Macaluso's Restaurant - Italian restaurant in Aiken - 135 York St SE, USA

We were visiting in Aiken and looking for a relaxed atmosphere with great Italian food. We didn't have reservations, so we had a hour wait. Enjoyed the bar atmosphere til we got a table. Service and food was exceptional. We ordered the Chicken Parmesan and the Clam linguine with White Wine clam sauce.

Absolutely amazing experience all around. The bar upstairs is phenomenal and the bartender makes the best drinks we have had in the CSRA. The service in the dining room is always top tier and we have been here on numerous occasions. The owners are the sweetest people and are always so accommodating. You must get the meatballs or sausage and peppers for an appetizer. The salad is also a must have. I have ordered something different on the menu each time for my entree and it is all amazing.. Absolutely the best Italian food you can get in the area and probably in all of South Carolina. We love Macalusos! A rare gem in the Aiken area.

Essentially an adults-only restaurant (serves ages 12+) with a beautiful upstairs bar complete with chandelier to enjoy while you wait! Old house with 8-10 tables. Imported pasta from Staten Island. Approachable menu- entrees $20-30. Great service, too. Would recommend!

The ambiance,servers, drinks, and food were exceptional. My husband and I came here for the very first time for our anniversary dinner. The meatball appetizer is delicious a must try. We can’t wait to go back

My wife, next door neighbor, and myself had dinner at Macaluso's on 1/10/2024. Starting in the bar- it was perfect. The bartender was professional, and quality of our drinks was exceptional. Main dining- also perfect. We were seated in the middle of the dining area on time, found the dining area comfortable and dinner/drink suggestions made by the waitress/host/co-owner were on target. We enjoyed the bread, bottle of wine, our selected meals, dessert and after dinner drinks. The experienced employee's and dedication of the owner's was truly impressive. We left feeling proud that Macaluso's Restaurant is doing business in our Aiken community.

Our visit was somewhat disappointing. Have visited before and enjoyed our food and visit .But....it wasn't as pleasant this visit. The service was very good but the food was not compared to our previous visits. We had a good white wine with the clams and linguine and tried a small sausage pizza. The linguine and clam dish was a B- at best and the pizza was too well done maybe a C+ . Maybe it was just a Friday night thing, but not worth the $85+

If there was a Sixth star this restaurant, chef and amazing wife would get it across the board. I have been fortunate enough to have experienced the original Macaluso’s in Miami Beach over 20 years ago. Back then, Chef Michael was as talented as he was brave. No printed menus. Verbal only. 100% scratch cooking. It was a rare combination of authenticity and warmth. The food was the best. Frank Sinatra playing loud, servers who had knowledge of food, simple but delicious homemade desserts. The beginning of what has become, in my opinion, a legacy from Staten Island…and a legend in the making. No kidding. It just so happens that my wife (girlfriend at the time) and I decided to move out of Florida to South Carolina. Having lost track of Chef Michael (same name as me! but he’s the famous one), I googled searched him on a whim to locate an old friend. To my surprise he set up a new life and a new Macaluso’s in Aiken, SC. Long story short, I drove Kristen there on her birthday weekend for a surprise…asked her to marry me in the gorgeous Rose Bar on the second floor of the restaurant and proceeded to have the most delicious, memorable dinner…and reminiscent of the Miami Beach days. So on to the food…Chef Michael has a gift for remembering what every guest has ever eaten in his restaurant. Crazy. He remembered I always ordered the Vito Salad…Crisp chunks of Romaine, cubes of cheese, salami, chick peas and the best homemade vinaigrette you’ve ever tasted. Meatballs of course. Most people don’t know that Chef Michael D’ Andrea invented the Meatball Salad. Two large, perfectly cooked and super delicious meatballs over a simple Romaine salad…shaved Parm and scoop of fresh ricotta. South Beach trendy spots copied him but never hit the mark in my opinion. Now I’m a chef, and I would say I make some of the best meatballs around…but back in the day, when I would have a party and cook for 12 or more people, I’d order Macaluso’s meatballs “take out” and serve them as an appetizer. Yes, I gave him credit! True story. My go-to is the Orecchiette pasta with fresh sausage out of the casing, escarole or broccoli rabe, cannellini beans in natural juices. Last time we were there he made us the Chicken, artichoke with button mushrooms, basil and cavatelli. We also had the pancetta, chick peas and basil with fusilli. An authentic pizza oven from Italy produces the perfect pies…He still has clam pizza, Some dishes you absolutely will love are the spicy Sinatra Shrimp, Escarole and beans appetizer (which he will serve over a giant piece of fresh crusty and toasted bread), Chicken Parm over pasta that will knock you out…and one of his best dishes even 20 years later…Pan roasted sea bass. Cannolis of course. Ricotta cake, vanilla cake with chocolate frosting…chocolate cake with vanilla frosting. All made in-house. First of all, Aiken is a must. Cute little city in the middle of horse country. About 2 hours out of Charleston. Close to Augusta, GA. Worth the trip. You can walk in but I would recommend a reservation. And plan to be there a while. Have a drink in the Rose Bar while you wait for your table. And you will wait…which is a good sign. You will never be rushed out if you take a late res… And kudos to his front of the house partner and wife who works tirelessly to make their guests feel like they walked into an amazing, beautiful, great smelling home. We will be back soon. Many times!

My wife and I enjoyed every thing about this restaurant! Had about a 45 min wait on a Friday night which was perfect amount of time to have drinks at the rose bar. Dinner was nothing short of amazing, will definitely be back!