I have been going there since they opened ,went there in 1995  on a  Friday night
real late the owner was locking the doors , I told him we just  got out and were hungry , he llooked me in the eye for a second and went back in and cooked for us ,
The food was the best I ever had, the meatballs, with hot and sweet peppers , the
Eggplant stack , the scampi bread with a pink shrimp sauce , the grilled calamari ,
The food was  off the charts , 18 years later the food is still off the charts  I ha ve never had better and I am 100% italian and have owned several  Restraunt s.
His ingredients are the highest quality , everything is cooked to order and every dish is mouth watering , and the place is  Spotless , I went there on a Sunday  a few years back went they weren'tt open on Sunday the owner who is the Chef was on his hands and knees scrubbing the tables and chairs with a wire brush soap and water , he cares about every dish that leaves the kitchen , that's why it is so good.  The best people watching  place I have ever been to, very entertaining there is a reason People
Like Rick Pitino , Guy Fietti from the Food Channle , Dan Marino are regulars when
in  Fort Lauderdale .
I do not mind waiting for a table because  ( THE FOOD IS WORTH THE WAIT  )  my
Friends and  family recommend Cafe Martorano highly.
This is not my first time here, but since then I now have Yelp & will tell you, it's  absolutely amazing, just as the last time I was here, which was about 3 yrs ago. I had the mozzarella, meatballs & truffle fries for appetizer, my main dish was the veal cutlet & for desert, the red velvet cake which was the best Ive tasted & I am a big red velvet fan, not everyone knows how to make it. I'm telling you, this place is worth the drive, I live 30 mins away & so happy we came tonight. We did not have reservations, the host was super pleasant, we sat at the bar for one drink then she accommodated us at a table. The owner Steve was there, I did not expect different. The team was great, service was impeccable.
Review Source:We had heard good things about this restaurant from a local. Â The food was good but they are way too full of themselves. Â When the waiter brought us our check he had charged us for an extra drink. Â He then insisted that he we drank it and did not even offer to remove it from the bill. Â It was a very uncomfortable experience and I would never go back.
Review Source:i went there for dinner with a group of girl friends. Â the food was good but there were too many cons for me to go back there again.
first, when we pulled up to the valet (where there were a bunch guys hanging around), no one came up to get the car or open the door. Â then upon approaching the entrance, no one opened the door for us, even though there were a bunch of guys hanging around. Â right there, those 2 things display that they have no respect for their patrons or an understanding of what being in the service industry means.
another con was the noise level. Â it was so loud even when shouting in someone's ear, you couldn't hear it. Â Mr. M apparently likes to DJ his own restaurant and thinks he's good at it - not! Â besides being so loud for such a small place, he would play about 30 seconds of a song then switch to something completely different. Â music at dinner should either be soft and unobtrusive or have a kind of rhythm and flow where the listener is unaware that the songs are planned.
sorry, not worth the expense or the ringing ears.
I have been coming here for years and every time it is usually a great, unique experience. I love the "stack," meatballs, and "galamod." I even bought Steve's book which is great. With that said, this most recent trip was slightly disappointing. I found that the meatball was much smaller than normal and instead of "Goodfellas" or "The Godfather" playing, all of the screens were playing football. I understand it was q Sunday but the games made it feel like a upscale sports bar instead of the classic Martorano's vibe. What was most troubling was the service. It had been great until the waiter accidentally broke a glass full of water on our table. Of course accidents happen and the broken glass or water spilling on our laps were not the issue. What was the issue however, was that we were offered no complimentary dessert or coffee. When this same incident occurred at Joe's in South Beach, everyone at the table was offered dessert and coffee. I just believe a place such as Martorano's should react to something like this more closely to Joe's than McDonald's. It seems with fame, popularity, and everything else a big place in Vegas gets someone, the attention to detail has waned. Still a great place and will definitely be going back though.
Review Source:i used to go there, 'cos loved the food. BUT! recently they changed the menu, and took my favorite out!
i asked for a little substitution, (honestly i just asked not to put oil)
but the answer was absolutely NO CHANGES "'cuz that's the way we cook" ! whattt???
oh well, too bad. i will never go back.
nowadays anywhere u go, u can change the the menu to make it more to ur liking, even simple thing like changing the dressing or sauce.
