All-American food, drinks and fun have been the theme of Maggiore's Neighborhood Restaurant and Bar in Cedar Park since Mike Brandel and Chet Bigon opened the restaurant in March 2010.

"It's just a casual place," Bigon said. "We wanted it to appeal to whoever walked in."

On April 12 the owners hosted their annual crawfish boil to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Maggiore's, dating to the restaurant's origin outside Cedar Park, Bigon said.

Maggiore's began in Hutto when Brandel bought Coach's Pizza, which included five tables, delivery service and one old television with rabbit ears. Brandel renamed the location Maggiore's after his great-grandparents who emigrated from Sicily to the U.S.

Since then the owners have referred to the restaurant as "Mag's" to promote its casual feel, Brandel and Bigon said.

Bigon also owns Randy's Ice House in Taylor and stopped into Maggiore's at its location on Hwy. 79. He and Brandel became friends and later partners. When Maggiore's began to outgrow its space, the two restaurateurs began planning a move to Cedar Park.

"When Chet found this location here [in Cedar Park], it was a no-brainer," Brandel said. "This whole demographic is just perfect for what the concept was. It's exceeded my expectations."

Maggiore's today is different, Bigon said. They have rebranded the restaurant as a neighborhood grill, he said.

"People were looking for things other than just pizza and wings," he said. "We expanded the menu, started focusing on different menu items and dropped the 'pizza and wings' [label] off our name."

The owners said most Maggiore's customers come for dinner. They can stay until 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday for options at the full bar, including margaritas. Guests can play billiards and arcade games. Customers can view sporting events and more from 20 televisions positioned over the tables and the bar.

But the restaurant is much more than a typical sports bar, Bigon said. Maggiore's often hosts families after their children's local sports games. Diners find more on the television screens besides ESPN or other sports programming, such as cooking channels or cartoon programs for their children to watch, he said.

"We've never even liked the idea of a sports bar," Bigon said. "Just because we have TV doesn't mean there's going to be sports on those TVs."

Maggiore's menu


Appetizers

  • Blue Cheese Chips—Cheese, bacon and tomatoes over potato chips ($5.99)

  • Fried calamari—Half a pound of breaded, seasoned rings with marinara sauce ($7.99)


Salads

  • Spinach salad—Spinach with walnuts, pomegranate vinaigrette and more ($7.99)

  • Grilled chicken salad—Lettuce with sliced chicken, tomato, cheese and more ($6.99)


Entrees

  • MAG's Burger—Topped with bacon, cheeses, jalapeos, onions, mayonnaise and more with potato chips ($8.99); substitute fries for $1

  • Handmade pizzas—Hand-tossed pies with single toppings come in 10-inch ($6.99), 14-inch ($10.99) and 16-inch ($12.99) sizes; extra toppings cost $0.79–$1.79

  • Baby back ribs—Roasted and glazed with barbecue sauce and served with cole slaw and fries (half rack $11.99, full rack $16.99)


Maggiore's Neighborhood Restaurant and Bar, 1420 Cypress Creek Road, Cedar Park, 512-291-6065, www.magstexas.com, Hours: Sun.–Wed. 11 a.m.–midnight, Thu.–Sat. 11 a.m.–2 a.m.