Maggiano's Little Italy Bellevue
Photo Credit: The Bellevue Collection

The Italian chain restaurant, Maggiano’s Little Italy, is planning to close in the spring of 2023. It is currently located at Lincoln Square in Downtown Bellevue on the first level, near Paddy Coyne’s.

Maggiano’s serves family-style Italian-American food. It is a nationwide restaurant chain with 53 locations, including Bellevue. This was the only Maggiano’s Little Italy that was located in the Pacific Northwest.

The restaurant first opened at Lincoln Square 18 years ago, in 2005. This is when the mixed-use development originally opened.

A representative for Maggiano’s Bellevue location confirmed that they would be closing in the spring but could not comment further.

The Italian restaurant is owned by Brinker International, Inc, which also owns Chili’s Grill & Bar and two virtual brands; It’s Just Wings and Maggiano’s Italian Classics. Brinker International is one of the world’s leading casual dining restaurant companies, based out of Texas.

Maggiano’s Little Italy submitted a notice to the state Employment Security Department that it will lay off 147 employees, as part of a closure, according to PSBJ. This is scheduled for March 4th.

The address for Maggiano’s current location is 10455 Northeast 8th Street.

Also located in Lincoln Square is the newly opened Water Grill. The fine dining seafood restaurant opened in December 2022. This located had previously been occupied by McCormick & Schmick’s, which closed in 2020, after having been open for 15 years.

13 Comments

  1. “This located had previously been” I believe should have been “This location had previously been”.

  2. After my experience yesterday, they might as well just close up the restaurant. I tried to order dinner for delivery. Their website doesn’t work. After making my selections from the menu the website wouldn’t allow me to finish and pay. It kept saying that an “error occured- try again later.” After several tries, I called the restaurant to place my order. The person answering the phone said she would transfer me to the order desk. The order desk never answered. I tried several times. I gave up and ordered from a different restaurant. Unfortunately things have gone to heck in a handbasket! T

  3. So sad to hear this ! We dined there often back a few years ago The food and service was always good … sounds like things went south .

    🙁

  4. “After my experience yesterday, they might as well just close up the restaurant.”

    Are employees really motivated to work when they know their job will be over soon? They should have just close shop and pay the employees for a few weeks to go find a new job.

  5. It Saddens me to hear they are closing. I love this restaurant.

  6. Maggianos always had great customer service for us and good food peqce sat the same as Olive Garden. The ambiance was more fancy and food tasted better than Olive Garden too. I will miss them. I wondered if they raised the rent too high for peopel to afford them. Mall owners need to realize that I. We Eder for them to make money not to bankrupt the buisneses out of it.

  7. Very sad to hear. We have gone several times in the last 6 months, and before COVID. I felt this was one restaurant where I could get a reliably gluten-free meal that tasted really good!

  8. I’ve eaten at the restaurant in Vernon Hills, Illinois and it was AMAZING!! The best Italian restaurant that I’ve been to in a long time. I had linguini with clams and was to die for. The bread was wonderful too. I went with my husband, sister and he r husband. EVERYONE loved their meal. I can’t believe that someone compared this restaurant to Olive Garden! There’s no comparison. Olive Garden is horrible and highly overrated. I’m originally from the Chicago area and have eaten at several phenomenal Italian restaurants,
    We went on a Saturday afternoon and the place was packed! I can’t wait to go back on my next visit. Simply because good linguini with clams is hard to find.

  9. This is indeed very sad. Our family and friends enjoy this restaurant frequently. Our holiday traditions center around reservation availability during snowflake lake. This will likely end that activity too. From the wee ones to granny, we all love the food and each has their favorite dish to look forward to. I am sad to see this happen as our metro area is becoming more and more disappointing for family fare. Our best wishes to the work staff.

  10. One of my favourite chains since I was in Virginia…their Tysons Galleria location was an essential stop whenever I had business nearby, and was ecstatic to see one in Seattle proper. Guess I will have to travel back to VA or TX to get my favourite eggplant parmigiana and salad :’(

  11. sad, i loved the food, the decor, everything about that place. I wish i could buy it and run it myself (but i can’t)

  12. Good great to see failure hopefully the whole company will close

  13. I eat there before is closed.
    This covid hurt all the business.