Mortorano is too COOL for that!!!
that's ok, i can live with that, there are MANY other great italian restaurants.
The taste of the food is the only reason this place salvages a two-star review. Prices are obscene and service was absolutely deplorable. Our server actually admitted he had been taking shots and became uncomfortably inebriated before our appetizers even hit the table. Three of our party of five requested a different waiter throughout the course of the meal until the manager was seen forcibly removing him from the "floor". I realize that we were probably victims of a one-off unpleasant experience, but the staff did little in the way of righting a very egregious wrong. Know going in that unless you're a VIP/celebrity, chances are that you will be treated as though you're lucky to have even been able to eat in their establishment. The Italian, Jersey Shore-esque machismo is flat out over-the-top and your hard-earned dining dollars can be better spent elsewhere.
Review Source:As Jay-Z once said "Fell from top ten to not mentioned at all". That is my exact sentiment about Yo Cuz restaurant. I was once a regular at Martorano's but with each visit the place has become a big turn off and based on my last visit I will never step foot in this place again.
The Restaurant-
The restaurant should no longer be called Cafe Martorano since as soon as you walk in you are bombarded with Yo Cuz posters, Yo Cuz jewelry advertisements, and even a Yo Cuz autobiography on the self proclaimed Rocky Balboa of the food game. The loud music in the past was hip, the Mob movies that played on the multiple tv's was cool, but the ipad's that are brought out to the table to promote the Yo Cuz brand is a waste of my time. Other than this review I will never call someone Yo Cuz, muchless, think about wearing Yo Cuz jewelry. Â I don't think even MVP- Mike, Vinny, and Paulie would wear douchebag jewelry like that.
The food.
The food use to be much better and it was well worth the visit before but not anymore.
The service.
Horrible customer service. I would see how management, more specifically, Steve's Martorano's son who acts like he's Christopher Maltisanti but really is a softer A.J. Soprano/ Fredo Corleone mix, would treat some non-celeb guests and just shake my head in disgust. Before all that use to be overlooked because the food use to be that good but its far from it now.
Recently, I celebrated my birthday here with my family and one of the waiters assistant spilled a glass of wine on the table and it got all over my shirt and iPhone. I got a nonchalant apology from the waiter and they continued on like nothing happen. I sat through dinner with a soaked shirt and an iPhone that had wine damage. When it was brought to the attention of AJ Soprano he said to email his mom Debbie and she would take care of any damages. Since my email I am yet to receive a response from her or anyone else from the restaurant. I had to buy a new iphone and it really isn't about the money but more so the principal of the matter. A sincere apology would of gone a long way but I guess the Yo Cuz familia is above that now.
Steve Martorano's head has gotten to big for his own good. Maybe its the steroids, maybe its the fame. Whatever the reason is the guy has become a fugazi. Everyone save your time and money and avoid this place. At one point I use to vouch for this place like Lefty vouched for Donnie Brasco but not anymore.
2.5
This is me keeping it real "cuz," the place used to be it, now its turning into a place that rhymes with it.
I'll support Philly restauranteurs til the casket drops but I can't fake the love either, that why it breaks my heart to write this review but it must be done. It has to be done for all those like me, who thoroughly enjoyed this place in its heyday. Who looked forward to an amazing meal as well as that amazing dining experience. Â
CM has declined terribly. I'm not sure if it's the Hollywood mentality of Steve but he lost focused. Too big, too quick and let me quote the great late Frank White, "Mo Money, Mo Problems."
If it's all about the coin, bravo because Steve has it. He milked the cow the best way he knew how.
The portions are smaller, prices are higher. Service ranges from pretty disinterested to douchey. The management does not show an ounce of concern and more importantly, the feeling you once got is no longer there.
Despite the constant negative attention CM has received lately whether its by the critics or former fans, the fact is it's still a hype machine. However, once you experience it, you're left to wonder just how much longer will people buy into it.
It lost its luster. Its lost the quality of food and sadly, its lost its appeal. They say often immediate, never duplicated and that may be true. However, I'd rather go to the duplicated places such as SoLita these days because it's just better.
