Review Marinara Cafe And Restaurant - Brisbane

Magnificent Marinara pasta! One of the best seafood pastas I've had. The restaurant is a nice cosy place run by Italians, authentic Italian food, very welcoming and warm reception. They have an easy menu and serve their food in a timely manner. I also had the oyster which was excellent.

The food was wonderful. The place is nice and it feels like you’re in Italy (even though I haven’t visited it). The reason why I gave the restaurant low rate is that one of the waiters was trying to be funny, yet he was really rude. I never ever experienced similar experience with a waiter in any other restaurant in Brisbane.

The best Italian restaurant I've ever been to. The venue is very cozy, the dishes are very well presented and the taste is incredible and wonderful. The food is too tasty. I loved it and recommend it to everyone. I'll be back soon!

After having a family lunch here I was extremely impressed with the service, the staff, the food and the restaurant environment. The waiters were all very nice, the service was quick, the food was exquisite, there were a lot of menu options featuring authentic Italian meals and the atmosphere was gorgeous. I will definitely be returning here and recommending Marinara to my friends and family

Food look good, but was so salty for us. Their staff just doesn’t listen to customers which means service not good. Never try again

Loved the decor of this place! I imagine on a busy evening it would go a long way to explaining the great reviews. However 😂 On a weekday lunch it's very quiet. So quiet you can hear the Spanish music being played in the kitchen and the Spanish wait staff speaking Spanish to the Spanish chefs. So what I guess, plenty of places in Brissie selling great food with staff that aren't from the foods country if origin! But this place has gone out of it's way to look authentic so the Spanish was kinda funny. The staff were kind though. The food was nothing to write home about however. It was fine, but not memorable and there are plenty of good Italians in Brisbane and even this area. We've definitely had better. It was fine but I wouldn't go back. Maybe I should try at dinner sometime though to see if that's where the great ratings are coming from.

Excellent service with an Italian vibe. Extensive menu with delicious pizzas and pasta. Lovely place for birthdays and gatherings 😋 🍕 🍝

Disappointing for a surprise birthday night out for my partner. We have been to Marinara a few times and after a long break of not dining there, I have to say the service was appalling. The food wasn’t as good as I remember but fine. My two stars are for the customer service and inattention to detail. Rude from the moment we arrived, being reminded multiple times about our seating time slot and only 15 mins after arrival! We had an early dinner so it wasn’t even busy. I had requested a slice of cake to come out at the end, which is their usual tradition of bringing out cake and singing happy birthday- they didn’t even do that. Attitude from staff when questions were asked about the wine and what really topped it off was the waiter for our table chucking the bill to us and saying you have to leave at 7pm and walking away. How rude do their waiters have to be to remind a person who has made a specific booking of the time they need to leave?!! We paid a generous bill, they got their money for a very poor experience. And we left on time with no issues. Won’t be booking there again.

I had the best steak in recent memory last night. Tender, melt in the mouth stuff- you could cut through it with the other end of a butter knife! The veges and mushroom sauce were also awesome. Truly a "death row" last meal on earth experience.

Best Italian food anywhere, ever. Authentic Italian servings: generous, flavoursome and delicious. Highly recommend any of the seafood dishes. We were staying here for five days and are here three of them.

Celebrated my daughters birthday here last night. Beautiful food and wines, great service and atmosphere, and the staff making a big deal of her birthday and dancing was unforgettable. This goes on my favourites list for top restaurants in Brisbane!

Awesome gluten free pizza, the meat st lovely friendly staff and the garlic prawns were awesome too

Great staff.. Lovely food. Music a bit disappointing thought you could have some lovely Italian music..not blaring 80s music! Kind of spoils the whole ambience But deffs be back!�����

Fantastic food atmosphere service wine cannot rate this restaurant highly enough

Always 10/10 food and 10/10 service, best Italian in Brisbane by a long shot, love the place and will be back again for more soon no doubt 👌

We are regulars at the Marinara, the food is excellent Italian and the staff always warm and welcoming, couldn't recommend it highly enough.

Authentic Italian food of old. Took me back. We were a group of 5 & all enjoyed our meals. Staff were very friendly, service was good & food delicious. Very busy night but we didn't have to wait too long for our meals. Great idea to bring a sample of all desserts on offer to the table. Actually seeing them makes you think twice about saying no. Would definitively recommend.

We have been coming to your restaurant for a few years now from when it was at Paddington to now at Hawthorne and absolutely love the food and friendly staff every time! We used to come for our date nights before our children but really wanted to come tonight and had to bring our two little girls with us... we just wanted to say a big thank you... the staff were lovely including the lady in the kitchen who our 1 year old seemed very fond of � and our girls loved the food just as we do! Well done guys you have never disappointed and our expectations were exceeded tonight with how lovely everyone was with our little family!

Every time we go to marinara’s we have the best meal, service and friendly staff. We live in country Queensland and look so forward to visiting our family and your restaurant.

Great food and fantastic service! The brunette waiter (Carmine?) was lovely and very attentive to our needs. Thank you!

Been a few times now and never disappoints. Great food and friendly staff.

