Macaluso’s Restaurant

3.7 (71 reviews)

Italian

Closed • Closed

Updated 3 months ago

Add Review

Call

Directions

Macaluso’s Restaurant Italian Restaurant Photos

Macaluso’s Restaurant - Desserts! Cappuccinos are amazing - Italian Near Me - Aiken, South Carolina

Macaluso’s Restaurant - Rose Bar - Italian Near Me - Aiken, South Carolina

Macaluso’s Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Aiken, South Carolina

+91

Macaluso’s Restaurant - Porch off the bar - Italian Near Me - Aiken, South Carolina

Business Info

Health Information

View Health Score

Macaluso’s Restaurant Popular Dishes

2 Photos2 Reviews

3 Photos3 Reviews

1 Photo2 Reviews

Macaluso’s Restaurant menu photos

Menu photo 1 Macaluso’s Restaurant Aiken, SC

Menu photo 2 Macaluso’s Restaurant Aiken, SC

See all

MACALUSO’S RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?

Inside

22 Photos

Outside

13 Photos

Casual

Outdoor seating

Dogs allowed

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Macaluso’s Restaurant

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.

Start your review...

Browse more easily on the app

Reviews With Photos

Parvati F.

"I think you should leave too..." This is how the post-meal conversation ended with chef/owner of Macaluso's. It has been several years since our last patronage and decided tonight was the night for a nice romantic dinner over a bottle of wine and some pizza and pasta. The evening started out on track with lovely waitstaff who graciously seated us even without a reservation on a rainy Thursday evening. We began our meal with a bottle of Sparkling Water & Sangiovese and the $27 Salad for Two (sans salami). Ok salad...nice portion...could have used some fresh black pepper. Our meal progressed with the Spinach & Mushroom Pizza, but were told they would not add Broccoli Rabe or prove Broccoli Rabe as a side because the chef will not do "substitutions." We also ordered the Penne with Onions & Peas...Not Good. The Penne was swimming in a watery "broth" (if you can call it that) and topped with canned peas. Yup, a $24 dish of boxed pasta & canned peas. We ate our dinner quietly and upon receiving our dessert menu were asked how we enjoyed the dishes. We replied politely and said the pasta was not good. Our server returned to the kitchen and some time later the chef/owner came out with a can of peas to "chef-splain" his dish. Note: if you have to "chef-splain" the dish, it is not good. Apparently he "invented" the dish, which consists of: Boxed penne, canned peas, canned pea "broth", olive oil, and chicken broth. Which is when we interrupted the diatribe to ask why chicken broth was included in a vegetarian dish. This was apparently the type of question to illicit the response of "well, we can't read your mind." Um...if there is a vegetarian dish in the menu (I.e., penne with onions & peas), we vegetarians expect the dish to be vegetarian and get upset when post-meal it is not and then get scolded for "spilling all of the secrets." Long story "short" we ended the discussion by saying..."We'd like to leave." Which prompted the response "I think you should leave too." Needless to say, we won't be back and are frustrated with the ~$160 we spent to be scolded about how we don't understand what turns out is just plain bad food...and neither should you. We

Sue S.

Great Italian food with excellent service. Love the decor and ambiance. It's rather small but a really intimate dining experience. Reservations are a must. We started out with the meatball appetizer which was delicious. We also had a single salad that was large enough to share. Our entrees were chicken parm with ravioli and staton island baked rigatoni with chicken parm. Both were tasty and highly recommended! Great evening for sure!

Kelsey F.

