East Side Mario's Pickering

Food Choices: 5/5 – The menu is quite extensive for typical family Italian cuisine, and they offer an all-you-can-eat salad and soup option with some entrees. You begin with a fresh bread roll. The kids' menu is impressive, featuring dishes with real meat, and every kids' meal comes with a drink and dessert option. Food Taste: 4/5 – We’ve tried several entrees, some of which are definitely better than others. The latest kids' meal (pasta with meat and broccoli) was not great; it tasted like simply boiled pasta and broccoli topped with chicken breast and tomato sauce, without much flavor. My daughter didn’t eat any of it. However, she enjoyed the Cheese Cappelletti on a previous visit. Everyone loved my husband’s Linguine Chicken Tetrazzini, which was creamy and well-prepared. I had the Ultimate Canadian Pizza on our latest visit, and it exceeded my expectations. The crust was soft and fluffy, and the flavors were delightful, although I felt they could add more mushrooms. I wouldn’t recommend the tilapia, as it was very fishy and soggy, but I’m looking forward to trying one of their sandwiches next time! Service: 5/5 – The service has been outstanding each visit. There was one instance where our server seemed overwhelmed while dealing with a challenging table (it looked like their young child had spilled soup everywhere), but she took a deep breath and managed to continue providing great service. We truly appreciated her efforts! Family-Friendly: 5/5 – I love that the back of the kids' menu has coloring and activities for the little ones! They also provide new crayons in a sealed package. My daughter enjoys picking out her dish and coloring the princess character. The kids' drink comes in a cup with a lid; while it may not be completely spill-proof, it definitely helps reduce accidents. My daughter always looks forward to her gelato pushpop ice cream, which comes in a convenient tube shape. You simply squeeze the bottom to push it out, making it a perfect small serving size.

East Side is a typical chain restaurant with average food, but I’ve always liked their salad and homemade bread. On my recent visit, I noticed two young men working in the pizza area, where you can watch them cook. I ordered a pizza, and shortly after it arrived, I saw the two men joking around. One of them wiped sweat off his forehead with his forearm and hand, while the other touched his face and mouth. They weren't wearing gloves and didn’t wash their hands before preparing other meals. That was enough for me; I won’t be returning. I informed our host about my concern and requested that they address the issue after we left, but that didn’t happen. Cleanliness is extremely important to us when dining out, and this definitely needs to be improved.

We initially planned to visit another restaurant, but it was closed, so we decided to come here instead. The food was acceptable, though not particularly impressive. Everything felt somewhat bland and lacking in flavor, which seems to be a common theme among many chain family Italian restaurants. On the positive side, the service was excellent, with attentive staff throughout our meal. Our food arrived promptly, making it a good option for families dining out together. I would recommend this restaurant as a reliable choice for a straightforward, decent meal, especially if you’re looking for a no-frills dining experience with your family.

Very good food and bot too had of a price! Gotta try it!

Went here for a friends birthday! Absolutely enjoyable experience, Customer service and food spot on. A host at the front named milo made the experience good, he had a friendly attitude and a welcoming voice, our experience was just overall good