Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano

Got a yellow card by the food inspector in Spring 2016, and has been going downhill. Staff is no longer friendly. Long wait for water, and food is indifferently served. This is sad; I have enjoyed this restaurant in the past. Hope they get it together soon.

My husband and I had our rehearsal dinner here in March. The service and food were impeccable. Very impressed!
We started off with bruschetta and bacon wrapped dates. Both tasted very fresh and were delicious.
We followed with the house salad and then had chicken marsala and lasagna for entrees. So much food!
The experience was seamless and I was impressed with the coordination of the staff.

One of my favorite restaurants. The food was excellent as usual however the waitress needs to improve on her personality. Her service was excellent but she wasn’t very warm or friendly.

The grilled veggie risotto & penne sardi are fantastic. Or meal came with a selection of focaccia, baguette, olive oil & parmesan for dipping. Yum! The staff was attentive & got our order exactly right. I’ll have to come back & try other menu selections.
The restaurant interior is paneled in dark wood & earthy colours; a little upscale for a fancy dinner if you want it to be. Even so, I wasn’t snubbed for walking in in shorts. Instead, a friendly host greeted us as we walked in. Grab a drink at the extensive bar if there’s a wait for a table. (We didn’t have to wait.)
There’s plenty of parking & bike parking nearby. Special, convenient parking available if you are picking up an order.

If you want a mediocre American-​italian, it’s perfect.
Most of the staff know what they are doing and all of them are kind.
I’ve had the sausage penne here, pretty good, nothing to yell about. Another time I had the spaghetti and meatballs, which, by the way, Italians do not eat together.
Meatballs were a little bland but good texture.
I’ve noticed all of the pastas here seem a little bit more overcooked than al dente. Too fluffy/​soft for me but maybe this is how they like it here.
Overall, for affordable Italian I would go here but for quality I would go to Timpones.

I’m not a local, so when I came into town for business and had to find a place to eat, I trended toward the higher end places that I knew wouldn’t screw up a meal. They did well to live up to my expectations. I ordered the beet salad and a risotto because I was on a vegetarian binge. The rice in the risotto could’ve been cooked a little longer, but the beet salad was fantastic. Service was mostly pretty good too. I’ll be back when I’m in town again.

We ordered a olive and mushroom pizza over the phone. Twice in a row they got everything right except that they loaded up with extra sausage on everything. We didn’t want sausage and we are vegetarian. I think it is a bit strange that all of them were what we wanted except for the extra sausage.
PS they don’t have Hawaiian pizzas

Food was good. Service ok. However, experience was a total disappointment. Came for my real birthday with grandchildren. Expectation to have candles and cake as part of the celebration dashed. When I shared it was my birthday was told I could only have a free dessert if I was a club member. Kinda a big requirement for someone who rarely if ever comes to the restaurant as I do not live near Biaggios. Company policy is to not give away food, direct quote from manager on duty. Perhaps a now popular policy but somehow what used to be a great place to visit is not as welcoming. Manager said he could buy me a birthday treat but it was phrased in a less than appealing way. Opted to have a better experience elsewhere. Just posting to share their policy.

We came here with a teen group of about 40. Our leader asked if the bus driver could have his meal comped (many restaurants offer that for groups of 20 or more). The hostess checked with a supervisor who said yes. Once we were seated, a manager approached and told our leader no. Right away that set the tone for management’s competence. Bread with olive oil was very good. Salad was great. The taste of the food was ok. The alfredo sauce was more like parmesan milk. No creaminess in it at all. Although we had lunch portions, the lasagna for several members of our group were so small, that an old lady in a nursing home could have finished the whole thing. Yet, other members received a good sized piece of lasagna. Oh, drnks. They don’t serve regular iced tea. Only raspberry iced tea which can be served through the Pepsi dispenser.
Now for dessert. We were allowed two desserts for the group. The group voted for chocolate cake and crème brûlée several weeks in advance. Keep in mind, also, there were four tables with 6 – 7, a table of 3, and one table with 11 or 12. We were brought platters with 3 pieces of tiramisu and 2 pieces of lemon cake. The server checked, and those were the choices that were written on the service sheet for the kitchen. Even though our leader checked her email and the cake and crème brûlée were clearly confirmed by management of Biaggi’s, they did not make it right to correct the dessert choice. I questioned the platters of 5 pieces for our larger tables. The server told me she even questioned it, and she was told to serve it that way. So, members at each table had to go to other tables to get their respective desserts. AND, even though our group numbered over 40, we were only served 35 desserts.
In full disclosure, the restaurant offered several gift cards for the errors which will be donated to the school group for used in raffles. I hope I don’t win.
Pros: Our servers were fantastic. Very accommodating, quick, and pleasant. The décor was lovely, and the restrooms were clean.

