Apex
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Mambo Italiano
great italian. great food, great staff, great experience.
Bad, very bad. My wife and I came in around 7:00PM for a good Italian meal. We were delighted to see that seating was availible immediately and we were escorted to our table by a very nice hostess. Everything was fine for a while, but then we noticed that we weren’t getting served. Finally a waitress with short hair (Donna, I think?) came to take our drink order. She brings our drinks and then disappears for what seems to be 10-15 minutes. I have my iPad out doing some work and my wife makes the suggestion that I put it aside for a minute because maybe the waitress thinks we just came to order drinks (we hadn’t ordered any food yet). I do and still no sign of the waitress. Then we notice another table leaving and loudly complaining that they didn’t get any service. So, I tell my wife that we’ll give the waitress another five minutes before we walk out. Finally Donna comes by our table in route to another table when I make strong eye contact with her to get her attention. We had been there nearly 30 minutes at this point, with a half empty restaurant and just two drinks to show for it. Now- I am a nice “yes ma’am” type southern boy and I have looked back on the situation to try to figure out if I made any crass or snide comments to the waitress in relation to our lack of service. I did not. I treated her with respect but, for whatever reason, Donna decided to pick on me for the duration of the meal. I actually felt like I was being bullied. I would ask for something and she would promptly say “no.” I made my food order and I received a smartass comment back about my choice. I asked for a cup of tea to go and she said “not for you, but for your wife.” It just went on and on. I thought she might be joking at first, but she didn’t let up. We eat out a lot. We deal with a lot of different kinds of service, but this was the worst I can remember in years. Absolutely horrible. The food was actually pretty good and we would come back for it, but I will never step foot in Mambo Italiano again because of Donna. I didn’t say anything to her because I didn’t want to ruin a nice evening with my wife, but she didn’t get a tip.…
Bye Mambo, Mambo Italiano! Leave Mambo, Mambo Italiano!. Owners, Ron and Bella are the rudest people I have come across in Apex. Obviously these New Yorkers never heard of southern hospitality. I went to Mambo for my daughters birthday party. We invited all of her friends to come along and our bill was over 200$. I do not mind spending extra money for quality food, but I honestly prefer the pasta from Harris Teeters frozen section. When we finished our meal we brought out a cake that we had purchased at a different location and brought with us. The owners were not having it. They so rudely told us that either we ordered from their dessert menu or pay them a dollar for each plate we used to serve the cake we brought. We ended up singing happy birthday in the comfort of our own home.…
Use to be GREAT, Now SUCKs!. When first opened this place was the BEST! Now the food cost alot more, food is not that good, service sucks. I WILL NOT RETURN EVER! Owner is rude and should go back to NY where his kind thrive! Kate…
Awful Food, Service, and Owner.
By looking at some of the reviews here you can tell how polarized the posts are about this restaurant. Obviously there are friends, family and employees trying to protect it.
I don't see how anyone would like this place. We have tried to use multiple different promotional coupons and half off $25 gift certificates from different organizations and every time the owner has an excuse why they either aren't going to take it or why it's not valid (even though the stipulation is no where on the gc or coupon). It seems like classic bait and switch to me, but hey whatever. We just will not go there any more. Their food is average at best. Some things are decent and some things are poor/awful.
They used to offer a salad with family-style. Now they don't. They used to offer meat dishes in family style such as chicken parm and saltimbocca. Now they don't. They are constantly reducing what you get for your money.
The owner and the servers are rude and act like they are doing you a favor by taking your money.
I can't recommend this place to anyone especially since Daniel's, Carrabba's, and Mamma Mia's are much better places to go for good Italian food and service.
Whoever named this place the best Italian in Apex was probably just a friend of the owner. That distinction shouldn't even be discussed in the same sentence with this place.
Even if the food was good (and it isn't) I wouldn't go there again to be treated like dirt under someone's feet when I am the guest!…