Marinara is an Italian restaurant located in Hawthorne. This is actually our second visit to this place; the first time was our first anniversary. I had a vivid memory of this place. It was decorated with red and green checkered table cloth; the chairs and the walls were also painted. It was a very cosy, romantic environment. The waitress and waitresses were all very friendly.

Beautiful atmosphere, sensational food and terrific staff. We went there for my daughters birthday, they made her feel so special by singing happy birthday to her. The food was fresh fast and delicious. Definitely worth a visit.

This is one of my favourite Italian restaurants in Brisbane. Food is always delicious! Staff are so friendly and engaging. It’s often full for dinner service so booking a table is a good idea, but they will always try accommodate you if you don’t have a booking. Reasonably priced and everything on the menu is tasty! Love love love this place, yum!

This is some of the best Italian cooking you will find. Great flavours, fresh herbs, generous meals. I recommend the Scalopine.

I took my girlfriend there for our anniversary and we were very impressed. <br/>Amazing food , great service , friendly staff , great atmosphere, highly recommended

Friendly staff, great service and delicious Italian food!!! Happy that chef was able to make changes to the dish. Had Baked spinach and ricotta ravioli, risotto and fettuccine. <br/>Will go again soon :)

Ate here with a friend for lunch. The service was a little slow and we had to ask to order our drinks and meals and get some table water. The table next to us arrived after us but was served beforehand which was a little annoying... but the food was lovely. I had lemon pepper chicken salad and my friend had the seafood salad. My friend has been a number of times so I would give it another go to see if their service improves next time.

I ate at this restaurant for my 21st birthday and the food was good and the waiters were nice. My evening was ruined when the staff started trying to sell our table some of their desserts and drinks, while we were eating birthday cake. They spent half an hour trying to barter with us and trying to up sell their products even though our table was very vocal that we weren’t interested. This made everyone at the table feel very uncomfortable as they continuously haggled our table to buy more. <br/><br/>This experience definitely ruined my birthday and I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant. Although the food was nice, the overall experience was ruined.

Amazing food, stunning decor and beautiful atmosphere <br/><br/>It’s a shame I forgot to take pics of the food, but I did snap a shot of the decor before leaving

Certainly lives up to it’s name, fettuccine marinara is sublime! Fabulous service & family/pet friendly. Our favourite local dine in & takeaway.

Unbelievable honestly. The pasta is beautiful. I had a chicken pasta dish and tried my friends marinara and both exquisite. The entrees were simple yet perfect. So delicious I just wish I lived closer but I will be back 100% next time I am in QLD. A must if visiting Brisbane and looking to eat quality Italian food.

I had a lovely dinner here last night, it was hot as hell but it's not really their fault. Pasta is always on point & the place smells amazing! We had cocktails too, served to us by some spunky waiters. The only issue i have is with the dessert... $3 extra for one small scoop of icecream?? Bit silly!

Love the authentic taste and atmosphere here. Only let down is the time it takes to get the food out. Especially on a hot night I couldn’t justify waiting over an hour and a half for food.

I've been here twice now with my work group and we love it!!! Service is wonderful- always so friendly and happy to have a little joke. The food is beautiful! Highly recommend the bruschetta bread and the fettuccine marinara!

My family loves to come here for a meal and we are yet to have a bad one!  If you love Italian food - I believe this is the best in Brisbane!  Ambience is great and the service is always spot on.  You are pretty safe picking anything from the menu but our favourites would have to be the penne matriciana, fettuccini carbonara and fettuccini marinara.  The bruschetta pizza bread is also unreal. Indulgence at it's best!

Fantastic service! Fantastic Italian food! Great wine list! What more could you want? Seriously! The pizza bases were light and delicate; the toppings simple yet very flavoursome. My only suggestion would be to replace the prawn and chilli pizza with something more "Italian authentic." Not that it was a bad thing, mind you. But as they say, "When in Rome...." Highly recommended!!

Walking the dog at nearby Hawthorne Park, the wife and I have long commented that this homely little place is always full of punters. Now we know why. Everything in the restaurant, from the food and drinks to the decor and servers, pays homage to the flavours and feel of a Tuscan establishment. The smell of garlic was heavy and the room was humming for a Wednesday night. We got a margarita pizza to split for entree, then a spread of classics – lasagna, ravioli, gnocchi, calamari – that were as bold as an Italian stallion on a night out, and just as flavoursome (so I'm told). We probably didn't need dessert but we still went there. No menu? No worries. You pick your cut from a mixed plate, then they dish it up with cream of the whipped and ice variety. Prices were reasonable, staff were attentive and funny. What are you waiting for? Get your ciao on.

Dropped in after driving around looking for somewhere to eat. Atmosphere was great with equalled food. Staff were light hearted and funny. Wine choices were good with some nice choices from Italy. Overall very satisfied, would recommend.

Amazing food, excellent customer service. The waiters are so kind, I went to pick up my takeaway and it wasn't ready so they offered to give my boyfriend and I a free glass of wine. Always happy with the food, my favourites are the Carbonara, Proscuitto pizza and Nutella Martini. A little pricey but worth it.