Restaurant review
I was for surprised to find a restaurant similar to Maggiano’s here down in Champaign, but I finally was able to visit Biaggi’s this past weekend. This is a chain restaurant with many locations however it’s hidden away from the main strip which is why it has not visited until now. I was smart enough to make a reservation on open table or else you’ll end up waiting 20 to 40 minutes for a table. We were quickly seated in a very busy dining room. This restaurant has a variety of Italian food from the pasta’s to the meat entrées. The food here is pretty good however the service and the overall flow of the restaurant is terrible. The issues that we had here was that we ordered an appetizer and are entrées at the same time. Unlike other reviewers who complained about slow food, it only take about a few minutes before our appetizer came and literally two minutes afterwards are entrées were place on her table as well. The fried calamari was good and came with two types of dipping sauce. I had the seafood pasta which actually was prepared excellent. I wish it was in a white wine sauce however it came in a spicy red sauce. There was a variety of seafood including scallops that were prepared well grilled shrimp, mussels, and octopus. Along with this meal you get a complementary bread basket which contains a soft bread and baguette which go well with the olive oil and Parmesan cheese dip. Our server was notably absent never filling our glass of water and also not even giving a glass to my son. Finally because it’s so busy their goals the quickly turn over your table. We had a reservation at 545 and was done with our meal around 6:20, but there’s a constant feeling that they want you to clear the table as it took away our place even before my son finished his meal. For that reason I would have to think long and hard about visiting this restaurant again
Pros: Average prices, good Italian food, free bread and olive oil
Cons: Poor service, seems like they want to rush to get you out, poor timing of food delivery
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Health code rating: B. Appears to be clean, however health reports they appear to have been the numerous violations

This was our second visit to this lovely place. We started with stuffed mushrooms shared by my hubby and I and they were very well done and flavorful. Our first course was a different story. Hubby had the minestrone soup and couldn’t eat it because of an over use of some herb that was overpowering and not pleasant. Our waiter appeared disappointed that he didn’t finish his soup but after we explained the issue he took the soup away but not off our bill, which he really should have done. My salad was under dressed and and the house vinaigrette was not very flavorful. Our entrees more than made up for the disappointing first course. Both were extremely good bordering on orgasmic! Hubby had the 4 cheese ravioli and I had the Chicken Marsala and we are still talking about how wonderful each was! Definitely will go back. l

So I came back here a little impulsively for yet another date night. It really is a great spot to bring your significant other. Good food that is perhaps a little pricey but definitely a step above most other chain places like Olive Garden.
We came in on a Wednesday and the place seemed to be fairly crowded, but it’s big on the inside so luckily we didn’t have to wait at all.
We kept it simple as usual and just ordered 2 entrees between us. We took advantage of the interchangeable sauces and noodles on some of the dishes. I got the farfalle alfredo but substituted the sauce for the lobster cream sauce, while she got a Bolognese with fettuccine noodles and red sauce. Mine was quite tasty, the chicken breast was cooked perfectly and had a good texture to it, the pancetta chunks added a nice texture, and the lobster sauce, although perhaps a little too soupy, added a nice seafood touch to the dish. She said the Bolognese was also very good.
The service was spectacular. Our server Jake was particularly friendly and humorous. He had a very strong knowledge of the menu, specials, recommendations, etc. I felt bad we are pretty basic diners and don’t really ask too many questions or even order more than just entrees. What a great guy!
Overall, a good experience at Biaggi’s, I’ll definitely come again to try something else.