Nothing would make me happier than to revised this review one day, but as of now I don't see it happening. Cafe Martoranos is equivalent to Rocky 5, you know the one with Union Cane and Tommy Gunn? We need to see a humble, resurrected, hungry Stevie who can do Philly proud once again with the best spot in all of South Florida.
Come back cuz.
CM is a wonderful! The food is fun, it's of great quality, and the atmosphere is cheese-ball overload to the point where you are immersed in the entire experience. Every dish is good, I mean that...except the pizza. I'd be on a mission to create better pizza if I was Steve. But, we all know pizza is a super unprofitable menu item so perhaps it is all part of a larger, more thought out plan (LOL).
However, here are my minor qualms...
Martorano has become an event, rather than a good dining establishment. As a result, certain "rights" are taken here my management. Â For one, my Steak Pizzaiola special was $69.00! I've eaten at just about every high-end steak house and I've never seen a $69.00 NY Strip, never ever, ever never. The dish was yummy, but not jaw dropping-ly good. Â
Second, we went with 4 adults and 2 kids (well behaved little ladies who enjoyed their iPads more than the meatballs). As a result, our waiter automatically added a uber-generous 20% gratuity to the bill.
Now, here's the thing. When I go out for a dinner at a place like CM or similar, I don't trip over pennies. The difference between $120, or $170, or $185 is not of importance. You know it's going to be an expensive meal, but you also know its going to be worth it.
The issue I have is when people decide to "take" simply because they "can." I know CM isn't a "soup kitchen." However, there's also a component of owning a business that's called "moral fiber" and "backbone "
Rant aside, the food was great! Great quality olive oil; I love the details. I dislike the pseudo-extortionism! :-)
What a nightmare - and probably the rudest restaurateur I have ever met. So bad the experience that the whole party I was with, 10 people altogether, paid what we had consumed and left in the middle of the meal. If a place is too noisy to talk and upon asking politely about reducing the volume of the music, the owner tells you off and says it's his place where he can turn the music up as loud as he wants: he is right. And he obviously doesn't need money from a group of heavy-restaurant-hitters.
Not only that none of us 10 has ever set foot into this noisy "in" establishment again, all of us have also warned others of their fate. We were too late though to warn the crying birthday couple that had to wait for over 2 hours for their reserved table and finally left in tears.
Resumee: Who cares where celebs and C-listers go. There are too many restaurants around, with better _real Italian_ food and _much_ friendlier restaurateurs than to put up with this treatment.
After years of my boyfriend raving about this place we finally got a chance to go together last night, so I let me do the ordering and was extremely happy with everything we got. We started with the meatballs 'my way' and they were awesome and the salad that came with it made it twice as good. Then we got the calamari, that was perfect and not too chewy, last we the the shrimp scampi also very good. The portions were perfect for two and a little expensive but well worth it.
I loved the NY gangster atmosphere with the not-in-your-face staff, although its not in the best, most beautiful location a restaurant is mainly about the food and the food and it was some of the best food I've ever had. I would recommend this place to everyone.
Continue to be impressed with this place with hands down the freshest most authentic food around "Italian" If you can get past the price which is not inexpensive the food is incredible. Â
We have been there multiple times always early just after opening and have not yet been disappointed. Â The Meatball Salad with fresh riccotta, the cheese steak appetizers, any veal dish, the fresh pasta especially when he makes it with some Hot Cherry peppers or for that matter everything we have ever ordered their stands out.
All Bullsh*T aside this place is as good as it gets, excellent service and top notch Northeast style Italian food.!!!!!!!
I was not expecting to have so much fun at this restaurant, or enjoy it as much as I did so it was a pleasant surprise. Â This place is not for everyone however. Â If I brought my parents here, they would immediately want to vacate the premises due to the dark lighting, blaring music, and violent/expletive laced dialog being shown on the numerous televisions. But if you are not expecting a quiet romantic dinner, and want to have a really fun time in a party atmosphere, this is a good spot.
I went on a Saturday night and had to wait an hour before seating. Â The bar scene was packed but fun, and they provided some complimentary pizza while we waited. Â Surprisingly, there is only beer and wine here, no liquor. Â Service was friendly and remained so for the entire night.