Came for a really late lunch (about 3.45pm) on a super chilly wet day...staff were as always incredibly welcoming and helpful even though we would have to be away within the hour as they were fully booked for dinner service. I'm dairy and gluten free which can be tough in an italian but they were so accommodating! <br/>Myself and my boyfriend shared a gf & df garlic bread pizza...was super crispy and full of flavour! Best pizza ever! Main courses were the seafood risotto and veal scaloppini ala zingala. The bf loves this veal dish and definitely 10/10 same for my risotto, really big juicy fresh seafood and mega flavourful overall! Both hugely recommended!<br/>Staff here are great and helpful, food is quick and hot and fantastic quality so what's not to love! We'll no doubt be back again :)

It's always crowded during weekend every time when we drove past. The atmosphere of the place is great and feels authentic. Service is fantastic as well. Love the food and it is good value for money, always really satisfying.

Brilliant food and efficient service. Pizza bases are perfect, mushroom risotto is one of the best. Good selection of wines. Definitely coming back.

Amazing!!! Traditional Italian cuisine, authentic atmosphere, hilarious and friendly staff make you feel like part of the family. The desserts are divine. <br/><br/>Tip: wear stretchy pants !

The service was great. The atmosphere was cute. I like the pop-up style of the place. Food came out quickly and looked delicious. Five stars for food, service and atmosphere. Couldn't have had a better meal! Big portions too.

I just shared a beautiful meal with family and friends at Marinara in Hawthorne.  We arrived for our booking at 6 and were seated at a table inside, as we requested. The restaurant was already quite full and the atmosphere was buzzing. Our waitstaff were amazing and had our iced water on the table within seconds and proceeded to take our drink orders, leaving us to peruse the menu. <br/>I kicked off with my favourite beer, Peroni Red. We all shared garlic bread - possibly the best I've eaten, it was thick and buttery. <br/>My favourite way to eat oysters is Kilpatrick and Marinaras certainly didn't disappoint.  The sauce was quite liquid and I drank it from the shells. <br/>For my main, I chose a rare steak Pepe Verde served with sauteed Kipfler potatoes, broccolini and roasted cherry tomatoes. It came with a brandy cream pepper sauce with just the right amount of punch. The steak was cooked as rare as I like it and was deliciously tender.  <br/>I didn't have room for desert, but as soon as the waiter displayed the platter I ordered the tiramisu. I'm so glad I squeezed it in. It was superb and ideally sized to round off the meal. I washed it down with a lovely espresso.<br/>I gladly commend Marinara to you. The waitstaff are friendly and efficient, the food is delicious and the portions are large. I will happily return.

Great food, wonderful friendly service, lovely atmosphere!  A little gem in the suburbs.  Particularly love the chilli prawn pizza.  Highly recommend.

Terrible service. Asked for cracked pepper and salt, never arrived , asked for water it came eventually and was warm. waiters weren't to be seen. Food however was nice and hot. and was offered free sweets in return which was nice . Don't think I will return...

Whether you are looking for a casual dinner with the family or cute dinner with your friends you will always feel comfortable and welcomed here. The staff always greets you with warm friendly smile and really know the menu and the food they are serving. <br/>My best friend and I travel 40minutes about once a month just to eat here (FYI neither of us drive) we try something different every time and are never disappointed on the service, food or drinks! Defiantly one of the best restaurants in Brisbane!

I'm lying in bed trying to get over my food coma after having dinner at Marinara! We had the mussels napolitano as entree, a very good start! So yummy! And the fettuccine al pollo is also to die for! And they don't only look after your tastebuds well, the waiters are also very pleasant to the eyes! 😂

Delicious meals and pasta. The veal fungi was awesome. Swimming in sauce with a side of pasta. Pizza was average but other pastas made up for it. Friendly helpful staff.

Went for an evening meals with mates. The food was great and service attentive. The staff  seem to be genuinely happy and we had a great time. Loved the oysters, fresh and delicious. All four of the mains were terrific. Well done.

Lovely family-friendly restaurant - we keep going back over and over again because of the excellent customer service and especially because of how nice they are to our children. It makes our dining experience so pleasant. I cannot commend them enough! Oh and the food is amazing too - best Italian food I've had outside of Italy!

The italian waiter was pushy and made condescending sexist comments to my husband.  This was embarrassing as we were dining with our teen daughter and we felt that it was very inappropriate.  The garlic bread was inedible as it has over the top on the garlic.  So imagine our horror when the bill came and we discovered that we had to pay for garlic bread per person rather than per plate.  The pizza was very authentic italian however it was lacking in toppings and overpriced.  Service was quick considering it was quite busy.

