Review Marinara Restaurant - Brisbane

On the spur of the moment decision. First time here, warm, cozy friendly atmosphere. More than just pizza place. Excellent, attentive service. Very pleasant experience

Nice food but not so authentic though which was disappointing. Kids meal was better than our mains. Bruschetta is delicious but be mindful that it’s huge. Carbonara isn’t what I usually order but felt like some real Italian carbonara and unfortunately it just didn’t hit the spot - didn’t enjoy the cream and bacon in comparison to pecorino and guanciale. No one asked whether we would like pepper and there was a tad too much parmesan on everything. Their pizza’s are great though 👌🏾for the price and beautiful ambience and service, a bit more authenticity would be amazing. Yet to try the tiramisu which is the real test! ✨ P.s this post is not real-time. We ate a couple nights ago. I post when I have time. 🙂

Food was well cooked,tasty and enjoyed by all our family. Waiters kept an eye on our table but also let us enjoy our evening without too many interuptions. Very enjoyable evening and not overpriced and ambience was very nice.

Very comfortable suburban Italian restaurant With traditional style food Cosy atmosphere and plenty of pleasant staff members ready to enhance your experience

This beautiful Italian restaurant is my favourite place to go to with my partner for dinner. The atmosphere is great, food fantastic, service splendid and the drinks are delicious. I usually spend more than the normal person would when I go here because I don’t go often. When I do, I make the most of it because it’s definitely worth it. If I’m going to spend money and time on something it has to be worth it and this restaurant deserves that much.

Unfortunately my experience last night was not a good one. We waited 50 minutes for our mains. At around the 40 minute point we asked to check in on our food, to which the server came back and said they were going to make it now. The couple next to us were seated after us and were on to their desserts before we had received our mains. They obviously rushed our orders as just under 10 minutes later after bringing it to the server’s attention, our mains were brought out. My girlfriend ordered a risotto and it was very much undercooked (assuming because they rushed to get our orders out). I’m vegetarian so I ordered a vegetarian pesto pasta, and I was brought out a dish with chicken in. I then had to wait longer for my dish to come out, and when the dish came out, the pasta was completely drowned in sauce and not enjoyable. We were polite and understanding during this whole experience, but once I finally received my main after over an hour I was very disappointed. We told our server about our experience and his attitude was not good at all, considering we were being polite and apologetic as we didn’t want to cause any disruptions, however we were met with “well, it was just a mistake” when we brought up the chicken dish being served to a vegetarian. He then proceeded to say we can just take the dishes off the bill and he took our food away, there were no apologies in this exchange, and we were disappointed with how it was all handled. Considering the dishes are around $30 each, it would have been a close to $70-$80 dining experience including drinks and starters, however it was definitely not worth that with our undercooked pasta and waiting times. Unfortunately it is our second experience there of not being served/long waiting times because they forgot about our dishes, which is a shame because the atmosphere is so nice and it had potential for being a lovely night out both times.

I have been to this restaurant on two occasions now and it is simply fantastic. From the warm and friendly service staff who genuinely love where they work (I noticed someone who worked there come in early for their shift and was greeted with hugs & laughter like they were family) to the amazing food. I can't wait to have another night of beautiful food in a place that I automatically felt like I was part of the extended family. This is what Italian dining is all about.

We had the best food and dining experience at Marinara Restaurant a few months ago. The staff were so kind, generous and patient with my children. Marinara reminded me of the good old fashioned authentic Italian restaurants my parents would take me to as a little child, which I enjoyed so much. We will definitely be returning again to this restaurant.

Myself and my partner have been coming to Marinara for the past year and we have never been so impressed by the food, service and staff on each occasion. We have celebrated multiple family birthdays and each time we have had such a pleasure and been treated by such kind and welcoming staff.<br/><br/>Over the period of Covid-19 we decided to get take away from Marinara missing our favourite traditional Italian food. We were still greeted by such welcoming and friendly staff and were offered complimentary garlic bread and dessert.<br/><br/>We have gone to multiple Italian restaurants and tried Italian food all through Italy and Marinara is by far the most delicious, traditional and home style Italian food we have ever eaten. By far it is the staff that make our experience so memorable we continue to go back. We highly recommend visiting them and supporting them over this time! We also suggest the lasagna by far the best we have ever tried!