Decided to give this place another try...Not a good decision. Wait staff was nice enough, but the whole atmosphere felt in fear of the wrath of the chef/owner. We ordered a bottle of wine, shared salad, pizza & vegetarian pasta dish. Wine, salad & pizza were "fine"...nothing special or memorable. The item that was memorable (for the wrong reasons) was the pasta dish and chefs response to the leftovers that came back to the kitchen to be boxed up for the dogs. When the Penne with Onions & Peas arrived, the initial visual was less than appetizing. We opted not to take a photo because the dish looked so bad (soupy "broth" & gray canned peas). It was not until the completely unexpected & unprofessional interaction with the chef/owner that we opted to leave a review. We poured (yes, poured) out a "broth" from our pasta dish. We later learned this mess was comprised of canned pea "juice", oil, and chicken broth. GROSS!!! We anticipated this dish would be light, bright & fresh - NO. The peas were canned (and the owner even brought a can out to tell us how we were wrong for not liking the dish he "invented" - Penne w/ Peas & Onions). The whole experience was surreal. We had planned to just "chalk it up" to a weird experience, but no...the chef came out to berate us in how we were wrong for not liking his dish and that it couldn't possibly be made with fresh ingredients. I do t know about you, but if I'm paying $160 for a nice Italian meal for 2, I expect my ingredients to be fresh, pasta to be homemade, and vegetarian dish to be void of chicken broth. Not the case here. Do yourself a favor & skip this place. Go to Casa Bella or even Olive Garden to get you pasta fix in Aiken.

B S.

The overall dining experience was amazing, from the time we entered the restaurant until we departed. The atmosphere, service and food were definitely first class! My Wife and I would recommend to any couple looking to spend quality time together while sharing a great meal!!

Melencia J.

I heard way too many folks talking about this "new Italian place" that I had to visit! I'm glad I did. This family owned restaurant/kitchen has a homey feel to it as soon as you walk in. The red walls with the black and white family photos bring you right into into the home of Macaluso's. The wonderful smell of marinara and garlic hit me as soon as I walked in. I would have given 5 stars, but with the way things are, the tables were too close for complete comfort. I wish they had more outdoor seating. I hear this may be coming soon. I messaged in advance to see if the menu had any vegetarian options. That made my mouth water in anticipation. They had several appetizers, pizzas and pastas that were vegetarian or could be made that way. We ordered sautéed spinach and broccoli rabe for a starter and pasta for dinner. The starters are definitely sharables... we only ate about half of each to save space for pasta. Oh, and they have a pasta tray where you could choose your pasta by sight. Neat! While we waited we had bread with some delicious peppered olive oil. I had the long fusilli with marinara. Very yum! A perfect helping of sauce with perfect al dente pasta. I added a sprinkle of parmesano and mixed it all together for a fantastic meal. The chef actually sells his marinara...it's that good! I opted out of dessert because I was so full, but they provided a tray to see the offerings for the evening. It all looked pretty good, but I couldn't eat another bite. I will be back soon to try their pizzas and other vegetarian dishes.

Jeremy H.

This restaurant is situated in a beautiful old home in downtown Aiken. There is a small parking lot on the property and street parking available. There is limited seating; however, there are some tables on the front porch and it appeared that there are some tables in a garden behind the restaurant. We arrived just before opening and went upstairs to the Rose Bar. This bar is a dimly lit space with candles and exposed wood. It is a wonderful space; however, we decided to enjoy our drinks in the rocking chairs on the upstairs porch. This is a great option! After a cocktail, we went downstairs to the restaurant. This is a fine dinning experience. The service was attentive and the experience was great. We started the meal with Sinatra Spicy Shrimp. I highly recommended this dish, especially if you like spicy foods. The flavor is great and it has the perfect kick of spice. I then enjoyed the chicken parm. My guest had clams with pasta. We finished the meal with mascarpone cheesecake. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for a special occasion or to just enjoy some cocktails of that great upstairs porch.

Amber L.

So amazing !!! Best Italian restaurant Augusta/Aiken!!!!! Can't wait to return! Date night favorite!

Kendall B.

The ambiance! The staff! The food! Do not pass go, do not collect your $200 unless you try this place on the boardwalk! It's delicious! The staff is very attentive! The chef knows what he's doing, I mean, I can go on and on and on... but then you won't be able to stuff your face with the meatball appetizer! I ordered the chicken parm and let me tell you, didn't leave my seat until it was clean! If you're in SC, Aiken.... You can not pass this by! Oh, Liza with a Z was our server and she delivered the best of the best! Gosh, just try it!

Jayson L.

The food is delicious! We sat at the bar upstairs while we waited on our table. Courtney makes very good cocktails. Very nice atmosphere and friendly staff. The food...wow!

See all

Juan C.

3 years ago

Phenomenal food and ambiance!. Stellar bar in the second floor with balcony great view of the area

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

brent s.