Visited this restaurant after a long day at work. Have been here before and the service was good. <br/>I order a meat lovers pizza and added veggies onto it as it is what I enjoy. I did not like the sauce or crust and did not eat my pizza. When we left I said to the waiter my pizza was $37 I do not want to pay for it if I did not eat it.<br/>He then said I couldn't get a refund because it was my fault it tasted bad as I added toppings. I was actually so embarrassed that a waiter would say this to a customer. He called over another worker and said 'listen to this, she thinks it's our fault the pizza tastes bad but she added toppings it's crazy' and proceeded to laugh. The other staff member offered me a cocktail but I stated that I didn't drink. He then told the waiter to give me a discount but by that time I had already paid and walked out of the restaurant. Quite sad because this restaurant is directly across from my house and a place I enjoy going to. But after this I will not be returning and will only be speaking bad things about this place to my friends and family. Thanks for making your customers feel like they are in the wrong. Awesome customer service !

Service was amazing. They fit us in without a reservation and very passionate about italian food. Wine and food was amazing!! One of those places where you wish your stomach was endless so you could keep eating (: highly recommend!!

We came here for a family celebration. We had a great time. The service was excellent and the food was nice, however it was on the pricier side. I would definitely recommend this venue for a special occasion, however as I am pretty tight I wouldn't be a regular customer. Love the fitout.

Not only the staff calls you twice to confirm your booking during the day but you don't get your table you asked for, then after some loud and unessary discussion amongst staff you get 2 small tables so unstable it feels like an earthquake in Japan, then you get the saltiest unfreshed Calzone I ever had. When you see 5o% of the pizza being crust it's no a good start but after the first bite it's a disaster . <br/>I ' m not going to keep telling you how they try to rip us off on charging $8 more on our wine and making us feel like idiots because we can't read Italian label.<br/>Anyhow in a few words , these people should be wreckers not restaurateurs , their attitude and unprofessionalism won't last long. Save your money and just enjoy the view from the road when you drive by that's plenty and enough... TRUST ME.

Came here for a dinner date night. Great food! Great customer service! Great atmosphere! Couldn't fault this place at all. Fantastic dinner!

If you think this place is traditional or authentic don't kid yourself. Not only is the whole menu incorrectly written in Italian (which should be first dead giveaway for those of us who speak the language) but the recipes themselves are not by any means close to the originals. Now, the food itself isn't atrocious (if you're not expecting it to be traditional!) but don't go there thinking you're eating authentic Italian, and don't let the decoration fool you either. If a restaurant claims authenticity it needs to firstly spell it's menu correctly and secondly needs to make sure that the ingredients used are in fact authentic. Example: a real carbonara doesn't have cream, just eggs and cheese. A true marinara pizza is simply olive oil, tomato and oregano.

Great atmosphere, attentive friendly staff, but our dishes were a great disappointment. The veal with masala, and the veal with lemon were poorly cooked, the sauces in each just a cream based sauce with a touch of masala or lemon. The veal was dry and chewy. Based on other reviews, best to order the pizza.

I love this place. I've eaten here three times. Its been very busy every time so make sure you have a booking! I've tried all the meals on the vegetarian menu a and highly recommend the fettuccini Verdi. My meat eating friend tried it and loved it so much she ordered it next time we went. I also loved the mushroom risotto. Would love it if they made a vege lasagne !! I always leave here very full. Staff are very friendly, and make sure you are looked after.

Flawless service and beautiful Italian food. I always leave this place with a smile as the staff are so friendly. The food is absolutely to die for. I would strongly recommend going. Average main price is $30.

The pizza here is awesome with just the right amount of toppings vs the base & crust. Very well balanced across the board including the pasta. The decor reminds me of traditional Italian restaurants I visited in Italy serval years ago, but the food is obviously "suped-up" to meet today's Aussie flavours. The service was good and the vibe here is great, love to return again sometime!

I dined here in a group of 5 on a busy and cold Friday night. This was my first visit to Marinara. The service staff were friendly and attentive, however dining service was slower than would be expected for pizza and pasta.<br/><br/>I ordered a starter of garlic prawns which was superb. My dining partners ordered Capricosa pizza, baked spinach and ricotta ravioli and fettuccine carbonara for main course. The pasta meals were delicious however the ravioli dish was an entree-sized meal at the cost of a main course.<br/><br/>Overall verdict: food was for the large part delicious, service staff were friendly, dining service was somewhat slow, and the meals seemed somewhat pricey for the portion size and presentation.

The decor at Marinara's looks dated but, at the same time, traditional and similar to what I have seen in Italy. Despite our booking the table wasn't ready and we waited while two tables were joined together for our group. Unfortunately, round tables don't join together well and we were in the drafty doorway as well. The food was tasty and freshly prepared but we waited and waited while we watched towers of take-away food being taken out the door. The garlic bread was lovely and as expected. It was proper bread and not a pizza base. The main meals finally arrived just over an hour after we were seated. The food was all of a good quality and all meals arrived together. The ravioli was a small serving size. Other meals appeared much larger. The pizzas were excellent. The bases weren't super thin but were still authentically Italian. We were glad the food arrived to warm us up as it was so cold in the restaurant. Despite being happy with both the meals and the service we all agreed that the prices were too high for the food and location.

I love a restaurant with atmosphere and Marinara is tastefully decorated, good service and really friendly. Nice Italian cooking, fresh pasta made on the premises. My husband said the veal scallopini was really good.

