Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

I've eaten at this Olive Garden several times, and A-OK would be the best way to describe it. I like the way Claire M described this place: "Italian food for the masses." This isn't where I go when I'm looking for quality Italian food. This is where I go when I'm looking for some comfort food that isn't going to break the bank.

Most recently, I came here for lunch on a weekday, so the wait wasn't bad at all. I will mention that previous visits to this Olive Garden for dinner have resulted in a REALLY long wait. I abhor waiting, so on times like that, I would have preferred going somewhere pricier that takes reservations.

I digress. For my most recent luncheon, the service was pretty fast. We both got minestrone soup with salad and, of course, enjoyed those signature Olive Garden bread sticks while waiting. This was the first time I ever got the minestrone soup from Olive Garden (I usually go for the baked ziti), but I was pleasantly surprised by how hearty and healthy it was. The soup did not taste too salty and it was packed with beans and vegetables. The salad, of course, was nothing more than iceberg lettuce with some croutons and cheese sprinkled on top.

We ended up bringing home an extra container of soup and salad each (we didn't realize that it came with our meal to have a re-fill) and we ordered two extra soups and salads for family at home. The staff was kind enough to include a bunch of bread sticks to go, as well. Overall, we ended up getting a lot of food for a very reasonable price. It's not my favorite, but sometimes it just hits the spot.

I really enjoy Italian food and with the prices of Olive Garden you expect so much more but they fail in so many areas. The quality of food, just average. Customer service - very poor. Wait times - ridiculous.

Good warm bread sticks
-excellent salad bowls
-appreciated the wine taste
-waitstaff was smiling and enthusiastic
-consistently good quality food.