Eventually we were seated and the seating area is a little cramped, but that's just the way it is. Â You end up talking with fellow diners (rather yelling due to the loud music) and it adds to the party atmosphere. Â Upon seating we were provided some rigatoni in a buttery sauce which was a nice touch after our wait. Â Also bread with some nice Italian hot peppers were distributed. Â Our waiter, who was friendly, showed us the nights specials on an IPAD, then gave out the menu. Â We ordered the meatballs with salad, and a burratta special. Â The meatballs were very good, however, not as good as my Fort Lauderdale favorite (Noodle Panini). Â The burrata appetizer, was also good although it was not the sweetest and softest burrata I have had. Â The grape tomatoes served with it were perfect. Â Another appetizer was provided to us, mozzarella and tomatoes, similar to the burrata appetizer, and just as good.
For entrees, I had the bucatini amitriciano, while others had the chicken parmigiana with gnocchi, a pork and pasta dish, and fettuccine alfredo. Â All entrees on the whole were good, not great. Â I would rate them at about 3 stars, with my favorite being the chicken parmigiana with gnocchi, followed by the fettuccine alrfredo, which was tasty but very heavy. Â Portions were large enough to share. Â After dinner, we were served a complimentary slice of tirramissu which was delicious and a nice touch.
We all felt very well taken care of here. Â All service was friendly and warm, not condescending in the least. Â The night was a lot of fun. Â This is a dining experience, not for everyone, but I would return, just not on a regular basis.
Let me start by saying I heard amazing things about this and the food, I heard it is next to impossible to get in and everyone says how great it is. Now let me save you some money and time.
I went this evening for friends birthday, I was excited to go, that stopped as soon as I valet'd my car and could hear what sounded like a nightclub on the other side of the door. Our party was 5 and we sat at 840, while sitting I noticed about one third of the tables empty at all times so maybe the excitement and poor reviews is finally getting people to take their hard earned money elsewhere.
Food ordered was to start Meatballs with salad, Fried Cheese and sausage roll. Meatballs were average at best, I have had better at Anthonys Runway and Corielle's. Fried Cheese I did not sample as it was a little off putting two large pieces of cheese fried and then slathered in what appeared to be either franchise sauce or donut glaze. The sausage roll with peppers and onions ( which normally is in a pizza style dough ) was basically sausage, peppers and onions wrapped in a won ton skin and greasy.
Dinner the table was told ( by throwing down place card that read, everything is served family style in the middle of the table, enough to go around and then a adverse for his cook book ). Veal Parm, linguine and calms, carbonara , seafood linguine and I had pasta with red and white beans and sausage.
I did not sample each dish but did try three, and again food was average at best. Noting to write home about yet nothing to really complain about, kinda like going to a corporate restaurant food won't be great, but you can eat it. Now onto the issues with food.
Entrees could not have possible been shared family style unless you are a family of one, food averaged at various times so if one of the 5 of us had gotten a dish served hot it would have cooled down by eating time. Food was served warm not hot. Decor was tacky at best, not sure if I was eating at a niteclub or a restaurant. Music was way to loud ( I am 35 ) and at times unbearable, my wife left with a headache and so did I ( I use to produce concerts for a living and this music was to loud ). wait staff was ok, but a little rushed of a meal which did not bother as again the music.
All in all this place I will not return to, the name still has a great stigma about it, but being someone who eats out a lot you can only live by name for so long. the more places you open, the more small things will slip through the cracks and turn into big things. Save your money, download the cook book and just make it at home. Bill for all 5 without drinks was 300 bucks, I have eaten with 5 at much nicer and better places for less. Please people lets make a statement with our choices.
What a screaming disappointment. Have heard about this place for years and finally decided to bite the bullet. Wound up taking the bullet in the billfold for sure. Overpriced, ho-hum food in a tacky, stupidly loud environment where you're being constantly bombarded by Steve "yo cuz" products - wine, pasta sauces, baseball hats, etc. Waiters constantly touted "large portions" - yeah, if you're bulemic! Did I mention being overpriced??? Small rock lobster tail and pasta $48, meatball, lettuce and a scoop of ricotta $18, 3 sausages with a few grilled pepper and onions $28. If the taste and prep were over the top, maybe. But no so by a long shot.