4 years ago

Amazing food! Best I've had in this area. Definitely worth a visit. We let the server order for us and she knew did an amazing job. Everything we tried was 10 out of 10. read more

Macaluso’s Restaurant - Shrimp scampi - Italian Near Me - Aiken, South Carolina

Macaluso’s Restaurant - Sausage and meatball pasta - Italian Near Me - Aiken, South Carolina

Macaluso’s Restaurant - Inside the restaurant - Italian Near Me - Aiken, South Carolina

See all

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Aimee C.

2 years ago

Courtney in the upstairs bar was awesome and her drinks were delicious! We were there on Masters Saturday and she was a one woman show and just cranked out the drinks not only for the bar but the restaurant downstairs as well. Sonya was very accommodating since we did not have a reservation on one of the busiest nights. The food was delicious. My hubs is a bread aficionado (lol) and he loved their bread, dinner was awesome! We can't wait to return read more

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Tracey N.

3 years ago

First time at this restaurant. Party of 4. There was a party of 8. So loud in the restaurant, we couldn't hear each other. Deafening!!! The food was mediocre and overpriced. I would not recommend this restaurant. read more

Helpful 2

Thanks 1

Love this 0

Oh no 1

Judith C.

2 years ago

Absolutely wonderful! The food was great and the service was impeccable. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone that can appreciate relaxing, fine dining. Shared a pizza as an appetizer and it was delicious. All the entrees came hot and delicious and do not forget to have a cannoli for good measure. read more

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Donna P.

4 years ago

Loved it! Highly recommend it. Can't wait to come back. Lauren was fantastic and other waitress were so attentive. read more

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

William B.

2 years ago

Everything was perfect, from the moment you walk in the door, the service, food, atmosphere, top notch!!!

Helpful 1

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Tracy M.

3 years ago

Had seen some mixed reviews and finally gave this restaurant a try last night - and hands down the best Italian I've had in the CSRA!! A little pricy and dining room small so it can be loud, but excellent food and service! I will definitely be back! read more

Helpful 1

Thanks 1

Love this 1

Oh no 0

Brittany N.

3 years ago

Would give 0 stars if possible. One of the worst dining experiences I've ever had in Aiken. RIDICULOUSLY OVERPRICED & LOUD. Terrible menu options& almost nothing available for the vegetarian in our party. It was 8 of us & not one of us enjoyed our meal. Even the desserts sucked, every meal I've had at Olive Garden was far superior. If you want delicious Italian in downtown go to Casa Bella's! read more

Helpful 4

Thanks 2

Love this 1

Oh no 2

Joey E.

2 years ago

Great ambiance, service and incredible food! Hard to find good italian in the south but this place made me feel like I was at home.

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Patty C.

122

5 years ago

Top notch restaurant! From the ambiance to the quality of service received, it's been amazing. We had Italian sausage with peppers & onions appetizer. They make their sausage in house. It was juicy and tasty. We also had as appetizer a clam pizza that was so delicious. Our meals were divine. They are simple, not too many ingredients but the quality and the taste is extraordinary. I need to come back because there are so many things on the menu I want to try. read more

Macaluso’s Restaurant - Clams linguini, ravioli and pea soup, chicken parm with baked rigatoni - Italian Near Me - Aiken, South Carolina

Macaluso’s Restaurant - Sausage with peppers and onions - Italian Near Me - Aiken, South Carolina

See all

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Kathrynblink B.

143

3 years ago

Homemade meatballs and sausage daily! The meatball and sausage pasta with red sauce was filling and delicious! Perfect place for an intimate candlelight dinner in a quaint historic home! read more

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 1

Chris T.

172

4 years ago

Authentic pasta dishes, EXCELLENT meatballs, and probably a few menus items you might not have heard of or tried. Staff are very friendly and helpful. The only Italian restaurant between Aiken and Augusta work going to. I would drive there from Augusta before going to any Italian here. read more

Helpful 1

Thanks 0

Love this 1

Oh no 0

Lee S.

3 years ago

My absolute favorite Italian restaurant. The service is exceptional, the food is outstanding! I recommend trying Grandma Lena's Ravioli and Peas, the Chicken Parm, of course, the amazing Meatballs....Honestly, choose anything on the menu, I've never regretted anything I've ordered there. From walking in the door to coffee and dessert, a wonderful experience. read more

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Jeff F.