Great Night Out!. We met a couple for dinner at Marinara at Hawthorne for a catch up and evening out. It was a wonderful Saturday evening out, thanks to the authentic staff, great service and terrific food. The atmosphere was engaging and allowed a wonderful ambience whilst enjoying a great meal and italian wine to wash it down with.<br/>A terrific and memorable night out!

MissDelish. The food: I had the Salmon main meal...everything was cooked to perfection with a beautiful fresh salad<br/>The service: Very personable we where made to feel very welcome and we where not left wanting<br/>The Ambiance: A wonderful little trip to Italy<br/>The price: pretty standard for a nice resturant

Fun italian with lovely stafg. A - STAFF, A - ATMOSPHERE, B - FOOD. Was perfect for a casual bday dinner. The staff were brilliant and atmosphere great (for a tuesday)! Meals were good but I think could be better. Ordered a pizza and pasta main to share and sizing was satisfying, flavor was fine. Dad got a veal something but looked like it was way too saucey. We had a great night.

Takeaway disaster. So after ordering a cheesy garlic bread, fettuccini carbonara and a tiramisu I pick it up get home and find no tiramisu instead I have 2 garlic breads and the carbonara sauce is not in the ridiculous takeaway container but in the plastic bag and all through my car. <br/>When I rang to complain the response was well come back and get your tiramisu. <br/>If the meal was enjoyable I would never have written this, but when paying possibly the most expensive carbonara in brisbane and being so disappointed I changed my mind. <br/>I won't be going back again

Dinner at Marinara Restaurant in Hawthorne. We had booked a table for dinner on April 16th, which is my birthday, and it was a pleasant experience. The service was excellent with out being overly intrusive, and the crew that evening, of multiple nationalities, added to the charm. We had bruschetta to share for starters, and veal with sauces "to die for" as mains, My wife mentioned to the waiter that it was my birthday, and without notice - after the mains, a birthday cake with fireworks came to our table, accompanied by three waiters singing "Happy Birthday". A truly remarkable evening both with food and service, and we will certainly be back - more so since we live just 5 minutes drive away from the place.<br/>Anamaria & Tor, Norman Park

This is NOT an Italian restaurant!. Went for dinner at Marinara with a group of friends and I swear I have never tasted anything so horrible in my life!<br/>The risotto marinara was served cold - a gigantic clam on one side of the plate was covered in raw tomato sauce while an oyster she'll on the other side was filled with some kind of white sauce. The risotto was covered by a layer of pre packed mixed salad (which, believe me, has nothing to do with risotto marinara!). After chewing a pretty foul tasting clam I could no longer finish my dish.<br/>My friends were not luckyer than me. One person ordered veal which was served in a lake of cream (oh and only one single mushroom could be found on the plate) someone else had salmon but it was unclear wether the poor fish had been boiled or baked: either way it was not pleasant.<br/>When we asked wether the chef was Italian we were told that he was Italian but he "had to cater for the Australian public". Now it might be that Australians are not too familiar with authentic Italian food, however they still have a brain connected to their taste buds! <br/>The service was not better than the food. When it came time to pay we were reproached because we wanted to split the bill... I wonder if the owner wants my money or does it have to be in cash only off him to accept it ... either ways the people next to us left without paying - and no one even noticed it!

Authentic Italian. Fun little Italian place, food is pricey but done well, fun atmosphere with music etc. Staff were a little off, maybe some not very experienced but overall it's a good one.

Lou. Took my teenage girls there <br/>Had the best meal at marinara <br/>Authentic Italian food great service

You will be surprised. The owner has put a lot of heart into this restaurant. The food is delicious and authentic. One of my favourite pizzas is the marinara: lots of seafood and very flavoursome. The restaurant decor is stunning. A great restaurant with positive energy vibes!

Good food, but overpriced. My wife and I had dinner at Marinara on Friday at 6.00pm. We were seated out in the courtyard at the end closest to the street - it was a nice atmosphere. We ordered a few drinks each, a supreme pizza and the pesto pasta. Overall the food was very nice, however did take around 45 minutes to come out which was probably a little longer than we expected. The waiters were all very friendly however our waiter was quite forgetful and we had to ask several times for water and a drinks menu. He didn't seem to be coping with how busy the restaurant was. We would definitely recommend booking rather than just turning up as the restaurant was full even when we left.<br/><br/>Overall the food was nice but the prices were too high in our opinion - $120 for 2 people for a suburban restaurant is a little excessive.

Nice food and a relaxed atmosphere at Marinara. The food is always delicious and portions are huge, we have dined here a few times and have found the food is consistently good. Marinara is always busy though and as a result they are slow bringing food out. I guess it doesn't matter if the food is tasty.

A fantastic restaurant with so many enthusiastic and cheerful staff who attended to our every desire. Glorious food and love the open kitchen! <br/><br/>This place has such a romantic yet playful vibe... Loved it!

Service very disappointing at Marinara Hawthorne. We booked a table for 9 at Marinara Hawthorne on Friday night for my birthday. The food and atmosphere excellent but the service very poor. After 3 people finished their meals, meals for 4 others in the group arrived. After they finished their food, the final two dishes arrived. Is it not a basic rule that people at the same table get their food at the same time? It was quite embarrassing inviting people to a restaurant with such bad service.