The rent-a-cop patrolling the sidewalk outside added to the wiseguy wannabe atomosphere inside. Way too much gold chain, surgery and hype for my taste.
No question the guy makes a buck but has taken the last one from me.
Folks if you want great food and value with no goombah bs, try Casa d'Angelo on Federal Ave. or Bistro Mezzaluna on 17th St.
Brooke & Ann
I went here with my boyfriend because we wanted to see what we've been missing...everyone is always talking about how great Martarano's is....the owner/chef even has his own sauce available at local supermarkets. Â The Waitstaff seems friendly/helpful even though they have a swagger, it's part of the atmosphere. Â LOUD LOUD music, so LOUD that I couldnt even have a conversation or hear my boyfriend speak. Â You really have to scream over the music, so don't come here if it's a first date or you want to have a conversation with your dinner mates. Â
When we sat down, we were told that everything is "family-style", there were only two of us..but we figured there would be enough to take home, no such luck..there was barely enough to satisfy ONE person, even though we ordered an appetizer before the meal. Â Bear in mind that I hardly even had 4 bites of food. Â The wines are excellent, the food is tasty but exceedingly overpriced and the crowd seems somewhat pretentiousand. Â Plus, we were rushed through the meal even though it wasnt crowded, busboys kept trying to take dishes before we were even done, and took my wine glass before I had the last few sips. Â I can't see coming here on a crowded night, we went on a week day and the only plus was that there was no wait to get a table. Â
All in all, I wouldnt say that its a bad experience but overpriced, rushed, small portions and very loud. Â Do not come here if you expect a homey quaint italian restaurant experience.
Ok, I will be clear and concise. Â We went there because of the meatballs....guess what!! NO MEATBALLS, they said because today is Easter, they didn't have the meatballs. Â I mean, with all due respect....who cares that today is Easter? I went to the most famous place for meatballs and ended up with a $36 Lasagna and $25 Eggplant Salad, 2 Proseccos, 1 Diet Coke. Â Are you serious? $89 Dollars??????? This restaurant is an overrated Buca Di Beppo. Â And waaaaay overpriced.
Go to Buca for the real deal, and if you really like the Casino, seriously....go to TATU, just in front of this place.
The music is SO loud, that the waiter was talking and we just guessed what he said because of his exaggerated mimic. Â OMFG.
How was the Lasagna? Meh. Â For $36, I was expecting a HUGE piece since it is supposed to be shared....and it should also talk for that price, in my humble opinion.
Nop, not going again.
What is there to like? The location is gross. The restaurant is tiny - my
chair was knocked constantly by the serving staff all evening; and they charge ridiculous prices for average Italian cuisine. They have installed something like 10 big-screen tv's that incessantly and shamelessly promotes the owner. Multiple times throughout the dinner, the owner turned off the lights completely, at which time he blared the volume of these tv's so the patrons had no choice but to watch pre-recorded self-promotions (since we could not hear each other or even see the food!). We've tried this restaurant numerous times based on "rave reviews" but we now realize it is part of his B.S agenda.
There are some greats and some bads.
Let's get the bads out of the way. Â The music is way too loud. Â I sat across the table from my girlfriend and couldn't understand a word she was saying. Â They can pull off the same vibe with the volume lower - it seriously will not ruin the scene. Â Second gripe - I, personally, found the greens were too dressed for my liking. Â Just too much dressing. Â Lastly - The gnocchi was not the best I ever had, so that was slightly disappointing. Â
On to the greats:
To start with, the service we received was awesome. Â The wait staff is incredibly attentive (but not in an overbearing way) and everything was handled properly. Â I'm actually willing to say that was the best service I have ever had in a restaurant, period. Â
I was told that Cafe Martorano has the best Italian food in America. Â I don't eat Italian often enough to really say whether that statement is true or not, but I will tell you that the meal was incredible. Â Definitely get the meatballs. Â The antipasto was really big, and really delicious. Â The veal was awesome too. Â Really, really well done all around.
Reading the reviews on Yelp, I was slightly concerned about that the restaurant would be really obnoxious. While I have only been here 1 time, it was not nearly as bad as I expected. Â It's not like an episode of Jersey shore, which is what I pictured in my mind ahead of time. Â Again, other than the loud music, the place was just fine.