3 years ago

Great restaurant, great food and great service. Going back this week for my birthday dinner. Yes they have more rules than a public pool but I can respect that. You are going into Michael's house and he does a great job! read more

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Mackenzie B.

3 years ago

We honestly enjoyed the food but we had a reservation at 8 and didn't get sat for 45 minutes. It was frustrating to have to wait for so long when you called to make a reservation. Dessert was not the best either. read more

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Red F.

3 years ago

The food is very good, though they seem to often run out of things. The service is generally good. There is poor coordination between the upstairs bar and the main dining area downstairs...out of sight, out of mind if you're waiting for a table. Inside, the place is loud as heck, they really need some acoustic panels or something as the din makes it hard to carry on a conversation. After eating such fine entrees, their desserts are a disappointment. Anyway, the food is good enough to get past all those negative remarks. Best Italian food in Aiken as far as I'm concerned. read more

Helpful 1

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Patty H.

5 years ago

I was so looking forward to this restaurant. Service was excellent! Food and price worth not so much. My $14.00 glass of wine was not great no a good pour. The good was good not great and portions were small. I thought a salad came with but did not. Prices are high. I know Italian food and I will continue looking for a great one. read more

Helpful 2

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Barbara S.

5 years ago

First time we ate there the food was just wonderful. Service was slow getting check. But we enjoyed our time there. Ate there last night the same shrimp scampi was only 2 large shrimp instead of three. Over $20 was disappointed read more

Helpful 1

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Shane R.

5 years ago

If your looking for some authentic Italian cuisine that's to die for, look no further then Macaluso's. Service was top notch and very helpful with questions and recommendations for the menu. Loved the home feel of this restaurant that you feel immediately when you walk in the front door. The first thing I noticed was how clean the everything was and every detail was there for a very enjoyable experience. Wine was amazing and the upstairs Rose bar was a great place to have a drink while waiting for table to be ready. Had to try the family meatballs recipe for an appetizer. For entrees we selected bolognese over rigatoni and chicken artichoke cavatelli. Really was the best meal me and my wife have tasted in some time. We will be back on the regular to try the rest of the menu because the product of the chef was very high quality and the best of the best ingredients. read more

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Lori C.

5 years ago

This is our 2nd visit. It was like sitting at our family dinner table from when I was a kid. The food was as I remember eating my grandma used to make. I'm happy they started delivering drinks down from the Rose Bar. The wine list is extensive and excellent. The cocktails are first rate. I'm so glad we settled in Aiken at the same time as this amazing restaurant. read more

Helpful 1

Thanks 1

Love this 1

Oh no 0

Weston M.

5 years ago

Fantastic Italian food in Aiken. I had the sea bass which was delicious. My friends had the meatball pizza which was even better. Also, nice that they are open after 9 pm for dining because all the other kitchens in town close at that time. read more

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Craig L.

4 years ago

This Restaurant is absolutely is one of the best restaurants I have ever eaten in. And it's for sure the best restaurant in AIKEN and AGUSTA by far and this is coming from a guy who owned his own restaurant for 23 years. I lived in Aiken for 2 years and nothing in that town comes close to the food quality of this place. If you are coming in for Masters Week I would Make a Reservation right NOW! The Salad was Magnificent, The Atmosphere is really special, the service was tip top. My Entree was spectacular. Don't miss this Gem when visiting Aiken read more

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Software For L.

5 years ago

So me and my wife love fine dining, we love all the best places, but to be honest we tried this place when it first opened, and it was not impressive. So we thought we would try again. This was a mistake, it was pretty empty, I understand why, the food is mediocre at best, I don't care about the price, my wife and I spend 200 for dinner at Prime, and 100% worth it. But the food was bad the salad was bland, the shrimp too spicy and the muscles fishy and chewy. We actually sent back a couple of plates. Since Casa Bela has gone down hill I really wanted to find the replacement, unfortunately this is not it. read more

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Devin T.

223

5 years ago

The service was good and the time was on spot. The salad was ok, had pitted olives which drive me and my wife crazy. The pasta was great

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Beth K.

