The food is above average to excellent. The atmosphere is alright; you have a choice of the band (cougar) area, bar or formal seating area; none are perfect, as long as you know what to expect, then it will be enjoyable.
I was drawned to Marisa's every since they were on Madison Avenue many years ago. The food has always been good and I've never had to send food back due to poor quality. When very busy I have encountered a longer than expected wait time for our meal. What's nice is seeing different members of the family coast through the crowd to make sure everything is going okay and greeting the customers.
please avoid this mess of a resturant. The food is super expensive & not good. I have tried it 4 times. The chefs are heavy handed w/ the truffle oil. The last time we went there with our 3 kids and sat in the dining room. We tried to get bread or crackers while waiting for apps and the waitress was MIA. The food took over an hour On GNO at the bar the female bartenders were rude and ignored every female. We were charged for someone elses tab!
Great job, Marissa! A fun place for families with good food and nice prices.
Stick to eating in the bar area. There are tables there and it is much easier to get in and out. Avoid it during any type of happy hour however, because it gets jammed.
Dec. 2011