Killer atmosphere! (if you're in the mood) Walk in and you're not sure if you're in a night club or mobster movie, but good news... where ever you are, they feed you. A lot. Huge portions of awesome Italian mean sharing with your dining buddy, the strangers next to you at the bar, and your coworkers the next day. The fish dishes are super fresh and the eggplant parm is fantastic.
Not the best place to catch up with long lost friends or a big group. It's dark and it's loud, so be prepared to shout to the person next to you. A long wait is normal. It's worth it! Everyone has to go here once!
Lets start with the negatives and end with the positives...
Tacky location in a Walgreens shopping center and the inside is small.
Prices are offensive($40 for chicken Parm)and they give you bottled water without asking then charge you for it...
PRO's
Food was simply awesome!!!
Steve was not there the night i went so it took away from the effect!!!
Over priced. For all of you whom have never tried real Italian food from Tuscany as I have had the opportunity to do, I will tell you that this is not real Italian food.
Oh, and a little secret since I know a few individuals who work there, their Mac and Cheese is Velveeta which you pay $40 at Martorano's and $4 for at home.
Wow, this joint is GREAT!!! Â Sopranos playing on all the screens around restaurant. Â Master chef is on the turntables with great music. Â AND it's in a strip mall!!!
Some of the best italian food I've had. Â And dare I say it, the best Philly cheesesteaks. Â Yep, the BEST Philly cheesesteaks... Â We had gobs of pasta, sausage, etc. Â Felt like a mafia Don that night. Â Of course it didn't hurt that I was there with Fat Joe. Â We were treated like kings.
Definitely worth the trip up from Miami!
I didn't want to like this place.
I had heard how great it was, but every description made it sound good in an East Coast Goombah kind of way. Â The owner thinks he is some kind of rock star, bragging that he made Dan Marino wait for a table (unheard of in So. Florida) and engaging in self promotion that would make Donald Trump blush.
Then, for my first impression, we pull up to this grimy strip mall. Â I mean the early 70's stripmalls, where from the outside every store looks the same. Â A block long rectangle with doors evenly spaced along the front. Â
Once you go inside, though, the hideous exterior is a million miles away. Â Not sure if the interior is nice or not because it was so dark. Â They had to have lights on the menu (they claim - erroneously -- they are the first to have this) just so you could read it. Â Dark. Â And loud. Â You have to lean over and shout just so the person you are having dinner with can hear you. It is, quite literally, Italian fine dining stuck in the middle of a nightclub. Â Which sounds so stupid it could only be a spoof. Â But you know what? Â It works. Â I still don't know how, but it works. Â It's a really fun environment.
The food? Â Hit or miss. Â It turns out that the menus with the lights are a
recent development. Â Before that they didn't have menus, they just kind of told you what you were getting and maybe gave you a few options. Â As anathema that might be to some people, I can see why it worked so well. Â The server told us what she recommended, the house specialties as it were. Â Our choices from her suggestions were phenomenal. (!) The stuff we plucked randomly on the menu was just OK. Â And at the prices they charge, OK doesn't cut it. Â Bottom line, when your server tells you to get the gnocchi, or the meatballs (both fabulous, btw) or whatever else he or she tells you to get, GET IT! Â You'll be happy you did.
They lose a star for a $40 corkage fee, which is rapacious. Â Other than
that, they are a solid four stars.
"Italian Mobster Five Stars"
At least that's how this place was described to me. We were in town for a Miami Heat's Game, when one of the guys invited us to this place, Cafe Martorano. He shows me his phone and sure enough that's what it says, "Italian Mobster Five Stars". I grew up on Italian mob movies, so I didn't care what this place was, with a name like that I'm there.
I guess it's nearly impossible to get a reservation here, but luckily, a friend knew someone. There are no menu's, the chef brings out what he feels like....all 16 courses (no exaggeration).
So why would you drive 20 minutes outside of South Beach to Fort Lauderdale for this place? When we arrive, we pull up into this strip mall, there's a liquor store, a dry cleaner, and the parking lot is full. There's a valet in this strip mall, yeah that's right, a Valet guy in a strip mall. "Ma certo" (but of course). There's a large lot with blackened out windows with a simple neon sign that says, "Cafe Martorano".