4 years ago

I wanted to love this place but there were some things that threw us off. 1-the pasta is not homemade. They advertise as the only restaurant in SC serving Staten Island style homemade pasta- yet they don't make their own pasta which when the waitress told us was a big let-down & misleading in my opinion. 2-my son & bf ordered Italian teas which were brought to the table in their plastic bottles and not even unscrewed or poured which was weird & tacky. 3- we had to ask several times for water refills and no they were not short-staffed but we noticed they dote on the regulars. 4-no tiramisu on the menu. Service was meh and the pasta was 'imported' but the sauce & meatball was incredible and the sea bass was fantastic. Bill for 4 people though? Over $400. read more

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Mama A.

5 years ago

Very over priced, service is spotty. Ate here twice and had great service first time. Most recent was lousy. The food is good, but costs way touch for pasta. The atmosphere is nice. The chef seems to have an anger problem. read more

Helpful 2

Thanks 1

Love this 0

Oh no 1

Lori C.

5 years ago

We got there as they opened on a Thursday night and we're seated immediately. We were a party of 6 and this was the first time visiting this restaurant for all of us. Our server, Lorna was amazing. She answered all 50,000 questions. Our food was served promptly, steaming hot, delicious and the Portions were generous. Beer and wine are served at the table. However if you want a cocktail you have to go up to the bar and get it yourself. I sincerely hope offering served cocktails will be considered as their popularity grows. We'll be back to try more! read more

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Jeff S.

5 years ago

Excellent food, service and atmosphere, Isabella our server was wonderful, going back again tonight!

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Ray D.

5 years ago

Hard to understand this place. The food is exceptional but the pricing, flexibility ($$ for anything extra, $62 Chilean sea bass) is baffling. They actually wanted $8 extra for some extra marinara sauce for my pizza. Everyone I know would love this place to succeed but the $$ makes it no more than a 2-3x year spot. The Owner needs to realize he's in Aiken, not Miami. read more

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Vivian C.

5 years ago

The restaurant is beautiful, Food was delish, service was amazing!!! Congratulations Chef Michael!!!!

Helpful 0

Thanks 0

Love this 0

Oh no 0

Back

Page 2 of 2

More info about Macaluso’s Restaurant

135 York St SE
Aiken, SC 29801
Directions
(803) 262-5334
Call Now

Hours

What time does Macaluso’s Restaurant open?

Macaluso’s Restaurant opens at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

What time does Macaluso’s Restaurant close?

Macaluso’s Restaurant is closed on Monday and Sunday.Macaluso’s Restaurant closes at 10:00 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Mon, Sun ClosedTue-Sat 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Food & Alcohol

Does Macaluso’s Restaurant serve alcohol?

Yes, Macaluso’s Restaurant serves alcohol.

Indoor Amenities

Does Macaluso’s Restaurant allow dogs?

Yes, Macaluso’s Restaurant allows dogs.

Outdoor Amenities

Does Macaluso’s Restaurant have outdoor seating?

Yes, Macaluso’s Restaurant has outdoor seating options.

Does Macaluso’s Restaurant have parking?

Yes, Macaluso’s Restaurant has parking options. Private Lot Parking

Other Amenities

Does Macaluso’s Restaurant have free WiFi?

Yes, Macaluso’s Restaurant has free WiFi.

More Info

Health Score

Ask the Community - Macaluso’s Restaurant

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

You might also consider

Verify this business for free

People searched for Italian 331 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

Verify this business

Explore benefits

Casa Bella Italian Restaurant

3.8(134 reviews)

0.0 mi

•$$$

Permanently closed Sad that this place is closed…read more Great service, food and atmosphere Within walking distance to many stores and shops downtown We will miss this restaurant

The service was quite good but the chicken picatta was completely flavorless as if it were missing…read moreingredients..

Photos

See all

Trattoria Polipo

4.1(138 reviews)

21.0 mi

We had an incredible experience dining at Trattoria Polipo. Excellent service and equally…read moreimpressive food!

love trattoria! always a great spot for celebrating or a nice dinner. food is always fresh and…read moretasty! their house salads are somewhat lacking dressing or any kind of sustenance. I loved my mushroom lemon pasta, portions are great with pasta too. Drinks were good; I recommend trattoria and will always be back! Staff is nice and helpful, especially ben!

