. Service has been great and I can honestly say this is my favorite restaurant in the square. read more

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Came here with my family and was pleasantly surprised by how good everything was. The space feels very "business lunch" appropriate, clean, calm, and easy to have a conversation but still relaxed enough for a family meal. We ordered the salmon, which was cooked perfectly and full of flavor. We also shared a Caesar salad and the cheesesteak panini, and both were really well done. The panini was hot and satisfying without being greasy, and the salad was fresh and nicely balanced. Service was friendly and efficient, and the food came out promptly. Overall, this is a great spot whether you're meeting up with family or need a reliable place for a work lunch. We'll definitely be back. read more

Centro - Italian Near Me - McKinney, Texas

Happily surprised we were seated right away on a busy Saturday. It's cozy and nice here with lots of comfy seats. Too bad no patio tho. Food wise it was amazing. The crudo and burrata were prepared in a way that was quite unique. My sea bass was beautifully prepared with crispy crusting and the focaccia bread is sooo cloudy and nice. It's to die for. Food is excellent but a bit on the skimpy side. Will return but perhaps as an occasional treat. read more

Calamari and chicken parm are both fabulous. My espresso martini was also quite yummy. Totally recommend! read more

Centro - Espresso martini - Italian Near Me - McKinney, Texas

We had double date night at Centro and we are so impressed with the restaurant! From the staff, to the details in the decor and the taste of the food, everything was exceptional. We enjoyed the burrata with cherry and the homemade pasta! We will be back for more! read more

Centro - Drinks - Italian Near Me - McKinney, Texas

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This restaurant reminds me of being home in New York. The whole vibe of the restaurant is great. The bar area is beautiful and has a good amount of seats. The exposed brick inside gives it a nice touch. My husband and I sat in a nice booth and the lighting over the booths is perfect. The personalized plates are a great touch as well! We started off with cocktails. I had a Fig & Rosemary Sour and my husband had the Amaro Old Fashioned. Both drinks were delicious and well balanced. We started off with calamari as an appetizer and it was cooked well and the sauces on the side to dip it in were both delicious. For my meal I ordered the Spaghetti Shrimp Scampi that had three jumbo shrimp with house made pasta. I can't pass up fresh pasta so it was a no brainer for me. It was really tasty. My husband had the French Dip sandwhich which came with fries which surprisingly was the same price as my pasta dish. He also enjoyed his meal. Our server Joshua was kind and attentive to anything we needed while we enjoyed our meal. We will be coming back here for future date nights! read more

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What a gorgeous restaurant, sat at the bar had a nice ice cold martini the salmon crudo and the lemon pasta all of it was sooo soo good! read more

Centro - Italian Near Me - McKinney, Texas

I really wanted to love this place as a local who loves downtown, but it missed the mark for us. While we were big fans of the ambiance and the hostesses and waitress were very sweet, the food was nothing special. We came in on a Saturday night, and they were out of the original entree we wanted to order. They take your entire order at once, so we had to make another entree decision before our appetizer order was put in. The bread they walk around with is dry and cold - I think it would be a lot more appetizing if they served warm bread - similar to what their mussels are served with. The mussels were bland and lacked flavor - don't recommend. My husband got the Cacio e Pepe and I got the pesto, to which we both added grilled chicken. The pasta was good, but nothing to write home about. We agreed we would give it another shot, but we think this place still has to sort out some kinks to figure out what works for them. read more

Centro - Mussels - don't recommend - Italian Near Me - McKinney, Texas

This place is 5 Star for sure! The Ambiance, Service, Management, the drink menu & the Food is outstanding! I don't typically eat Italian style food, but when we do, we go to 1 specific place~ which is where we had a reservation for Mother's Day, however, the hard consistent rain caused us to pivot from making the drive and, with the glorious accommodations by the manager Connie, my son & I were completely satisfied with being detoured to Centro. Literally everything was delicious~ and I have high standards for taste satisfaction and food that does not leave me feeling sick. Everything is made from scratch in house and you can taste it. My son enjoyed the experience as well and we were sitting next to 2 other up-and-coming athletic stars~ such as my son is ;) so apparently WINNERS are attracted to this restaurant. And I don't typically like tiramisu but my son ordered it and literally the best tiramisu we have ever had. Live Jazz on Thursdays~ my friends & I will be back. read more