There's 10 of us, three cars pile out to the Valet and we open the blacken doors and we're blasted by the sound of 70's disco. We're greeted by the hostess and taken to a long table. He was right, no menu's. They start to bring over bottles of red wine. This place is blasts 70's disco, GOOD 70's disco, Italian mobster style. The speakers are huge stacks hung above on the ceiling, I can feel the bass pump and vibrate through the chairs. The sounds is purrrrect. Mirrors everywhere with large plasma's playing all the classic mob movies, "Godfather", "Scarface" "Saturday Night Fever" all the best of the best.
The owner is also the DJ, the VJ, and the head Chef. The kitchen is open so you can see the owner, the master mind behind this creation. A handsome beast of man, Steve Martorano, huge strong man, with a scar under one of his eyes, and tatted up perfectly. lean, one of thee most passionate people I have ever met. He LIVES for this. Every night he is there, cooking, DJ-ing, VJ-ing, controlling the state of the lighting system. He loves this, every bit of it and you can feel the passion in this place.
There were 16 courses. I gave up after 10 or so. I had to go outside and smoke a cigar, drink wine, and talk to everyone in awe with the beautiful madness of this joint. The food was spectacular, Jumbo Prawn Bruscetta, I mean, the prawns were so large they tasted like Lobster, Macaroni with Chicken Wings, Philly Cheese Steaks, Seafood Spaghetti with Lobster, Jumbo Prawns, Mussels, Clams, the most tender Veal chops I have ever tasted in my life with three kinds of mushrooms...... the food kept coming...there were over 5 different desserts that I couldn't even taste I was so stuffed.
Dancing, movies, wine, food, more food, and more food....and just when the they would play the most violent part of the movie, the blaring disco would STOP....and the volume on the TV's would come up until the character in the movie would shoot someone to a hundred times...and BAM!!!! The disco would pump up again, everyone dancing, laughing, living. THIS is to be experienced. THIS is worth the drive, the flight.
This place. This amazing place is an experience. It's legendary. And Steve Martorano is the man that makes this all happen. This place is incredible. Â "Italian Mobster Five Stars"
Yum. Â After reading the reviews of others, let me tell everyone else that the big guy is the owner. Â Please remember, he has opened a place on Fort Lauderdale Beach after already having a restaurant in Las Vegas where garish is the norm. Â Having said that, I must have patronized this restaurant on a slow night since I was seated immediately. Â The pretentiousness could definitely be cut with a knife, but it all worked seamlessly. Â
Next issue is the price. Â People, if you are so hung up on price, please look at the menu before you take your seat. Â You are going out to eat, you are going to pay for it and you won't know if the food is commensurate to the price until you have already ordered. Â This place is definitely pricey and not a restaurant that I would go to more than once every couple of months, but the food was most definitely commensurate to the price. Â We ordered the meatball appetizer and the Veal Parmesan with a pasta side. Â The size was ENORMOUS. Â WOW. Â The flavor was very good. Â I will be the first person to say this food should not cost that amount, but when I saw the price tag, my first thought was to wait a bit longer than most to return. Â It can take a chunk out of your wallet.
DO NOT come to Cafe Martorano unless you are planning to spend AT LEAST $75 per person. Â If you do NOT factor that in before you enter, then your meal is already ruined. Â Don't feel ashamed to look at the menu before entering; I do so at every place I patronize for the first time. Â This is a special occasion place, in my opinion, and probably not a place you want to go on Friday or Saturday due to its current trendiness. Â I also would not recommend going with large groups, otherwise you may never make it in. Â The interior is set up in such a manner as to discourage larger groups. Â I will return to try again in a couple of months.
Best Italian I've tried in Florida!
Yes expect to wait especially on the prime nights like the weekend. I was there on a Wednesday and there was not much of a wait. As I understand this place changed from over a year ago...there are now prices on the menu and your waiter doesn't tell you what you are going to eat and the portion is now normal. The best MEATBALL ever...its a baseball sized meatball appetizer and was soo incredible and I am not much of a meat eater. We had different pasta dishes which were both great, a bottle of cheap wine, and the infamous cheesecake flown from Carnegie in NYC with a total bill of a little over $100. Soo well worth it. I didn't have to put up with any of the BS others have mentioned but if I had to it would be well worth the food!