Photos

Bar Area / Dining Area

Vegetable plate appetizer

See all

Bar / Dining area

Apizza Di Napoli

3.7(421 reviews)

3.3 mi

•$$

Listen up, everyone! As a 100% Italian, I'm one of the few people here qualified to give this place…read morea proper review . People complain about it being too soggy, undercooked, or lacking toppings--absolute nonsense. This is a perfectly authentic Italian pizza. If you know good food, you know this is the kind of quality you usually only find in top-tier restaurants in major cities like LA or NY, or back in Italy itself. It is absolutely worth every penny. Sure, you can go to a chain and pay half the price, but you're just paying for unrisen dough, low-quality ingredients, and zero wood-fired aroma. To top it all off, our waitress was great and the pizzas came out incredibly fast, even with the place being packed. This is the real deal. And no, they didn't pay me for this review LOL

Pizzas are pretty good - crusts are soggy (too quickly close to flame without allowing base to…read morefully cook and crisp up as well as overloaded toppings while delicious, adding too much liquid. Service model is a disaster - greeted from behind a plexiglass barrier (Covid is long over), no paper menus mean consumer need to try to read on phone which is a disservice to both diner and restaurant - no clear understanding of available offerings - no eye to key items, promotional add-ons, appetizers...forget desserts. You have to get up to order including water and wine...no service utensils for antipasti - how do we get it on to our plastic plates? - No table touches for how'd dinner, clearing or reorders of wine...a big miss for restaurant and diner. Cheap plastic plates and silverware - wine glasses have "Christmas themed etchings - huh? No details of wines offered though good quality and value at $10. Manager/owner is behind counter making pies...staff in cut-off shorts and sloppy. No sense of hospitality. Overall - a $100 bill for a very poor "fast casual" experience. Maybe okay for take out but pies are $16-21 for 12" with NO ATMOSPHERE (Did I mention have the store room is in dining room - nice) and NO SERVICE and NO HOSPITALITY. Unfortunate as it could be so easy to fix.

Photos

NEW HAVEN PIZZA AMAZING

See all

This place had the rudest behind the counter service I've had since I came to Carolina .

Angelo's Greek & Italian Restaurant

3.7(33 reviews)

27.1 mi

•$$

We enjoyed this restaurant on a Saturday evening. The waitstaff was efficient but businesslike…read more The food was very good, especially Lasagne Florentine and we both took home leftovers.

Nothing to special about this place. It's a month and pop place. Food is blend. Pizza is good…read more However the atmosphere is very out dated. Service was ok.

Photos

Chicken and rice

See all

Roma Pizza & Restaurant

3.2(75 reviews)

4.9 mi

•$$

Visited Roma for the first time while visiting family locally. The staff was extremely friendly…read moreand made you feel like family. Our waiter Ron was one of the most polite waiters I've ever had and super friendly. Everyone loved the garlic knots that came. The salad was a fairy basic iceberg salad with some banana pepper and one wedge of tomato. Our table had the following entrees: Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken, Chicken Franchese and Chicken Parmigiana. Everyone enjoyed their meals. We also got the double chocolate cake and the Spumoni desserts. My wife is in a wheelchair. The bathroom was accessible. The layout of the restaurant however is fairly tight for a wheelchair as far as table selection. Would recommend you check it out.

Food is ok. Garlic knots are delicious. House salad is puny- iceberg, 1/4 of a pink tomato, a…read morebanana pepper. Very boring and oily house dressing too. Entree was shrimp with pasta- I make better at home. Service was fine but nothing special.

Photos

Lobster ravioli

See all

Sausage, pepperoni, olives, and garlic on a nice big pizza

Giuseppe's Pizza & Italian Specialities

3.5(435 reviews)

22.4 mi

•$$

We were driving home to NYS and stopped at this restaurant hoping for a good Italian meal. We…read moredidn't get a good meal we got a great meal from start to finish. We spent a month in FL and there were no good Italian restaurants, and we agreed that the only way to eat Italian is to stay in the Northeast, so we gave this place one last shot and we weren't disappointed. This is old school Northeast style Italian food, I had eggplant parm and my husband had chicken parm. It came with a side salad and the served us the best garlic/EVOO infused bread we've ever had. Our waitress was kind and friendly, we had a lovely chat and we found out she was from NJ and she agreed with us about Italian food down south, except for this place. We highly recommend this great restaurant if you're looking for a real Italian meal down South.