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I was excited to finally try this place out after watching construction over the past couple of months, and after hearing great reviews online. We visited Thursday night and had a great experience! The interior is classy, clean and a perfect in-between if you're looking for something that isn't too casual or too formal. They have a bar, booths, multiple dining rooms, as well as a window where they make their own pasta fresh, daily. Once we were sat, we ordered a Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Both were delicious, and the other reviews were right, their wine list is extensive. The wait staff also offers samplings of the wines, as well as glasses and bottles, if desired. For our appetizers, we had the Fried Mozzarella, which was house made with marinara and parmigianno. This was delicious and an excellent pairing with the marinara. I especially appreciated the presentation of the sauce with a miniature bowl and serving spoon. We also had the the Artichoke & Arugula Salad with toasted hazelnuts, olive oil, lemon, and pecorino romano. This was a fresh, tasty salad and the lemon dressing was delightful. In addition to our initial drinks and appetizers, we also indulged in their complimentary breads. They have sourdough, olive and rosemary slices, along with butter. The breads are served by a designated bread server that walks around the restaurant, with a large board of breads and butter. You are able to obtain slices throughout your meal and request more as needed. The sourdough was our favorite, closely followed by the rosemary and olive bread. The bread service is a great touch and we loved it! For our main course, we ordered the Lemon Ricotta Agnolotti del Pin with ricotta, pecorino, lemon butter, peas, and asparagus, as well as the Pesto Rigatoni with traditional pesto & bread crumbs. For the lemon ricotta, I added chicken on top which made it an even better and more filling dish. The lemon ricotta flavor was beautifully done, very fresh, summery and delicious. For the pesto rigatoni, we added the chicken parmesan on top. This was a great combo, although the mix of pesto and red sauce was a little unexpected. However, both were very enjoyable and fantastic pasta dishes. I could definitely tell they were house-made and fresh pastas. We finished the night with some of their dessert House-Made Limoncello. We only had a small glass, but it was one of my favorite drinks I have had in a long time. It was a sweet, perfect way to end the evening. Next time, I definitely plan to check out the dessert menu! Overall, it was a wonderful experience and I am glad we were able to finally check this place out. I believe the manager, Basil, even came by our table and chatted with us about our food, how we found them and our night. We were greeted by wonderful, attentive staff throughout our time and I am happy to see some success for this business. I look forward to coming back soon! Thank you so much! read more

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I have been watching the building of this restaurant for several months and was so excited to try it with a few couples tonight. Unfortunately it was a miss. It is a pretty restaurant inside but our server was inexperienced, which set the mood for the evening. I ordered a $105 bottle of wine. The server struggled with the cork and then proceeded to have to red wine drip down the side of bottle with each pour and never wiped it off. I also ordered a strawberry basil cocktail but it came with the large ice cube and very little liquid. Two of the guys got chicken parm and said it was great, that saved a star there. I had the spicy fusilli and while I enjoyed it, the portion was super small and I was still hungry. My wife got the cacio e pepe, she declared it ok, but certainly not the top five. So, bottom line we are going to let this would sit and gain some traction before we give it another try. read more

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Centro occupies the old Harvest location, and offers a beautiful bar and authentic Italian food. From the outside, dark windows give the illusion that the restaurant is not open, but don't let that deter you. While we visited for lunch and it wasn't particularly busy, the kitchen was a little slow. However, the bartender was friendly and answered all of our questions about the menu and the restaurant. I ordered the lemon ricotta agnolotti del plin. It was honestly one of the best pastas I've had, and the sauce transported me back to the last time I was in Italy (over 10 years ago). The wine list includes Italian wines and some domestic wines you'll recognize from Rombauer and Jordan. read more