Had the linguine marinara which was perfect. Creamy and fresh and hand crafted marinara. Mussel scallop ouster and prawn. Delicious

We were recommended this place by our colleague and we went last night. The interior design of the restaurant let us feel comfortable and welcome and the familiar old songs were playing in the background softly. Food was excellent and the desserts were so yummy. The staff were friendly and accommodating, introduced us different wine/liquor from Italy. We really enjoyed dining there. We will definitely go back :-)

I am from Melbourne where we are spoilt for good Italian restaurants. I went with a friend who is gluten intolerant, she had the Risotto Marinara GF of course and i had the Fetucini Marinara, same but different lol and shared a bottle of Caranto Pinot Noir. The staff were excellent, friendly and attentive. The food was served quickly, well presented and full of flavour. Then desert and espresso. Very happy. The wine was good too.

Such an amazing experience, fantastic atmosphere and personal service. I am ordering take away from them very often and a big fan of their Don Carlos pasta and delicious pizzas. Thank You Marinara Team !<br/>

One of the best, if not the best experience of real Italian feeling. The Don Carlos is just delightful and perfectly spiced! The dessert guy was one in a life time experience. Overall, AMAZING. Thanks guys!!

If you are looking for a typical and real Italian environment, which doesn’t deliver just Italian food but literally let you feel like on the Mediterranean Sea’s costs, Marinara Clayfield will satisfy you and your taste buds! ❤️

Wonderful Italian place with great food, fantastic and friendliest staff, atmosphere is just spot on. <br/>Highly recommended. Dont miss out. 10/10

The first few times we came we here we loved everything about the place however it wasn’t until one Friday night where our opinions change dramatically. <br/><br/>We were finishing up our dinner while being offered coffees/desserts which we ordered, while waiting for our coffee (9.10pm) we hear the vacuum cleaner going at the other end of the restaurant. The place is advertised as being open until 10pm but we were going to leave by 9.30pm anyway. Meanwhile our coffee arrived and so did the person with the vacuum cleaning who started PULLING OUT CHAIRS AT OUR TABLE TO VACUUM UNDER OUR TABLE WHILE WE WERE STILL SITTING! <br/><br/>Of course we asked why they were doing that when they are advertised as being open until 10pm to which the response was that ‘most people leave by 9pm’. <br/><br/>If you want people gone by 9pm then change your hours or politely say you’ll be closing up soon etc, and don’t offer them more items to order, but especially DO NOT START VACUUMING UNDER YOUR CUSTOMERS TABLE!! What was almost more shocking is that the staff didn’t think it was wrong in any way. Sadly you have lost some loyal customers.

Ill start off by saying the customer service is good. Our waiter was friendly, polite and threw in a few jokes while taking our order. Very friendly staff.<br/>I ordered a pasta dish and it was good. Not great. But good. Decent sized servings but my linguini marinara was too creamy. The seafood was ok. Scallops were the only winner for this meal.<br/>I thought why not try a "uniquely" shaped pizza?!!. Within the first bite of the fish shaped pizza. There was certainly something "unique". The sauce was unusual and i have no idea what it was. The veal "the body" was overcooked and not enjoyable to eat. $30 for the fish pizza is too overpriced. I regretted not just getting a supreme. Sigh. Lesson learnt.<br/>The restaurant itself is clean, nicely lit up with rickety rockety tables. But that just adds to the character of this restaurant.

Marinara clayfield its great restuarant with great food and great service .we really like the atmosphere and service plus the right place for celebrate birthdays .<br/>

The ambience of this place was terrific, and the food was pretty good. The reason for my low rating was customer service or moreso deceitfulness, as they were nice but it was clear the main goal was to make your bill as expensive as possible. On seating we were recommended the two breads which we wanted to try so said yes, but said that was all. Our waiter said ok two breads and i give you free garlic bread. Or so we thought, he actually gave us three garlic bread which we were charged for. Then with water we asked for normal water to which he said they have two kinds, still or sparkling, we said just water to which he said ok still. We believed this was free but were charged $24 for water. The rest of the night it was the same, pressured into stuff which we werent given the price of.<br/>Was the first and last time here for us

I've been here multiple times and for me this is the best italian restaurant in Brisbane. I highly recommend the Chilli prawn pasta. Service is attentive, price is reasonable, love it.