I ordered take out and didn't bother to check the dining room…read more I was greeted when I walked up in, the staff seemed to be late teens early twenties. The pizza is good but maybe a little pricey but I definitely had no regrets with what I received. The pizza was well cooked, topping and sauce was enough... A slightly better than average pizza but you can get equal pizza for less money somewhere else. I've driven past this place for several years and decided to stop and check them out.

Photos

Inside

Brooklyn bridge

See all

Menu page 1&2

Ferrandos - Whiskey

3.2(75 reviews)

2.7 mi

•$

I love this place. Have a truly amazing staff. The food it's the closest to the Italian. I've had…read morehere in Aiken.. don't know of any other places. They're always busy., wish they had not closed their other location. Staff is always kind. Food is always hot and fresh. The only thing I wish is that they did not premix their ricotta. With parsley.. because my daughter is allergic to it.. so any dishes that they make with the premade stuff she cannot eat. I absolutely will not make anything with just plain ricotta that's not mixed with the parsley.

I used to order from their store on the north side frequently. I loved their meatball sub. It was…read moreperfect and reminded me of the subs I used to get in the NYC area. The meatballs were spicy, they were topped with a generous amount of cheese, and the sub was toasted to perfection. It was always hot when it arrived. Since they closed that location, I ordered the meatball sub from their south side store, thinking it would be the same quality. It was NOTHING like the subs I used to get. First of all, it arrived cold (I guess that was to be expected of the further distance). second, it had BARELY ANY CHEESE, and the sub was NOT TOASTED. It was awful and barely edible. I'd also ordered their pizza in the past, which was okay, but I won't be ordering from them again.

Photos

Mild wings

Pepperoni and Spinach pizza

See all

Pepperoni pizza

Antonio's Italian Eatery

4.0(171 reviews)

15.3 mi

•$$

What's not to love? I've come to Antonio's many times and it is always a classic. You can never go…read morewrong with any of their pizzas or the strombolis. They truly fill every craving possible. The garlic cheese bread with meat sauce is a must. Honestly any dish you get you cannot go wrong with. Usually there can be a wait for a table as well as for the food but it is worth it! The staff is always friendly and helpful! I always love coming here.

Antonio's Italian Eatery is proof that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Though the service…read morewas a bit sluggish initially (and my beer was forgotten until the main course), the kitchen is firing on all cylinders. The 14-inch pizza was the star of the show. The crust achieved that elusive balance of being perfectly crunchy without being burnt. It's rare to find this level of quality in toppings at such a fair price point. The Garlic Knots were a nostalgic, elevated treat, and the Cannoli provided a sweet, fluffy finish with a perfectly crisp shell. By 6 PM on a Tuesday, the room was full, which says everything you need to know. The food is more than worth the occasional service mishap!

Photos

Packed on Thursday night.

Hamburger pizza, awesome!

See all

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

3.0(28 reviews)

3.2 mi

•$$

Caitlin our wonderful waitress made this meal! As always the…read morefood at the restaurant was terrific. My shrimp scampi was a skimpy portion but delicious nonetheless! It is always a treat eating here!

Seating was quick, service however could have been better. Had the bartender serve us and she acted…read morelike she hated her life/job and that we were the biggest inconvenience to her day. Food was a little less like any other Olive Garden. Could have had a bit more Alfredo sauce since the noodles were really dry. And the bread sticks were pretty chewy like they had been sitting all day. Ambiance was just ok, wished they didn't seat everyone in the same area when the restaurant was mostly empty.

Photos

Fettuccine Alfredo: Our signature alfredo made fresh in-house every day, served over fettuccine.

Minestrone: Fresh vegetables, beans and pasta in a light tomato broth.

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant - Five Cheese Ziti al Forno: Oven baked blend of Italian cheeses, pasta and our signature homemade five cheese marinara.