Centro - Italian Near Me - McKinney, Texas

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This place has a weird, rather unwelcoming vibe for single diners. When I came in for happy hour, nobody greeted me, despite passing several people at the host stand. Fortunately, when sitting at the bar, Christian welcomed me warmly and took care of me dutifully, although regrettably filling in only briefly. While he was serving me, everything was easygoing and timely. At the switch, everything went downhill. The new bartender ignored me for some time, eventually clearing the plate and cocktail that had been empty after passing me multiple times. When she did attend to me, her tone was dismissive and cold, making me uncomfortable enough to go take a phone call outside. As I was walking out, I was essentially given a farewell, which was confusing with my bright pink purse and sweater still at the bar (and the bill unpaid...). That made things 10x worse, but I had just put in another drink and dessert order so I couldn't pay out to leave, having to go back in. With my dessert, there was no napkin or anything, and when asking for one, the bartender just gave me the cocktail ones with her fingers on them, rather than a rolled one. It was off putting and against the higher end tone of the establishment, not to mention kinda gross. Overall, I felt like a burden, not treated with respect or equal care. Since I also work in hospitality, I know these are choices and not the product of being busy. While the food was great, it is clear they didn't pay attention to me as a person and responses were automatic without consideration of what was actually going on. Would have been a lower review if Christian hadn't been such a sweetheart, but will not be coming back, which is a shame for such a romantic and tasty spot, but if I need a male escort to belong, c'est la vie. read more

Centro absolutely nails the atmosphere. The space feels effortlessly upscale with exposed brick walls, elegant ceilings, and a stunning bar that sets the tone the moment you walk in. It's romantic without trying too hard, warm, intimate, and perfect for a date night. This lively, stylish energy would be just as fun for cocktails with girlfriends. The lighting, the textures, the cocktail presentation... everything feels intentional and elevated without being stuffy. It's the kind of place where you want to linger. read more

Centro - Bar - Italian Near Me - McKinney, Texas

We went for my fiancé's birthday on Christmas Eve. Our server was amazing she was extremely helpful with wine selection and properly serving it. The food was delicious and perfect serving size. Would definitely go back and try other items on their menu. And if you have room after wards for dessert, the limoncello sorbet and the tiramisu were amazing. read more

Centro - Short Rib cappellacci - Italian Near Me - McKinney, Texas

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The service was impeccable. The staff was incredibly friendly and attentive! The quality of food is the issue. We paid over $100 for two entrees and one appetizer (no drinks or dessert). If you're going to price the food that high, then it needs to be delicious, not mediocre, especially when there's another relatively new Italian restaurant downtown with better prices and higher food quality. I had one of the pastas but made it gluten free. It was okay, but not great, and my husband had the steak fries which was covered in a sauce that took away from the flavor of the overall dish. We had the chicken meatballs for our appetizer and they were unsettling dry. Even with the sauce, it was really dry. We were really disappointed and disgusted. Once this place gets their food right, we'll be back! Until then, we will take our money to Italian restaurants with higher food quality. read more

Centro - Italian Near Me - McKinney, Texas

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Food was not good and way overpriced. No wonder the place was empty on a Saturday in downtown McKinney when there was lines to get in everywhere else. read more

From the moment we walked in, the ambiance struck that perfect balance between elegance and comfort--refined without feeling pretentious. The atmosphere felt thoughtfully curated, giving the space a polished, upscale energy while still maintaining a warm, inviting charm. Zac, our waiter, truly elevated the experience. He was professional, attentive, and effortlessly in tune with the flow of the evening--present when needed, yet never intrusive. His service added a level of ease that made everything feel seamless. The drinks were nothing short of spectacular--beautifully crafted and clearly made with intention. There was also something uniquely charming about the place; it carried that subtle, "cute layer" you don't always find, especially in a small-town setting. It felt special without trying too hard. Overall, a standout experience that blended sophistication, great service, and a touch of personality in all the right ways. read more

Connie worked with me endlessly to make my daughter's post proposal family dinner remarkable. Emily & Tate served us well with great personalities and knowledge of the menu. The decor is stunning and food delicious. Make your reservations today! read more