Don’t bother booking; it’s just a pizza parlour masquerading as a restaurant.. I dropped into Marinara and booked a table for two for Friday at 7:30 last Tuesday. I advised them my partner and I were looking forward to our evening and was given a copy of the menu to take with me. The people I spoke with seemed happy to take the booking. When we arrived on time, (we live less than 5 minutes away), to a very busy restaurant, the fellow I'd booked with advised us to wait at the door, he then checked our booking, confirmed it, and asked us to follow him to our table out back. A very good thing we'd booked a few days in advance I thought. When we arrived near the table three people were just being seated by a fellow I presume is the owner/manager, he had handed me my menu on Wednesday, and a third chair was being sourced. We were told to wait by the kitchen servery, after a few minutes my partner got a little upset about how we were being treated and suggested we should leave, I said we should give them a chance. The fellow who had originally served us and taken the booking came out from the back of the shop and began to set up a small table right in front of the servery. At this point I agreed with my partner and advised the fellow not to bother, they were obviously too busy. I consider, if you make a booking at a good restaurant you should feel welcome from the minute you arrive and not be treated like a walk in. This place is currently enjoying its ‘New Kid in Town’ period and it is very busy, good for them. The way they treated my partner and I was appalling by restaurant standards, not really even acceptable for a Pizza and Pasta joint, we won't be back and we won't be recommending them. The food may be good but they don't know how to manage a restaurant. The evening was not a total loss; we drove up the road and were treated better as walk ins up on Oxford Street, there are a few very good established Italian restaurants up there that know how to treat customers.

Great dinner with friends!. We had dinner here tonight and had a great night. It was a busy Friday night and the service was awesome. The serving sizes were quite big so we thought the pricing was reasonable. The mains range between $20-30. We will be back!

Excellent pizza - prawn and supreme. Outstanding pizza. Had both the prawn and chilli and the supreme.<br/>Authentic and full of flavor.

I liked it.. Had the bruschetta as a starter followed by the seafood marinara salad for my wife and the salmon main for me. All meals were great. We did notice the wait staff didn't fuss over you like some of the other comments have mentioned here BUT...for those that have been to Italy - that's pretty standard over there, certainly that was our experience - so we weren't bothered (or surprised) when we had to stop the waiter to get service or if our waters weren't quickly refilled once the bottle had run out (nor would we expect it). All in all, a nice restaurant with nice food; pricing about right. Will go again.

Great place. Food absolutely fabulous. Simply the best place around. Food and service are the best

Aweful experience, would never go back. Though we were greeted and seated by the owner who pretends to be italian, the service was slack throughout the meal. The wine menu was very ordinary. We always had empty glasses of water on our table, eventually we found a waiter who brought us a warmed bottle of water to drink. It was very difficult to get table service. <br/>The food was over priced for what it was, very average, like a takeaway. Everyone's meals at our table was quite disappointing, The dessert selection, brought out was off putting, too.<br/>The restaurant is new and feels dingy and dated, the atmosphere is horrible. The tables of 4 were 2 tiny round tables joined, very uncomfortable. Looking around at other diners who also looking disappointed too,<br/>I have been to the other Marinaras and enjoyed it but,<br/>I will never go back or recommend this place. The food isn't worth it

Brilliantly decorate and great staff buttt.... I had salmon and partner had pizza. <br/><br/>Salmon had obviouslybeen prepared some hours ago and reheated - so was edible but below expectations.<br/>The pizza was all pastry and very small amount of filling. Tasty but not a dinner serve.<br/><br/>Pity as decor and staff and atmosphere are great.

Best Italian food and service. A large group had dinner here last night. WOW!!! Great food, great flavours and great service.<br/>This restaurant is a must to come and try. Everyone enjoyed their meals and walked out very happy.<br/>Will DEFINATELY return.

Wonderful place to celebrate!. Restaurant was packed yet the service was impeccable. One diner made a mistake with their order and a new meal was cooked especially for her with not even a hint of annoyance. They even dimmed the lights and brought out a birthday cake for the birthday boy! The food was authentic, flavoursome, beautifully presented and served in a timely manner.

My husband and I turned up here on a Monday night at 6.15pm. Upon arrival we were asked if we had reserved a table, which we hadn't. Despite the restaurant being empty the staff member told us rather rudely to "go down and sit outside". This was a table in the edge if the pavement on a rush hour Hawthorne Road. It wasn't exactly a romantic atmosphere so we asked to sit inside and were squeezed onto a tiny table right at the front. From watching other couples arrive it would seem they appear to be pushed on the path whilst preference is given to families. When other customers also asked to sit inside they were given the same abrupt treatment. <br/>Now for the food ....$30 for garlic prawns and $28 for a calzone pizza felt like a bit excessive.. Whilst it was ok food, it was not worth the price. Add another $19 for 2 glasses of red wine and we were $77 down for what was an average meal on a very squeezed table.

