Marcelo's Restaurant

Decided to try this restaurant after seeing all the great reviews it had gotten. The atmosphere was very nice and romantic although it was a tad dark and I had trouble reading the menu. One of my major issues with this restaurant is that we had close to five people serving us... We ordered our drinks from one person and then proceeded to be asked if we would like anything to drink from every other waitress. That went on for the entire evening, making it quite hard to have a conversation when we were constantly being interrupted. Our main courses took a long time to be brought to us and it didn't live up to my expectations. The food was rather bland and my fiances salmon was burnt. After our meal we waited nearly an hour and a half for the bill. Will not return as I felt very out of place and the food was not what I had expected.

Marcelo's is a restaurant I recommend to visitors to and locals of the tricities alike! And I have never gotten anything but positive feedback from people. Each person I know has become a regular there after my recommendation.

Marcelo's has a concise menu: a few options in each category. At first this may seem a big change from other restaurants, especially chain ones, but the smaller menu guarantees that everything is fresh and...well perfect! The menu seems to change regularly so that when I visit a few times a year there will be new items to try.

My favourite item on the menu is the caprese salad. The bocconcini cheese is just amazing- you can't find anything like it in a store- and the combination of items and sauce is just delicious. Of course another favourite is the bread- made fresh daily crusty bread with peppers, olives, or garlic baked into it. Fantastic!

At Marcelo's you won't find the typical pasta meals we've come to expect at canadian italian restuarants! Don't get me wrong, he makes a wonderful pasta, including delicious gnocchi, but he tends more to meat entrees with fantastic pasta side dishes.

Everything at Marcelo's is great! The service is friendly and prompt. The location is a tad odd, as people have said before, but not an issue once you get inside and immerse yourself in the wonderful meal experience.

I've lived in the tricities my whole life and this is by far my favourite spot! Please try it, you won't be disappointed.

So amazing it borders on unbelievable, especially for what you are paying. Ever since I have visited Marcelo's for the first time, I have had difficulty eating anywhere else. I just haven't found anything in the tricities that comes close. The price can range anywhere from $15-25 for an entree. So you can actually walk out of there under $30 per person with an appetizer and entree but I don't know why you would want to. A drink on top of that and you're at $25-35 per person even with one of the more highend entrees. I always end up ordering more than I can eat to try different things. But let's talk about the actual important stuff: the food.

Most recently I had the seafood pasta. I loved it so I asked him about it and why it tasted so differently. He makes the noodles at home by hand and apparently he even cuts the little dimples at the sides into it himself. The mussels were easily 2 or 3 times as large as I have seen anywhere else and definitely the freshest. You can tell that absolutely everything is made from scratch and on the spot which is something unheard of for this price or in this region. I always found something pre-made no matter where I went before this place.

I like the restaurant itself too. The kitchen is exposed so you can see him preparing the food. I like knowing that there is a sparkling clean kitchen being used. But just seeing him work, or the flames rising above his head is pretty fun as well. He also comes out of the kitchen to chat sometimes, which is something I always enjoy because I can ask about what everything is or how it's made. You can tell he has very high standards for himself and what he makes which I think is why the food so well priced for what you get. He's charging you for the food price and whatever on top but no where near what you should be for all the attention to detail and effort he puts in.

You can expect to wait at least 10-20 minutes on a course though depending on what you order and number of people in the restaurant. Everything, including the bacon on top of the caesar salad is made on the spot so you imagine why there is a bit of a wait. This has also taught me something though. There are still times when I go out and have something come out in 5-10 minutes. Now I wonder exactly what parts and how much of that plate was made beforehand and how long it has been sitting/frozen etc.

Trust me and the others who swear by this place. It's in a off-beat location so perhaps you don't even know they're there but just go one time. You won't regret it. You won't believe the flavours that come out of his food. Also, I go every once in a while. The reason I do though is because the menu is always changing with the season. Sometimes once a month, sometimes after 2 weeks. The veggies are always seasonal as they should be.

I have eaten at every place listed in Cambridge, except the new Hobson where the Blackshop once was, and almost all of the like-places in Kitchener so I have no problem saying this but... best restaurant in the city.

I must say that finding Marcelo's was fantastic. My mother was visiting over the Christmas and New Year Holidays. Last week I suggested we go for Italien. What a perfect choice. The greeting right on through to the service and excellent meal went perfect. Marcelo's is a small quaint place in the midst of car dealerships and auto needs stores. You can imagine how pleased we were to walk in and find a gem! The food presentation shows the love put into each dish. Try the ceasar salad plate, very different and refreshing.

On my way out, I asked if I could return often on Thursdays or Fridays in the late evening with my husband for an appetizer and a nice glass of wine. They were so happy to welcome the throught.

Must have been the most enjoyable meal we ever had. The service was excellent as was the entire meal. From the warm home made bread with roasted red peppers to the desert was fantastic. Not to mention the incredible entrees. The only draw back was it was in stripe mall. If you can get over that & work your way inside, you will not be disappointed.

i do not like italian food they have here in canada but the food i had at marcelo's is real italian food like in italy.
very fresh and clean taste. you should try the rabit when on special and the duck .the best i had so far and trust me i am a chef too.
BRAVO

The first thing you notice at Marcelo's is just how clean the kitchen is. It's all on display, and it's all gleaming. The second thing you notice is Marcelo himself, with boundless energy he runs that kitchen flawlessly, and turns out meals that rival the best of Toronto dining.

There was not a single complaint at our table, no small accomplishment, considering all five of us are quite versed in Italian food. From the unique fresh bread, to the pasta, seafood, and veal dishes, everything was fresh, cooked to order, and impeccably presented.

If time permits, Marcelo will come out and chat with his guests. He really loves his work, and it shows.

Try it, you'll return.

Marcelos is definately a hidden gem of cambridge, they have been open for 2.5yrs and I just found them recently. A great place to get dressed up and take your wife/girlfriend out for a great dinner, relax to the italian music and be prepared for the best food presentation you will ever see. (so good we didnt want to mess it up by eating it) The veal chop was to die for, cooked to perfection and tender like no other veal I have ever had and it was very reasonably priced at $22. All I can say is MARCELO'S is a must try for anyone from anywhere worth the drive!!!