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Place looks amazing decorated for the holidays. Can't wait to dine here after seeing the restaurant. read more

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Food was excellent and very fresh. The pasta was cooked to perfection. The service was very responsive. All aspects of the meal hit the spot. Prices were higher for the area but I would say it's worth it. read more

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Thank you first to Basil who welcomed us with excellent service. We waited in queue for 3 hours and when we returned, he offered us hospitality while our table was cleared. Thank you! Once we were seated, Karla was our server. What a treat. The environment is warm and classic but her attention to details were phenomenal. She paced our meal so well, offered specials, and made recommendations that we decided to try. All of the food was fresh, seasoned perfectly, presented well, and absolutely delicious. Thank you Karla for making our evening amazing. She is a perfect example of humble service, thoughtful, and attentive to details. What a light! read more

Centro - Italian Near Me - McKinney, Texas

Upscale Italian dining without feeling too stuffy, the spicy rigatoni was great (with a bit of a kick) and the pork chop was very flavorful and cooked well, the tiramisu was a fun dessert to end the night, definitely good place for a date night or a girls night! read more

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My husband and I had a wonderful date night here!! We sat at the bar and were served by the lovely and helpful bartender. We had the burrata which was delicious and then we each got a pasta dish. I got the lemon pasta which was so fresh and creamy and wonderful and my husband got the short rib pasta which was also amazing!! Can't wait to come back and try more items at this beautiful restaurant! read more

I love Centro On The Square, it's just what downtown McKinney needed. With amazing food and a great ambiance it quickly became one of my favorite spots read more

The service and ambiance was goo. However, the bar was limited and the food not so good. We were a party of three and not of us could eat three different items. We left hungry and disappointed. read more

Restaurant is beautiful. Art is a conversation starter. That's about it for the positives. Our reservation (for two) was at 6:30 and we were seated right away. The waitress (who was lovely - none of our bad experience was her fault) explained that you order everything all at once because all the food is cooked after you order. Cool. Ordered drinks. Took about 10 minutes. Ordered our food. Waited about 15 minutes for our appetizer and soup. We had the beet crostini and jalapeño cream soup. Both needed a massive amount of.. other seasoning? Definitely needed salt. Bread boy came around with bread and the saltiest butter I've ever had. Was fresh and creamy, but ruined by the excessive amount of salt sprinkled on top. Why?? We then waited about an hour and a half for our main courses. They were served at about 8:20pm. Almost two hours after our reservation time. I ordered the lemon ricotta agnolotti and my husband ordered the short rib cappellacci. Both served at room temperature, not indicative of being freshly made but whatever. Despite having only these two entrees, I can tell you my husband's meal was the worst thing on the menu. Bland, undercooked pasta, flavorless short rib. It was just plain awful. My agnolotti was more flavorful, but tasted like someone just squeezed a lemon over cream sauce, as the flavor was inconsistent over the whole dish. We were so tired and annoyed by this point we decided to skip dessert. The waitress must have known we were annoyed because she brought us some cannolis to go. Unable to report on those as we have not tried them yet. Don't go here. It is a waste of time and money. read more

My absolute favorite restaurant in McKinney and all of DFW, great staff, food, and ambiance. My wife and I went to Italy for out honey moon and felt transported back with their pasta and desserts. They also were kind enough to do a special gender reveal for us - don't miss out read more

Ate dinner here last night. We were able to meet one of the owners (George). He was very friendly and helpful. The meal was fantastic. My wife had a steak, and I had the chicken parm. The drinks and atmosphere were both great. This restaurant is where Harvest used to be, and it is definitely worth a try. We will go back again. read more

My husband and I were excited to try this place but we were left disappointed. I have never written a poor review and often give restaurants, particularly new ones, the benefit of the doubt. But this place .... Sigh. Admittedly, the ambiance is very beautiful. The bartender was attentive. However, overall service was not great. It is clearly an inexperienced staff. There were no pleasantries, no offers of bread, and it was shaky overall. The food ... extremely disappointing especially for the price. Calamari was bland. Mussels were not fresh. I ordered the mushroom pasta with meatballs. Pasta was heavy and lukewarm. The pasta is also not homemade and seems frozen. The meatballs were severely undercooked and lacked flavor. I was unable to eat them. The management was also dismissive. There are so many wonderful restaurants to choose from on the square and this place is not one I would ever recommend to anyone. read more