Enjoyable lunch. Four of us had lunch, a few days ago, at this restaurant. The food was very good, and the service friendly and efficient. The décor was also attractive. Patricia

Prices need reviewing. After making a booking I then read the reviews. I was pretty horrified to read so many scathing reviews. I thought I would try it anyway and give this new restaurant the benefit of the doubt. The service was actually very good, however I thought the value for money just wasn't there. This unfortunately isn't a restaurant you can bring the family to as it is way too expensive for what you received. The mushroom risotto that I ordered was nice, but wasn't a traditional risotto. It was served with lettuce ? My daughter had the kids fetuccine bolognese and it didn't even touch the sides for her. She is 7 years old. She ate a quarter of my risotto. My 10 year old son ordered a main meal and ate most of it but it cost nearly $30 ! So between the three of us we paid nearly $70 for our meals and two of us were still able to eat more food if it was available. I think they need to either review their prices or review the size of their servings. I'm glad I tried this new restaurant, but unfortunately I probably won't come back here to eat as we get more value for money at Panchos' or Delizioso.

Overpriced, overstaffed and over-rated. My kids and I decided to try the Hawthorne restaurant tonight. What a complete waste of money. Whilst it looks lovely, quaint and Italian themed, it is very overpriced. I had heard it was expensive, but I have never had to pay $28 for a bowl of penne. <br/><br/>Firstly, we were greeted by a gorgeous Italian man, who showed us to our table. He said he would come back and explain the menu, 5 minutes later we were still waiting for him and even for some water. We asked for a bottle of water, and were presented with warm tap water. He eventually explained the menu in broken English, which was quite cute.<br/><br/>I settled on the Penne Matriciana. The girls were keen on the Fettucine Carbonara. Knowing this usually comes with mushrooms, they asked if this dish did. The waiter said no, just cream and bacon. They asked several times if he was sure, yes, he was sure. We also ordered garlic bread.<br/><br/>The bread came, 4 slices of thin garlic bread, nothing special. The pasta came and the fettucine was full of mushrooms. We hailed the waiter, who looked deeply shocked there was mushrooms in the dish. He suggested my younger girl see how she goes with it, but we wanted to send it back as they both dislike mushrooms. <br/><br/>My dish was quite pleasant. little too much chilli for my liking. and for $27, a complete rip off when I can make it at home for $5. Shame they don't have entree serves as the portions are just too big. The fettucine came, again, pleasant but nothing special.<br/><br/>The service - well, unfortunately, it is awful. Too many serving staff wandering aimlessly about with no direction or purpose. I asked for black pepper, the head waiter asked another waiter to do it and he ended up wandering off so I did it myself. <br/><br/>The bill - $105 for 3 people, 3 mains, one glass of wine, one soft drink and garlic bread. Even though I ordered one serve of garlic bread, I was given two serves at $4.50 each.<br/><br/>This is a popular restaurant, full even on a Wednesday. People will go to this place and pay the money, given the area. I most certainly will NOT be back.

Magic!. We really needed a fine traditional Italian restaurant here in Hawthorne! Thank you! The generosity here is as ginormous as their fettuccine marinara! <br/><br/>My wife ordered the garlic prawns, loved them. House special pizza was out of this world! Beers were reasonably priced. Never heard of Birra Italia, but not bad. <br/><br/>Sometimes you have a hard time understanding the thick Italian accents but well worth the wait as this place is busier than a bee hive. Interior is beautifully designed, makes you really feel like you're in Venice. <br/><br/>Can't stand pretentious places with small meals and high price tags. This is exactly what we needed. Down to earth service, hearty huge tasty meals, everything is very reasonably priced. Deserts, ask for the home made ones and order two!

Good Italian. Good meal, good service and good atmosphere. I will be back

A clown of a boss, unacceptable waiting time, rude service and crap food. 35 years of visiting restaurants all over the world...and this one was one of the worst. So bad I feel compelled to write my first review ever.<br/>We went with a German friend who just happened to be fluent in Italian given he grew up in Rome. The owner turned up acting like a funny guy but coming across like a clown. A few Italian words about the dish were answered in English (maybe he doesn't speaka the Italiana) by the following three sentences. "We do things different here". "If you don't like it, don't come back" and then a quick comment to the waitress..."Don't change the menu". I thought is was a joke but alas, it was not. Like a lot of reviewers, the wait for food was unacceptable (over 1.5 hours) and worse, the food was complete crap. Since when is a bruschetta served on a pizza base with cheese melted all over it!!! The rizzotta was way too salty and a cream based pasta was swimming in a creamy sauce. Inedible. When a different waitress took the plates and asked was the food OK, we answered no and explained why. The answer we got back was "but you ate it all so it can't have been that bad" My Italian speaking friend has to tell her in (I think) her native tongue "enough with being rude". And that sums up this establishment. Unacceptable waiting times for food. Rude service. A clown of a boss and crap food. Do yourself a favour. Go somewhere else.

Fake. Needs improvement.. Visited this restaurant the other night and felt the atmosphere was very fake. The owner was very exaggerated, obviously faking a huge Italian accent. The menu was a chalkboard, very irritating! We ordered and our meals tasted like packet sauces. It took a long time for our meals to arrive. The cost of our meals were too expensive for what they were. Very disappointing, I hope this restaurant improves. Will i be returning? Not unless changes occur.