See all

Five Cheese Ziti al Forno: Oven baked blend of Italian cheeses, pasta and our signature homemade five cheese marinara.

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

4 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Ivy S.

9 months ago

I was extremely disappointed with the way our group was treated at your restaurant. We were asked to leave because the staff claimed children had to be under the age of 15, yet every single person in our party was 15 years old--meeting the requirement. Instead of clarifying or checking IDs, the staff made assumptions based solely on height, which is blatant height discrimination. Judging someone's eligibility to dine based on their physical appearance rather than their actual age is unfair, unprofessional, and disrespectful. This experience left us embarrassed and excluded for no valid reason, and it reflects poorly on the restaurant's commitment to customer service and fairness. read more

Butch Y.

3 years ago

The food was absolutely fantastic, as was the service! WELL worth the money! The ambiance was a little more on the formal side than I expected. After arriving, I felt a little underdressed. But maybe that was just me. I will be better prepared on our next visit! This is what REAL Italian food should be! You won't regret this dining experience! read more

Tony W.

5 years ago

Had a very enjoyable evening. Everyone of us thought the food and service were excellent.

Darryl D.

8 months ago

Food is great ambiance is perfect for the town and service is solid. Highly recommend

Macaluso’s Restaurant - italian - Updated May 2026

People who viewed Macaluso’s Restaurant also viewed

Roma Pizza & Restaurant

75 reviews

Oliviana Ristorante & Bar Italiano

323 reviews

2 Boys Pizza & Grill

15 reviews

Ferrandos - Whiskey

75 reviews

Pizza Joint

129 reviews

Pizza Central USA

128 reviews

Craft & Vine

326 reviews

California Dreaming

272 reviews

Brink's Tavern

35 reviews

Your Pie Pizza

41 reviews

Macaluso’s Restaurant

Macaluso’s Restaurant Italian Restaurant Photos

Business Info

Macaluso’s Restaurant Popular Dishes

Macaluso’s Restaurant menu photos

MACALUSO’S RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Macaluso’s Restaurant

Reviews With Photos

More info about Macaluso’s Restaurant

Food & Alcohol

Indoor Amenities

Outdoor Amenities

Other Amenities

Ask the Community - Macaluso’s Restaurant

You might also consider

Verify this business for free

Casa Bella Italian Restaurant

Trattoria Polipo

Apizza Di Napoli

Angelo's Greek & Italian Restaurant

Roma Pizza & Restaurant

Giuseppe's Pizza & Italian Specialities

Ferrandos - Whiskey

Antonio's Italian Eatery

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

4 reviews that are not currently recommended

Macaluso’s Restaurant - italian - Updated May 2026

Best of Aiken

People found Macaluso’s Restaurant by searching for…

Trending Searches in Aiken, SC

Browse Articles

Browse Nearby

Browse Brands

Related Searches in Aiken, SC

People who viewed Macaluso’s Restaurant also viewed

Macaluso’s Restaurant

Macaluso’s Restaurant Italian Restaurant Photos

Business Info

Macaluso’s Restaurant Popular Dishes

Macaluso’s Restaurant menu photos

MACALUSO’S RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Macaluso’s Restaurant

Reviews With Photos

More info about Macaluso’s Restaurant

Food & Alcohol

Indoor Amenities

Outdoor Amenities

Other Amenities

Ask the Community - Macaluso’s Restaurant

You might also consider

Verify this business for free

More businesses like Macaluso’s Restaurant

Casa Bella Italian Restaurant

Trattoria Polipo

Apizza Di Napoli

Angelo's Greek & Italian Restaurant

Roma Pizza & Restaurant

Giuseppe's Pizza & Italian Specialities

Ferrandos - Whiskey

Antonio's Italian Eatery

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

4 Macaluso’s Restaurant reviews that are not currently recommended

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

4 reviews that are not currently recommended

Macaluso’s Restaurant - italian - Updated May 2026

Best of Aiken

People found Macaluso’s Restaurant by searching for…

Trending Searches in Aiken, SC

Browse Articles

Browse Nearby

Browse Brands

Related Searches in Aiken, SC

People who viewed Macaluso’s Restaurant also viewed