I’ve been to Biaggi’s many times and have been very back and forth about how many stars to give them. But every time I’ve been here, something has been a little… Off…
–My party has ordered wine here many times that has been either out of stock or is served and is no longer good
–My last waiter spilled about a teaspoon of red wine every time he poured a glass (note* it was the most expensive wine on the reserved menu… Smh)
–My barrata appetizer was very dry
–On another occasion, I was served undercooked asparagus and overcooked salmon
The service is friendly, but often amateur. Just like the food, it’s a hit or miss sometimes. Despite the noise, which can make it pretty hard to hear anyone at your table, the atmosphere is pleasant.
While I have a lot of complaints, the complementary bread is excellent and the desserts don’t disappoint. Try not to get too attached to a specific dessert though, because they change up the menu on occasion. Also, I like how they display the calories to each dish on the menu and offer a lighter section for those of us who don’t feel like breaking the calorie bank before dessert. ;)
I think Biaggi’s has a lot of potential, but just needs to work out some of their kinks.

I do not consider myself a food snob, I am just as happy getting a Wendy’s ¼ lb. cheeseburger as I am trying some new food fad. I do however expect for a restaurant to do their very best at what it is they do. And Biaggi’s does not do Italian any better than Olive Garden and does so as at an over-​inflated price. I really do not like to give low ratings. I try my best to find the silver lining in most things but the only silver lining at Biaggi’s is the atmosphere.
I had several friends that gushed about the food and how Biaggi’s is one of the best restaurants in the Champaign-​Urbana area. I think I need to find a new class of friends after trying Biaggi’s.
The wait was not bad for a Wednesday night without reservations. The staff were friendly and attentive. The atmosphere of Biaggi’s is very nice, white linen table cloths, candles, sturdy table and chairs. We were presented with a basket of sliced Italian bread and dipping oils after we were seated and it was a nice presentation.
I ordered stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer and they were not bad. They were swimming in oil but if you used the Italian bread to sop it up, they were really very tasty. I ordered the Garlic Shrimp Oreganata and my SO ordered the Sea Scallop Risotto. Disclaimer here: I did not know that Biaggi’s was a chain restaurant until after our visit.
The main entrees took a while to come out and I had finished my Caesar salad and mushrooms and was eyeing my husbands bread when they finally did come out. The salads that came with dinner were large and the lettuce was fresh and crispy. The Caesar dressing tasted like Kraft but it’s salad so I’m not really complaining. My Garlic Shrimp Oreganata tasted like Chef Boy-​Ar-​Dee tossed with salad shrimp. It was lukewarm and terrible. My husbands Sea Scallop Risotto was also lukewarm and the scallops were few and far between. The Risotto was actually good and they did put plenty of «lump» meat crab in the dish. For the time it took them to microwave these frozen meals (and you can tell) I would have expected them at least to be hot.
It is a shame that the food was sub-​par because the atmosphere is definitely elegant and much nicer than taking your loved ones to Olive Garden (which I love, remember no food snobbery here!) The fact that this is a national chain restaurant is equally disappointing: the meh food is now nationwide!
If you are looking for authentic Italian, this is about Italian as Pizza Hut. Try Minneci’s or or even Manzella’s. If your looking for atmosphere, they have a nice wine and liquor list and enjoy a few drinks but I cannot recommend the food. And I definitely did not enjoy it.

Less check in’s here for me – according to Swarm/​FourSquare I have been here more than 125 times, with the majority of those experiences being very good.
Thanks for a good run. FACTS: I started coming here in 1999 when it opened. This was after making several trips from Champaign to the Bloomington location – Good Times and Great Food with Friends… the business was built on the ethic of solid food and exceptional service. I personally knew most of the ‘opening’ management staff in Champaign… and I am still connected with several of them. Things have changed and not for the better!
On a regular basis I eat here 2 – 3 times a week. Yes, that is a lot. But, in the past I have appreciated the convenience and location to work. No more passing over the the lack of constancy with food and service. This evening we were served cold/​warm soup, cold pasta, cold under cooked vegetables (that the manager calmed was due to a menu change). With tonight’s experience I doubt I will ever go back.
Cold food, under cooked food, and an arrogant manager. No Thanks.