Wow! Arguably the best restaurant in McKinney, based on a single mid-afternoon visit. The beef filet and double bone pork chop were perfectly cooked to order and delicious. Salads and sides were impressive. Vanessa provided knowledgeable, attentive service. Drinks were superb. Decor was gorgeous. Highly recommended. read more

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We've been to Centro now on 3 separate occasions. While the first visit had some bumps, probably due to working out the early kinks, all three visits have been overall excellent! From the environment, to the food quality and servers. Taking my wife of 33 years there again this weekend on a date night. Highly recommended!!! read more

We went fairly early on a Thursday evening for dinner. Restaurant wasn't too busy but each time we ordered drinks it took a little while to get them. We ordered meatballs and the beet bread appetizers. I would skip the meatballs next time...wasn't impressed. Entrees were just ok. We tried a couple of pastas and the salmon. Could have used more sauce on one pasta. Salmon isn't anything special. We would have loved to have bread delivered to our table but the bread guy never came by until we asked another server to bring some to us as we were finishing dinner. Interested to see if it was anything special. Again, it's just ok but would be great if they offered or brought olive oil for a dipping option instead of just butter For the price I think we will stick with Fontina Ristorante in Downtown McKinney read more

Enjoyed a great dinner at Centro this evening. The restaurant was decorated beautifully for Christmas. While we were reading the menu, we were served bread, without bread plates. We wanted to try a bite, but it was difficult not to have a plate to put it on. Next, we ordered drinks. Although all the drinks were either beer or wine, they took a while to arrive. Finally ordered dinner. When the menus were removed, the bread dishes arrived. Started off with the calamari. Found the remoulade sauce to be a little too spicy and the seafood sauce to be too bland. Mixing the two together was perfect. Then we had the mixed green salad. Although it had a tad too much dressing, the salad/dressing was really good. For our main course we each ordered the rigatoni with spicy vodka sauce, and added shrimp. The pasta was really good. Not very much sauce on it, but you still could taste the spice. And the shrimp addition made a good balance of flavors. Shared the cheesecake for dessert. It was served in a bowl, which was different, but it tasted really good. Also wanted to mention that our server, Karla, was a 'bright spark'. She helped to make it a very enjoyable evening. read more

Centro - Rigatoni with spicy vodka sauce. Shrimp added. - Italian Near Me - McKinney, Texas

Beautiful restaurant but the fun stops there. Service was ok but the bartenders have no idea how to make a drink. Wine list is mediocre at best and the food is nearly inedible. Way overpriced across the board. Been here a few times but that is it! read more

Wonderful food and excellent service. We will definitely come back again and recommend to our friends.

This was the third--and final--time I've visited this restaurant. On our previous visit, our waitress took our drink order and then disappeared for ~20 minutes. The drinks never arrived, and she never returned to take our food order. Management eventually noticed the issue and came over to ask if there was a problem. There was. They offered complimentary appetizers, finally delivered the drinks we had ordered half an hour earlier, and made sure our entrées reached the table. The appetizers were comped, which was a nice gesture. Tonight, unfortunately, a similar situation. After taking our drink order, the waitress immediately asked if we were ready to order. We said we needed a minute. She then returned and told us about the specials--which included a drink, appetizer, and entrée. It was odd that the specials were mentioned only after asking whether we were ready to order, rather than upfront. When the food arrived, it was unimpressive, just as it had been on our previous visit. The spicy rigatoni was fine. However, the Short Rib Cappellacci was not. The pieces of short rib in the pasta were approximately 90% fat. Once again, the waitress never returned to check on our entrées, ask if we needed additional drinks, or see whether we were interested in dessert. On our previous visit, we left a very generous tip that reflected the full value of the comped items and then some. We will not be returning. read more