Really enjoyed our recent night out at this cafe. The owners have put a lot of love into the restaurant and the menu. The staff were attentive. Everything including the sauces are made to order, being allergic to gluten and dairy generally limits my choices however they accommodated my needs. We ordered 3 seafood dishes that were all amazing. Plenty of seafood, not over cooked, flavourful and perfect serving sizes. They lose a star for dessert as the sticky date cake ordered for my partner wasn’t heated and lacked the much awaited caramel sauce. Will we go back? Absolutely!! The cafe/restaurant decor is unique and teleports you into little Italy, prices are reasonable given the food and time you spend. Lovely venue for small groups.

I came here recently with a group of friends. Very cute and looks like authentic street Italian. Food was sub par though. Not very flavourful or authentic- food was heavy and bland. Service was good though.

Very unimpressive. The service lacks, the decor is tacky, the food is very ordinary and expensive for what it is. Have been before, never again.

Unfortunately I did not have a good experience here.  The main parts of the meal were beautifully cooked, but the sides were disappointing and let them down.   Unfortunately when I gave some feedback ( I have owned a restaurant / coffee shop for 7 years with discerning clients ) and have always appreciated feedback, I was told that they were happy with 9 out of 10 people not complaining, so were not concerned about my complaints.<br/>This arrogant attitude might please the majority but not me.

My self and all my friends love this place! The food is delicious the service is very friendly and attentive, the decor is amazing and in the end of the dinner a beautiful desserts plate will make your day! Highly reccomended

I had seen this restaurant quite a few times while visiting my mum in Clayfield and always wanted to try the food, as the décor was quite striking.  I had my chance a few days ago.  The staff were welcoming and friendly and very attentive.  The food came quickly and was delicious and beautifully presented.  When the meals came, I thought the portions were quite small (I am big eater), but by the time I had finished the meal I was pleasantly full and very satisfied.  So much so that when the waitress brought around a plate of dessert examples, I had to say no.  I was disappointed I couldn't indulge, but that gives me an excuse to go back again.  I just might have to eat my way through the entire menu, but over a period of time of course!  Top marks, you guys.  Keep up the good work.

Popped into Marinara tonight for a quick catch up with family. Very convenient that food is served all day. My seafood loving family chose three different dishes. The seafood salad was a happy choice on the advice of the smiling and helpful Italian waiter. Plentiful seafood on a bed of fresh, well dressed leaf salad hit the spot, rich with just cooked salmon, mussels, scallops and prawns. Delicious. The fettuccine marinara was similarly generous and well received. The Tuscan baked salmon retained its moisture under a lid of baked vegetables. We will return.

the staff were so friendly and welcoming, the food was excellent so many great dishes to choose from, great atmosphere we had a great night and looking forward to next visit

Great restaurant. One of my favourite in Brisbane. Food is amazing (can't go past the Chicken Penne Pesto), staff are lovely and helpful, and the ambiance is perfect for a quiet romantic dinner or a nice family dinner.

amazing thank goodness finally a real italiano restaurant in the north. we will definitly be returning quite a lot. Staff where lovely and vbery efficient, food was belisomo

Exceptionally good service. Welcoming and inviting decor. Delicicious fresh oysters Really scrumptious Calzone. Canoli yummm. Great coffee. Definitely recommend and will be returning

Very pleasant local Italian restaurant. Warm seafood salad was excellent. Dining mates calzone was so big, heads turned as it was served. Being a calzone fan, he ate the lot and said it was one of the best he had had for a while. Good wine, good food - excellent value for very reasonable price. Marinara is now one of our favourite restaurants. Oh, and the staff were very pleasant.

I have been here twice now and I didn't think it could be better than the first experience, but it was!<br/>Food -10/10<br/>Service- 11/10<br/>Atmosphere -9/10<br/>They just do it so well and it seems normal to them.<br/><br/>

Really enjoyed a home style meal with attentive service. Yummy meals delivered promptly - we will be back for more. Very busy for a Tuesday evening says many others enjoy this little find too.