The food is good and authentic.
However, the hitch is that our waitress was kind of impatient and rush

The one in Bloomington normal is superior in every way.
First, it took nearly 40 minutes for the food to come out for a party of 6, on a regular lunch hour. If you are in a hurry I would suggest maybe skipping this place and hitting up the fazzolis.
Our waiter was a friendly guy but it didn’t make up for the fact that the Alfredo sauce on my pasta was absolute crap. As a proud Italian American I’m pretty sure the sauce they put on my pasta was either out of a can or made in such a bulk that they need copious amounts of water. Either way the sauce was absolutely disappointing and not worth the price.
My Caesar salad was also a major let down. With zero to little dressing on it and for some reason over seasoned pepper on it. If you like pepper this is your salad, if your like me and expect you c. Salad to be creamy and delicious you should just avoid it.
The bread was fantastic so I guess they have that going for them. I won’t be returning to this location which is a bummer because I’ve always enjoyed the Bloomington normal location

I have a long history with Biaggi’s restaurant, going all the way back to when they built the first one in Bloomington. That place was about 100xs better than the one they built in Champaign, but only for this reason– the Biaggi’s in Bloomy had a… the best way to describe it was «module», where they had all these incredible salad ingredients lined up. You walked up to the beginning (sort of like a Subway setting, only huge metal bowls of fresh ingredients, not small plastic bins/​crocks), and the person at the counter would grab a fresh (clean) metal bowl. You’d start out with your choice of lettuces/​spinach/​etc., move on to toppings (with more than a dozen to choose from), and then finally get a home made (right there in front of you) dressing that… let me tell you, was OUT OF THIS WORLD. So amazing!
But, that was the Bloomington store, of course. Biaggi’s in Champers was different from the get go. A GIANT room constructed from a wooden polymer that was designed to cut down on noise and echoing! Super smart. Not sure it really helped, like a lot of people will often complain, the place is like an echo chamber, but… acoustics were a concern from the start.
Biaggi’s had always prided themselves on being Southern Italian. That meant that you’d never catch them with a Fetuccini Alfredo on their menu. I got chewed out for asking if they ever did one, once, at this location. =P It was during a business dinner, too, so it was good and embarrassing! =P But it appears, via their online menu (that they do them, now =P Gee, thanks for that, Biaggi’s!)
With the Southern thing, though, you always get a delicious italian bread at the start of the meal, along with an amazing extra extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled liberally with parmesan cheese. Sort of a do it yourself alfredo, right? ;D Maybe not! Delicious nonetheless!
Biaggi’s has always gone out of their way to make unique, delicate, and very refined dishes. The raviolis are a house specialty, and a guest favorite, I know that much. My sister flies from California for the Butternut Squash!
During one dinner party, we did have a waiter who accidentally had a coffee carafe (they were talking about changing them out at the time, so they probably have by now, as the design they had on these things was a nightmare! The servers said they burned themselves on them ALL THE TIME) explode in her hands, which led to coffee running down the back of a guest’s chair, straight onto their $ 200 coat. Biaggi’s gave them a voucher for a free cleaning, without any guff, and then said that if the stain wouldn’t come out, they’d pay for a new one!
I thought that was so upstanding, I added an extra star for it, otherwise I would have rated the restaurant (and the overall experience) a 3.
The final point worth mentioning is that Biaggi’s is not cheap. Think Olive Garden prices, but smaller (not necessarily a bad thing), more refined meals. And if you plan to drink, it’s only gonna get worse. There are a few places where drinking out is still viable, but this restaurant is not one of them!

We were looking for a fancy restaurant to eat lunch, and stumbled upon Biaggi’s. I loved the atmosphere, and our server was extremely nice!
We ordered Bruschetta Classico for appetizers, and it was OK. Nothing special. For my main course I got the Capellini Di Mare, and the noodles were swollen and the pasta was cold. I thought it was only my pasta, but my friend’s pasta was also cold. It tasted like they made it yesterday, put it in the fridge, and microwaved it. The food looked pretty and arranged well, but that’s about it.
Overall experience was OK.
I would not go out of my way to come back.
Food: 2 stars
Service & ambience: 4 stars

Plan’s for pizza down the street fell through when we found out the other place only had take away service.
We found Biaggi’s on the recommendation from co-​workers and were excited for a good experience.
Our server was very friendly, and our meals arrived from the kitchen very quick. Almost too quick, but we weren’t going to complain.
Towards the end of our entrees is when things went south.
A uniformed policeman entered the restaurant and walked towards our table. He calmly asked another server to talk to him in the restaurant lobby.
Suddenly, and without warning, the restaurant parking lot became a flurry of police activity.
I couldn’t independently confirm it, but it appeared the server had been wanted on a warrant that was serviced in the restaurant. The server was detained in the back of the patrol car as we exited.
Otherwise, dessert was fantastic. Had the bread pudding – amazing.