Go for the amazing food and take the rest as an experience...probably an experience you wouldn't put up with anywhere else but here make it an exception!
OK, this place is hand's down the best Italian restaurant ever, in terms of food. Sure, the ambiance is a bit much (turn down the music a few decibals, Steve) but the food is off the charts.
I had the BEST meatballs, pasta carbonara, Philly cheese steak EVER the night I went. No joke. I hear that the shrimp scampi is pretty ridiculous too, but we forgot to order that.
And yes, celebrities do flock to this joint like moths to a flame -- rapper Ludacris was there and it was pretty damn funny.
You've also got love a joint where the owner deejays from a booth set up in the kitchen. Talk about funny shit.
I also got a kick out of the movies playing over the spate of plasma TVs surrounding the tables -- Friday, Good Fellas and A Bronx Tale were shown and when a good scene pops up, Steve makes sure you can here it.
So yeah, this place gets 5 stars from me. Try the meatballs and you too will understand the obsession with this Sopranos-esque hot spot.
This place is a great for people who like to be made to wait, who love loud, noisy places, who like over-priced wine and liquor, who need to be waited on by harried, in-a-hurry waiters, who fantasize that they  are a part of the Italian Mafia, and who like to be treated like cattle.
When we first went we thought that we were treated that way because we were older and not wearing enough jewelry. We're certainly not of the jet-set, nor are we well-known for our literary accomplishments (which would go unnoticed here anyway.) But last week our son, married to a  top drawer Parisian model, went with his beautiful wife and they were treated just as badly.
Well, at least the poor treatment is democratically apportioned.
So much for the atmosphere. Conversation being impossible my wife and I were able to concentrate on our food. For, Ft. Lauderdale, it's in a league with Cafe des Angeles, or Kitchenetta. If this restaurant were in New York it would be, at most, a two star out five stars. In Paris it would have been closed long ago. Who enjoys food in a cattle-pen? Â
In sum, food pretty good by Ft. Lauderdale standards--reserve this place for the younger, unknowing generation, whose ears have already been damaged by ear-buds and who don;t like to have conversations at dinner.
Enjoyed this place both times I went here. Â My wife and I went here for my birthday a couple of years in a row. Â
The food was superb, but you could cut the ridiculous pretentiousness with a spoon. Â I had never seen the website until I saw another review and all I can say is WOW, that has got to be the worst restaurant website I've ever seen. Â What's with the "tough" guy. Â Plus it's a slow load even on a cable connection. Â
Speaking of slow loads, the wait to get into this place is laughable. Â They will pick and choose "friends" over the regular folk, trying to give some sort of air about about the place. Â Then, he puts out a super market pasta sauce and prices it at $9 a jar! Â Wow. Â
If the food wasn't so good, this place would be one star. Â The prices are grossly overpriced. Â Won't be back again unless someone else is paying.
I don't care if this restaurant has the most divine food ever. Â Its website alone knocks this place down to two stars. Â
(<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cafemartorano.com%2F&s=8d6983b223da2cbf1539d30b25ea412adea6b50515ff1699878adfc1f9a528d1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.cafemartorano…</a>). Â
FYI to the tattoo'd guy: your picture is driving AWAY business, NOT attracting it. Â And the music? Dude, anyone who digs that kind of music probably doesn't check out restaurant websites (or yelp for that matter).
This place is superb. Seriously superb. It's enough to make me forget how cynical I am about Fort Lauderdale, which really takes a lot. Walking into Cafe Martorano, you are immediately transported to a world where food is fun and Lauderdale seems to forget how trashy it is-- or the less-trashy individuals of Lauderdale all hide here... I'm not really sure.
The food is served in gigantor-sized family portions. Prepare to share or take home. You'll have to unless you just like to eat and eat and eat and eat. The wine list is extensive, though the staff was a bit less than enthused to assist.
The one drawback to this place-- THEY ARE SOOOO BUSY. Like all the time. Be prepared to wait 90-120 minutes for a table on a Friday night. No joke.
It is, however, totally worth it... and really just a fantastic experience for people watching and a romantic albeit noisy date with your lova.
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