Awesome location. Great food, great atmosphere and incredibly friendly. Buonissimo you just can't miss out.

Very Average. No menu - just a chalk board - pressure to order quickly. V average food, I'm sure these are packet sauces. Formula Italian, and not authentic. Order a bottle of wine, everyone gets a glass like it or not - got to drive up that bill! - we know the tricks guys. Nice friendly people working there, but I predict word will get out this is not great. So many good places to eat around, but not happy with this place. I don't usually write reviews but this place needs to improve. should be authentic rustic Italian - It is not. Food Court quality.

We were feeling fortunate that we had made a booking as this place was pumping on Saturday night. Jovial staff, prompt service and delicious food made for a wonderful meal and evening. We can't wait to return for the amazing flavours of the bruschetta and house made pastas. Thank you Marinara, the eastern suburbs of Brisbane need you!!

5 stars & two thumbs up. Walked in with friends on an impromptu weeknight dinner out. So glad we checked this new place out as it was amazing all round. The ambience was great, gorgeous food aroma wafting through the restaurant as we waited for food and served by friendly waiters. Everything we ate was delicious. The tiramisu is next level. Definitely coming back.

Had an absolutely fantastic night! The staff were easy on the eye, very friendly and the service was impeccable! Meals were devine and didn't have to wait long! VERY happy!!

Don't bother. Over-acted Italian accents. Slow slow service. 25 mins for drinks to arrive, 1 hour for 4 pizzas to arrive. Unimaginative menu. Overpriced pizza. Noisy as anything. Won't be returning. Stick to Oxford Street or Elsewhere.

Typical Bulimba Resturant, Successful by location nothing else!. Obviously there is a problem on Brisbane's inner east of over population because if this Resturant were located anywhere else there would be nobody in it.. Very average food, very average service, menu is pathetic... Good marketing and a location that anyone could do well in... Do your self a favour go 5 mins further up the road to 1889 Enoteca at the Gabba for real Italian. 1/5 once and only visit.

Italian Trattoria ???. The basics for good Italian food... Passion and good fresh Ingredients.<br/>Thankfully we only ordered 2 Pizza's<br/>Vegetarian .. Lashings of tinned sweet corn.<br/>Margherita ... No mozzarella or fresh basil.. More like 'death by grated cheese'.<br/>Would we return.. Probably not!<br/>The passion stopped once we were seated!

Absolutely Love this Cute Italian restaurant. Originally this place was located in sanctuary cove and had such great food, Now they are in Hawthorne and food is still amazing. Can't wait to return.

Great to have these guys back, after relocating from sanctuary cove they are back in business, the food is better than before the service is awesome, I strongly recommend if in the area for either causal or date night dinner go here. This is differently a little bit of southern Italy in Hawthorne now..... I will return

Below average food for the cost. We decided to try marinara restaurant as it had recently opened. Very disappointing and will certainly not be going back.<br/>After being offered to swap the pasta for salad on the veal dish as my wife is gluten free we received our bill which charged the full price for the veal in addition to another full cost for the salad. When I enquired about this the waiter was abrupt and rude and simply stated they swap rice for pasta not salad. This particularly loud and was in front of other diners. Very poorly handled and the food was certainly below average overall for the price. Will not be back and would not recommend to anyone else. It is a shame as the atmosphere was nice but poor service makes for a bad experience.

Terrible service. We arrived at 7.30pm, had a booking, (four people) was told there was no booking under our name! Was dumped out the back and ignored for half an hour until someone came and asked us if we would like to order drinks and a starter of bread. Another half hour and a girl came along and said had we ordered, we said no and she proceded to take our order. Then a man came and stopped her from taking our order, in the mean time arguing with her. We got our drinks and starter finally and after still not receiving our meals after 2 hours we walked out.<br/>Ps everybody around us that had arrived after us had finished their meals and we didn't even look like getting a sniff of ours.<br/>Never again, worst service we have ever encountered.<br/>Wayne

Great new local Italian!. Went for an early meal last night and loved this place. Service was very friendly. Food was great - classic Italian done really well. Overall the place has a really Italian feel to it, right down to the decor and the staff. It has been very busy since it opened and can’t see that changing in a hurry. Only problem is they only have two high chairs (we came down once but couldn’t stay because they had run out).

Well, this is a first. A takeaway review! I wasn't on planning on doing takeaway reviews but Marinara at Hawthorne has made me so disgusted, the rage has pushed me to do it. So that's something good that's come out of this. Mr Cakes, Puppycakes and myself were out walking when we noticed that an Italian restaurant had opened up where previously there was a pretty decent fish and chip shop. I used to live just up the road from the fish and chip shop. When my friend and I were broke, we'd get a couple of dollars worth of chips for dinner and all would be well with the world. What a shame that they have now gone.   Ew. Once we had walked home, I called up and placed an order. The gentleman on the phone kept calling me 'darling' which did not bode well with me as I find it a little patronizing and a touch sexist but since I might be a touch of a headstrong feminist, I tried