Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

WAIT TIME: We were quoted a 15-20 minute wait and waited 35 minutes. About 10 of the best parking spots in a lot that is generally full were reserved for takeout orders (and were empty) while people were parking in adjacent lots and walking to Olive Garden. I have never seen a restaurant allocate that much parking to takeout, and their parking situation really is not conducive to such a commitment. ATMOSPHERE: The restaurant is aging and is showing wear and tear. They see a high volume of customers every weekend. The lights are kept dim, and it is a good place for a date or quiet conversation, but this is not a "fancy restaurant" any more. It is very much a chain store. SERVICE: The server was attentive and cordial. Drinks were refilled in a timely fashion. Soup and bread sticks were refilled as well. She was responsive and receptive to special requests. FOOD QUALITY: The soup, salad, and bread sticks were standard. I ordered the Giant Stuffed Shells with a meatball. As a rule, I generally do not order red sauce at a restaurant, but I was not impressed with the fettuccine alfredo last time I ordered it and was in the mood for something new. When the shells arrived, they were dry and crispy on the edges as though they had spent some time under a heat lamp. There was very little sauce (which was what disappointed me about the fettuccine alfredo on my last visit), and there was no sauce at all on top of the noodles. I can only assume that corporate (or local management) has made the decision to lower food cost through portion control on the sauces. The meatball tasted a great deal like an oversized Spaghettios meatball. Overall, an edible, but generally underwhelming meal. PORTIONS: With unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks, noone should go home hungry. The portion size on my meal was more than I can eat at one sitting, and half of it went home with me in a to go container. At $18 a plate for pasta, it should be ample portions! I added sauce to the dish at home when I reheated it, and it was actually quite good left over.

It's been a number of years since I've eaten here because the last exoskeleton was awful. Today's experience was great! The calamari was fresh. The salad ingredients seemed bag but were really good and there wasn't any brown lettuce. The shrimp scampi was really good as well! The only downer wad the breadsticks were a bit on the hard side. I would definitely go back here!

Fantastic service. Bread and salad were good. Entrees were okay, but a little disappointing. Lasagna was dry, but better with additional sauce I requested. 3 people, out the door with tip was 70 bucks. Not too bad, considering all the bread and salad we ate. Probably won't be in a hurry to go back though. Super crowded, as it was a Friday night at 5:30. Even so, we were seated immediately.

We had the unlimited lunch soup and salad with bread sticks. The price was excellent. Our waitress was kept our drinks and bead sticks filled. The restaurant was clean and neat. We only had a few minutes wait for a table, but if you arrive at peak meal time you can expect a wait for seating. This is a budget friendly restaurant for a family, especially at lunch time when ordering from the lunch menu.

Our food was delicious but it did take us a few minutes for anyone to come ask us for drinks or anything after we were seated! The people that got seated close to us had drinks and appetizers ordered before we had our drinks. But all in all its still a great place for food! I love the salad and Italian dressing.

Met a friend for lunch. Busy, busy place! We had to wait about 20 minutes to be seated, but it was worth the wait. Our server was patient and courteous, attentive, but not hovering. Food came quick and hot. We were not hurried to eat and leave. The food was delicious, but I would have like just a bit my alfredo sauce for my pasta. I would dine here again.