The Olive Garden Comments Archive contains comments made prior to 2008 and was archived on July 16, 2009.
2005-08-17 10:00:36 This is the standard chain Italian. Avoid at all costs - it's not cheap (chains aren't, if you look carefully), but it is bad. They have an amusing but distressing corporate policy of pushing soft drinks on folks who only want water. There are two reasons to go here:
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You have kids who are out of control. Chain restaurants specialize in obnoxious family situations (by which I mean, they can cope with just about anything, where a local restaurant lacks the massive corporate policy manual that could prevent problems).
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You want Italian and it's 9:30 on a friday or saturday, and all the other places are closed. You can get served faster here than most other Italian places close to closing time.
If neither of these are the case, then I feel you are almost certainly making the wrong decision by patronizing this place. On the other hand, if you swing that way, I beleive these are the only "Italian" places where the bread comes pre-soaked in oil and covered in garlic salt. Also, the portion sizes here, at least on the cheap foods, are even bigger than at other Italian places, so if you're looking for a 3000 calorie meal, this could do the trick.
Bottom line - be a friend to yourself and the local community. Go somewhere else. —RossMessing
2006-11-16 21:40:38 We've never had the previously listed experience. We go 3-4 times every year and we love Olive Garden! The breadsticks are terrific! —PeteB
2007-04-11 19:00:16 im not a fan of this place and i am italian! everything has a prossesed pre packaged food taste. the salad and breadstick are ok but not for a whole meal. same level as don pablos i guess. —JadeRaven
2007-07-09 17:05:43 It's ok. It has VERY salty food, but the salad is incredibly tasty. The menu is also limited and doesn't change very often. But I do think the food is good, pricy but good. —SuzanneKirsche
2007-10-23 17:52:06 I'm Italian and have eaten homemade Italian food my entire life. Olive Garden is NOT Italian food and an insult to Italians in that they attempt to associate themselves with us.
How is their food? It's cheap food smothered in grease and salt to give it taste. Nothing is close to authentic. Get the pasta y fajoli and they give you ministrone. Ask a waiter was pasta y fajoli is and they will explain that it is "Italian Chili". Do yourself a favor and find a "hole in the wall" Italian place where the owner/cook is old Italian and enjoy a good meal.
May you find good food! —JohnCap
2007-11-10 01:40:41 My friend Matt and his boyfriend went to the Greece location. They experienced taunting and disruption of their meal by other customers, and extreme discrimination by the staff. In the end, they were ejected from the restaurant and the antagonists were allowed to stay. They are taking this up with the Department of Human Rights. —JoannaLicata
