Olive Garden

Doesn't Recommend

John C.

Joined 1 year ago

Prices too high - portions way too small. I never cared for Olive Garden that much because being an Italian and knowing very well what Italian food supposed to taste like, theirs just doesn't even come close. We went to OG last night and we found that the prices are absolutely outrageous and the portions are so small they actually look ridiculous in the humungous plates they serve on. I'm gratelful to the people who gave us the gift certificate for Xmas, because if I would have been pretty pissed if I had to dish out $55 for the amount of food we got. We stopped at Taco Bell on the way home.

Doesn't Recommend

reebi

Joined 2 years ago

unbelievably aggravating. I eat at olive garden about 3 times a year and have never had a complaint worth writing about till now. My husband and I ordered the never ending pasta bowl special whereas you choose your choice of pasta,and sauce. You can also choose your meat, meatball, sausage or chicken for an additional 2.95,, pasta and sauce alone 8.95. We arrived at 4:30 seated near a window in a fairly empty section. Things started well, we ordered almost immediately and the waitress brought our bread and soups, (toscana for both of us) which was excellent, very flavorful and seasoned perfectly. My husband and I both had a second bowl, our entrees arrived while we were eating the soup.Ok, no big deal.I had chosen spaghetti with a marinara sauce and meatballs. My husband, fettucini with alfredo sauce. My husband felt his pasta was undercooked and I thought it looked very dry. My spaghetti arrived piping hot so I cut my meatballs (2) and ate those first, they were very light and tasty, I thought they were very good. As I dug into my spaghetti I found my pasta too, too dry for my liking, I attempted to get my waitress' attention to no avail, though I thought she had seen my husband and I both motioning to her. I just wanted more sauce and to try the chicken that was part of the 2.95. After waiting at least 5 min. another server or busboy noticed i was not eating and asked if I needed something. I told him I just needed a small dish of additional sauce and a side of chicken.He asked who our waitress was and we pointed her out, she at this time taking orders from another table, he in turn tells ANOTHER waiter who then comes over to the table. With a big smile on his face he explains to me how he can bring me a new fresh dish of pasta because that's how they do it there at olive garden, I told him well, I just wanted more sauce for the pasta and some chicken but if he prefered to bring me a frsh plate to do what he wanted. Then he says he will but of course my dish would be much smaller,( still with his big smile)because it is a second portion. HELLO, I've taken two or three bites of this one, why should I get a smaller portion. I could not believe it, all this because I want more marinara sauce. I told him to just bring me more sauce and chicken, he told me he could bring me more sauce but he'd have to tell my waitrss about the chicken. Minutes later he brings me about a quarter cup of sauce( i can get a whole can of it for about a buck at the store)which at least now makes the spaghetti edible. A few minutes after that he brings me a baby size portion of spaghetti with 4 tiny pieces of chicken on it, I would estimate about an ounce to an ounce and a half of chicken, little pieces that had been pulled apart. I did not want or request more spaghetti anyway but if this is what they call the never ending pasta bowl, what a joke.Well a least now I feel I can eat and as I'm bringing the fork to my mouth for about my third bite, our original waitress comes by and asks,,, Are you still working on that or would you like me to bring you a box? I put my fork down and said I was finished, just take it away, I got to eat about half of my plate, never touched the spaghetti in the baby serving I did try one of the small bite size pieces of chicken, which was tasty, but certainly not what I was expecting.The service was annoying and amateurish, though they were not kids, and I felt like I went through a lot just trying to get some extra marina sauce for my spaghetti. Totally terrible experience, it's only saving grace was the soup,the only reason it gets 2 stars. I left about an 18% tip which I thought was very generous under the circumstances.

Doesn't Recommend

SMed 23

Joined 4 years ago

HAD A HORRILBE EXPEIRENCE. I was with my mom neighbor and friend and we had this ditzy waitress who was huffing and puffing about everything and she was just horrible. she ruined my whole dinner

Recommends

Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Traditional dishes and all -you-can-eat salad, soup and bread sticks are the draw at this upscale-casual Italian restaurant.. In Short
Established in 1982, this chain gained a following for its laid-back atmosphere and generous portions. Patrons settle into comfortable booths and tables in dining rooms with plants, artwork and décor reminiscient of the villas in the Tuscan countryside. Starters include scampi, sausage or pepperoni pizza, and several soup choices, as well as a signature seafood dip (crab, shrimp, cheese and marinara). Entrees include classics like lasagna, fettuccine Alfredo and chicken parmigiana. There are also "Garden Fare" options, which promise 30 percent fewer calories.